Cleaning & Maintenance
Cleaning Tools
One of the most important things you will ever do with your gun, is make sure it is well cleaned and in a condition that it can easily fire. If your gun is dirty and not properly lubricated, you can expect it to not function correctly, and that could be dangerous for you and anyone around. Of all the equipment out there, here are three important tools you need to get started, plus one bit of advanced technology, that'll get your gun clean:
- Multi-tool - Most newly purchased firearms will come with all the tools necessary to take the gun apart and reassemble it. You may have other tools lying around, like a phillips or flathead screwdrivers, that would get the job done, but we suggest investing a little money into a Multi Tool. On top of that, the Multi Tool can be useful for just about any other situation that requires tools to accomplish.
- Cleaning Rod - It can be a lot easier to damage your firearm during cleaning than you would think. It is as simple as purchasing the wrong equipment used to clean your gun. Cleaning Rods are one of those pieces of equipment you must be careful with. Key is to purchase a cleaning rod that uses metal that is softer than the metal of your gun. Bronze is usually the best bet, especially in the case of cleaning rods. If you want to spring for something of a bit more quality you may always try a carbon fiber rod as well. Both these kinds of rods are used in the cleaning of your gun's barrel, so it is important to find something that won't knick‚ the metal on the inside.
- Bore Brush, Jag or Loop, and Patches - These three products are what are attached to the end of your cleaning rod. All three are safe to use, but each tool has its own purpose. Bronze brushes are a bit more abrasive than nylon brushes, but the nylon tends to last longer. Bore brushes are used to break up or remove any build-up on the inside of the gun barrel. As for Jags and Loops, both are instead used to run a patch to pick up any mess inside the barrel. With a jag you stick the patch on the small point on the end, and with the loop you push the patch through the needle-like hole. With each pass of the patch through the barrel, it must be replaced, so you aren't continually pushing the same gunk back and forth through the barrel.
- Ultrasonic Gun Cleaner - Ultrasonic gun cleaning system may not be a requirement, but it is a smart investment. Having the right tool for the job can cut down your cleaning time. Ultrasonic gun cleaners with the correct options and chemistry can also clean more thoroughly than manual hand cleaning.
Cleaning Fluids & Lubricants
Cleaners - Dust, corrosion, and other debris could cause your firearm to fail when you need it most if you don’t clean it properly. Gun cleaners are designed to go into all of a gun’s crevices and offer a thorough cleaning. Gun solvents are designed to break down carbon fouling, copper, lead, unburned powder, and other material that adheres to your gun and causes it to get unclean. These items then make it simple to clean all of that gun junk away using cleaning patches, leaving you with a clean gun.
Oil (Lubricants) - If you’re going to maintain your guns properly and you want your firearms to achieve their best performance, you’re going to need a good gun oil. But, if you’ve been shopping for gun oil lately, you’ve probably noticed that there are way too many options and they all promise different benefits for your firearms. There seems to be a misconception about gun oil in that most novices believe that oil for your gun is just to lubricate and nothing else . Although gun oil is great for lubricating gun parts, and just about necessary to achieve reliable performance out of some types of firearms, it is also helpful when cleaning firearms after shooting and for protection your guns from corrosion/rust. So, if you want to protect your firearms and you want your guns to function well, you need a good gun oil. But, which kind of gun lube do you need?
- Oils for function / lubrication: These oils are typically synthetic and they have the ability to withstand the high pressure and heat of shooting firearms while improving the function and reliability of your gun.
- Oils that also clean / preserve: These all-in-one oils may not give the absolute best performance for lubrication, but they have the added benefit of being suitable for protecting your firearm against corrosion and they can also be used to help you clean your firearm.
- Greases: Although not "oil", grease can be very handy with firearms – especially heavy use guns or those where you’re looking for the lubrication to stay where you put it.
Moisture Control
Dehumidifier - A good gun safe dehumidifier won’t break the bank. In fact, it’ll probably cost less than the cheapest gun you own. And yet, it’s one of the wisest investments you’ll ever make. It only takes one environmental issue in your home to destroy a lifetime of collecting, so give yourself some simple peace of mind and get a dehumidifier
Desiccant (Silica) - Silica packs are another option to keep moisture out. Silica gel packs are known to be one of the affordable options to use. In silica gel packs, there are a lot of silica beads. These beads can help with absorbing the moisture and water vapors inside of a gun safe. Three silica packs can work well inside of a gun safe. Silica gel packs should never be touching any of the guns inside directly.
All-in-One
Gun cleaning kits are one of the most important items a gun owner needs to have. You could piece together the necessary components for a cleaning kit—brushes, rods, patches, solvents, snakes, mops, etc —and it would work perfectly well, but having a pre-assembled kit is a lot simpler and more streamlined. Kits including boresnake's are easy to find and very popular. Quick note on bore mops, these are very preference specific. Bore mops are used in everything from a quick and dirty barrel cleaning at the range, to never touching a dirty bore and only lightly oiling a VERY clean bore. The suggestions you will hear on how to use a bore mop are as varied as it comes.