Newbie cleaning question

[westsidebestside]

I have been shooting for a little over two years, owning common home defense and carry pistols (Glock, M&P, Springfield). I regularly do the field strip, clean, and lube routine and from the lack of problems with any of guns, believe I'm doing an adequate job. My question is what and when is any more advanced disassembly and cleaning needed, in your opinion? Never? After "X" rounds or "Y" years? Are we talking about a slightly advanced procedure or complete disassembly? I'm probably looking for a middle-ground between OCD and Pig-Pen.

Also considering picking up an entry-level AR-15. Same advice or a different story?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

[Mr. Glock]

Unless you have issues, a good regular field strip will work just fine. Unless, say, you drop your gun in the.mud.

AR is similar, except you should take the.bolt carrier group apart to clean it regularly too. You can see how/ what online.

[sodbuster95]

If you're field stripping and properly cleaning your firearms on a regular basis, you should be good to go for the life of the firearm whether handgun or rifle. If you wish to further disassemble them (or pay someone else to) for "deep" cleaning, it won't hurt. But I sincerely doubt it will make any discernible difference or clean them any more thoroughly.

[Brian D.]

Hard to give a round count, but running a gun through a day long or all weekend class will drive bullet/primer/powder crud deeper inside than normal use.

[Sevens]

I believe there is a definite middle ground somewhere between field strip and full 100% detail strip, and that is found in two very key places, both in the slide of a semiauto pistol: the striker channel/firing pin, and the extractor.

Obviously, every pistol is slightly different and there is no set schedule. But after a few thousand rounds, sludge will make it's way in to these two places and eventually it will affect function.

[glocksmith]

Also considering picking up an entry-level AR-15. Same advice or a different story? Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Get an AK instead and cleaning can be 1. done very infrequently (gun still works dirty...unlike...) 2. and is simple enough you could do it with eyes closed (no small or complicated parts etc).