Proper maintenance of handguns/guns is a must for every firearms owner, and indispensable for optimal safety and effectiveness! Carrying out maintenance is the owner's best chance to inspect the gun and its components for wear or cracks on the inside. Firearms that are not properly cared for or poorly maintained become unreliable. Lack of reliability can be a disastrous consequence if it malfunctions/hangs when you use it in any situation.
Finally, if done correctly and consistently, a thorough cleaning process improves your technique of handling weapons safely that will serve you well in all situations.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Safely disassembling your handgun/pistol
Step 1. Handle your firearms safely
Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, handle the firearm as if it were loaded, and keep your fingers away from the trigger.
Step 2. Take out the cartridge/magazine
Step 3. Empty the contents
- Pull the cock back and visually and physically (insert your finger in) to check that there are no bullets in the cartridge case or in the chamber.
- Re-assure that your weapon has no bullets. You don't want an unexpected explosion while disarming your weapon.
Step 4. Be sure to remove all ammo from the vicinity, ideally moving it to another room while cleaning the weapon
Method 2 of 4: Dismantling the hand gun field
Step 1. Disassemble your firearm safely
In many modern designs, this is a simple process. Remove the hammer/striker, pull the loose label. Once pulled towards the rear of the frame, the slide will be able to move freely regardless of the front of the weapon.
- The actual process may vary greatly depending on the model of firearm you are dismantling in the field.
- Glock & Steyr users: Make sure over and over again that your gun isn't bulleted as you have to pull the trigger to start the field demolition process.
Step 2. Identify the part you are cleaning
There are four major parts to every semi-automatic firearm (although they may be mounted in a variety of ways).
- Frame: This is the trunk (or "handle") of the firearm. The trigger is usually embedded in the frame, and the magazine/bullet chamber is located inside the trunk.
- Slide: A piece of metal on the top of the firearm that keeps the bullet chamber sealed, compensates for recoil (on most semi-autos), houses the firing badge (and some other components). If you have a polymer frame, this is 70% (or more) of the total weight of the weapon.
- Barrel/barrel: The installation of the barrel is the barrel and the chamber. Be careful with the muzzle tip of the barrel and the start of the gun (inside the barrel), as these are the two most important parts affecting accuracy/accuracy and if damaged they can easily become inaccurate.
- Guide rods and recoil springs: Often both are one piece. The guide rod guides the glide while it is recoiling and the recoil spring pulls the slide back into place after the bullet is fired.
Method 3 of 4: Cleaning the weapon
Step 1. Rub all components using a rag, don't have to use a chamois
- Remove as much of the thick collection of soot formed by friction from wear and gunpowder as possible. Also clean off any old grease and any unburned gunpowder.
- Scrub the inside of the cartridge/magazine chamber, the catapult, guide rail, and the area around the barrel chamber. You will find some areas make your cloth black (clean this area again).
- At this step, precision is not required, rub quickly.
Step 2. Use solvents (preferably those designed to be safe for continuous use when in contact with your skin, such as M-Pro 7) on all possible components
- Most gun manufacturers design their components (including polymers) to be safe when used with all types of solvents, but make sure not to use solvents that are prohibited by the manufacturer.
- You don't have to use a large amount of solvent.
Step 3. Let the solvent settle for a few minutes
Make sure all areas that have dirt, soot deposits, or unburned gunpowder have solvent on them, moisten them with solvent.
Step 4. Scrub the entire gun with a brush (without metal bristles, use a toothbrush)
It is compatible with solvents and softens dirt on weapons. Try to reach all the nooks and crannies.
Step 5. Scrub the gun clean with a lint-free cloth (you can buy scrap cloth, old clean cotton shirts, or socks will work too)
Reach into all the parts you applied the solvent to and scrub it clean.
Step 6. Rub the whole gun (outside and inside) with a lint-free cloth that has been moistened with solvent, and look for areas that turn the cloth black, and clean them
Step 7. Use a pryer to remove any thick soot or gunpowder collection, or lumps in the narrow parts of the weapon
The most common area with soot deposits is the chamber. Bundles collect in the corners of the metal pieces
Step 8. Use a drill brush to break up the soot collection from the barrel
- Clear the entire barrel at least five times (more if you've fired a lot since the last cleaning).
- Make sure not to reverse direction when brushing inside the barrel. Instead, push all the way in, then back (making the feathers alternate "out" of the barrel).
Step 9. Rub the barrel with a cloth moistened with solvent
Repeat with a clean cloth (keep moistened with solvent) until the cloth is no longer black. Then rub it with a cloth dampened with oil, this layer of oil will protect your barrel from oxidation (rusting).
Step 10. Oil all components that need to be lubricated
Generally in the weapon manual there will be certain areas that need to be oiled, but a quick look at where the weapon is worn will give you a good clue where to put oil.
