Whether you own rifles, shotguns or handguns in Olathe, KS, it’s important that you take care of them and keep them clean. In just a few easy steps, your guns will be ready for shooting or storage in your gun safe. Here’s a look at how to safety clean your firearms:
- Disassemble: First, make sure the gun is unloaded. Lay it down on a table or other flat work surface. Open the action, then start disassembling the gun. If you aren’t sure how to do this, read the owner’s manual or go online to the manufacturer’s website for information. How often you should clean your firearm depends on how you use it. If you regularly shoot for competition or go target shooting on a regular basis, you will need to clean the gun more often than if it were used only occasionally for seasonal hunting or home defense.
- Clean the barrel: Cleaning the barrel of a gun is more than simply running a patch on a rod down the bore. While this a good approach for a gun that’s rarely used, the pros recommend periodically cleaning the barrel so that a bore light shows bright steel inside. Start at the chamber and work in the direction the bullets exit. You can use a one-piece brass or aluminum cleaning rod, but a pull-through bore cleaner is a good option when you’re in the field. Nylon brushes break up debris, and specialty bore cleaning products clear away powder and lead residue.
- Clean the action: Get a gun cleaner to clean the action. All you need to do to clean out this part is spray it down with the cleaner. This can also clean other parts of the gun, like the trigger and the bolt. Wipe down all sprayed parts. You can use a small paintbrush and compressed air to clear debris and excess cleaning solution from hard-to-reach internal parts.
- Remove excess oil and rust: By now, the gun you are cleaning probably has excess oil or cleaner clinging to the barrel, the action or other components. Make sure to wipe off any that has accumulated before the gunk hardens in place, drips on the floor or causes the gun to slip from your hands. Lightly re-oil with an appropriate lubricant. Next, use super fine steel wool and some oil to remove rust.
- Inspect the screws: Check all screws on mounts, side-plates, the grip, sling-swivel studs, etc. for tightness, as well as inspect for corrosion or other kinds of damage. Ensure debris is not stuck between screws and other gun parts.
- Reassemble: Carefully put the gun back together, then give it one more good wiping to remove fingerprints and cleanser residue. Finally, close the action and drop the firing pin to release tension in the gun before storing.
Now that you have a good idea of how to clean your firearms the right way, it’s time to get to it! You can also bring your shotguns, rifles or handguns in Olathe, KS to Harrison Street Pawn for professional gun cleaning and repair services.