[UncleDave]

How often do you guys detail strip your Glocks for a detailed cleaning?

I bought a used G21 Gen4, and the thing was relatively clean; I don't know how many rounds it had before I bought it, but it had very little wear internally, just a bit of external holster wear. After shooting 50 rounds through it to make sure it functioned, I decided to do a detail strip and found that there was a bit of gunk in the striker channel and the extractor spring & slot, preventing the extractor from falling out easily like it should. Probably had got some oil in there which attracted powder and got gummed up a bit. After a deep cleaning it has stayed dry, and the gun cycles flawlessly.

After that, I decided to take my G23 which I bought new and put 350 rounds through to date (100 rounds of HST and 250 rounds of range ammo). I detail stripped the G23 and even though it wasn't gunky like the G21, it was still dirtier than I expected.

I normally use Blazer Brass or Magtech range ammo, do either of these have a reputation for being dirty? I read that you should detail strip/clean after about 1000 rounds, so it seems 350 rounds it a bit soon to require a detailed cleaning. The gun still cycled perfectly, no malfunctions at all. Maybe what I consider dirty is not really dirty at all?

I do a field strip & clean after every range trip, and for comparison, my SIG P229 always appears much dirtier than my Glocks after putting just 50 rounds through each. But on the SIG I grease the slide rails as recommended, so that might be a contributor.

So, just curious what your cleaning schedules are like.

 

[Rocky7]

When I was competing around (1)x a month for every 2000 rounds. Now that I’m relaxed, probably every 4-6 weeks, unless I’m looking for wear vs what my loads might be doing.

If the platform is carried daily, then it gets cleaned in 48 hours.

 

[jstaylor62]

I was doing a regular field strip and wipe for a G36 I carry IWB. But then, I did a detailed strip of the slide and found rust on my extractor spring! Now I do a more frequent detailed strip of the slide.

 

[sciolist]

The most likely, earliest thing to make me take the lower apart is when the trigger reset starts to feel a little sluggish. Part of that comes from reset of the trigger safety. That whole area gets gunked up with fouling. The interval is maybe 15 or 20k. But that's with a very light FP spring.

I keep Glocks that are getting shot on a regular basis pretty dry, so there's no need to use oil with any frequency. I like to dry brush a few areas every few sessions, but don't clean the bore until maybe 10k, when I want to apply a little oil.

I've never had any problems with fouling in the striker channel, and again, that's with very light FP springs. Probably don't even need to do that for the life of the slide. Although similar to the frame, I clean out the slide internals if I'm in there to change something.

 

[Stendec]

Maybe what I consider dirty is not really dirty at all?

This.

It's a battle weapon, not a Formula One car. The pistol is designed to function dry, wet, clean, dirty, or really dirty. If GLOCKs weren't so simple to take apart, they wouldn't get detail-cleaned at all, and there'd be no chance of a user-induced malfunction by improper diddling at all.

 

[MikeG36]

My carry gun gets checked frequently and lint gets blown off. If I see a problem or a problem developing, I'll take care of it right then and there. Otherwise, I strip and clean it about once per month but sometimes I might go a bit longer. I rotate my carry ammo by shooting it. I'm usually at the range two to four times per month depending on work volume and family schedules.

 

[gjarcher]

Depends on one's 'comfort zone'. You can wait until symptoms of fouling begin to show: sluggish trigger reset, light primer strikes, occasional FTF/Stovepipes, etc. Or, you can detail clean after every firing. Those are the outer limits of the 'comfort zone' ... I opt for something in between, for me it is about every 2K rounds, and use as little oil as possible on reassembly ... oil and grease are not your friend!

 

[squirrelsniper]

Any time I buy a used Glock that I don't know the history of, I start off with a detail strip, inspection, clean, and lube. Otherwise, I detail strip and clean my Glocks every 1K rounds or so.

As far as ammo, I've never found Blazer Brass or Magtech to be particularly dirty. FWIW, I shoot quite a bit of Blazer Brass and like it for practice ammo.

 

[Mike-M]

In 22 years of Glock ownership, I detail strip a Glock:
1. To replace or upgrade parts (only with OEM parts).
2. To experiment and measure changes with various Trigger Springs, Trigger Bars, and Connectors.
3. To show any interested party how to detail strip a Glock.

I have no detail strip schedule based on time and usage.

 

[PowerMEGA]

For a complete detail strip and clean, my guideline is about 10k rounds or 10 years, whichever is first. My guns stay in a pretty clean environment, normal temperatures, low humidity, etc.

 

[Ofc.JL]

ARMY trained. Inspection and PM regularly, and cleaned after every use. Detail strip as needed, based on usage and need. We have killer dust storms out here in West Texas, and after patrol all day in one of those, inspection and cleaning, with a possible detail strip to clean the dirt out of the pistol. BtW, an Air Compressor is a great gadget for cleaning.
Will a Glock work really dirty? Of course, most if not all modern Duty pistols will. But why take a chance on carrying a pistol that is really dirty, especially if you stake you life on it's ability to function well. I won't.

 

[UncleDave]

Great answers everyone, thanks. I guess that if the gun is working well mechanically, unless I notice evidence of gumming or grit, I'll say a standard field strip is all that I'll need. Annual or semi-annual detail cleaning, with my frequency of shooting, should be more than adequate and mostly for peace of mind.

 

[Ofc.JL]

Sounds GtG, Dave!

 

[jamppp]

So I guess I'm the exception. The Glock comes apart and back together so easy and quick, that I quick pop out the striker and extractor, and even the locking block, trigger assembly. Takes like 10 more minutes and I think makes it easier to clean.

 

[WheelsUp]

I field strip and quick-clean after every other range session. I detail strip the frame thoroughly clean before and after each competition.

I detail strip the slide maybe once a year, as well as anytime I’m seeing a problem with performance, which is quite rare.

Keep oil, the factory brush, a rag, and Glock Armorer’s tool or a punch in a ziplock in your range bag. Makes a good reminder to clean after you shoot since you don’t have to hunt those things down. Also makes a good time to reload mags when you get back home from each trip to the range.

 

[poodleplumber]

Interesting responses that kind of run the gamut. I field strip and clean after every range session, or once a month if I don't get it to the range. I check and clean the striker channel once or twice a year. I detail strip the frame for cleaning roughly never. I feel like I have enough access to clean for good function without doing so. Never had any sort of failure doing this, and have been doing it for years.

 

[Krav Maglock]

Damn, I guess I really do have OCD. I detail strip mine after every range session.

 

[MajorD]

Basic field strip every thousand rounds or so, and detail strip the slide about once every couple years. Never have detail stripped a frame and see very very little reason to do so.
My oldest Glock is a gen 2 19 bought about 12 years ago now. Bought used and sees anywhere from 3-4K fired a year. Was detail stripped once at a gssf match by an armorer for inspection and never again.

 

[sonoma]

I detail strip the slide every 3 or 4000 rounds.I recently purchased the medical q tips that do a nice job on the slide.I detail strip the frame every 10 or 15,000 rounds and while I am there I change the trigger spring.

 

[bubbatime]

I keep a spread sheet, which list every gun I have, when it was last cleaned, what it was lubricated with, and in Glocks case, the last time I popped the slide cover plate off and wiped out the insides of gunk.

Before I did that, I found that the firing pin channel can get filthy with gunk and shaved brass, etc, so I religiously clean my firing pin channels new. I do it every 1000-1500 rounds or so. Only takes 5 minutes. I'm also one of those clean freaks that cleans my magazines as well.