There are a host of great reasons to own a gun. In the United States, the primary reason for gun ownership is protection, cited by 67% of Americans who own a gun. Other popular reasons include hunting and sport shooting, as part of gun collections, and for work purposes.
Whatever your reason for owning a gun, it is essential to properly learn how to clean your gun and keep it in proper working order. Inspecting and regularly cleaning your gun will help to keep it functioning and firing safely. Properly cleaning your gun helps to avoid dangerous malfunctions that pose a risk to both you and your family.
In this blog post, let’s focus on the basics of cleaning a gun and gun maintenance.
Getting Started
Before setting out to clean your gun, it is important to gather the right tools for the task. The first step is to purchase a cleaning kit. A cleaning kit, whether assembled from individual components or purchased pre-assembled, should include the following items:
· Lubricant or gun oil
· Cleaning solvent
· Patch holder or patches
· Bore brush
· Nylon cleaning brush
· Cleaning rod
· Cotton swabs
· Microfiber cloths
The next step is to unload your gun. Be sure to look through the barrel of your firearm carefully, even after the magazine has been removed. There may still be a round ready to fire.
Next, disassemble your gun as much as the manufacturer recommends. Pistols and rifles are typically stripped of their main components, such as barrel, guide rod, slide, magazine, and frame. For shotguns and other types of guns, it will not be necessary to strip them before cleaning.
Before starting, be sure to set up in a well-ventilated area. The use of solvent fumes while cleaning can make you feel sick and nauseous.
Also, cover your work area using old towels or newspapers to avoid making a mess. Once you have all of this done, you are ready to start your firearm cleaning.
Cleaning the Gun
To start, use a cleaning rod and patches to clean out the barrel. Push a solvent-soaked patch through the inside of the barrel until you can see it from the other end.
Alternative the patches and bore brush to scrub the barrel, running the bore brush along the full length of the bore several times, which will help to loosen any debris.
To lubricate the barrel, take a cotton mop and attach it to the cleaning rod. Apply a gun lubricant or conditioner and run it through the bore. This will help to leave a light coating of lubricant on the inside.
Next, clean and lubricate the action using a solvent. You can do this by applying solvent to the gun brush and using it to brush all parts of the action. Once this has been done, use a clean cloth to wipe them dry.
Using a luster cloth, wipe down the rest of your gun. A luster cloth is a flannel cloth that has been pre-treated with a silicon lubricant, which makes it effective at removing debris while also adding shine. An old t-shirt or a pair of socks will also work well if you don’t have these particular cloth to hand.
Maintaining Your Gun
As a rule, you should clean your gun after every single use. Remember to look at your gun as a significant investment and give it the care and attention that it deserves. From start to finish, the cleaning process should only take between 20 and 30 minutes, meaning it is not a big investment of your time but it will provide
When your gun is not in use, be sure to store it unloaded in a dry and cool environment. This will help to ensure a long life for your gun. We recommended that you invest in a hard or soft case to store your gun and store it in a temperature-controlled place
There are several reasons why you should clean your gun after each use. For example, each bullet that is fired creates a residue in the barrel, leaving behind remnants of carbon from the gunpowder, and small amounts of copper and lead. This residue can build up over time and affect both the reliability and precision of the gun.
Regular outdoor use, improper storage, and corrosive ammo can also result in rusting. To counteract this, practice the above cleaning and storage routine after each use of your gun.
If you are unsure about any part of the cleaning process, don’t hesitate to speak to friends or family members who have experience with gun ownership. They will most likely be happy to assist you or provide information that will be useful to you.
How to Clean Your Gun the Right Way
A key part of gun ownership is properly and thoroughly cleaning your gun after each use. The “how to clean your gun” process is quick, easy, and—dare we say—enjoyable.
Remember, a clean gun is a reliable and safe gun that can be relied upon when you require it. As we have seen in the introduction, the majority of American gun owners cite protection as their reason for owning a gun. In a self-defense situation, you do not want to be worried about the reliability of your weapon.
If you are planning to purchase a gun for self-defense, your premier choice is Target Choice USA. We sell a wide range of handguns, shotguns, and rifles. Check out our shop today and choose from our range of high-quality guns.