1911 Experts

Mr.Blue · Aug 26, 2018

I have a few questions regarding “higher-end” 1911s.

1). How many rounds do you typically shoot before cleaning (full take down), assuming you are using “quality range ammo” like Speer Lawman? I usually use a boresnake after every range visit, but don’t take the gun down and clean the internals.

2). Assuming you don’t clean your 1911 after a trip to the range, how long (in time) can you wait before cleaning them? Since it is non-corrosive ammo, I’m thinking I’m ok for a while.

I hate cleaning guns! That is why I love my LWRCs and polymer handguns. If you are OCD about cleaning your guns, try to give me a reasonable round count/length of time, not that you clean your 1911 after every magazine. Thanks.

clandestine · Aug 27, 2018

If you have a properly built 1911 it easily ill run 3-5k rounds without needing to be cleaned. It needs lube, not cleaning.

TheOriginalMexicanBob · Aug 27, 2018

I only field strip and clean my 1911s after shooting them...a full tear down and cleaning is rarely needed. The 1911 platform is very tolerant of powder. A basic clean, wiped own and lubricating is all that's necessary.

BigCountry14 · Aug 27, 2018

clandestine said:
If you have a properly built 1911 it easily ill run 3-5k rounds without needing to be cleaned. It needs lube, not cleaning.

Agree with this. Hell, I feel like my 1911s shoot best after theyve got 200 rounds through em. Always seems a little off (by my standards) after a cleaning. I generally go 3k between full cleanings. I wipe it down after every shoot, and lube regulary.

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Not_an_outlaw · Aug 27, 2018

My experience with a high end 1911, Kimber, is that if you shoot it more that 400 rounds with reloads in the high side of the allowed normal pressures, but below the +P, the gun will fail and crack. And Kimber will not do anything about it. I cleaned mine about every 75 rounds (or after each time I shot it). F-Kimber.

Pinecone · Aug 27, 2018

I seldom do more than wipe down the outside with something to remove fingerprints and prevent rust.

When I was shooting USPSA, I would field strip and clean once a year. And that was after MANY thousands of rounds.

BigCountry14 · Aug 27, 2018

Not_an_outlaw said:
My experience with a high end 1911, Kimber, is that if you shoot it more that 400 rounds with reloads in the high side of the allowed normal pressures, but below the +P, the gun will fail and crack. And Kimber will not do anything about it. I cleaned mine about every 75 rounds (or after each time I shot it). F-Kimber.

Wow, thats surprising. I had an issue with the rear sight on my first one, and they sent me the sight and screws for nothing.

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TheOriginalMexicanBob · Aug 27, 2018

Not_an_outlaw said:
My experience with a high end 1911, Kimber, is that if you shoot it more that 400 rounds with reloads in the high side of the allowed normal pressures, but below the +P, the gun will fail and crack. And Kimber will not do anything about it. I cleaned mine about every 75 rounds (or after each time I shot it). F-Kimber.

That's not the first time I've heard similar things about Kimber.

bob finger · Aug 27, 2018

If you define "full takedown" as complete dis-assembly of the pistol, the answer should be after maybe 5000 rounds or whenever one or more of the internal springs is weak.

If you mean remove the slide/barrel/guide rod and wipe things down and relube then the answer is much different. If you want shoot it until the gun tells you to take the slide off. Depending on ammo and usage that could be every time you shoot it or after several hundred rounds or something in between these two.

If your life may depend on the gun functioning then "every time you use it" is not too often. If it is a range gun then wait for it to balk on you and then do it. Every single pistol will have a different time interval, depends on tightness of fit, what ammo you shoot, weather conditions, etc etc etc. What works for me may not work for you.

A slide removal, wipe down and re lube is a 3 minute procedure so you should teach yourself to do it before the gun tells you to. bob

ps: Sorry I don't consider a Kimber to be high end. High end guns tend to be tighter and need lube more often than non high end 1911's. I own several 1911's and shoot them often. None of them are what I consider high end.

Magnumite · Aug 27, 2018

What others have posted. We all have a routine we use, you'll find yours.

Also, you have indicated cleaning relative to round count and time, both good considerations. If you are shooting a pistol frequently, friction and operational forces will be major concerns. If frequently and many rounds, the choice becomes do you want spend lots of time cleaning the gun or shooting it. I would put 200 - 300 rounds a trip, 2-3 times a week through mine when I was more active in competitive shooting. My focus was mostly on keeping it lubed. I cleaned it then shot it a couple days before bigger matches. The pistol is like a car, if you use it alot but keep it lubricated and free of nontypical abuse and debris, it will go many rounds. If it is a pistol you only shoot once in a while, time and elements will be the major concerns. In that case, getting out stuff that will attract/hold moisture, and preservative approaches are a priority.

