How to Clean a Gun: Step-by-Step Guide

Safety is the foremost guideline for gun ownership. Unintentional discharges are actually less likely with a clean gun, in case you didn’t know. The more correct name is a negligent discharge, this is completely avoidable by following all safety procedures. The safe unloading and clearance of any firearm before beginning any disassembly work is one of them. 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.

More than just having a nice-looking weapon is involved in knowing how to clean a gun. It’s about safety.

If you don’t clean your weapon according to protocol, you risk suffering accidental injuries or 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.

For advice on cleaning a gun properly and in a safe manner, continue reading.

Good Preparation is Key

Select a spot that is clean and has enough room for you to work before you begin cleaning your gun. To prevent any errors or negative effects from the cleaning agents, 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 gun indoors, do so close to an open window. Make use of a stable, uncluttered table.

Do not use your kitchen, dining room table, or any other area where people eat or drink. Materials for cleaning guns include oils, solvents, and lead or carbon fouling, all of which can contaminate nearby food.

Further preparation advice from the pros is to take all live ammunition out of the room or area where the cleaning will be done. Until the cleaning procedure is complete, empty all gun magazines and store all ammo 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.

Consult the Manual

Are you one of those people who discard the owner’s manual for every appliance or gadget they purchase? For your dishwasher or refrigerator, this might be acceptable, but make sure you not only keep your gun owner’s manual but that you READ it completely as well. The information in the owner’s manual has been written with a great deal of care and attention to detail. When you own a firearm, it is a useful resource, and knowing how to use it properly and adhering to the recommended procedures will make your experience safer and more complete.

How to safely disassemble and clean your gun will be detailed in the manufacturer’s manual. To ensure you disassemble and reassemble your gun correctly, most manuals include colored diagrams and in-depth pictures.

Missing the manual? For written and visual instructions on how to disassemble the majority of handguns, shotguns, and rifles, consult the NRA’s Guide to Firearms Assembly. Additional resources include manuals for particular models from different manufacturers. These are available for free download and printing on the websites of the manufacturers.

Roll Up Your Sleeves and Get to Work

Let’s talk about the specifics now that you’ve cleaned your gun properly and followed all safety instructions.

There will be a variety of techniques needed for different guns. But these are some necessary equipment for cleaning a gun.

• Cleaning rod
• Bore brush (caliber specific)
• Cleaning jags (slotted and form-fitting)
• Cleaning swab
• Mops
• Double-ended/utility brushes
• Cleaning patches (caliber specific, lint and fiber-free)
• Luster cloth/Silicone impregnated Gun and Reel Cloth
• Cotton swabs
• Bore snake
• Cleaning chemicals, including bore cleaners, action cleaners, and lubricants
• Disposable drip pan (to catch byproducts and residue of the cleaning process)

The majority, if not all, of the cleaning supplies listed above, are included in a cleaning kit designed specifically for a caliber. Rubber mats to shield 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 keeps your hands free so you can control your tools and other loose objects. 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 absorbing them, it is also a good idea to wear solvent-resistant gloves. Use only equipment and substances intended for maintaining firearms. When handling solvents, exercise caution to avoid getting any on painted, wood, or other delicate surfaces.

How to Clean a Gun in a Few Basic Steps

Here are the basic steps to properly and safely clean firearms of all types:

1# Completely Unload the Handgun

This is the most crucial step in the entire cleaning process. You must take out your magazine and any loaded ammunition from the gun to protect yourself and those around you. Only carry out this action while aiming the weapon safely. Make sure to perform a complete inspection both visually (look) and tactilely (feel). Never rely on your firearm’s safety because accidents can and do happen.

2# Clean the Barrel and Chamber

Using 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.

On the end of your cleaning rod, place a cleaning patch that has been dipped in bore solvent. Then saturate the chamber and bore surface by inserting the cleaning patch through the barrel and out the other side.

Avoid pulling it back through; doing so will deposit gunk and dirt into the bore once more.

For 10 to 15 minutes, let the cleaning agent work its magic on the bore fouling.

Next, clean the interior of the barrel using 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. Avoid using gun oil to lubricate the bore! The bore can be treated with a heavier lubricant, such as Barricade (or an equivalent), only for long-term storage. Prior to firing the gun, this must be eliminated by cleaning the barrel!

The barrel, barrel hood, barrel lug, and feed ramp should all have their exteriors thoroughly cleaned.

3# Clean and Lubricate the Action

More than just the gun’s barrel requires cleaning and lubrication. Using a nylon utility brush, a dry cloth, and an action cleaner solvent, the action (slide, pump, or bolt) should also be cleaned. Spray the receiver/frame top liberally with the action, allowing carbon and metal fragments to fall into the drip pan. For your specific model, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. The cleaned subassemblies should be given time to dry. For any cleaning residues, dispose of them according to the right procedures.

