Firearm Maintenance Essay

Chapter 4: Firearm Maintenance

You should clean your gun regularly if you want to make sure that it will work safely and correctly every time you use it. Guns that are poorly maintained may malfunction, which can mean certain death in some situations. It may explode in your hands or misfire, things that you never want to happen (especially during a gunfight). If you will take care of your firearm properly, you will be able to maintain its excellent condition and prolong its life.

In general, your gun must be cleaned after every use. This will help you remove the dust particles created each time the gun is fired. The dust particles may cause corrosion and mechanical failures, so they should be removed regularly. Also, guns that are stored for a long period

Unload your firearm – Before cleaning your gun, make sure that it is unloaded and that there are no ammunition in the area. Many people have lost their lives by not following this simple rule. Remember: a gun is a deadly weapon. You can never be too careful when holding one. Cleaning a gun while it is loaded may cause fatal injuries.
2. Disassemble the gun – You have to dismantle your firearm in order to clean it thoroughly. However, you should always follow the instructions provided by the gun manufacturer. This is important since taking a gun apart carelessly may result to problems in assembling it later. Rifles and semi-automatic handguns often need to be stripped into their main parts (slide, barrel, magazine, frame, etc.). Shotguns and revolvers don’t have to be stripped this way. You just have to open the action and clean the gun’s internal and external parts.
3. Clean the barrel – Attach the patch onto the cleaning rod and put some cleaning solvent on it. Insert the rod into the barrel’s rear end. You should never insert the rod through the gun’s muzzle because it may cause mechanical failures. Work on the barrel by pushing and pulling the cleaning rod until all the powder and oil residues are