Firing a gun before cleaning

[RowdyBill]

Firing a gun before removing packing grease from the barrel; one shot.  This ever an issue in regard to doing damage or just a bad practice?

[Delmonico]

Many do it, just don't know why anyone would.  Could cause excessive pressure if there was enough grease, most likey with a milatary gun from over seas.    Sides that ya never know what kind of grit the grease would have in it. 

[Four-Eyed Buck]

I'd have to side with Del on this. Never know if there's grit in it or if it has enough in there to plug it. I will generally clean it first before test firing..........Buck

[Old Top]

I have got them a couple of times that you could not get a rod through it with out a degreaser of some nature, not a good idea to fire a round through before cleaning.   

Old Top 

[Micheal Fortune]

Clean your weapon prior to firing it.  Many military weapons come packed in cosmoline.  They are packed this way to sit years on a storage shelf.  I am comforted knowing that my future Makarov, or what ever is sitting in a block of grease in a warehouse someplace not rusting away.

That much grease will also help you become more familiar with your weapon as you break it down and clean it.

Any weapon worth having and shooting is worth cleaning.  Like the rest have already told you there is a chamber pressure problem, I wouldn't want to be holding on to it when it's fired like that.

[El Peludo]

Good morning.  In my opinion, a good cleaning is almost mandatory.  It helps to familiarize you with the piece, and lets you know that it basically works, and assures you that there are no obstructions in the barrel or chamber to cause difficulties.  In a dire emergency, I might consider firing an un-cleaned one, but I always try to open the action, slide, or cylinder of any gun I pick up, and check the chamber and barrel; so I have an idea, already, of the basic state of the gun.  Just seems like a good habit to have, to me.

[Laredo Crockett]

Never ffire a gun without first making certain that the barrel is free form obstruction. The result could variably be catastrophic, interesting and/or expensive.

[Will Ketchum]

I must admit that I have bought new guns such a Rugers or Remingtons and shot them without cleaning first.  I do check them all over at make myself familiar with their operation.  Now days I generally run a patch down the bore.  For new bolt actions a generally clean after every 10 rounds until I shoot a box.  CAS shotguns I usually just check the bore and shoot them.

Will Ketchum

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I like a thorough cleaning before any firing. Not only is the grease in the bore a potential problem, but guns are packed in a protective grease to fight corrosion. I don't trust its ability to lubricate moving parts properly so I get it all off and put something on that definitely will protect the wear surfaces.

[Capt, Woodrow F. Call]

Howdy Gent's

To clean you'r barrel for dust, with one shot, is one thing , but firing a gun with grease in the barrel it is not safe, you can get a bulletbarricade , if the grease is thick, or the grease can burn innside the barrel, then you will have some problem with accuracy long time to come. Clean it good and dry first for a shootout, and then use liquid oil (acid/sorrel-free) to protect your barrel and gunparts, when you'r not use'ing it


Best Regards

Smokey Lonesome

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I'll side with the majority on this, even tho I have gotten Rugers and other quality American guns that didn't really need it.  However, some quality guns from overseas are packed in grease.  Likewise, older Military guns are stored packed in Cosmolene.  And contrary to popular belief, rust CAN form under Cosmolene, tho it's pretty rare.  I've seen it. 

So clean before shooting - at least run a patch thru the barrel.

[Jubel]

Had a friend ruin a brand new Chinese semi auto by firing before cleaning. The grease was packed tight enough and dry enough it took major gunsmithing to repair. Actually cost more than the purchase price of the rifle. In most cases locally manufactured weapons are not moisture proofed that much, but when they make an ocean crossing??? Well? Could be another story. Gun cleaning is half the fun of owning one, it's kindly like brushing your favorite hoss before saddling, just somthin ya otta do.