Safety is the most important guideline for gun owners. In fact, a clean gun lowers the chance of an unintentional discharge, in case you didn’t know. The more correct name is a negligent discharge, this is completely avoidable by following all safety procedures. Before beginning any disassembly work, these precautions include making sure that any firearms are safely unloaded and clear. Performing a safety check is always a mandatory first step that should be done and re-done as a double or triple check to guarantee a clear and safe firearm.
It takes more than just having a nice-looking gun to know how to clean one. It’s about safety.
Inadequate cleaning procedures can result in unintentional injuries or even worse. In addition to the potential for physical harm, owning a firearm carries legal ramifications because it makes the owner responsible for any harm or losses that may result from careless discharge.
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Good Preparation Of Clean A Gun
Select a spot that is clean and has plenty of room for working before you begin cleaning your gun. To prevent errors or negative effects from the cleaning chemicals, the area needs to be well-lit and ventilated.
Regular gun cleaners know that working outside or in a garage is the best environment for this task. If you must clean your firearm indoors, do so close to an open window. Use a sturdy, uncluttered table.
Do not use your kitchen, dining room table, or any other area where people eat or drink. Oils, solvents, and lead or carbon fouling, which can contaminate nearby food, are some of the materials used to clean guns.
Remove all live ammunition from the room or area where the cleaning work will be done as another expert preparation tip. Until the cleaning procedure is complete, empty all gun magazines and store all ammunition in a different location or close-by gun safe. This will eliminate any chance of handling or accidentally putting live ammunition in a firearm by ensuring that all other live ammunition, even if it is boxed, is removed from the room or cleaning area.
Roll Up Your Sleeves And Get To Work
Let’s talk about the specifics now that you’ve cleaned your gun safely and correctly.
Techniques will vary depending on the gun. Here are some necessary tools for the cleaning of guns, though.
- Cleaning rod
- Bore brush
- Cleaning jags
- Cleaning swab
- Mops
- Double-ended/utility brushes
- Cleaning patches
- Luster cloth/Silicone impregnated Gun and Reel Cloth
- Cotton swabs
- Bore snake
- Cleaning chemicals, including bore cleaners, action cleaners, and lubricants
- Disposable drip pan
Most of the cleaning supplies listed above, if not all of them, will be included in a cleaning kit designed specifically for a caliber. Rubber mats protect your work surface and all the gun parts are other materials to take into account. A cleaning cradle is useful for long guns because it allows you to control your tools and other loose parts while still keeping your gun secure and free. Wearing safety glasses will help you avoid getting your eyes hurt by flying springs, debris, and chemical splashes or vapors. To prevent skin from coming into contact with chemicals and their absorption, it is also a good idea to wear solvent-resistant gloves. Make sure to only use equipment and substances that are intended for firearm maintenance. When working with solvents, take caution to avoid dripping solvents onto painted, wood, or other delicate surfaces.
Several Steps To Clean Gun
1. Clean The Barrel And Chamber
With a copper-phosphate (or nylon) bore brush, dry brush the chamber and barrel from the chamber to the muzzle. This will facilitate the removal of some of the substantial metal and carbon fouling from the bore.
The tip of your cleaning rod should have a cleaning patch on it that has been dipped in bore solvent. Next, saturate the chamber and bore surface with the cleaning patch by pushing it through the barrel and out the other side.
Avoid pulling it back through because doing so will cause debris and gunk to be re-deposit in the bore.
For 10 to 15 minutes, let the cleaning agent work its magic on the bore fouling.
Cleaning the inside of the barrel next requires only the bore brush. To get rid of any leftover material, use a fresh, dry patch and run it through the bore repeatedly until it emerges clean.
To further clean and treat the bore surface against corrosion, use a pull-through tool coated with a light lubricant, such as a bore snake and CLP or an equivalent. Gun oil should not be used to lubricate the bore! A heavier lubricant, such as Barricade (or an equivalent), can be applied to the bore only for long-term storage. Before using the firearm, this must be eliminated by cleaning the barrel!
The feed ramp, barrel lug, barrel hood, and exterior of the barrel should all be cleaned.
2. Clean And Lubricate The Action
More than just the gun’s barrel needs to be cleaned and lubricated. A nylon utility brush, a dry cloth, and an action cleaner solvent should also be used to clean the action. Spray the action liberally from the top of the frame or receiver, allowing carbon and metal fragments to wash into the drip pan. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific model. Dehydrate the cleaned subassemblies. For any cleaning residues, follow the right disposal procedures.
The manufacturer recommends applying lubricant drops precisely at the designated lubrication points on the frame/action, slide assembly, and exterior of the barrel using a needle applicator. It’s crucial to avoid overlubricating because this will make it easier for contaminants to collect and could potentially lead to reliability problems.
3. Wipe Down The Outside Of The Gun
Cleaning the outside of the gun comes after cleaning and lubricating the interior and any moving parts. For this task, a gun/reel cloth works great.
