A clean gun is a happy gun.
Firearms are expensive investments that do require close attention and care.
We have all been witness to beautiful weapons that have been destroyed by neglect. Dirty fouled barrels create an area for rust to form inside the barrel. Salty fingerprints eat right through gun bluing.
These nine tips will make gun cleaning easy. With just a few minutes with the right gun cleaning gear and methods your firearms will thank you.
1. Choose your gun cleaning solvent
A quality gun solvent will break down gunk. This, in turn, will make your clean up work a whole lot easier down the line.
2. A quality gun cleaning kit is imperative
Without the right tool, nothing goes well. That is the extreme truth with gun cleaning. Get a quality multi-caliber gun cleaning kit.
3. Got gun oil? You're going to need it.
Aa good gun oil is a necessity for cleaning and protecting your gun from rust.
4. Disassemble your weapon as far as you are able (correctly)
Be sure to follow the manufacturers recommendations on how far to disassemble your firearm for cleaning. If you are missing the instructional book that originally came with the gun, contact the maker or look online. Know what you are doing before you take out the first screw or flip a take down lever. Use the right tools so as not to mar or strip out screw heads.
5. Clean inside and outside of the receiver and barrel
Swab that barrel clean and remove all traces of gun powder fouling, plus any debris or dirt. Do the same to the receiver. Take time here, and get all the inside nooks and crannies cleaned well.
6. Don't forget the special treatment to small parts
Extractors, springs, and anything small might get lost. Be careful not to lose them and clean them thoroughly.
7. Put it all back together correctly
Wipe all cleaned gun parts off with an oiled cloth before reassembly begins. Read up on how much lubrication you should apply to moving parts. Test the gun's function while it's unloaded to make sure everything went back together correctly.
8. Wipe down all metal surfaces
Wipe down all exterior metal surfaces with a soft cloth and a quality gun oil or gun wax. Be careful not to leave salty finger prints on the weapon when you're cleaning. Wipe those off before you store it.
9. Store in a cool, dry, and secure location
Secure storage in a cool and dry location is necessary. In a hot area wood stocks might dry out and split. In a wet area rust in inevitable. A quality dehumidifier place in a locking gun cabinet is a great place to store your cleaned weapons. The back of a damp closet sealed in a gun case is a bad idea.
NEXT: BUYER'S CLUB GETS A MAKEOVER AT SPORTSMAN'S GUIDE
