Accidents do not come by calling. You always want your gun to work smoothly at the right time. That’s why you need to be always prepared by having it all clean and ready to use.
You can easily get your gun cleaned by following a few easy cleaning instructions. It does not take much time, neither it is a tough job.
But the quandary is regarding how often should a gun be cleaned?
A gun has some guidelines regarding how often to clean your gun. For a smooth firing experience, following this cleaning guideline is a must.
You can take a quick look at this cleaning routine guide which I have simplified here.
Why Should You Clean Your Firearm
Before we jump into how often should a firearm be cleaned, let’s see why should you clean your firearm?
A gun like any other machine requires attention. Lack of maintenance will completely ruin the instrument. And you most surely do not want to face any difficulty during your time of need.
If you do not clean your gun regularly, it starts having a lot of internal as well as external issues.
The most common issue faced is rusting. It holistically destroys the gun making it incapable of use. By the time you see the rusting effect on the gun’s outer body, it already might have infected the inner parts.
This later causes failure to fire. You may face issues like jammed ammo which leads to failure to eject. It requires maintenance to operate the way it was designed to operate.
When Should You Clean Your Gun
Professionals suggest that you should thoroughly clean your gun after each trip of yours to the range.
The shooting of bullets leads to the deposition of lead, copper, and carbon in the gun. The tiny fragments get deposited without even you being able to see. Such depositions are a threat to the gun’s smooth functionality. This situation also answers why should you clean your firearm after each time you use it. The deposited materials get hardened and cause rust. And you definitely do not want this to happen to your precious defense tool.
You may not have to clean the gun immediately after the shooting session. But you must complete the task within a week of using it. The longer you keep it untouched with the grimes on, the higher the risk of rusting.
How Often Should A Firearm Be Cleaned To Keep It In Top Condition
It is a debating question as to how often should a firearm be cleaned.
Different advisors suggest different opinions but one thing is common among all. And that is no matter what, you should always make time to clean your gun regularly. If you check closely the user manual also has something to say about how often you should clean your gun.
It won’t hurt your gun if you clean it regularly. You just need to be careful while disassembling and reassembling. The more routine is your work the better it is.
I have seen other cases too where the gun is cleaned but not by maintaining a routine. Randomly cleaning a gun whenever you want might do the job but won’t have a good result in the long run. This will make the sudden cleaning session very hard as the dirt and grimes will harden on the gun. Besides this affects the longevity of the gun. Guns facing such ignorance get wrecked within a short time.
Considering the safety issues your gun must be cleaned maintaining a routine. Not only for the deposited grime but also for the regular inspection of the gun routine cleaning is necessary.
There must be times when you do not use your gun for a long time. And yes, you have to clean your gun during this time too. You might not need to do it as often as the time when you use it. You should clean it at least once a month when left unused.
How Often Should You Clean Your Handgun
Handguns are generally used for self-defense. They are used occasionally. Considering the number of times such guns are used, handguns do not require daily cleaning. You can clean it by maintaining a monthly routine.
How Often Should You Clean Your Shotgun
Shotguns are perfect for hunting and shooting for their versatility. If you are a regular hunter and take your gun out frequently, you should clean your gun at the same rate too. For smooth service from your shotgun, you need to regularly check up on it.
How Often Should You Clean Your Rifle
Rifles that are not used frequently can be cleaned once in a while each month. You won’t have to spare too much time for it. But for frequent use, you may go 400-500 rounds before you take it for cleaning.
How Often To Oil Guns
Lubrication is another important task following the cleaning session. Right after cleaning, you must lubricate your device properly. Lack of lubrication is a serious issue that causes the decaying of parts due to friction. Without oiling and cleaning internal parts will wear out soon and even break.
You might not have to lubricate separately at different times but oil your gun just after you are done cleaning. It lessens the workload and you can complete the maintenance job in one go. You won’t require too much time or effort for it. So, you can clean the gun after every use.
Gun Cleaning Kit Set & Lubricant Agent
I am mentioning some useful cleaning agents that come in a set including the lubricating agent. This will make your task easier than before.
1. Hoppes 9 Elite Gun Cleaning Kit
This is a very effective gun cleaning kit that includes 2 lubricating agents and a gun cleaner. The 2 lubricating agents are- 2 oz Hoppes no 9-lubricating oil and 14.9 ml precision lubricator. Both of them work actively to keep the internal parts of the gun oiled for a long time. The bore cleaner is also effective against fouling grime of lead, copper, and carbon.
2. Mossy Oak Gun Oil Combo Kit
This is a combo kit of gun cleaner which has a 3 in 1 solution. It can help you clean, lubricate and act as a protectant. The highlight is the needle oiler. It is so easy to use by the virtue of its thoughtful needle head. It is very easy to oil unreachable tight areas of a gun using this needle oiler. These cleaning and lubricating agents are good for all weather. They do not freeze or become too runny with the change of weather.
3. Lucas Extreme Duty Bore Solvent
This Lucas gun cleaning set has so many different items in it. It includes a solvent, CLP, a lubricant, a needle oiler, and a grease tube. This set is very handy for giving all the necessary materials for a general gun cleaning session in one place. You won’t have to roam around to find the right stuff.
Final Words
Cleaning a gun is not a matter of choice rather a duty. You use your gun; you clean it too. There is no alternative to cleaning your defense tool.
Maintaining a proper routine if you can keep your gun grim free you can be sure about your gun work smoothly at times of need.
It is an important matter to understand that should you clean your gun after every use. Some people think of it as an unnecessary hassle but the benefit of it is beyond imagination.
How often to clean your gun is completely your choice but the more routine wise you clean it the better.
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