I am somewhat betwixt it on cleaning after a range trip.
On one hand I know it's not really all that necessary for as few rounds as were fired.
On the other, cleaning doesn't bother me and the job is easier when the gun isn't so fouled.
On the gripping hand it is an opportunity to see if anything broke in the firing of the last round and to inspect the general condition of things. Plus a cleaning now, when I can, resets the round count. If the gun can go 500 rounds (to pick a number, it's probably much higher) without a filth related malfunction between cleanings I'll have 500 again before the next dirt jam.
Of course, I don't go for mil-spec levels of clean anymore either. Wipe things down with a solvent soaked rag, boresnake, oil... done. I no longer have the need to remove all evidence the gun was ever fired. I cringe thinking about all the damage I must have done to bores with my mil-spec cleaning rods and super tight patches on a jag to get every last bit of carbon out of the barrel.
Since several of my guns do nothing but sit in the safe until someone asks, "do you have a?" a good clean and oil means it's clean next time I remember it's there.
Yeah, I'm making rationalizations and justifying myself! Off to needlessly clean my guns!
On one hand I know it's not really all that necessary for as few rounds as were fired.
On the other, cleaning doesn't bother me and the job is easier when the gun isn't so fouled.
On the gripping hand it is an opportunity to see if anything broke in the firing of the last round and to inspect the general condition of things. Plus a cleaning now, when I can, resets the round count. If the gun can go 500 rounds (to pick a number, it's probably much higher) without a filth related malfunction between cleanings I'll have 500 again before the next dirt jam.
Of course, I don't go for mil-spec levels of clean anymore either. Wipe things down with a solvent soaked rag, boresnake, oil... done. I no longer have the need to remove all evidence the gun was ever fired. I cringe thinking about all the damage I must have done to bores with my mil-spec cleaning rods and super tight patches on a jag to get every last bit of carbon out of the barrel.
Since several of my guns do nothing but sit in the safe until someone asks, "do you have a?" a good clean and oil means it's clean next time I remember it's there.
Yeah, I'm making rationalizations and justifying myself! Off to needlessly clean my guns!