Firearm Cleaning Procedure

Contents of this page

• What you need to have
• What you need to know
• What you need to do

What you need to have

To successfully do this procedure, you should have these things:

• A clear and clutter-free working area so that you can prevent the loss of any firearm parts,
• Cleaning mat or working area that is both free of dust and can have the cleaning and lubricant fluids spilled,
• Latex or other fluid-resistant gloves,
• These cleaning supplies:
• A barrel brush or barrel snake for the caliber of your firearm,
• The barrel rod for holding the cleaning pads,
• Cleaning pads,
• Cleaning fluid,
• Cotton swabs,
• Firearms lubricant.

What you need to know

To successfully do this procedure, you should be aware of these things:

• Each firearm has its own teardown procedure; you need to know the proper teardown procedure for your firearm.
• Cleaning your firearm is critical for the ongoing smooth operation.
• The burnt gunpowder--gunshot residue (GSR)--is dirty, builds up, and contains poisonous components.
• The importance of cleaning each of these semi-automatic firearms parts:

Bore of the barrel

Blockage of the barrel can cause the pressure from the ammunition discharge to expel through the breach end of the barrel (yes, that's directly back at the firearms operator) or cause the barrel to explode. Deposits of lead in the barrel can build up and prevent the discharge of the ammunition round.

Breach end of the barrel

The inside of the breach has a slightly larger opening where the casing of the ammunition seats. The breach end of the barrel must allow the round of ammunition to seat properly, and if there is fouling where the barrel changes from the ammunition casing diameter to the bullet diameter, the ammunition may not seat properly.

Feed ramp

As the slide moves forward, it pushes the next round of ammunition forward. The bullet slides up the feed ramp. Fouling can prevent the round of ammunition from moving into chamber.

What you need to do

Here are the steps:

1. Safely unload the firearm.
2. Keep the live ammunition away from the firearm during the cleaning process.
3. Do a teardown.
4. Scrub the barrel.
5. Clean the barrel.
6. Clean the trigger group.
7. Oil the trigger group.
8. Reassemble the firearm.