Last but not least, as advised by the manufacturer, use a needle applicator to precisely apply lubricant drops at the designated lubrication points on the frame/action, slide assembly, and exterior of the barrel. It’s crucial to avoid overlubricating, as this will more readily attract contaminant buildup and could potentially lead to reliability issues.

4# Don’t Forget the Magazines

A semiautomatic weapon must be properly fed from magazines, which are the source of ammunition. A semiautomatic must have dependable, spotless magazines to function properly. They can be taken apart, cleaned, and put back together in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. For cleaning magazines, there are specialized brushes available. When disassembling and reassembling magazines, wear safety goggles and exercise extra caution because magazine followers are spring-loaded. Never clean magazines with petroleum-based products because they can contaminate the primers for ammunition. Never lubricate magazines; instead, clean them with a solvent or cleaning agent that leaves no residue.

5# Reassemble the Firearm and Perform a Functional Check

Every time a firearm is disassembled and reassembled, a functional check must be performed to make sure the weapon continues to function as intended after disassembly. This check ensures the trigger mechanism, safety or safeties, slide operation, and locking, magazine retention, and ejection systems are all functioning properly. Always adhere to gun safety regulations and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific firearm!

6# Wipe Down the Outside of the Gun

Cleaning the exterior of the gun comes after the interior and its moving parts have been thoroughly cleaned and lubricated. For this task, a gun/reel cloth works great.

These soft cloths have already been lubricated with silicone. This gives your weapon a nice shine of protection and helps to clear away any remaining debris or acidic prints.

Individual CLP wipes or something similar will work just as well if you don’t have a silicone cloth.

Why You Need to Clean Your Gun

The proper operation of your firearm depends greatly on regular gun cleaning. Your gun will last as long as possible with regular cleaning. Maintaining your firearms in good condition will allow you to pass them on to future generations and keep them in good working order for many years.

Your weapons’ reliability is also increased by cleaning. You can’t expect your firearms to be accurate if you never clean and lubricate them. Regular shooting causes buildup inside the barrel over time due to the explosion of the bullet.

Your gun may jam and not fire a bullet when you pull the trigger as a result of this residual buildup. This can be annoying on the range or it could mean missing your only shot while hunting. If this were to take place during a self-defense scenario, it might even be fatal.

You will also experience other gun failures without regular cleaning and basic maintenance, necessitating the replacement of gun parts or the need to take your firearm to a gunsmith for repair. The barrel or action of your firearm is just two examples of where your gun might rust.

The subsequent bullet in your gun might not feed into the chamber. Or after a shot, it might not be able to eject the spent casing.

Cleaning your firearms has additional advantages besides just keeping them in operational condition. Additional justifications for routine gun cleaning are given below.

1. Increase Your Firearm Knowledge

You’ll have a much deeper understanding of how guns operate if you take the time to disassemble your firearms, clean each component, and then put it back together. Along with having a deeper understanding of firearms in general, you’ll be very familiar with the particular weapons you own.

You will become a more proficient shooter, hunter, and gun owner after learning this information. Additionally, it will strengthen your sense of accountability and obligation when it comes to owning and handling firearms.

2. Increase Safety

Better safety procedures will also result from an elevated sense of ownership and accountability. People who are knowledgeable about how firearms operate are more likely to handle them safely both on and off the range.

Additionally, they are less likely to encounter risky circumstances like internal explosions in their gun or inaccurate shots.

3. Understanding Proper Lubrication

Lubricating your guns is one of the most crucial steps in keeping them in good condition and shooting consistently. You can achieve the ideal lubrication balance by regularly cleaning and lubricating.

A surplus will result in lubricants entering unintended areas of the gun. Like glue, this extra oil will attract dirt, dust, and debris. However, if there is an insufficient lubricant, there will be excessive friction during firing, ruining your shots.

When You Need to Clean Your Gun

How often you use a gun, what you use it for, how you store it, how old or new it is, how expensive it is, and other factors all affect when you clean your guns.

Some people clean their weapons after each use. They know the value of routine cleaning and frequently use their firearms. Cleaning prevents the need for costly repairs or replacement parts.

Your speed will increase as you clean more. This is seen as a component of the hobby itself by regular gun cleaners. There is a chance that it will feel almost meditative.

Others regularly clean their weapons. They could be less frequently utilized. They also fire fewer rounds when they do so. These people are casual gun owners who occasionally go hunting or to the range to sharpen their skills.

You should clean your guns more frequently if you use them frequently or if you use them outside where there is more dirt and humidity. You can get away with cleaning it only a few times a year if you shoot a few dozen rounds per month.

Wrap-up: It’s Important to Clean Your Gun

Cleaning a gun involves more than just making it look nice. A clean gun is also a safe gun and reliable gun.

Regular gun maintenance protects your investment’s functionality and appearance while ensuring accuracy, dependability, comfort, and confidence level when using the firearm.

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