Glock questions

[RubieUnlimited]

Please excuse my ignorance. I didn't grow up around guns therefore I shot my first gun at 26.

I have a couple of Glocks. I clean and oil after shooting and sometimes before. I prob shoot 100 rounds a month through them.
Is there more maintenance needed that I am not doing? Do they need to be taken to a gunsmith every so often? If yes how often?

[PW]

Sounds like you are doing just fine.
Some people like to take their guns to a gunsmith or armorer every so often. I don't think its that big of a deal. The more you shoot and the more you clean them, you will KNOW if there becomes a problem. Until then I wouldn't worry about it. Some guys like to change recoil springs every so many thousand rounds. Glocks don't need much babying so I wouldn't worry about it. Just shoot them and keep your eye out for anything goofy while you are shooting or cleaning. (not that you will find anything....) Glock has a great little care and maintenance brochure that tells you how to maintain your gun. You should be able to pick one up about anywhere Glocks are sold. Everything you really need to do, you can check on your own.

[roseblood]

Actually, you're probably doing too much cleaning.
I clean my Glocks about four times a year, and I shoot with them every month. After each range day I usually run a nylon brush through the barrel and chamber. A complete strip and clean is overkill unless you are shooting a lot.

As for gunsmithing... don't worry about it. Sign up for a GSSF match and have the onsite armorer check out your pistol for free.

We have a match this June, if you're interested!

[Crusader Smithy]

When you're ready to clean it hose it down with Tetra Gun Action Blaster, oil where you see friction marks and in the rails. Clean barrel once a month and you're good.

[Steel Rain]

Actually, you're probably doing too much cleaning.

Blasphemy!

Seriously though, it has taken me a long time to get used to the idea of NOT cleaning my weapons immediately after each use but I really don't think it's necessary with the Glocks. Besides, even if your firearm was REALLY dirty you could always switch to an alternate weapon for CCW until your next day off work when cleaning your guns might be more convenient - under normal use, periodic cleaning is sufficient; its not like there will be a weapons inspection in the morning

[J-Pip]

Glock recommends an annual complete tear down and inspection once a year, but i'm sure if you sent it in for a warranty issue, they wouldn't be asking for your maintenance records. If you carry it often, it needs to be cleaned more. I get a ton of lint and dust in the receiver where all the trigger parts come together. It's good to have it completely cleaned every now and then. If it's one that you just take to the range every once in a while then you might be OK with every other year. I clean mine about once a month, wether I shot em or not. I need my man time.
I am a certified Armorer for Glock if you live in the Weber area.

[kccraft]

I'm one who cleans my guns religiously, at least as far as can be done with a normal field-strip. I found that before I did so I had 1-4 failure(s) per 17 round magazine, and I have had 1 failure in 1000's of rounds since I started keeping my guns spotless. And that was because I fired with the mag out and it didn't seem to like to eject without the magazine follower pressure.

So I'd say for my particular gun it certainly isn't overkill, because without it the gun is no longer reliable.

I don't doubt that better quality guns can handle a little more grime without affecting reliability, but when you say it would be overkill to clean more frequently do you mean that it would be a waste of time, or that it would actually be worse for the gun than less cleaning?

[roseblood]

IMO, cleaning a Glock all the time is a waste. I clean my match gun about once a month, but that's after I have put a couple thousand rounds through it. My carry gun gets cleaned twice a year, after each time I take it to the range. Funny story: The last time I shot it at the range there was a puff of lint after the first shot.