10 Tips for Proper Firearm Cleaning

Del.icio.us ReTweet This Facebook StumbleUpon Technorati Digg This

As a Gun advocate my self, it is very important to maintain your firearm in clean condition.  Here are 3 reasons why.

The three major reasons for cleaning and lubricating a firearm are:

•  Prevent malfunctions due to a build-up of dirt and fouling or lack of lubrication
•  Prevent damage to the gun from corrosion or lack of lubrication
•  Preserve the value of the firearm and prevent premature failure of parts

As you can see a dirty firearm is a dangerous one.  If the firearm jams from being to dirty or jams period which most Semi-Auto firearms do at one time or another, then you have a very dangerous situation on your hands.  If a bullet misfires you have a dangerous thing on your hands also.

This article will give you 10 tips for proper firearm cleaning.  So you can make sure your shooting experience is a fun and safe time.  Here are the 10 Tips:

1. Review Owner’s Manual 
2. Ensure gun is unloaded Check again  Refer to my article 4 Tips for Proper Gun Safety here
3. Protect hand stocks (grips)
4. Apply cleaner to dissolve lead, copper & carbon
5. Scrub clean
6. Remove contaminants with solvent
7. Re-apply lubricant (oil or grease) to reduce friction
8. Restore protection against corrosion (oil)
9. Dry fire to ensure proper reassembly
10. Wash Hands
     

Always refer to your Owner's Manual that came with your firearm.  It will teach you how to disassemble the firearm the proper way and how to reassemble it.  If you are in need of a Manual for your specific firearm you can get one from the link below in PDF format.

• http://www.stevespages.com/page7b.htm

Before attempting cleaning always be sure the firearm is unloaded.  Check it twice!  Refer to my article 4 Tips for Proper Gun Safety.

Remove or protect wooden, ivory or custom hand stocks (grips). Remove using the proper size screw driver that fills the screw slot, or wrap stocks with a rag or painter’s tape (easy release) to avoid soaking the wood, ivory etc. with solvent or oil.

For semi-automatics, field strip or separate the slide and barrel group from the frame, using the recommended method in your owner’s manual.  For revolvers, remove the cylinder from the frame.  Consider wearing rubber gloves. Attach either a bore mop or patch-holder and patch to your cleaning rod.




Liberally apply CLP2 or bore cleaner to the mop/patch, swab the bore (inside barrel) and let soak for about thirty minutes to dissolve copper, lead and carbon residue. (High deposits of any of these due to poor cleaning habits may require a special-purpose cleaner.)

While the bore soaks, spray the gun with CLP or your preferred cleaning product. (To avoid unwanted chemical reactions, consider purchasing cleaning solvents and lubricants of the same brand.)

Using either a toothbrush or nylon pistol cleaning brush, scrub moving contact surfaces (rails & slide), extractor claw, recoil spring (semi-autos), breech block (where cartridge case backs into when fired) and the areas named in your owner’s manual. Protect/remove hand stocks as appropriate.

While bore continues to soak, spray the semi-auto action or revolver breech area & cylinder with Powder Blast/Gun Scrubber or similar pressurized solvent to remove oil, grime and carbon residue.

While the bore soaks, remove excess solvent from the action and external surfaces with cleaning patch, rag, and Q-tips and reapply CLP or oil to guard against rust.

Per your user manual instructions, once the bore has soaked thoroughly, attach a bronze or nylon bore brush to the cleaning rod and run the brush back and forth through the bore (inside barrel) 10-20 times – or according to owner’s manual.

Lubricate the Firearm according to the Owner’s Manual.

• For semi-automatics: Put three or four drops of oil on the barrel hood that is exposed in the ejection port. Then lock the slide open. Put a ring of oil on the barrel 1/4 inch back of the muzzle. Place two or three drops of oil in each slide rail groove and one or two drops on the center rail that cocks the hammer. Now close the slide and hand cycle the pistol six times with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. This will spread the oil.

• For revolvers: The cylinder turns on a shaft, called the crane or yoke. You can put one or two drops of oil at the point that the cylinder and yoke join. Tip the revolver muzzle up as you apply the oil and rotate the cylinder after each drop. If you continue to hold the muzzle up and turn the cylinder for a few
  moments after you apply the oil, it will run to the rear of the moving surfaces. With the cylinder closed, cock the hammer. Put two drops of oil along each side of the hammer. Now cycle the action several times. Turn the pistol upside down. Put two drops of oil on each side of the trigger. Now cycle
  the revolver several times while it is upside down to spread the oil.

You should dry fire your firearm several time to ensure smooth workability.  Remember to clean your firearm after every 50-100 rounds have been fired through it.  Of course be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after your cleaning work.

If you don't have a safe place to store your firearms, I have a written a quality review of a Gun Safe that will more then meet your standards - Read it here.

If you need firearm cleaning supplies, here are 3 places that you can get those.

• BROWNELLS
  Cleaning supplies, gunsmithing tools, parts, books, etc.
  641 / 623-4000
  www.brownells.com

• MIDWAY
  Cleaning supplies
  800 / 243-3220
  www.midwayusa.com

•  PRO-SHOT PRODUCTS
  Cleaning supplies
  217 / 824-9133
  www.proshotproducts.com
   

Thanks for coming by........

Posted in: cheap gun safes,firearm cleaning,firearm cleaning supplies,gun cleaning,gun cleaning supplies,sentry safes