The Importance Of Cleaning Your Firearms Regularly

Aaron Spuler is a firearms enthusiast and recreational shooter. Follow more or his work at The Weapon Blog

If there is one thing gun enthusiasts will empathize with, it’s the importance of cleaning your firearms regularly. Apart from not pointing your gun at living beings, this is easily one of the first things that they will note to newcomers. And, as it turns out, they do so with good reason. People that don’t own guns are often unaware of how important it is to keep them clean. So, to help mitigate this, we will go into this matter in more in detail.

Neglecting the importance of cleaning your firearms regularly

Whether or not you use your guns, they will get grimy over time. Aside from dust, you can also have fouling, corrosion, and even friction issues. So, to keep your guns in proper shape, you need to inspect and clean them regularly. If you don’t, here is what you are going to face.

Rust

Even if you live in relatively warm, dry areas, rust is still something to worry about when it comes to firearms. Moisture, no matter how low, can easily cause damage. If you fail to clean your gun and leave moisture on it, rust can develop in a short span of time. Therefore, it is always in your best interest to clean your weapons and coat them in oil.

If you have firearms made out of stainless steel, you need not worry much about moisture. After all, the whole point of stainless steel is to provide protection from rust.

The one thing we would mention here is that you should also keep ammunition in mind. Some older types of ammunition are still susceptible to corrosion. This is because they contain salts that react with the metal of the bore. The effect of this is that rust develops, which can cause misfires or even damages to your firearm.

Fouling

Every time you use your firearm, there is a buildup from the discharge. This buildup is called fouling, and it contains carbon, led, copper, and plastic. If the buildup reaches a particular stage, it can reduce the firearm’s accuracy. Let it build up more, and your gun will soon start to misfire and even damage your barrel. Depending on the type of firearm and the ammunition that you use, the buildup can vary drastically. But, the general rule is to keep it away as much as possible.

Friction

If you think about it, every firearm is essentially a mechanical tool. And, as such, it has moving parts that can cause friction. If left untreated, this friction can alter the smaller parts of your gun. These parts are usually essential for guns’ proper functioning. So, if you don’t take care of friction, your firearm can soon start to break down.

How to properly clean your firearm

To avoid the issues that we’ve outlined so far, you need to properly clean your firearm. Luckily, doing so is relatively straightforward. The only potential difficulty is that you need to have the discipline to do so regularly. Fail, and your guns will soon start to malfunction.

Wipe down with bore skin

If you’ve only used your gun for a bit of indoor shooting, you can simply wipe it down with bore skin. It does a great job at collecting moisture and ensuring that no dirt remains. With a bit of oil, you can clean the inside of the barrel and help protect it from fouling.

Bore brushes and cleaning rods are essential tools for cleaning your firearms

For a more detailed cleanup, you should use bore brushes and cleaning rods. Cleaning rods are usually made out of metal that is softer than your gun. With it, you can give your barrel a more thorough cleansing and pick up the smaller bits of fouling. Ideally, you will push cleaning patches with it until they come up clean.

You can use bore brushes for a more detailed sweep of your gun and ensure the more intricate parts are clean. Remember that friction can quickly build up in the moving parts of your firearm. So, make sure to first clean those and then oil them properly.

Deep cleaning

Every once in a while, you should take the time to take apart your firearms and perform deep cleaning. This means putting them in a solvent and letting them soak. Afterward, you should proceed with thoroughly cleaning and ensuring that every bit is spotless. You can even consider using ultrasonic cleaning, where you introduce ultra-sonic waves to the solvent. By doing so, the grime and the dirt will fall away. Afterward, you need to dry and oil each part and carefully assemble your firearm.

When to clean

The simple wipe down is something that you ought to do after every use. Even if it was indoors, your guns are still dirty and require a bit of cleaning. It would be best to use cleaning rods and bore brushes at least every month, depending on how often you use your guns. Finally, deep cleaning is mandatory at least once in six months, again depending on how often you use your weapons.

One particular situation is when you are moving your gun safe. Here, you first need to clean the weapons before packing to ensure their safety. And, you also need to clean them after relocating. Even if you managed to ensure safety during the transfer, your firearms could still pick up moisture. And, as it is better to be safe than sorry, you need to clean them after unpacking.

Final thoughts about gun maintenance

If you are still unsure of the importance of cleaning your firearms regularly, we suggest that you head to a firearm forum and consult with more experienced owners. Not only will they verify what we’ve said, but they’ll also give you more precise advice on what cleaning supplies to get for your firearms. You will probably learn about the hazards of not cleaning your gun and the accidents that happened as a result. These should put things into perspective and convince you that guns, while they can be fun, are not toys. If you want to be a responsible gun owner, you need to take good care of your firearms and put safety above all else.