[LumberGuy05]

I'll be getting my first pistol (XDm 9 5.25) in a few weeks, and I'm looking at what all I'm going to need for cleaning and maintenance, and I'm a little lost. I see posts of people using 3 different kinds of oil/lubricant on their pistols and it makes me feel I don't know anything about the process. I thought I'd get a Hoppe's boresnake kit that has a solvent and a lubricating oil, but I hear people saying they use slide glide, froglube, etc as well...

Are all the options just different options or will I need different oils and lubricants for different pieces of the gun? I'm just beginning to look up the info, so I'm at the stage where I don't understand it very well, so any help I get here would be greatly appreciated!

 

[xdmp22]

You need a toothbrush, cotton tips, a bore brush with rod, patches and a patch puller and cleaner and oil.

Other things that are a good idea is a jag and bore scrubber spray. Copper remover is good to have around if you do some serious shooting or don't clean often

As far as which cleaner and lube...well who makes the best truck? Chevy? Ford?, Dodge? Toyota? Which is a better polymer pistol? XD? Glock?, M&P? Who makes the best chainsaw? Stihl? Husky? Echo?

Its really what you find to work best for you.

I prefer M-Pro, but CLP, RemOil, Hoppes #9 and the ones you listed are all good products.

What is available @ your local store or favorite online retailer? If you buy ammo @ walmart, then buy the name brand cleaner and oil @ walmart. If you live a mile from Cabelas, then hoppes might be the one for you.

Its like choosing self defense ammo, your going to need to read around here in the maintenance section and then read the manufactures website. Just because its more expensive doesn't mean its better. Also, is this a carry weapon? Is it hot or cold where you live? Lots of factors

Let us know where you plan to shoot/carry the gun and what you plan to do with it. Then you can hear and research everyones opinion and see where it goes, then decide for yourself.

Good Luck!

 

[Vir]

You could by a ready to use kit to get you started. I experimented with small bottles of cleaners and oils and even combinations until I found one I and my guns liked. I prefer formula 3 on my SIG and hoppe's elite on my Kahr but for my EDC SA XDsc I use some "green" product that my LGS gave me in an unmarked bottle. I really like it, when I go back I will try to get the name and a bigger bottle. I have used grease products but I don't really have any issues with evaporation here.

 

[Bonehead]

I use bore snakes, q tips, a toothbrush, rem oil, hoppes 9, and an old t shirt.
I also use shooters choice all temp gun grease for lube.

I have the rods and brushes and all that but the bore snakes work fine for me.

 

[thetravlor]

I like my small, compact Otis cleaning kit. American made and has all calibers from .17 to 10 guage.
Old toothbrushes come in handy, amazing what they will pick up and shine. +1 on the Qtips. I use them to apply oil only to places on the rail that need oil. Easy to keep cleaners and oil out of places where it shouldn't go in the first place.
Dental picks etc. in the hardware store come in handy too. Remember less is better when it comes to lubricant.

 

[john_bud]

One point that often trips up new owners of striker fired guns (like the XD line), the striker does NOT need ANY oil. Oil will allow powder residue to turn into a gummy mess and cause issues.

You may want to google up the writeups on how to install a trigger kit. And watch the videos on it and on how to strip the slide. It's good to understand the operation of the mechanisms. I would take the striker out initially and clean it and the striker channel and use a 100% silicone spray or similar "no residue" lube. That's the ONLY generally accepted type of lube to use (that I am aware of). I'm also the type that likes to polish a few parts to smooth the action before hand. If you don't have experience at it - don't. Once metal is gone, it's gone.

If you will eventually get more weapons, a general maintenance kit is nice to have. A bore snake in your caliber is also nice in addition to the kit (not as a substitute).

 

[xdmp22]

Good point john bud, I forgot to mention that

DO NOT OIL STRIKER and STRIKER CHANNEL

 

[Diocoles]

Good point john bud, I forgot to mention that

DO NOT OIL STRIKER and STRIKER CHANNEL

There's a clean out hole there. Fits those little tube things that go on the canned air. Use canned air to blow out any debris in that channel, make sure you have eye protection and I'd advise you to take it outside to do it.

When it's new, not so much, but after a lot of firing, it can blow out some nasty gunk.

 

[xdmp22]

There's a clean out hole there. Fits those little tube things that go on the canned air. Use canned air to blow out any debris in that channel, make sure you have eye protection and I'd advise you to take it outside to do it.

When it's new, not so much, but after a lot of firing, it can blow out some nasty gunk.

