Maintaining Your Handgun the Proper Way

The act of possessing a handgun comes with a lot of responsibility and using it carefully is a fundamental aspect of the same. Cleaning and maintaining the gun is yet another aspect. It increases the life span of the weapon, ensures smooth operability and keeps the weapon healthy. Read on for a closer look at the ways of maintaining these prized possessions

Cleaning Your Handgun

Regardless of whether you are a regular user of your gun or play the role of a collector, cleaning it should become a regular ritual. Gun cleaning supplies are easily available at gun and/or firearm stores and can be bought at affordable rates. The first and the most important step is to unload the gun. Check and cross check if the gun is empty. Empty all the chambers and dismantle the firearm safety. If there are incidents of the gun slipping off or accidental pulling of the trigger, nothing drastic will happen as the gun would be empty. If this step is ignored, then the consequences can be fatal.

Once this is done, identify all the parts of the handgun that you need to clean. Every handgun has four major components–the frame, slide, barrel and guide rod and recoil spring. Take out the detachable parts of the handgun and keep them next to each other. Take a soft, lint-free cloth and wipe away the carbon build-up that accumulates due to friction and burning powder. The unburnt powder and oil should be wiped too. This is just a preliminary step in which precision isn’t the major criteria.

Once this is done, apply a solvent that’s suitable for your handgun. Use it on all the dirty components and keep it on for some time. The solvent loosens up the dirt or residue. After a few minutes, use a brush for cleaning off the accumulated dirt. Make sure that the brush doesn’t have any metal bristles. Clean the barrel and look for any signs of residue that might be left behind. Use a solvent soaked cloth to wipe the inside and outsides of the handgun. Use picks or thinner bristled brush to get to the tiny, intricate areas.

Maintaining Your Handgun

Once the cleaning is done, lubricate the necessary parts of the gun. This prevents rusting, corrosion and damage due to internal friction. After that, re-assemble the gun and wipe off the excess solvent. Right before shooting, swab the barrel with a dry cloth right to remove any oil residue. All ammunition like 5.56×45 ammo should be kept in a dry and cool place so that they don’t get damaged.

This cleaning and maintenance procedure should be done every few weeks. No compromise should be done on the same. Let your gun shine and let it live longer.