Maintaining your firearms properly is an essential aspect of owning a gun. It’ll also help retain its efficiency and keep you safe. Maintaining your weapons is also the best time to check the pistol and other components for internal damage and excessive wear. If you don’t clean them regularly, they’ll become less reliable, which can drastically affect you if it malfunctions while you’re using your gun.
If you own a business, it’s best to keep your firearms in good condition to avoid shooting someone accidentally, which might lead to lengthy lawsuits. That can be the case if an employee accidentally kills a colleague due to improper gun handling.
Most gun insurance providers recommend cleaning the guns to improve your safe gun handling techniques. Maintenance starts with reading the manual for disassembly and reassembly of your particular model and make. Below are other gun maintenance tips to help you do the cleaning process safely and quickly.
Read Your Manual
Most owners don’t find the time to read the manual. Instead, they directly focus on the product that’s in front of them; however, you shouldn’t do that with guns. Not reading its manual can make the difference between life and death. Your manual will educate you on how to load and unload the weapon properly.
It’ll also provide you with a guide on maintaining their good conditions. If you purchased a used gun, do your research. You can call the manufacturer or browse online. Not all firearms have the same model or make, making it more important to read the manual when maintaining it. It’ll prevent you from breaking a critical component.
Use the Right Stuff
In cleaning a gun, you shouldn’t make the cleaning solutions yourself. That’s another tip that you should bear in mind. You can find cleaning products made for your guns. When it comes to maintaining them, protecting and lubricating a firearm is the best choice.
Your weapons must withstand rust, high-speed movements in the barrel, friction, or extreme heat, so you should use the oils and fluids made specifically for firearms.
Get Rid of Debris
Most people don’t have a sonic cleaner or vat to clean their guns, so scrubbing them is the only option they have to remove debris. It can be time-consuming. Use a toothbrush soaked in the solvent if you want to save money. But in cleaning the bore, you’ll need a few extra tools, including a bore solvent, rod, and brush.
Or you can use a MUT tool to make the cleaning process much more manageable. You have to be gentle with your firearms. Do the scrubbing gently to remove debris.
Use an Oily Rag
Your gun’s external components will also need maintenance, but it’s much easier than cleaning the inner parts. You can minimize rust and other signs of external damage by using a slightly oily rag. Keep the cloth soaked in the fluid while giving your gun a gentle wipe to make it look new. You should also check for loose stocks or screws.
Using Light Grease
Using light grease on the gun’s mechanical components is essential for maintaining them. Most people believe that it can affect the gun’s performance, further preventing it from functioning correctly. But this claim doesn’t have any evidence. You should start with applying tiny drops of anti-corrosion grease or oil to the siding parts of the gun to maintain their good condition.
It also prevents them from getting stuck. You should refer to your manual to know which fluids to use for cleaning your guns.
Inspect the Firearm
Hunters know they have to inspect their firearms before and after every use; however, those who carry guns for other reasons might not be aware of this tip. You should still make it a habit to inspect your firearms regularly. Firearms that stay in a holster can be susceptible to natural wear and tear, allowing rust to form or debris to accumulate.
Your company’s gun carriers should inspect them regularly at the end of each day. If your firearms are sitting in the car or at home, you can do the inspections weekly.
Unload Your Guns
Don’t forget to unload your guns when it’s not in use. If you have a carry permit, it’s best to replace the magazine every four to six months. You should also check if your firearms are still in good working condition by firing them at a target range every few weeks. It’ll also allow you to hone your skills.
Maintenance and cleaning will keep your firearms functioning efficiently and prevent a few common problems associated with neglected guns.
