Did you know that Americans bought nearly 23 million guns in 2020 alone? This record-breaking increase in firearm sales begs to ask the question – how many first-time gun owners know how to properly take care of their weapon?
Above all, firearms demand respect. Cleaning a gun is not about being a clean freak. Proper cleaning of your weapon is essential to gun safety. Keep reading to learn respect for your new firearm by becoming well polished on how to clean a gun.
Gun Maintenance
Take care of your weapon and it will take care of you. A gun is not an overlying complex device but it has many moving parts.
Each part is important to the whole and if one fails, the gun fails. In a life or death situation that isn’t good enough.
Maintaining your gun to 100% optimal performance condition is much like choosing the best air rifle scopes, think smooth and accurate shots.
Why Clean Firearms?
The purpose and use of a firearm is to hit a target. A dirty gun is less accurate.
A firearm has to be reliable. A dirty firearm is less reliable than a clean firearm. Cleaning a gun keeps it functional and up to whatever challenge you point it at.
How Often Should I Clean My Gun?
There is a lot of debate over that very question. Should it be once every three uses, or maybe after every 50 rounds shot?
The truth is there is no real rule as to how often a gun needs to be cleaned. Think of it this way, you can’t clean a gun too often.
What Do I Need?
A first-time gun owner will need to spend some money on supplies and set up a place for cleaning the gun. You can buy everything separately online or at a gun and ammo shop.
In order to make sure you have all the needed tools for your first time cleaning the gun, consider buying a gun cleaning kit. Each kit on the market comes with different variations of tools and accessories but all essentially do the same thing.
A gun cleaning kit contains some or all of the following:
- Bore cleaning brush
- Cleaning jag
- Slotted patch holder
- Cleaning rod
- Patches
- Cleaning brushes
- Cleanser
- Lubricating oil
- Soft cloth
Bore Cleaning Brush
Every shot fired leaves behind residues inside the bore of your gun. This essential brush comes in multiple types including tornado bronze bores, nylon bores, and bronze bores. Different types are used for cleaning different types of barrels.
Cleaning Jag
A gun cleaning jag is a tool used to hold the gun while you clean it. It allows for firm support and 360-degree rotation to make sure you get the gun cleaned from all angles.
Slotted Patch Holder
An alternative to the cleaning jag, a slotted patch holder can be used to make your cleaning easier.
Cleaning Rod
The rod is used to get deep down the barrel of the gun. You will not be able to clean a gun bore
Patches
These are small pieces of cloth used to clean the inner parts of the gun. The soft material allows for delicate cleaning in small places.
Cleaning Brushes
Over time all guns corrode even if you properly treat them with oil after you clean them. Brushes are used to brush off grime and rust spots from the metal.
Cleanser
As the name suggests, a simple spray cleanser is used to loosen up grime much like washing a window. Be sure to always use cleansers that are recommended for use on guns to avoid corrosion.
Lubricating Oil
Oil is applied to moving mechanisms inside the gun to make sure they don’t freeze up. Using lubricating oil also ensures smooth action.
How to Clean Your Gun
It is a good idea to purpose an area of your home or garage solely for cleaning guns. A small table or desk and chair will work nicely. The area should be well ventilated as you will be using chemicals with toxic fumes.
Cleaning a rifle and cleaning a handgun follow the same basic steps:
- Clear the gun (check that there is no ammo in the gun)
- Disassemble the weapon (Called field stripping)
- Dry brush the barrel and chamber
- Bore brush the inside of chambers
- Soak a cleaning patch with a cleanser
- Use the cleaning patch to push through the barrel (use a patch only once)
- Check the spring and trigger assembly (clean out any residue with a small brush)
- Reassemble the weapon and perform a safety check
- Clear the weapon again and dry fire to test the action
- Wipe down and apply a thin layer of oil
IMPORTANT: Keep ammo stored separately from where you clean your gun. Live ammunition has no place on a gun cleaning table and it helps you to remember to unload the gun. Always check the chamber(s) before you begin.
Gun Cleaning Tips
It is a good habit to be highly methodical in the task. Always do everything the same, that is once you have perfected your technique. Practice often and include it as part of your gun training regiment.
Never assume a good is unloaded. Check and check again. The majority of accidental fires happen while cleaning the weapon.
Cleaning a Gun Explained
Cleaning a gun is essential in avoiding malfunctions. Guns are deadly weapons and if they are not properly cleaned regularly they can misfire or even kill you. Practice erroring on the side of safety and always treat a gun as if it is loaded, even if it’s not.
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