Cleaning a Gun Barrel

There are many different reasons why you should take the time to properly clean a gun barrel. The first and foremost reason is that it is a simple safety measure. The more you use a gun, the more it will get dirty. The dirtier it gets, then the more likely there will be some kind of a problem which could lead to an injury or possibly damage to the gun. Another important reason for properly cleaning a gun barrel is that guns are simply expensive, and as such should be kept in good working order. Cleaning a gun isn't all that difficult, particularly if you follow these simple steps.

1. Procure the proper tools. Before you can begin cleaning a gun barrel, you need to make sure that you have the proper tools for the job. While the tools for cleaning guns are fairly standard, there are some differences in which tools you will actually use. In a lot of ways, this will depend on what kind of gun you are going to be cleaning. For example, you will use one type of cleaning rod for a handgun and one that is completely different for a rifle. Make sure that you have the right kind of tools for your particular gun. Generally speaking you will need a cleaning rod, a bronze brush, a jag (a tool that is slightly under caliber that is ridged to hold a patch), bore solvent, flannel patches, and gun oil.
2. Rod the barrel. When you begin to rod the barrel you need to make sure that you have the rod travel down the barrel in the same manner that the bullet would. This will help prevent any accidental damage to the gun, and prevent potential costly repairs. Pass a clean flannel patch down the barrel to get an idea of how dirty it is, and to help remove any loose debris that may be residing there.
3. Apply the solvent. Pour a little bit of your cleaning solvent onto the bore brush. You want to ensure that you use enough to coat the brush, but not so much that the cleaner will be dripping from the brush. Rod the brush through the barrel a couple of times to ensure that the cleaner is completely coating the interior of the barrel. Once you have done that, set the gun aside for a few minutes to allow the cleaner time to work.
4. Re-rod the barrel again. After you have allowed the solvent to sit and work for a few minutes, re-rod the barrel again. This time, instead of using the brush use the jag and one of the flannel patches. Re-peat the process a couple of times, using a new patch each time until it comes away relatively clean.
5. Repeat as necessary. Repeat steps two through four as many times as is necessary until the flannel patch comes out completely clean. When the patch is clean, that means that the gun barrel is clean.
6. Apply some oil. Coat a flannel patch with a generous amount of gun oil. Run this patch down the barrel a couple of times so that you can give the barrel a nice protective coating that will help prevent rust when you are not using the gun. Keep in mind that you will need to remove the oil prior to firing the gun, if you do not you can inadvertently cause damage to the firearm.