I'm lazy. What's my best option for XD finish care?

[Tim James]

I'm young and I appreciate the simple pleasure of a low-maintenance, low-stress life. I bought my XD9 Tactical a week ago not knowing that the finish required more care than the average gun. (I probably would have bought it anyway because I tried everything else and I shoot the best with the XD!) I am new to guns, so maybe I am spoiled by modern finishes that I can abuse, and maybe the old guys will criticize me, but I really don't care to meticulously and constantly maintain my gun.

I'm not concerned about holster or finish wear ("looks"). I just want to be able to abuse my gun a little, do a minimum of day-to-day cleanup, and still not wake up to a bunch of rust everywhere.

This will be an IPSC competition gun and I also use it to let new shooters try a centerfire handgun after they graduate from the .22. I will never carry it, but it will see holster use on match days. I tend to go to range sporadically: sometimes twice a weekend, sometimes I won't make it for 2 weeks. It will be handled and dry-fired extensively at home, sometimes for just a few minutes.

I'd like to be able to go to the range without having to block out some time when I get home to strip and clean the gun. I can spend a few minutes wiping it down, but I don't want to get the cleaning supplies out. Sometimes it takes me 3 to 4 days before I clean the gun. I don't mind spending time to clean the gun once I'm ready, and I'd be happy to take extra time to apply various coatings and greases at that point. I'm just not interested in doing so right after I get home from the range. I'd also like to be able to pick up the gun and do a few dry-fires without having to wipe it down, but that's negotiable. I don't plan on abusing the gun by leaving it in a humid environment.

Given this criteria, what do you think is my best option?

1. Stop worrying about it and continue my current habits until I see rust.
2. Spend some money up front to apply a better finish. I don't mind spending a couple hundred bucks to lower the maintenance needs of my XD.
3. Keep a silicone or oiled cloth handy and wipe down the slide after dry-firing or range time, and then clean it and apply protectants when I'm ready to sit down and do that.
4. Store it in a vapor-lock bag or something similar in case I end up leaving the clean gun alone for a few weeks.
5. Stop being lazy and commit to giving this gun extra care and attention.

Please advise with your opinion.

[The Knight Of Light]

Lazy huh?? Gun kote it, Duracote it, Armor tuff it, chrome it, or buy all stainless guns. Metal needs oil to keep it from being eaten away by everything else. If the oil can't get to the metal because of dirt gunk and grime all over the pistol, because you are lazy, then you deserve to have a rusty gun. If you don't want to oil as much then one of the coating methods above will help you to be lazy by giving you time to clean. If you carry the gun you need to clean every few days and wipe the gun down anyway. You would be suprised at how much crap gets into the gun from daily carry.

[akr]

Originally Posted by The Knight Of Light

Lazy huh?? Gun kote it, Duracote it, Armor tuff it, chrome it, or buy all stainless guns. Metal needs oil to keep it from being eaten away by everything else. If the oil can't get to the metal because of dirt gunk and grime all over the pistol, because you are lazy, then you deserve to have a rusty gun. If you don't want to oil as much then one of the coating methods above will help you to be lazy by giving you time to clean. If you carry the gun you need to clean every few days and wipe the gun down anyway. You would be suprised at how much crap gets into the gun from daily carry.

+1

[The Knight Of Light]

Oh did I mention that some of our Sponsors do refinishing work??

Springer Precision

Canyon Creek - through Pistol gear

[XD13]

For someone claiming to be so lazy, you sure do type a lot.

[tec]

Coat it heavily in XFR (xtreme friction reducer) by blue wonder products, let it sit like that for a day or two. Wipe off excess ,then let it stand for a day. Then give it 3 good coats of melted Armadillo wax by blue wonder. Buffing in between each coat lightly.

Cheap and effective.

[Old School]

Originally Posted by The Knight Of Light

Oh did I mention that some of our Sponsors do refinishing work??

Canyon Creek - through Pistol gear

Rich is his own man, not through us, we just support and believe in his work.

www.canyoncreekcustom.com

[mcb]

RIG grease. Rub it down with a quick light coat after each use and forget about it.

mcb

[chupacabrachus]

If you're as lazy as you say, you've got two options: refinish the XD & Sell the XD.

[Chayak]

If you want to protect your gun from rust but are too lazy to clean it...
Here is the easiest method for you... buy one of those glad lock storage containers and fill it part way with Break Free, field strip your XD and drop the parts in there, seal up and put away. Your pistol will be safe from rust and hopefully you as well.

+1 to The Knight of Light

Now humor aside a pistol or rifle is a machine that needs to be maintained. If you want something you can abuse buy an AK47 but otherwise stop being lazy and sit down to some TV and clean your pistol after you get home from the range. Even if you have it refinished there will be parts that won't be protected and will need to be cleaned and lubricated.