Cleaning questions

[RemSynthTac]

There seems to be a lot of different opinions on proper cleaning methods so a few questions. First though, the amount of rounds I put through my 870 will probably never exceed 100 rounds per month. More like 50 per month average. And second, I definitely like the simple method - which is why my first and next handguns are glocks

I did clean it yesterday after my first range trip (50 rounds) and followed (some of) the directions from the literature included in the gun box, literature in the cleaning kit I bought and a YouTube video I found.

Here is the cleaning kit I purchased - probably overkill since I don't own one handgun and shotgun of every caliber

I also bought some large patches and this Bore Snake because I thought you needed one:

Q1) do you use patches with bore snakes? The directions with the snake didn't mention them. (The kit had a flexible bore snake in it which I did use with patches)
Q2) does the trigger assy need to be removed and cleaned after every shooting?
Q3) does the magazine tube need to be cleaned after every shooting?
Q4) Can Ballistol be used to clean and lubricate like I do with my Glock(s)?

[Tasman]

Congratulations on the shortly, they are a...blast (pun intended)
As for cleaning, you do not need to use patches with a bore snake, that is the beauty of them. They incorporate brushes and patches into one easy to use time saving product.

No need to remove and clean the trigger assembly or mag tube after every shooting.

And yes, you can use Balistol on a shotgun as well.

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[DaveC]

Congratulations on an excellent cleaning kit. I'm trying to use up all my carcinogenic cleaning products so I can revert to *just* Ballistol. I've got quite a hoard of cleaners, unfortunately.

1) I either put a bunch of WD-40 down the bore, assemble a rod with a 12-ga. brass bristle-brush, wrap the brush in a large cotton patch, and use that to scrub residue from the barrel, -OR- a clean, laundered Hoppe's bore snake with part saturated with CLP for several passes. Works good on the magazine too. Your mileage may vary. I tend to leave my shotguns that are maintained to "repel boarders" mostly dry. Particularly the magazine interior.

2) I seldom remove the trigger assembly for cleaning. Maybe once a year? Your mileage may vary.

3) No. Perhaps wiped out with a dry bore snake.

4) Yes. Ballistol is awesome. I even use it as a patch lube for my muzzle-loader .50 cal.

Personally, my idea of a "low maintenance" handgun is a stainless revolver, but to each his own. Here in Texas, one of the more common negligent discharges, unfortunately, is from Glock owners who failed to unload the pistol before disassembly... Including lots of folks who really should know better. It seems that frequently it happens when the Glock owner is distracted by something, and returns to the tasks of disassembly while complacent. As hard as it may be to believe, this is why Smith and Wesson and some other competitor companies have engineered new striker-fired handgun designs where the trigger does not have to be pulled prior to disassembly.
Enjoy your 870!

[Kentactic]

A bore snake is more of a halfway clean field tool in my opinion. All i use is a rod with a bore brush. I scrub the crap out of the barrel and then run a wool brush down to get out the loose stuff. No chemical required there. Then ill wipe down the moving parts and inside the reciever with a patch with some solvent on it or dry depending on how dirty. Then lubricate and assemble.

[RemSynthTac]

Good stuff. Thanks to all for the assist!

[Synchronizor]

Everybody has their own personal twist on how to clean their guns. 870s really don't need to be babied, so if you're worried that you're not cleaning your gun enough, odds are you don't need to be. Personally, I usually just wipe mine down with a pre-oiled wipe when I get home, and clean the barrel bore and choke tubes after I've put enough shells through the gun. Unless the gun got really wet or dirty (as in actual dirt, from the ground), a full take-down and intensive cleaning isn't something that has to be done after every trip to the range.

[mercman]

Cleaning?!?!?! Oh, you're supposed to clean these shotguns?

[RemSynthTac]

Cleaning?!?!?! Oh, you're supposed to clean these shotguns?

I saw a guy on YouTube cleaning his 870 and he used more Rem oil in one cleaning than I will use in six months on mine . Some people always think more is better, but I am all in for basic cleaning that can be done quickly

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[Synchronizor]

Here in Texas, one of the more common negligent discharges, unfortunately, is from Glock owners who failed to unload the pistol before disassembly... Including lots of folks who really should know better. It seems that frequently it happens when the Glock owner is distracted by something, and returns to the tasks of disassembly while complacent. As hard as it may be to believe, this is why Smith and Wesson and some other competitor companies have engineered new striker-fired handgun designs where the trigger does not have to be pulled prior to disassembly.

I won't argue that a pistol that can be taken down without pulling the trigger will be inherently safer than one that does require a trigger pull. However, if someone is dumb enough to dry-fire any gun without checking the chamber immediately prior to pulling the trigger, or even pick up a gun without checking the chamber right away, they deserve all the blame for a ND.

[Kentactic]

Here in Texas, one of the more common negligent discharges, unfortunately, is from Glock owners who failed to unload the pistol before disassembly... Including lots of folks who really should know better. It seems that frequently it happens when the Glock owner is distracted by something, and returns to the tasks of disassembly while complacent. As hard as it may be to believe, this is why Smith and Wesson and some other competitor companies have engineered new striker-fired handgun designs where the trigger does not have to be pulled prior to disassembly.

I won't argue that a pistol that can be taken down without pulling the trigger will be inherently safer than one that does require a trigger pull. However, if someone is dumb enough to dry-fire any gun without checking the chamber immediately prior to pulling the trigger, or even pick up a gun without checking the chamber right away, they deserve all the blame for a ND.

Agreed. Nothing wrong with a glock. I hate when companies "Liberalize" guns to be "safer". If you need to do things to help a guy not shoot himself its a losing battle its going to happen sooner or later.