How to Clean a Pistol

Before cleaning your pistol, make sure it is unloaded. No matter what type of pistol you are using, the procedure for cleaning is the same, though the actual disassembly may not be. Always refer to the owner's manual for your pistol for complete disassembly and reassembly instructions.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Pistol cleaning kit

1. Remove the magazine. Lock the slide open and ensure there are no bullets in the chamber. Remove the slide latch from the frame. Pull the slide forward off the frame. Remove the spring, being careful not to the let the spring get away from you. Then remove the barrel.
2. Using the brush from the pistol cleaning kit, run it down the barrel pushing the brush through the barrel in the direction the bullet travels. Attach the accessory tip to the cleaning rod and pass a patch wet with solvent through the barrel several times then leave the barrel soak while you clean the frame and slide.
3. Clean the slide and frame using Q-tips and square patches of cloth. Wet a patch of cloth with solvent and wipe the inside of the frame and slide. Use the wet Q-tips to clean the rails and grooves. Once you are satisfied, use a dry clean cloth and wipe the slide and frame dry.
4. Wet brush with solvent and clean the chamber, then push the brush back and forth across the bore. Change accessory tips and pass a dampened cloth through the bore. Continue to pass clean clothes through the bore until they come out clean. Then pass a dry patch through and dry the bore.
5. Clean the barrel with a solvent-wet patch. Pull the patch through the barrel in the same direction the bullet moves. Repeat with new patches until they come out clean. Then wipe the entire gun with clean dry cloths and reassemble the pistol following the directions in the owner's manual.