How often do you need to clean your gun? Gun owners have been asking this question for years. As with many gun-related debates, you’ll find countless opinions and answers when it comes to gun cleaning. While we won’t settle the dispute once and for all, we can give you some insight on the subject and help you determine a good routine for you.
Cleaning your gun has many benefits. It helps maintain the quality, appearance, and performance of the firearm. It all leads to helping avoid malfunction. When you clean the gun, you remove numerous contaminants that can reduce the weapon’s accuracy and performance. Substance from the bullet may remain in the barrel, and while the difference may not be noticed at first, the steady buildup of contaminants can cause problems, like inaccurate shooting.
Cleaning helps maintain the high quality of your gun, an aspect that should not be overlooked. It might just be cosmetic, but if your gun looks good on the outside, it’s a sign of what’s happening inside. A clean, polished, shiny gun is also something you can wear and use with pride.
Is There a Downside to Gun Cleaning?
For most people, there is no downside to cleaning firearms. However, there is concern that cleaning the barrel too frequently with a wire brush can wear down the rifling and reduce performance. But the metal inside the barrel is much harder than a brush, so regular cleaning is not likely to wear it out. A typical gun owner with quality equipment is unlikely to damage his gun, even for decades.
You can use too much oil or lubricant. However, this is not a problem if you wipe and clean properly.
When should you take the time to clean your gun? There are certain situations where you should prioritize cleaning your firearm.
When Should You Clean Your Gun?
If You Use Corrosive or Residue-Rich Ammunition
Different ammo affects your weapon in different ways. Full metal casing cartridges, with a hard copper casing from front to back, are less likely to leave residue in the barrel. However, lead bullets, including lead rounds, leave more residue in the barrel.
Some cartridges also contain chemicals that attack internal components. Some primers, especially old military ammunition, are potassium chloride and sodium chloride. When using these ink cartridges, it is best to clean them frequently.
If Your Gun is Exposed to Moisture
Water and metals rarely mix well. If your gun is exposed to rain or moisture, it must be thoroughly cleaned and oiled. Leaving water on the barrel and other parts can damage the firearm and affect function. It is essential if your gun is exposed to salt water, which is especially harmful to various materials.
If Your Gun is Exposed to Dirt, Sand, or Debris
Dirt and sand from the outside and leaves and foreign objects can affect the weapon’s functionality. Shotguns, and rifles (as well as pistols) should be cleaned after nearly every use to ensure lasting quality.
Gun Cleaning is Based on How You Use It
As you might expect, how often you clean your firearm usually depends on what the gun is and what it is for.
Carry Weapons
Concealed carry weapons should be kept clean and well maintained. If you are going to assume the responsibility of carrying a deadly weapon for your protection, then it is your responsibility to keep your firearm at its highest level.
Thankfully, concealed weapons are rarely used. They sit idle, usually waiting for the next training or target practice round. This can cause cleaning problems. If you don’t use your guns often, they’re more likely to collect dust in cracks rather than dirty the barrel.
Of course, you should clean your weapons after each training session. However, cleaning and checking the quality every two weeks might be your best bet when you’re not using the gun.
Competitive Shooting
When you’re at the shooting range, you can probably shoot more in 10 minutes than during an entire hunting season. This makes cleaning essential, especially considering the type of ammo you might use. While many target practice bullets are metal-cased, high-volume shooting often needs to be affordable, which in many cases means lead bullets. Lead is cheap, but it’s also softer, which leaves more residue in your barrel.
In most cases, a quick barrel cleaning after hundreds of shots will prevent particles from building up inside. However, a more thorough cleaning may be necessary if you’re firing thousands of rounds.
Competitive shooters demand maximum performance from their guns. You can’t take any chances, so a thorough cleaning is integral to the process. Most shooters, at least those who take the game seriously, clean out their rifle, pistol, or shotgun after each match.
Hunting
Shotguns, rifles, and pistols are often exposed to the harshest environments and require frequent cleaning. Even if you sit on a rack and never fire your gun, dust and dirt can be on or in your gun, so it might be a good idea to at least clean the surface components.
Many hunters like to track their prey early in the morning when moisture can cling to your clothing, gear, and weapons. On grass, it’s called dew. On your gun, it’s called latent oxidation. You know it’s rust.
Therefore, we recommend that you at least wipe down your shotgun or shotgun after each use. It doesn’t matter if you shoot or not.
Routine Gun Cleaning
Any weapon should be properly maintained, cleaned, and oiled after use, even if only a single shot was fired. The interior of the barrel should be thoroughly clean and free of condensation. The outside of the gun should be cleaned and then lightly oiled with an oilcloth. A drop of oil should regularly be placed on all moving parts, but avoid getting oil into the gun’s barrel.
Every six months, the gun should be removed, inspected and thoroughly cleaned, and lubricated, whether it has been used. Logs should be kept in the firearm safe, and details should be recorded and dated each time the gun is used or cleaned. A log should also be kept in the ammo locker detailing when each ammo was purchased and used.
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