Safety is the first thing that you should be concerned about if you own a firearm. It doesn’t matter which type of firearm you have; you should follow the safety measures to avoid any injuries and accidents. If you are not sure why you should keep your weapons clean, here are some possible reasons:
- Cleaning ensures that your weapon is in proper condition, and you can rely upon it.
- It improves the longevity of the firearm.
- You learn how to lubricate your handgun or pistol.
- It keeps your firearm safe and secure to use.
Apart from these, there are other benefits too. Here we will focus on how to clean your licensed firearm. The starting point is to prepare the right environment and set up before you actually start the cleaning process. Avoid using your kitchen or a congested space in your home for cleaning your firearm. Find a well-ventilated space like a garage or outdoors where you can clean your gun comfortably.
Things You Need Before You Start Cleaning the Firearm
You will need different tools and other things for different guns. However, here are some essential tools for gun cleaning.
- Bore brush
- Cleaning rod
- Cotton swabs
- Gun cleaning solvents
- Gun lubricants.
Basic Steps to Clean Your Firearm
Knowing the right way to clean your firearm is quite important. Follow the below steps safely if you are doing it for the first time.
Clear the Barrel and Chamber
Before you start cleaning, remove the magazine. Now, clean the carbon fouling from the barrel and chamber with the help of dry nylon bore brush. Use a gun barrel cleaning solvent to remove the fouling from the inner surface of the barrel. Now, leave it for 10-15 minutes and wipe the inner surface with a clean patch. After that, apply a small amount of lubricant to the barrel’s inner surface to make it corrosion resistant. At last clean the outer parts of the barrel.
Clean and Lubricate the Action
After you are done with the barrel and chamber, clean the action. Use a soft and dry brush to clean the slide, bolt, and pump. Use a solvent to clean the debris of metal and carbon. Then, lubricate the outer parts of the action and slide assembly but ensure that you don’t over lubricate.
Reassemble the Firearm
After you finish cleaning and lubricating the inner parts of the gun, you should reassemble it. Don’t forget to refer to the manual when you disassemble or assemble your gun. The most important thing is to ensure that you follow gun safety while you disassemble any part of the gun.
Perform a Functional Check
Next, you should always perform a functional check whether the firearm is working properly or not after you reassemble it. Check the slide operations, trigger mechanism, lockings, and ejection system after your gun. The best practice is to follow the manufacturer’s manual and don’t miss even any simple steps while checking its operation.
Wipe the Outer Surface of the Gun
Once you complete the inner part of the gun, it’s time to clean the exterior. You can simply do it with silicone or gun cloth. As gun cloths are soft and properly lubricated with silicone lubricant, they are the best materials to wipe your gun with. It helps to remove the debris and give a shining surface to the weapon. You can use CLP wipes or something similar if you don’t have silicone clothes.
Conclusion
Along with cleaning, it’s important to use gun holsters while you carry them outside. Proper maintenance ensures reliability, safety, comfort, improves your confidence while using the gun. Now that you know the importance of cleaning your firearm, you should clean it periodically to keep it in order and working condition.
More importantly, you should follow the safety measures mentioned in the manual and clean it safely. Lastly, if you have any queries or suggestions, please mention them below in the comments section.
