How to Clean A Gun in 6 Simple Steps Part 1

For seamless performance and safe use, all weapons require proper inspection and cleaning. The same goes for guns, whether big or small, pistol or shotgun. Every time you fire through your gun, some residue and sediment are deposited on the inside of the barrel. If these deposits are not cleaned from time to time, they can result in malfunctions and impact performance. So let us explore the basics of gun cleaning in these six easy steps.

First and foremost, unload your weapon 100%. This includes removing the magazine and all loaded ammunition. Unload the gun in an open and secluded space. While unloading, point it in a safe direction where no one is in sight and there is no chance of recoil. After unloading, perform a visual and tactical check of the gun.

To clean your gun the right way, it is important to have the right tools and materials for doing the job. To make matters easy, you can purchase a pre-assembled kit from our online store or gather a few basic cleaning supplies yourself. For gun cleaning, you need the following supplies:

• Gun Cleaning Mat
• Bore cleaning solvent
• Some kind of lubricant or gun oil
• Bore brush and nylon brush
• Cleaning rod
• Microfiber cloths
• Cleaning patches
• Flashlight

Using the right tools, clean all parts of the gun in the following order:

• Remove the slide from the frame if a handgun.
• Secure small parts such as bushings or springs in a separate container so they don’t get lost.
• Take a utility brush or cleaning swab and wipe the slide, cylinder, frame, chamber, and all moving parts of the gun. This is done to remove any loose particles that may be stuck in these areas of the guns.
• Using a flashlight, look for lint and dust particles inside the frame of the gun, and clean it with a micro fiber or lint free cloth
• If the gun is heavily fouled, apply some cleaner on the swab and wipe the areas inside the frame and chamber.
• After that, clean the barrel of the gun. To do so, you will need a bore brush, cleaning rod, bore cleaner, and cleaning patches.
• Apply some bore cleaner on a cleaning patch and mount it on a rod. Run the soaked patch through the inside of the barrel by pushing it in a lateral direction.
• For thorough cleaning, push the cleaner-soaked patch through the entire length to the barrel till it emerges from the other end. The cleaning patch will most likely be inundated with gunk, so remove it from the other side of the barrel and don’t pull it back, to avoid redepositing the gunk.
• After giving an initial clean with the cleaning patch, take a bore brush and run it through the barrel in a back and forth motion. Repeat this gesture three to four times. The mechanical movement of the brush will help loosen the debris.
• Alternate between using bore brush and cleaning patches.
• Repeat this process till no gunk is found on the solvent-soaked patch. Use a new patch each time.
• When you are satisfied that all buildup gunk has been removed, take a dry patch and run it through the barrel. This is done to remove any moisture left from the solvent.
• If the dry patch comes out squeaky clean, it means all debris and gunk have been removed from the barrel.

If you are ready to clean your own firearm you can CLICK HERE to see all of our gun cleaning supplies!