How often do you clean your magazines?

bohner69 · 01-31-2012, 11:19 AM

Ive honestly only cleaned two magazines and only once each, Ive had the gun for about 9 months now and the magazines just as long, how often do you guys clean them? Oh and ive probably only put about 200 rounds through each mag.

ChefJeff1 · 01-31-2012, 12:33 PM

I acquired a Sig P226 combat just yesterday.

I took it home and stripped it, cleaned, and lubed it.

Then I disassembled the magazines and just wiped the inside with a clean rag to see what was in there. They were pretty clean. I cleaned the springs and followers with Hoppes. Then applied the smallest amount of balistol to the springs and outside of mage and then wiped well with a clean rag.

I don't want them to be oily, as oil attracts more dirt.

They were simple to disassemble, just watch out the spring doesn't shoot out.

Just push in the little bumb on the bottom and slide the plate off.

Bricktop · 01-31-2012, 11:24 PM

You'd be surprised. Sig magz, for some reason, stay really clean for the most part. I would pull the base plates off them once a year and clean/oil them. That's all that should be needed. If you are dropping out of helicopters in the sand for a living you might want to increase that though

p.d. · 02-01-2012, 04:48 AM

I detail mine at least twice a year. I don't believe I've ever gotten enough junk out of them to have caused a problem but mine are out in all weather conditions at least five days a week. If we've gone to the range in inclement weather I detail them immediately.

treysSig3 · 02-01-2012, 06:48 AM

I clean my as needed. Even then it seem that it is only a couple times a year. However I have to agree that if you get into any kind of moisture then clean ASAP. I seem to have to clean my 556 clips a heck of a lot more often the the Mags in the 229. This my be due to the type of ammo that I shoot out of the 556.

Grail Knight · 02-01-2012, 02:47 PM

Once a year all magazines are taken apart and cleaned unless they get gunked hunting, fishing, etc...

Demonio · 02-01-2012, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bricktop

You'd be surprised. Sig magz, for some reason, stay really clean for the most part. I would pull the base plates off them once a year and clean/oil them. That's all that should be needed. If you are dropping out of helicopters in the sand for a living you might want to increase that though

I saw some youtube vid that said magazines should run dry because oils corrode ammo. Did I misunderstand that?

Dogguy · 02-02-2012, 06:23 AM

I clean my magazines with oil. 'Course I don't leave them wet with the oil, I always wipe them dry. But I've always believed a non-penetrating oil is less likely to damage ammunition than using a solvent that penetrates. If you wipe them clean of any residual oil/solvent, it shouldn't matter anyway.

On the subject of how often magazines need to be cleaned, I used to clean them every time the gun was cleaned which, for me, is every time I shoot it. But I have now set aside some magazines for range use and some for carry. Those for carry get tested every so often and cleaned thoroughly after each use. The range magazines get used a lot more often but get cleaned less often because reliability is less important at the range than for carry. Even so, I figure I clean the range mags every fourth or fifth range trip.

SigGal · 02-02-2012, 06:32 AM

I had a question about my mags for P238 and talked with Sig. There is a cleaning schedule on their website. The representative suggested approximately every 400 rounds. There are lots of scenerios where it may be more or less often. I've not cleaned mine yet but I'm just reaching the 400 mark.

Kolchakxi · 02-05-2012, 04:15 AM

I've spent quite a bit of time cleaning AR mags, but honestly never cleaned my P245 mags. I have 3 factory 6 rounders, and have had them for about 6 years. Sitting here reading this thread, I thought I should check. I just pulled all three apart and they were perfectly spottless. I gave them a light wipe down on the interior, and back in service they went. I've had this firearm for 6 years, and have never had a single malfunction... perfection.

97th Signalman · 02-06-2012, 07:19 AM

I clean mine everytime I use them. I know that seams like overkill but I am retired and have the time. I enjoy cleaning my guns so it's no big deal.

I often select the mags that I purchase on the basis of how easy they are to take apart and put back together for cleaning purposes. It's no big deal as most modern pistol mags have some sort of detent accessed through the floor plate that can be pressed for quick disassembly.

I am sure that they don't need to be done as often as I do them but I look at it this way: I have dozens of guns and I never know the next time I am going to shoot any one particular gun and the same goes for accessories like mags. I don't ever want to look at some particular gun or mag that I put away dirty many months or years ago and find that it has deteriorated due to my neglect.

dave2 · 02-08-2012, 10:49 AM

I don't know how they come apart and if I could get them back together... so, unfortunately, never.

Dogguy · 02-09-2012, 02:12 PM

Before I bought a GTUL, I never cleaned a single Glock magazine because they were so hard to disassemble. Four of the magazines were over 20 years old before they were ever cleaned. I just sprayed them out with Gun Scrubber after shooting. I also did the same with 1911 magazines. It's amazing how much you can neglect some things and they still work. These days, I'm more obsessive and I take more time with cleaning my guns.