These soft cloths have already been silicone lubricant treated. In addition to giving your weapon a nice shine of protection, this helps clear away any unremoved debris and acidic prints.
Individual CLP wipes or an equivalent will also work well if you don’t have a silicone cloth.
4. Reassemble and Check for Any Irregularities
It’s time to begin reassembling your handgun after everything has been cleaned and polished. You should pay close attention to each piece as you assemble it during this process and make a note of any damage, irregularities, or excessive wear or play (movement). Sometimes there will be dents or scratches. Other damage reduces your gun’s value and raises potential safety issues. We urge you to take any suspicious items you discover during your inspection to a reputable gunsmith or nearby firearms store. To ensure continued safety and dependability, they’ll conduct a more thorough inspection and offer you advice on how to proceed.
Why You Should Practice Regular Handgun Cleaning?
In addition to learning more about the mechanics of your weapon and ensuring your safety, there are many other reasons to keep it well-maintained. You’ll gain from a well-functioning gun with a longer lifespan if you routinely disassemble it and thoroughly clean the internal components. Both the weapon and you benefit from it.
You will benefit from cleaning your handgun if you:
1. Understand Your Weapon
You’ll gain a better understanding of how it operates and what the internal parts do when you pull the trigger by disassembling your gun to clean it. A gun is a machine, and all of its components work together to achieve the final result of firing a round. Since it looks like a single unit from the outside, you can’t always see it in action.
It may be simple or difficult to disassemble and reassemble your handgun depending on the model. Even if you aren’t particularly interested in the mechanics of how your weapon operates, becoming more knowledgeable about its internal components will increase your respect for it. Additionally, you’ll understand why your gun needs cleaning, how frequently you should maintain it, and which parts collect dirt and residue the fastest.
2. Increase Longevity
Depending on how you handle them, handguns can last you anywhere from a few years to several generations. You can significantly increase the lifespan of your weapon with a straightforward maintenance schedule. The amount of time you should spend cleaning it thoroughly will depend on how frequently you use it, but even doing the bare minimum will make a big difference. Some gun owners clean their weapons after each use, while others do it after a few months. Everything depends on your usage and how long you anticipate your handgun lasting.
All you need to do to extend the life of your handgun is to clean, lubricate, and store it properly. If your handgun has wood grips, you might want to polish or wax them as part of your cleaning process. Fewer parts will eventually need to be replaced as a result of your thoroughness.
3. Ensure Reliability And Safety
Your firearm is maintained thoroughly and frequently to keep it in top condition. Cleaning ensures that your firearm can function at its peak performance by removing any gunk or buildup from use. To ensure that your firearm will function properly when you need it most if you depend on it for home security, you must regularly maintain it.
During shooting sessions, lubricant, residue, dirt, and debris can amass and clog the barrel and internal mechanisms. The remaining fouling accumulates in the barrel after each shot and is made up of burnt gunpowder and bullet fragments. The residue, as well as dust and other outside dirt, sticks better when oil and lubricant are applied continuously. If the accumulation is allowed to build up for too long, it may gum up the handgun and prevent it from firing or necessitate repairs.
Precision can be affected by accumulated gunk in the barrel in addition to the weapon’s overall functionality. The difference could impact accuracy for sports shooters. Precision and general dependability are both major issues if you use your handgun primarily for home or self-defense. You can trust your handgun to be dependable and keep you safe even in unforeseen circumstances if you clean and maintain it regularly.
4. Avoid Major Issues
For many people, maintaining good cleaning habits is a stress-relieving routine that will also help you avoid several common problems. Even though they frequently occur to owners, they can have an effect on everything from bullet trajectory to your gun’s overall operation. You can maintain your gun’s health and functionality with simple routine cleaning rather than waiting for a malfunction or for a minor issue to get worse.
5. Learn Proper Lubrication
Lubrication is one of the main components of gun cleaning and maintenance. Finding the ideal balance between too much and too little oil when lubricating your gun requires some experimentation. Every handgun requires a slightly different approach, so the more familiar you become with your weapon, the simpler it will be to strike that balance.
Without cleaning sessions, excessive lubrication may become a problem. Unburned powder and carbon fouling stick together when there is too much oil in certain handgun parts, acting as glue for dirt and debris. You risk allowing the action to become clogged if you frequently oil but infrequently clean your handgun. Cleaning enables you to replace the old lubricant.
However, not enough lubrication is much worse for your gun. Particularly with some of the more modern, forgiving models, a gun that has been overoiled may still function well. However, reducing friction and maintaining the mechanisms that have the most contact with one another is the main goal of oiling your gun. Additionally, it lessens the likelihood of oxidation. Even if you don’t know much about where to apply lubricant, disassembling the gun will allow you to see the wear patterns that occur naturally and give you a good idea of where to apply lubricant.
To get rid of lead and other heavy metal residues, remember to use a cleaning cloth to wipe down your hands and work areas after cleaning a firearm.
