How to Clean a Semi-Automatic Handgun

Once your ears have stopped ringing after spending an afternoon shooting your semi-automatic handgun at the firing range, it's time to head home and clean your gun. Any gun owner knows the importance of handgun maintenance. Cleaning a semi-automatic handgun will require some disassembly, but it will be time well spent to ensure a clean shot every time.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bore brush
• Cleaning rod
• Cleaning patches
• Oil
• Lubricant
• Grease
• Rags

1. Make sure the gun is unloaded. Never clean a loaded gun.

2. Disassemble the handgun. How you do this depends on the type of semi-automatic handgun you own. Refer to your owner's manual. Once disassembled, the gun will be in 4 main parts: the frame, the slide, the barrel and the magazine.

3. Run a solvent-soaked patch through the barrel, and follow with a bore brush. Then run a lubricant-soaked patch through the barrel, followed by a dry patch.

4. Wipe exterior and inside of slide, the frame and trigger or hammer areas with lubricant, followed by a dry cloth. Apply 1 or 2 drops of lubricant to the rear of each slide channel and the decocking lever pin. Apply grease to hammer face and frame rails.

5. Reassemble the handgun. Slide the action several times to work in lubricant until it slides smoothly. Wipe any excess lubricant with a dry, clean cloth. Apply a small drop of oil to all moving parts.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider watching an instructional video on how to disassemble and clean your semi-automatic handgun. You can find videos like these online.
• You can purchase gun cleaning kits at most sporting goods stores.
• Do not disassemble the semi-automatic handgun beyond the 4 main parts listed in the second step.

Resources

• Get semi-automatic handgun cleaning videos at Expert Village

[mike3156]

on 7/1/2008 I have found a can of break free works well for this . its adout all i use anymore .