A firearm is an investment. It’s not something you buy just throw into the trash. The best guns are made with careful consideration and materials that are meant to last a lifetime. That’s why you want to care for your collection the right way. That means cleaning and maintaining them according to the best practices. The reason your firearms gets so dirty is due to the fact that you’re using them on a regular basis to shoot at the gun range or out hunting. Dust, dirt, gunpowder, and other debris love to get in all the nooks and crannies of your weapons. Regular maintenance is vital to its operation.
Plus, the problem is that if you damage one, it can be quite expensive to take it to a gunsmith to fix it. You might as well avoid that by not making these errors when cleaning or maintaining your firearms.
Cleaning No-No’s
Not Field Stripping It Fully
One of the big problems people encounter when cleaning their gun is not field stripping it correctly. It’s been designed to be taken apart easily without any special tools to a certain “take down” point before cleaning.
Using Incorrect Cleaning Products and Materials
This is a very common issue. Most of the time, people will just grab any ol’ cleaning supplies they have under their kitchen sink. Bad idea. You need at the minimum the following:
- Cleaning rod and brush
- Gun solvent
- Lubricant
- Patches and cloth
- Flashlight
If you don’t have all these things on hand or your’re trying to cobble together supplies like Q-tips to clean, try to buy a proper universal gun cleaning kit that will have everything you need in one handy bag. Gloryfire makes a good one at a reasonable price that is designed for pistols, rifles, and shotguns.
Missing Parts on the Gun
Clean everything. Don’t miss any spots, including the magazine, and every single part of the gun. Look at all the areas to make sure that you’re not missing anything. Take your time doing a good job with the whole gun.
Maintenance Mistakes
Leaving a Shotgun Out of the Case
Many people do this. You’re in a hurry and just came back from a long hunting trip. You lean your gun up against a wall in your home or garage. It’s way more likely to fall over and get damaged that way, then if you properly store it in its gun case.
Forcing Parts Back After Cleaning
Many people try to speed through the cleaning process. Then they are ready to put the gun together and force the parts when reassembling. This can easily cause the gun to misfire. If you have to force the parts, you’re doing something wrong.
Taking It Apart Too Often
We know you like to tinker with your toys, but taking apart a gun too often will void the warranty and possibly damage the gun. Follow the manufacturers instructions on cleaning and maintenance to avoid this issue. Take apart something else for fun in your home.
