How To Properly Clean Your Weapon

Something most people don’t think about when buying a firearm is how to properly clean it.

Knowing how to properly clean your firearm is just as important as knowing how to properly use it.  Knowing how to properly clean your firearm will contribute to your knowledge of firearms, ensures reliability, teaches safety, increases longevity, and helps prevent major issues caused by improper use of your firearm.

Regular cleaning will keep your firearm operating smoothly and help prevent many of the common issues that come with poor maintenance.  A major risk is a negligent (accidental) discharge, but what if you could help prevent that by just performing the simple task of proper maintenance on your firearm. Compiled below are a few tips on proper firearm maintenance and cleaning. Keep reading to learn some of the procedures that you can include in your firearm cleaning routine to avoid some of the risks/issues we have talked about.

Firearm cleaning and maintenance tips:

If you would like to know extra helpful tips on cleaning and maintaining your firearm, please click the videos below with Active Self Protection. We are proud to sponsor Active Self Protection with John Correia on important factors in Cleaning and Maintaining your Firearm.  Here are some topics that will be discussed in these videos. It is important to see real-life situations where a firearm incident may unexpectedly occur.

Consult your firearm owner’s manual

It is typical for people to throw away owner’s manuals for most purchases, but this is not a normal purchase. You must keep in mind the risk and importance of owning a firearm and reading your owner’s manual. It is important to read this manual because it is a great reference to have during the ownership of your firearm. This manual will help you understand the correct operation and practice to ensure you will have a safe experience with your firearm while also explaining how to properly take your firearm apart and clean it.

Prepare your work area

Choosing a clean area is one of the top items on this list of tips for cleaning your firearm because this is where you will be performing your maintenance, which may consist of chemicals and mistakes. You need to choose an environment that consists of a clean area with plenty of workspaces that is well-lit and ventilated. Ventilation is important because of the chemicals involved; lighting is important because of the intricate components of your firearm. Therefore, some of the best places to clean your firearm could be in your garage or outdoors somewhere. Keep in mind that some of the chemicals that you will be using to clean your firearm will include oils, solvents (which consists mainly of acetone), and lead or carbon fouling.

Ammo Free Zone

Double or even triple-checking has never been a crime, so make sure you triple check to ensure your magazine and chamber are both empty. Safety is extremely important, especially when dealing with a firearm. Remove the magazine and all rounds from the chamber of the firearms you are cleaning.  Then store your ammunition away from the work area so you can ensure the safety of your area. Some people even go as far as removing the ammo from the same room. In addition, IF your firearm has a safety you can also turn the safety on. BUT remember this is a mechanical device and could fail so do your normal visual safety checks before proceeding.  

Use an organizer for loose parts

There are so many tiny parts that you will have to take apart on your firearm, and misplacing these parts is a huge issue. To help handle and keep track of these tiny parts of the firearm, we recommend buying an organizer. You can buy an organizer at your local store that has multiple divided sections to help you keep all these tiny pieces separated and prevent you from losing them.

Remember to lubricate your firearm

Oxidation and rust occur when bare metal is exposed to the elements, the firearm lubricant will help prevent this. The chemicals used to clean your weapon will break down the protective layer on the metal, causing your weapon to be more susceptible to rust. Once you notice any rusting, it is too late to go back, and this will lose the integrity and functionality of your firearm.

Check and test your firearm after each cleaning!

You want to double-check your firearm and test it, especially after your first time cleaning your firearm. To check your firearm is properly assembled, we recommend looking back into the owner’s manual and retracing your steps to help identify if any parts are missing or out of place. If everything checks off for you, then you can give it a quick function test to make sure the mechanics are all working properly. Making sure your firearm works is important because you do not want something to go wrong when it really matters.