Pistol shooters have got to be the worst housekeepers I have ever seen…..they hate cleaning guns and some will even argue that those .22 rimfire pistols even shoot better if they are never cleaned. Don’t you believe that old maid’s tale, if they shot better Walther would supply them dirty. If you can remember your science classes you know that part of the residue from anything that burns is acid. The barrel and chamber of your pistol is raw steel and you know how acid takes to raw steel, especially when a little moisture is present. Our Canadian climate is not exactly dry and the usual result is corrosion. The corrosion will start the quickest under a thin layer of carbon build-up and this build-up occurs most frequently in the blow-back action pistol like the GSP. Powder residue when fresh is quite soft and will come out with the minimum of cleaning provided only that the cleaning is done immediately. Carbon residue is also hydroscopic, that is to say that it absorbs water and like cement, it hardens into a layer of rock hard stuff. This hard carbonate is very hard to get out and it is at its worst at the forward end of the chamber where the rifling starts. If the pistol is not cleaned properly it will continue to build up until feed problems start. The GSP/OSP pistols are famous for their reliability and they do not misfire unless something is wrong. The first sign of feed problems is noticed when the firing appears not to be hilling the cartridge hard enough…..light hits. What is actually happening is that the cartridge is not chambering far enough because of carbon build-up in the chamber. When the firing pin strikes it moves the cartridge ahead slightly instead of denting it like it is supposed to. There may also be extraction problems because the spent cartridge sticks in the carbon build-up.

All of the above can be prevented by regular cleaning. If it is not prevented even worse complications take place…..Underneath that hard ring of carbon corrosion is taking place. I recently had to soak a barrel in solvent for three days before I could chip out the carbon, I had to use a piece of brass rod sharpened to a chisel point and chip it out. Underneath was a ring of deep potholes like a rural road. Under a glass one could actually see where chips of carbon had been breaking off , lodging in the lead bullet and scoring the bore right out to the muzzle. Of course I sold the customer a new barrel, the 25m. group had opened up to over two inches. The other place that carbon deposits build up is on the muzzle crowning, this will also result in a loss of accuracy.

Use a good quality bronze brush and solvent as soon as you get home from the range, it only takes a couple of passes…..follow it up with a dry patch and your done. Once in a while take out the bolt and barrel wash all the parts in gasoline or solvent just to get that black dirt off them. Dust from the range combines with the oil and makes a very effective grinding compound. Lightly oil the bolt and re-assemble. When doing this take a look down the barrel at a strong light just to assure yourself that you are not getting a carbon build up at the commencement of rifling.

Some folks look upon gun cleaning as an onerous chore that is done when you want to sell the gun, but do it right and you will do wonders to your confidence at the next match and learn a bit about your equipment to boot.