How to Clean a Gun: A Step-by-Step Guide
There are currently more gun owners now than there ever have been in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. Guns as a whole are becoming more affordable, and the masses are realizing that guns are important for defense, hunting, competition, or for just having fun on the range.
As a gun owner, you’ve probably fired more than just a few rounds. That said, it’s about time you learned how to clean a gun. A clean gun is crucial to extend the life of your firearm and also increases its accuracy. Furthermore, a gun that isn’t cleaned not only reduces your accuracy but can also cause harm to the user.
This is article will help you learn the basic steps of gun cleaning so you can safely take care of your firearm and keep it running for a long time to come. Read on for more info!
1. Make Sure the Gun Is Unloaded
This should go without saying, but there’s no shortage of people who have caused harm to themselves or others simply because they forgot to make sure the gun was empty.
Remember, an empty gun cannot fire. The first step to take is to place the gun safety on and remove the magazine from the gun (If your firearm is side-loading, you’ll need to remove each round individually). Afterward, you’ll want to carefully remove any rounds that are held in the chamber (if there are any). Remove all rounds from your location to give yourself a safe workspace.
2. Learn How to Disassemble Your Gun
The next step is to make sure you know how to disassemble your gun. Each make and model has a different way to remove each of the moving parts carefully so that you don’t damage the gun. Your instruction manual should show you how to disassemble the weapon properly.
For most handguns, the basic breakdown should result in the separation of the spring, the barrel, and the slide. Shotguns should break down into the barrel, the forend, and the butt-stock. For rifles, this usually involves the barrel, stock, firing pin, and bolt (if it’s a bolt-action rifle).
3. Use the Proper Cleaning Equipment
It’s always best to be on the safe side and get the proper cleaning equipment for your gun. A simple trip to your local gunsmith or a search on your gun manufacturer’s website should lead you to the correct equipment for your specific model.
For those that can’t afford to buy proper cleaning equipment, you can still do a decent job with home tools. use a cotton swab or pick to clean debris around the inner workings of the gun, including around the action, the barrel, the trigger grip, and other areas where deposits may have formed. Afterward, make sure to lightly coat moving parts in oil with a swab or rag to keep them lubricated.
4. Reassemble the Gun Correctly
Finally, make sure that you reassemble the gun properly to make sure all moving parts function as they should. In most cases, the reassembly of a gun involves doing the opposite of what it took to disassemble it. Your instruction manual should show you the proper way to reassemble your gun and get it back in working condition!
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