Cleaning Firearms

Firearms are delicate and require good maintenance to keep them operating properly. Yet most people do little more than wipe down the outside and swab the bore. This is good day-to-day gun care, but to keep a firearm in top operating condition, thorough cleaning must be done periodically. This might be once a year or more frequently, depending on usage and/or conditions. Five years should be considered the upper limit.

If you've ever watched someone take down an old firearm for a thorough cleaning, you were probably amazed at the quantity of gunk collected in and around working mechanisms. But even after seeing the evidence, I'll bet you still didn't consider that your firearms might be in a similar condition. I'll also bet that, at the same time, you wouldn't consider washing mud off your vehicle and putting gas in the tank as being all the maintenance required to keep it in good operating condition.

Just as gasoline can actually varnish carburetor parts in an internal-combustion engine, petroleum-based grease and oil change their properties over time and can actually cease to provide lubrication. They also trap foreign particles. Powder residue coats parts and can build up and harden, resulting in a crust that can be difficult to remove. Trapped moisture can cause rust and add to the accumulated load, even seize parts solidly. All these factors, individually or combined, can result in firearm failure.

Most misfires are blamed on faulty ammunition, but are a result of dirt in the action blocking the firing pin. When the action is cycled again, the obstruction can shift and return the firearm to working condition. When the next cartridge fires, the shooter naturally assumes it was the ammo that was at fault.

Feeding failures can also often be blamed on a dirty gun. This probably is the main cause of auto-loading firearms failing to cycle properly. Gummed-up magazines can cause jams. Firing pins and other working parts can freeze in cold weather, causing ejection problems. Dirt can also cause small parts to break. To sum up all the evils, if grunge alone doesn't stop your firearm from working properly, parts that break as a result of the buildup will.

In order to thoroughly clean a firearm, you have to be able to strip out the action parts and put them back together properly. If you don't know how to do this, either learn how or take it to a gunsmith for cleaning.

Learning how to strip a firearm is not all that difficult. The basic components are the butt, barrel and receiver, breech block and trigger group. And don't forget the magazine area, whether it's attached or not. All firearms are designed to give access to these separate parts so they can be initially assembled, repaired if necessary, and, of course, cleaned. The only trick is to figure out the proper sequence for dismantling and re-assembling the components, and which screws and drift pins allow you perform the procedure.

I'm not recommending complete dismantling of your firearm. That job is best left to a qualified gunsmith. You can, however, inspect components carefully for wear and damage. If something is suspect or obviously damaged, by evidence of a crack in metal parts, or small pieces that appear to have broken off and are loose in the action, take it to your gunsmith for proper repair. Don't try to adjust the trigger pull, polish a part, or perform any other operations, except for a thorough cleaning. Such an action may not only void a manufacturer's warranty, but leave you wide open for a lawsuit if an accident occurs.

If you don't know someone familiar enough with your firearm to show you how to do the job, resort to the owner's manual. If you don't have the original, check the Internet. Many manuals are posted there. The gun manufacturer's name is a good place to start. Also search by entering "Firearms Manufacturers."

When you discover how to dismantle your firearm, I recommend taking it apart and re-assembling it several times before you attempt to clean it. Before you do this, however, invest in a set of hollow-ground screwdrivers of the proper size. Otherwise, you'll end up mangling screw heads. If your firearm requires hex keys, the same advice applies. The main reason for this practise run is to work out any idiosyncrasies the firearm might have and to get you comfortable stripping it down. Once you're sure of how it comes apart and re-assembles, you'll be able to pick out quickly an incorrect assembly sequence, if it occurs. Example of this are the Ithaca Model 37 shotgun or double-barreled shotguns. Their hammers must be cocked for re-assembly. Snapping a trigger, while cleaning out crud, and then damaging the gun by trying to put it back together incorrectly would be an easy mistake to make. If you know the feel of the rifle or shotgun as it goes together, however, you'll recognize instantly that something is wrong. By the time you're ready to start cleaning, you'll have a pretty good idea of how much work the job ahead will involve.

Now, assemble cleaning aids. Old toothbrushes, small paintbrushs, Q-tips, toothpicks, Varsol, rags, and gun oil are the basics. A brass brush is useful, as are aerosol gun-cleaning products. Don't use steel implements, which can mar the finish and actually increase wear on some parts. And always set up in a well-ventilated area, away from open flames such as a furnace or hot-water tank pilot light.

Use a shallow wash-basin to soak parts to be cleaned in Varsol. As the grease and oil softens, gently sweep the accumulation away with brushes and clear out cracks and corners with probes. Stubborn buildups might require extended soaking. Work patiently and carefully, and use a pump spray of Varsol to wash away particles as they loosen. If the working solution becomes filled with too much gunk, strain it through an old cloth to get rid of larger particles and then continue to use it. When all of the crud has been removed, thoroughly wash the parts with clean Varsol. 

If really stubborn crust remains, an aerosol can of gun cleaner can help to get it off. I have even used automotive carburetor cleaner, when necessary. Aerosol cleaners can, however, also remove every last vestige of oil from metal parts, much the same way as can washing a well-seasoned frying pan in soapy water. If you use this type of cleaner, I recommend soaking the parts in a light oil for a couple of days, then cleaning with Varsol again and lubricating with a good grade of gun oil before reassembling.

There are two things you should never do. Don't go at the dirt buildup so aggressively that you force hard particles into cracks and corners. This can cause severe problems down the road. Try to float bits and pieces out of the mechanism and away from the part altogether. The other is to never spray an aerosol cleaner on the breech block while it is still in the receiver. I've watched too many people believe they were looking after their firearms by doing this, while, in fact, they were forcing grunge deeper into the working mechanism.

When everything is clean and oiled, you're almost ready to reassemble the firearm. Since you're doing a thorough job, you might as well give the barrel a good scrubbing with bore cleaner and make sure the chamber is clean. This can be particularly important for shotguns, since plastic from shell cases can build up.

Choke tubes also gum up with plastic, but a bronze brush chucked in a drill will clean up these amazingly. Don't do this while the tubes are still in the bore. Take them out. And while you have them out, clean their threads and those inside the barrel.

Now you can re-assemble your firearm and know it's in perfect operating condition. Just to be sure, check by trying a snap cap in it. Rifles, of course, will have to be re-zeroed, but that's just another opportunity to make yourself more familiar with it.

Two things are certain. You'll be astounded at the amount of gunk you'll flush out of your firearm and you'll sleep better knowing it's stored clean and in proper operating condition.