How Often To Clean Your Gun

You might end up taking weapon cleaning for granted as a new gun owner. What harm can a little dust cause? This is how you’ll be able to excuse all of the times you’ve put off cleaning your pistol. To answer this rhetorical question, it is capable of a great deal.

You must maintain your firearm’s accuracy and dependability by inspecting it on a regular basis and ensuring that it is clean and functional. You’re also hastening the wear and tear on your rifle by neglecting it.

Why Clean Your Gun

You know that not cleaning your guns on a regular basis can affect accuracy and reliability, but why is that? Every time a shot is fired, some carbon particles are left behind by the propellant combustion, which accumulate in the shooting chambers over time.

This is not all: when the bullet goes through the barrel, microscopic metal particles are chipped off, accumulating more and more residue with each shot and pushing you closer to the point where your gun’s performance degrades.

Additionally, because your firearms contain many metal parts, corrosion is a major worry. If moisture gets into your gun compartment, you could end up with major rust problems that are costly to cure.

How Often Should You Clean Your Gun?

The quick answer is that you should clean your weapon after each shooting session and deep clean it once or twice a year. If you shoot every weekend, you’ll have to do more deep cleaning.

Running a few patches soaked in lubrication cleaner into the bore and over the slide is all it takes for a light cleaning.

Your Carry Gun

Your carry gun should be cleaned at least once a week and quickly if it comes into contact with water. In fact, your carry gun may become a part of your daily routine. You fasten it around your waist and go about your business. You could use my pistol at the range, while trekking, in sub-zero weather, and in the hottest of heat records.

Sweat, moisture from your body heat, particles from your clothing, dust from the air, and more are all present in your carry gun. The corroded screws on my concealed carry holster from being in my waistband every day are one of the best markers of my concealed carry trip. If your gun parts aren’t properly maintained, they’ll rust as well. Also, don’t forget to swap out your carry ammo.

Your Rifle

When your rifle barrel becomes dirty enough, the bullet that comes out of it can be so off due to improper rifling that the round tumbles, or rolls, in the air and hits the target sideways rather than head-on.

To inspect for dirt and debris, beam a flashlight up and down your barrel. After each range trip, inspect your rifling for cleanliness and clarity.

Your Shotgun

Just a single trip to the range will dirty your shotgun barrel. Ammunition for shotguns is vastly different from that for rifles and pistols. After each shooting session, it’s a good idea to run a bore snake or brush through the barrel a few times. If you’re shooting competitively, bringing a snake or brush to clean up the barrel between each stage is recommended.

What About Stored Guns?

Even if you don’t use your firearms very often and they spend the most of their time in storage cases, they still require adequate care. Sure, you won’t have to clean them as frequently as you would your actual weaponry, but you should still keep an eye on them.

You may clean out your gun storage chamber twice a year by removing the curtains. This should be enough to ensure that your guns are as good as new and don’t give you any problems once you start using them again.

Even if your firearms are stored properly, moisture and dust can get into them and cause rust. Furthermore, any residues or particles left over from your previous range session will become a threat over time. Such corrosive compounds may chew their way through metal parts, causing harm to your firearms.

How Often Should You Oil Your Gun?

There are two reasons to grease and lubricate your firearm. If you go to the range on a regular basis, cleaning and oiling your weapon at least once a week is a good idea. You can probably get away with once every two weeks or once a month if you just conceal carry without ever shooting.

It also makes a difference where you reside. Working weapons are sensitive to moisture, thus any time spent in a damp area should be considered. Stick to a weekly clean and lubricate regimen in such instances.

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What Happens If You Don’t Clean Your Gun?

In the eyes of most gun owners, not cleaning your pistol on a regular basis is practically a sin. While it’s fine to miss a session now and then,  it’s something you should do on a regular basis. Instead, make it a point to clean at least a couple of times per month.

Dirty guns can cause internal parts to rust and even fuse together. As a result, the pistol may misfire or not function as well as it should. If you carry your firearm concealed, these issues could result in you not having it when you need it most.

Can You Clean Your Gun Too Much?

This is one of those questions with two interpretations. No, cleaning your weapon too frequently will not harm it. Every time you clean, you’re eliminating dangerous trash and residue that might damage your home. There is no such thing as too much in this case.

It is conceivable, though, to clean your pistol incorrectly too many times. Using the incorrect brushes or failing to lubricate with the proper oil might cause harm to the frame or other components. As a result, they are more prone to rust, which might render your lovely weapon completely useless. So use caution and attention when cleaning your pistol to guarantee you’re performing the proper steps each time. To find out which are the best options on the market please check out my review on the best gun vise.