Examples, I have a couple 1911's I put many rounds through frequently and my focus it to keep those wiped, lubed and occasionally boresnake it. While not a 1911, the Python gets shot once every 2-4 years and is meticulously cleaned and storage coated each time. And I don't go bananas on the bores getting every lead and copper molecule oou of it...a little bullet metal will not hurt as long as it the bore is protected.

dist1646 · Aug 27, 2018

OP, you should do a full detailed cleaning after every other magazine! :innocent0

Just kidding! I clean mine when they look too dirty in my opinion. A full detailed cleaning is done prior to any long term period of non-use or storage.

bpm32 · Aug 27, 2018

The Army Marksmanship Unit’s armorers’ cleaning regime was to take the top end off the receiver (by removing the slide stop—not by removing the barrel bushing), swishing the parts in an ammo can full of mineral spirits, swabbing out the barrel from the front, and blow drying with compressed air. These were with the most accurate and tightly-fitted 1911s imaginable. It doesn’t take much. I think if shooters didn’t clean their guns they could get Article 15s.

davsco · Aug 27, 2018

well certainly if it malfunctions or loses accuracy, you should disassemble and clean it. i generally clean my guns after every match (100-200 rounds). i just hate having dirty guns and really don't want to do worse in a match because something doesn't work. for cleaning my handguns, i'll pull the barrel and get it wet with bore solvent then brush and patch it. spray down and scrub the slide and frame and slide stop with clp and toothbrush, q-tips help get the crud out of the various channels and nooks and crannies. couple times a year i'll totally disassemble the slide (extractor, firing pin & channel, etc) and clean all that. i rarely disassemble the frame (trigger, mainspring, etc). other than issues with two rifles at recent precision rifle matches, my firearms have been 100% or damn close at various matches that i do most every weekend and sometimes both days on the weekends. i attribute that to having decent gear and keeping them clean and lubed.

jimbobborg · Aug 27, 2018

I have a Dan Wesson Silverback in 10mm and a Springfield TRP Operator in 10mm. They both got initial cleanings then I shot them. Since I'm not swimming in 10mm ammunition, I just have a few thousand rounds of it in various configurations, so I have not cleaned either pistol since I started shooting them. I add lube as needed and keep runnnig the 1911s I have. When I figure out how much I've shot before reliability went out the window, I'll make it an SOP of maintenance. I grease the rails and leave oil in the internal parts. i generallyrun a gun until it hits a wall. The clean and replace

Czechnologist · Aug 29, 2018

bpm32 said:
The Army Marksmanship Unit’s armorers’ cleaning regime was to take the top end off the receiver (by removing the slide stop—not by removing the barrel bushing), swishing the parts in an ammo can full of mineral spirits, swabbing out the barrel from the front, and blow drying with compressed air. These were with the most accurate and tightly-fitted 1911s imaginable. It doesn’t take much. I think if shooters didn’t clean their guns they could get Article 15s.

I never got Article 15'd for it but, I almost got to be our armorer's monkey-boy for a week after mine failed 'inspection' by an over-zealous 2nd LT who thought 1911's should be bone-dry and not oozing lubricant like mine and everyone else's did after a field-strip and wipe down. Fortunately, our armorer was a great guy and convinced the LT that was how he told us to maintain them.

I went thru two enlistments with the same sidearm issued to me: a Korean War-vintage Colt 1911A1 that looked like hell but shot very straight. I can remember only one time where he had us do a complete takedown and I know I shot over 6k rounds during the 5.5 years it belonged to me.

Zorros · Aug 29, 2018

I have had a les baer monolith for 20 yrs. i would clean it after every shooting because i can’t put a dirty gun away. But this is very difficult to reassemble so i seldom shhot it any more.

Mr.Blue · Aug 29, 2018

Zorros said:
I have had a les baer monolith for 20 yrs. i would clean it after every shooting because i can’t put a dirty gun away. But this is very difficult to reassemble so i seldom shhot it any more.

That is part of what I hate cleaning 1911s. The idiot scratch is always lurking. I have an incoming Wilson Combat with a bull barrel, which has no barrel bushing. Hopefully it won’t be hard to take down and reassemble.

shootin the breeze · Aug 29, 2018

I’ve got a Springfield Professional and Operator. I can’t get the bushing out. I can barely move it to either position and I have to use the “wrench”. Never had to do that before. Made it hard to clean for sure.

Racinready300ex · Aug 29, 2018

Here is how I look at it, when you buy a higher quality 1911 what your paying for is the tightness and close tolerances. Powder residue act's like a lapping compound and it time will loosen things up. My primary competition gun only gets used in matches typically.After a couple local matches or before a big match I'll clean it. My standard cleaning is just pull the slide and barrel and blasting it with break cleaner, then wiping it down and adding oil. Just takes a few minutes. A few times a year I'll completely strip it and clean everything.

My back up gun is just a Sig Max and it gets beat on and doesn't get cleaned vary often. 2-300 rounds of practice a week, and dry fired for 15-20 min. twice a day. I'll clean it before a major just in case I end up needing it. Both guns get a detailed cleaning if they get rained on.

Mags get cleaned when they hit the dirt.

Pinecone · Aug 29, 2018

TheOriginalMexicanBob said:
That's not the first time I've heard similar things about Kimber.

Kimber today is not the Kimber of old. Neither are their products.

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