In the United States, 44% of the population lives in a home where at least one gun is present.
If you plan to own a gun yourself, part of being a responsible gun owner is knowing how to clean a gun. A lot of people who aren’t familiar with firearms don’t realize it, but every time you use a gun it gets dirty. This is because there’s powder residue, oils from your hand, lubricants on the pieces of the gun, etc.
It isn’t as hard to clean a gun as some people think. In fact, it can be very easy if done right and practiced.
What Tools Do You Need?
In order to get a gun clean, there are a few specific tools that you’ll need. Gun maintenance can be dangerous if you don’t follow basic gun safety rules, so remember that. Here are the basic tools that will get you started. They come included in most gun cleaning kits:
- Cleaning rod
- Cleaning swab
- Bore brush
- Utility/Pipe brushes
- Cotton swabs
- Solvent
- Lubrication
With this list you’ll be able to clean any gun you may have laying around the house. There are other pieces some people find success with, like using toothbrushes to help clear carbon scouring. As you get better and more comfortable, experiment with different tools.
The Cleaning Process
Once you have the tools gathered, the next step is to clean the gun. Cleaning a gun begins with safety, as all interactions with a gun should. Before you do anything, take the magazine out of the weapon and open the action.
Make sure that there are no bullets loaded into the barrel, or waiting to be loaded in. If your gun doesn’t have an external magazine, empty the tube or internal magazine. Once you’ve checked and double checked that the gun isn’t loaded, we can continue with how to clean a gun.
Step 1
The first thing to do is to remove the slide if it’s a pistol. Now you can access the barrel and remove it as well. This will give you easy access to any surface that needs to be cleaned. If you’re using a rifle or shotgun, removing the barrel isn’t necessary. Go through the open action.
Dry brushing comes first, where you use a brush to break up and remove any large deposits of residue or fouling. Try to work always in the same direction. This way you don’t reintroduce any grime back into the weapon.
Use a cleaning patch and bore cleaner, dip the patch in the cleaner and move it into the barrel. Scrub around with the patch to get any residues off the metal of the gun. If you’re cleaning a revolver don’t forget to use a brush and clean the chamber as well as solvent.
Keep cleaning in the same direction, so no dirt or fouling is redeposited. Once the bore, which is where the bullet enters the barrel, and barrel are clean, set them to the side. Allow 10-15 minutes for the solvent to do its work.
Remember to clean the inside and outside of the barrel.
Step 2
Using a brush and impregnated cleaning patch, go over the rest of the gun. Make sure that every metal component has been brushed and wiped down. Again, let these pieces sit for a while so that the solvent can do its work.
Don’t forget to clean the magazines, as malfunctions with feeding are the main cause of firearm fouling. You’ll also want to make sure that the action is clean, using an action cleaner. This is the slide, bolt, or pump mechanism.
Step 3
Now you’ll reverse the process using a dry piece of cleaning patch and cotton swabs. Remove the solvent where it is present. Make sure you get as much of it out as possible. The gun shouldn’t glisten or have a wet look when you’re done.
This will take some time. Keep using dry patches until they come off clean and free of any residue or solvent. Once you’re confident that this step’s done, it’s time to lubricate the gun.
Step 4
Allow some time for all the components to air dry, thus removing any chance of solvent remaining inside the gun or its sub assemblies. Once that is finished, you’ll need to apply lubricant to the gun. Your owner’s manual will have directions on this, as each gun and manufacturer have their own requirements.
Be careful not to over lubricate. The more lubricant on the steel, the more contaminants will be captured. This can cause the weapon to malfunction and become fouled and dirty much quicker than it should.
Step 5
The only thing left to do is reassemble the gun, put the barrel back in, and reassemble the slide and action. Go over the gun, and make sure that everything works the way it should. Ease the slide back and forth and also dry fire the weapon.
Whether or not you choose to reload it is up to you, but now would be the time to do that. This entire process can seem daunting, but as you gain experience you’ll clean the gun faster and faster.
Looking for a Gun?
Now that you know how to clean a gun, the only thing you need to do is get experience doing it. You’ll go from a new hand to a professional faster than you think. If you’re looking at owning a firearm, remember that keeping your guns clean and ready to use is essential for your safety and others.
As far as what gun you’re going to get, remember to follow the manufacturer’s advice. There are tons of options and choices when it comes to which gun to get, which you can view here.
How to Clean a Gun
Cleaning is a vital part of owning a firearm. Otherwise, you can have malfunctions or failures to fire and feed. This can cost someone their life if it happens in the wrong situation. Don’t let that happen to you, or someone that is relying on your weapon.
If this article on how to clean a gun was helpful or interesting, please take a moment and check out our website.
