Properly inspecting and regularly cleaning your guns will keep them functioning effectively and firing safely. Because of the tiny explosion in the chamber every time you pull the trigger, residue and sediment are left on the inside of the barrel, making it essential that you take the time to clean it regularly to avoid dangerous malfunctions. You should clean a gun after every time you fire it, and particularly after target practice when you are firing lots of rounds. See Step 1 to learn to start cleaning your guns properly.

The Simple Gun Cleaning Process

There’s just no getting around it. As a responsible gun owner, routine cleaning needs to be a part of your upkeep. But it seems that every gun owner out there has his or her own opinion on how, exactly, this routine cleaning should be done. At Pelican, we believe in the simple, time-tested approach. There’s no need to complicate things! So here’s how to clean your handgun gun in six steps. Note that this is our guide to basic cleaning, but the occasional deep clean is necessary as well.

Essential Gun Cleaning Supplies

If you’re new to firearms or have never cleaned your gun at home, you will have to pick up some basic supplies before you begin. It may be a convenient and cost-effective option to start with a gun cleaning kit that contains all of the items you need. In general, a good gun cleaning supply kit should contain:

• Solvent, such as Hoppe’s No. 9
• Lubricant, such as ALG Defense or BreakFree CLP-2 Cleaner
• A dry rag or cloth
• Swabbing patches
• Cleaning rods or patch pullers
• A boring brush that fits your barrel
• An old toothbrush
• Cotton swabs
• A pair of latex or nitrile gloves

gun cleaning oil alternative

If you’re looking to lubricate your gun but you’re not quite sure you want to use a gun oil you’re in luck.

At present, there are many kinds of substitutes for oil available that you could be using instead.

These gun oil substitutes are going to work for cleaning and protection purposes as well, just like the oil you’ve probably been using.

And when it comes to using a gun oil alternative product you don’t have to feel like you’re sacrificing a lot just to save a few dollars (okay, more than a few dollars).

You can still get high quality at a lower price if you know what you’re looking for.

best ultrasonic cleaner for guns

Authorities in the gun sales, law enforcement and hobbyist communities have agreed for over three decades that ultrasonic cleaning is the most effective, thorough, and streamlined method of gun maintenance. Regular ultrasonic cleaning is key to ensuring that your weapon performs properly and reliably; not only does it keep them residue-free, it maintains their efficiency in a way that manual methods will never measure up to no matter how hard or diligently one scrubs or polishes. Carbon, lead foulings, powder residue and general grime can contribute to a gun’s diminished performance or malfunctions. For instance, gunpowder builds up inside your gun’s barrel periodically as you fire bullets. The accumulation of residual gunpowder can compromise your gun’s functionality and your accuracy. Quality ultrasonic cleaning machines wash every crack and crevice on your gun or firearm even those stubborn stains that can’t be reached manually, thus preserving your firearm’s operability and precision in addition to elongating its lifespan. In fact, many gun users have reported witnessing debris removed ultrasonically from a gun that was recently cleaned manually.

L&R’s Gun Parts Cleaning Solution

The Safety Ultrasonic Weapon Cleaning Solution was designed to engender an acute cleaning process and strengthen the effects of the ultrasonic gun cleaning machine it’s paired with. This robust surfactant removes all carbon oil, grease, residual and grime from guns and firearms with virtually no odor. In addition, it’s safe to use on polymer parts and is non-ammoniated which prevents damage on the surface of your gun.