Clean out hole? Where is this clean out hole?
The striker retaing pin is in the center of the slide.
To clean the striker channel and striker you need gun scrubber or punch out the pin and thenremove assembly...good idea to replace pin on re-install

 

[texan_eagle_scout]

Let us know where you plan to shoot/carry the gun and what you plan to do with it. Then you can hear and research everyones opinion and see where it goes, then decide for yourself.

The usage is a significant factor in deciding what lubes you will use. Users in cold climates can use oils more to allow freer movement.

Users in warm climates can use greases to keep the warm temps and gravity from helping the oils to creep off the gun.

Frequent use negates all of this because of cleaning and lubrication that comes with regular shooting.

If it will be stored in a safe for a long time between uses you may have evaporation issues if you live in a dry climate and use lighter oils. Also oils can run/creep from gravity and eventually end up in whatever your gun sits on while in storage.

I am sure you will find the 5.25 to be a great gun, but you will have problems finding holsters for a while. I have the XD-40 Tactical (5") and I have yet to find an effective (for me) concealed carry option for it. I find the barrel just too long to hide well.

As far as my kit, I use Hoppe's #9 solvent and oil. It came in a kit that included rod, brushes, jags, and patches. I also keep a silicone cloth and q-tips with it. I also get a bulk pack of cleaning patches at walmart when I need them.

 

[Shepp3rd]

I just use CLP as it is a 3-in-1 along with the cotton patches, q-tips, etc. Amazon has the OTIS scraper sets that I LOVE when it comes to getting into those hard-2-reach areas on my rifle. The CLP comes in the universal gun cleaning kit sold just about everywhere around here for about $16. You can also visit YOUTUBE for tutorials on cleaning various handguns and rifles. Good luck and keep 'er clean.

 

[Kaboom]

Yikes, way to scare the newb.

The Boresnake kit and a can of NON chlorinated brake cleaner is all you need for the next six months or more, the XDs are enormously robust and need very little maintenance, you'll learn as you go.
Get eye and ear protection, ammo and maybee some lessons, and go have fun.

 

[john_bud]

Clean out hole? Where is this clean out hole?
The striker retaing pin is in the center of the slide.

Take the slide off, turn it over and look toward the front of the striker area. There is a little slot that you can see the striker move in when you manually manipulate the striker. You can blow it out or spray it out from there pretty well. Can also hose it through the firing pin hole.

 

[redjak]

Yikes, way to scare the newb.

The Boresnake kit and a can of NON chlorinated brake cleaner is all you need for the next six months or more, the XDs are enormously robust and need very little maintenance, you'll learn as you go.
Get eye and ear protection, ammo and maybee some lessons, and go have fun.

I have a question about this cleaning advice. Do you use any lubricant?

I use the non chlorinated brake cleaner to clean. I wipe everything with CLP before putting it back together. Don't have any malfunctions. Does the XD run without lube? I've never tried.

 

[texan_eagle_scout]

Everything will run without lube... for a while.

 

[xdmp22]

Take the slide off, turn it over and look toward the front of the striker area. There is a little slot that you can see the striker move in when you manually manipulate the striker. You can blow it out or spray it out from there pretty well. Can also hose it through the firing pin hole.

Ok, I will admit there are relief areas that can be used for clean out. But, there is not anything specifically designed for clean out like there is on sewer pipes or anything

EDIT:

Ok, just looked @ my .45, there is indeed a hole machined in the slide just behind the breech face where you can see the spring.....I don't see anyother reason for that hole other than to possibly vent and for cleaning....

I sit here corrected...I had never seen that hole before....did someone borrow my gun when I was sleeping and drill the hole?

 

[redjak]

Everything will run without lube... for a while.

OK. If you mean like running an engine without lube ... for a while. I'm not going there with my XD. I'll keep wiping down the parts with CLP or Hoppe's oil.

 

[Kaboom]

I have a question about this cleaning advice. Do you use any lubricant?

I use the non chlorinated brake cleaner to clean. I wipe everything with CLP before putting it back together. Don't have any malfunctions. Does the XD run without lube? I've never tried.

The Boresnake KIT comes with both cleaner and lube.
If it spins, oil it. If it slides, grease it. And keep everything out of the striker channel.

 

[katokahn99]

I use bore snakes, q tips, a toothbrush, rem oil, hoppes 9, and an old t shirt.
I also use shooters choice all temp gun grease for lube.

I have the rods and brushes and all that but the bore snakes work fine for me.

+1000 for the bore snake!!! Other than that: Hoppes 9, CLP, toothbrush, q-tips, and rag.

 

[Smoakie976]

No one uses froglube? I have some on the way, look it up on YouTube....looks awesome and all natural!