Guns need oil and cleaning sometimes...
Welcome all you new gun owners. Just wanted to share some pro tips now that you have your shiny new Glock, or Ruger, or what have you.
You wouldn't keep a car in your garage without some motor oil, wiper fluid, etc on hand; same principle applies here. You are going to need cleaning and maintenance supplies in addition to the ammo you probably can't get right now. You are also going to need to get familiar with the concept of "field stripping" the weapon, which is basically taking the weapon apart into large component groups without getting into the teeny bits and pieces that you should leave to the gunsmith.
Field stripping should be covered in the little manual you got in the gun case; for the foreseeable future, do NOT exceed those parameters; I can't possibly go into field stripping every available pistol or rifle that may have been recently acquired so I'm not going to try. On to maintenance supplies!
Bore/chamber brushes for you caliber, bristle brushes (aluminum/brass bristles are softer than the steel of your gun barrel/slide/receiver, a decent lube (CLP is my preference). I also like the Bore Snake (again, caliber specific!) for quick field-expedient barrel cleaning, but some folks don't. Shrug.
For pistols, you can get basic cleaning kits from Wal Mart or Academy, usually tailored to a particular caliber. Example, I have the following kit tucked into my range bag (I also have separate CLP):
https://www.amazon.com/Hoppes-BoreSnake-Soft-Sided-Cleaning-357-38mm/dp/B000H6QPJW/
Add a toothbrush to knock off the gunk and good to go. If you don't want the bore snake, the simpler Hoppes 9 in a box is around $12 on Amazon...you don't need to spend a fortune to do basic maintenance.
For rifles you will also want a kit with brass rods, punches, jags, loops, bristle brushes,etc since the barrels are usually 16 inches or more. This is where a bore snake really shines, IMO for field use, but for kitchen table use, I do the traditional 3 piece brass rods with brushes and loop attachments for patches.
Here's an example of a "universal" kit for multiple calibers; there are dozens of brands under $50:
https://www.amazon.com/GLORYFIRE-Universal-Cleaning-Hunting-Portable/dp/B01M0F4NFO/
In a future installment, we might want to talk about "next level" cleaning and maintenance involving dremels, solvents, and the like, but for TODAY, I just want to make sure people have some clue on keeping their new pistols/shotguns/rifles running. You do NOT want bad maintenance to affect reliability when you need it most.
-----NOTA BENE: avoid using WD-40 like the plague; it's "Water Displacement" formula 40 and it can actually reduce lubrication in some cases, especially fine/small parts. Good for squeaky door hinges, bad for guns. Sewing machine oil and some cooking oils actually can and do work in a pinch depending on climate. More on that in a future post.
You wouldn't keep a car in your garage without some motor oil, wiper fluid, etc on hand; same principle applies here. You are going to need cleaning and maintenance supplies in addition to the ammo you probably can't get right now. You are also going to need to get familiar with the concept of "field stripping" the weapon, which is basically taking the weapon apart into large component groups without getting into the teeny bits and pieces that you should leave to the gunsmith.
Field stripping should be covered in the little manual you got in the gun case; for the foreseeable future, do NOT exceed those parameters; I can't possibly go into field stripping every available pistol or rifle that may have been recently acquired so I'm not going to try. On to maintenance supplies!
Bore/chamber brushes for you caliber, bristle brushes (aluminum/brass bristles are softer than the steel of your gun barrel/slide/receiver, a decent lube (CLP is my preference). I also like the Bore Snake (again, caliber specific!) for quick field-expedient barrel cleaning, but some folks don't. Shrug.
For pistols, you can get basic cleaning kits from Wal Mart or Academy, usually tailored to a particular caliber. Example, I have the following kit tucked into my range bag (I also have separate CLP):
https://www.amazon.com/Hoppes-BoreSnake-Soft-Sided-Cleaning-357-38mm/dp/B000H6QPJW/
Add a toothbrush to knock off the gunk and good to go. If you don't want the bore snake, the simpler Hoppes 9 in a box is around $12 on Amazon...you don't need to spend a fortune to do basic maintenance.
For rifles you will also want a kit with brass rods, punches, jags, loops, bristle brushes,etc since the barrels are usually 16 inches or more. This is where a bore snake really shines, IMO for field use, but for kitchen table use, I do the traditional 3 piece brass rods with brushes and loop attachments for patches.
Here's an example of a "universal" kit for multiple calibers; there are dozens of brands under $50:
https://www.amazon.com/GLORYFIRE-Universal-Cleaning-Hunting-Portable/dp/B01M0F4NFO/
In a future installment, we might want to talk about "next level" cleaning and maintenance involving dremels, solvents, and the like, but for TODAY, I just want to make sure people have some clue on keeping their new pistols/shotguns/rifles running. You do NOT want bad maintenance to affect reliability when you need it most.
-----NOTA BENE: avoid using WD-40 like the plague; it's "Water Displacement" formula 40 and it can actually reduce lubrication in some cases, especially fine/small parts. Good for squeaky door hinges, bad for guns. Sewing machine oil and some cooking oils actually can and do work in a pinch depending on climate. More on that in a future post.
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