Step 11. After cleaning thoroughly, the next step to caring for your firearm is to properly lubricate it
Lubrication is just as important, even more so than cleaning. When it comes to keeping your firearm from malfunctioning/jamming, proper lubrication is important and providing oil protects metal parts from corrosion. Most people use Rem Oil, but there are many more effective options out there. When deciding which type of lubricant to use, it is important to understand what you are trying to achieve. Its main purpose is to prevent wear and corrosion. Knowing what conditions lead to this helps us determine what to use to keep our firearms running smoothly. Firearms generate great temporary power when fired. This great force can often cause a layer of oil between the two parts to be squeezed out which creates friction which causes wear. To prevent this from happening, manufacturers add microscopic solids to the oil that provide “limit protection”. It is basically more difficult to squeeze out microscopic solids than to squeeze out liquids. Products that provide this limit of protection are known as “anti-wear” or “extreme pressure” (AW/EP) additives, so look for them in firearm oils such as Lubrikit FMO 350-AW oil. This oil is great at getting into tight crevices but is thick enough to stick where you put it and provides the required range of protection.
- A suggestion, when applying oil, apply a single layer that covers the entire area thick enough that it leaves obvious fingerprints once you touch it.
- Oil all components that require lubrication. Generally in the weapon manual there will be certain areas that need to be oiled, but a quick look at where the weapon is worn will give you a good clue where to put oil.
- Be sure to grease the area around any rotating parts, such as the base of the hammer/hammer or trigger attachment.
- Try to keep oil away from the openings into the badge housing (oil is a collector of dirt and gunpowder, and dirt around your badge can prevent shooting).
Step 12. After oiling your gun, a small amount of grease/lubricant should be applied to the glide
The use of fat has often been discussed online but due to the new concept many people have not tried it. Well-known gunsmiths recommend using them, especially on automatic pistol rail frames.
- Grease is better to apply on the slide because this type of section tends to spread the oil quickly. As the part slides back and forth, the oil is pushed out which exposes the metal. Grease has been designed to stay in place and excellent Lubriplate SFL-0 keeps the slide protected. The adhesive strength of the grease keeps parts protected even after continuous use.
- You want to make sure your grease has a base that is safe for the metal you are working with. Greases with base materials such as aluminum and lithium are best (chlorinated compounds are not recommended).
- Make sure the grease is thin enough so that it doesn't hinder the movement of the weapon (NLGI #0 is usually the best). Also look for ones that are cold resistant, acid / alkaline resistant, water resistant, and it is recommended that there are no stains (fat black stains are not attractive to your shirt and pants).
- Don't forget to grease the guide rails and grooves where they run on the frame and slide.
- Use anti-wear and anti-corrosion oils that are good for general applications and lightweight aluminum based greases on the glide parts of your firearm and will keep your gun running smoothly for generations.
Method 4 of 4: Reinstalling the firearm
Step 1. Reassemble the gun and make sure all parts are working properly
- A quick test for proper functionality is to pull the slide, making sure the slide returns to the battery (on the front). Otherwise, the recoil spring may not be seated properly.
- Make sure there are no bullets (see above), and pull the trigger, you will hear a click. Pull the glide again, or if the rifle is double action, cock the hammer/hammer (or striker) again.
Step 2. Rub all over the gun and remove any excess oil
Step 3. Scrub the barrel with a dry cloth just before you are about to start shooting to remove any oil residue
Tips
- When in doubt, ask a gunsmith with years of experience
- If you are using lead bullets, you may need to soak your barrel in solvent (if it hasn't been thoroughly cleaned in a long time). Or soak in a skin-safe solvent or take the barrel cap to seal the end of the barrel as it fills with solvent.
- A very thin (almost invisible) layer of oil on the exterior of metal parts will prevent rust by preventing moisture saturation.
- If you want to go further into barrel cleanliness, before you apply an oil-soaked cloth, you can pass a cloth or two soaked in copper solvent (as opposed to standard solvent) through the drill. This removes any copper particles that remain from the cartridge.
- Some cotton buds (eg Q-Tips) and/or compressed air can help the solvent out of tight spaces.
- As you push the barrel brush inward through the barrel, pull the brush back and rotate (slowly) the brush about 45 degrees, push the brush in through the barrel again and rotate it in the opposite direction. This will clean up the grooves a bit more.
Warning
- Always clean your rifle in a well-ventilated area, as fumes from solvents or oils can be a nuisance if inhaled.
- Keep grease away from the opening to where the seal is firing (oil is a dirt collector and builds up powder, and piling it around your firing seal can prevent it from firing.
- Make sure the solvent is safe for your gun, and preferably one that is safe for constant contact with your skin.
- Keep oil and solvents away from your ammunition, oil can penetrate the primer and cause the ammunition to not fire. In another case, the solvent caused the bullet to explode.
- Wash your hands after handling rifles and cleaning equipment.
- Unless you're an authorized gun shop, never use heavy equipment to speed up the cleaning process.
