Last year, 5.4 million US citizens became new gun owners! In uncertain times, it’s incredibly important to have your basic safety needs met, and firearms are great tools for self-defense. However, they also need to be used with proper care and respect in order for them to be safe.
The obvious item on the safety checklist is making sure you follow proper firearm safety rules, but did you know that regular gun cleaning is also a necessary part of gun safety? So if you’re the owner of a new gun and don’t know where to get started, keep reading our handy guide.
Prepare Your Work Area
The first time you clean a gun can be exciting, but it can also be very frustrating. Avoid frustrating yourself too much by asking an expert about the right tools you’ll need to clean your gun.
The basic needs include a bore brush, gun lubricant, patches, solvents, degreaser, and a bore snake. Many places sell kits with all the essentials, but find out if your specific gun needs an extra tool. You can even shop secure.arnzenarms.com for gun essentials online.
Start With a Safety Check
When you sit down to clean your gun, first remove the magazine and make sure the chamber is clear. Some gun models actually require you to hold down the trigger for disassembly. Accidental discharges are very common and cause a lot of damage to people and property every year.
Tips for Thorough Gun Cleaning
Once you have your tools and a safe area to clean your gun, start the process by disassembling it. If you find the disassembly challenging, you can always ask a friend who knows about gun care to assist you the first few times. You can also find YouTube tutorials for popular gun models.
Separate the slide from the gun’s frame to access the barrel and chamber. Start the cleaning by dry brushing the chamber and barrel with a bore brush.
Next, add solvent to a cleaning patch and apply the solvent to the barrel with a cleaning rod. Only run the patch through in one direction because pulling it back in brings dirt back into your barrel. Using new patches, repeat this process until the patch comes out the other side clean.
Once your barrel’s clean, you can move on to cleaning the trigger and spring. First, take the spring out and see if there are signs of damage. A worn-out spring needs to be replaced.
Check to see if there is serious dust buildup around the trigger mechanism and brush the area. Apply a lubricant to the trigger assembly to protect the metal and allow for an easy trigger pull.
A Clean Gun is a Safer Gun
Firearm cleaning is the most important part of firearm maintenance. A clean gun doesn’t degrade as easily and needs less serious repair during its useful life. This also prevents catastrophes like your gun exploding in your hands!
If you’re a first-time owner, don’t hesitate to ask for practical help. Your friends at the gun range will be just as eager to share their gun cleaning tips with you as they are with tips for shooting well. Guns are great tools for defense and hunting, and they’re fun on the range, but they must be treated with respect.
Ammo is becoming really expensive. If you want to find out how to make some extra cash to finance your trips to the gun range, check out the finance or gambling blogs on our website.