01-31-2012, 11:19 AM	#1
bohner69 Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Maine Posts: 99	How often do you clean your magazines? Ive honestly only cleaned two magazines and only once each, Ive had the gun for about 9 months now and the magazines just as long, how often do you guys clean them? Oh and ive probably only put about 200 rounds through each mag.

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01-31-2012, 12:33 PM	#2
ChefJeff1 Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Idaho Posts: 33	I acquired a Sig P226 combat just yesterday. I took it home and stripped it, cleaned, and lubed it. Then I disassembled the magazines and just wiped the inside with a clean rag to see what was in there. They were pretty clean. I cleaned the springs and followers with Hoppes. Then applied the smallest amount of balistol to the springs and outside of mage and then wiped well with a clean rag. I don't want them to be oily, as oil attracts more dirt. They were simple to disassemble, just watch out the spring doesn't shoot out. Just push in the little bumb on the bottom and slide the plate off.

01-31-2012, 11:24 PM	#3
Bricktop Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 137	You'd be surprised. Sig magz, for some reason, stay really clean for the most part. I would pull the base plates off them once a year and clean/oil them. That's all that should be needed. If you are dropping out of helicopters in the sand for a living you might want to increase that though

02-01-2012, 04:48 AM	#4
p.d. Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Dry Ridge, Kentucky Posts: 9	I detail mine at least twice a year. I don't believe I've ever gotten enough junk out of them to have caused a problem but mine are out in all weather conditions at least five days a week. If we've gone to the range in inclement weather I detail them immediately.

02-01-2012, 06:48 AM	#5
treysSig3 Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Midwest Posts: 65	I clean my as needed. Even then it seem that it is only a couple times a year. However I have to agree that if you get into any kind of moisture then clean ASAP. I seem to have to clean my 556 clips a heck of a lot more often the the Mags in the 229. This my be due to the type of ammo that I shoot out of the 556.

02-01-2012, 02:47 PM	#6
Grail Knight Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 39	Once a year all magazines are taken apart and cleaned unless they get gunked hunting, fishing, etc...

02-02-2012, 06:23 AM	#8
Dogguy Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 50	I clean my magazines with oil. 'Course I don't leave them wet with the oil, I always wipe them dry. But I've always believed a non-penetrating oil is less likely to damage ammunition than using a solvent that penetrates. If you wipe them clean of any residual oil/solvent, it shouldn't matter anyway. On the subject of how often magazines need to be cleaned, I used to clean them every time the gun was cleaned which, for me, is every time I shoot it. But I have now set aside some magazines for range use and some for carry. Those for carry get tested every so often and cleaned thoroughly after each use. The range magazines get used a lot more often but get cleaned less often because reliability is less important at the range than for carry. Even so, I figure I clean the range mags every fourth or fifth range trip.

02-02-2012, 06:32 AM	#9
SigGal Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Iowa Posts: 7	I had a question about my mags for P238 and talked with Sig. There is a cleaning schedule on their website. The representative suggested approximately every 400 rounds. There are lots of scenerios where it may be more or less often. I've not cleaned mine yet but I'm just reaching the 400 mark.

02-05-2012, 04:15 AM	#10
Kolchakxi Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Puget Sound, WA Posts: 2	I've spent quite a bit of time cleaning AR mags, but honestly never cleaned my P245 mags. I have 3 factory 6 rounders, and have had them for about 6 years. Sitting here reading this thread, I thought I should check. I just pulled all three apart and they were perfectly spottless. I gave them a light wipe down on the interior, and back in service they went. I've had this firearm for 6 years, and have never had a single malfunction... perfection.

02-06-2012, 07:19 AM	#11
97th Signalman Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Chagrin Falls, Ohio Posts: 8	I clean mine everytime I use them. I know that seams like overkill but I am retired and have the time. I enjoy cleaning my guns so it's no big deal. I often select the mags that I purchase on the basis of how easy they are to take apart and put back together for cleaning purposes. It's no big deal as most modern pistol mags have some sort of detent accessed through the floor plate that can be pressed for quick disassembly. I am sure that they don't need to be done as often as I do them but I look at it this way: I have dozens of guns and I never know the next time I am going to shoot any one particular gun and the same goes for accessories like mags. I don't ever want to look at some particular gun or mag that I put away dirty many months or years ago and find that it has deteriorated due to my neglect.

02-08-2012, 10:49 AM	#12
dave2 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 28	I don't know how they come apart and if I could get them back together... so, unfortunately, never.

02-09-2012, 02:12 PM	#13
Dogguy Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 50	Before I bought a GTUL, I never cleaned a single Glock magazine because they were so hard to disassemble. Four of the magazines were over 20 years old before they were ever cleaned. I just sprayed them out with Gun Scrubber after shooting. I also did the same with 1911 magazines. It's amazing how much you can neglect some things and they still work. These days, I'm more obsessive and I take more time with cleaning my guns.