Hobbies And Interests
Cleaning Kits
Make sure that you have the correct size gun cleaning rod. Cleaning kits and rods come in both caliber specific size and universal kits. A universal kit for both rifles and pistols is probably the most useful, especially if you are going to be cleaning several types of firearms.
The cleaning rod is the long multi-piece tool that will be inserted into the barrel of the gun with patches or brushes on the end. Make sure the rod is either plastic-coated or made of brass. This will prevent the rod from scratching or chipping the inside of your barrel.
PreCleaning
You should lay down a long towel, one that you don't mind getting ruined, where you are going to clean your gun. A handy piece of equipment to invest in is a rubber-backed piece of felt specifically designed for gun cleaning. Both of these will protect your gun and your table.
Start by disassembling your gun and placing the parts onto the felt. For example, pull the bolt from a bolt action rifle and remove the slide from a semi-automatic pistol. Place the parts to be cleaned on the towel or felt.
Each firearm will come apart differently, and there should be directions in the gun's manual if you need. If you don't have the original manual you should be able to download it or order directly from the manufacturer.
Loosening the Residue in the Barrel
Make sure you use a bore guide when you begin to clean the barrel. This is usually a small plastic piece that fits into the receiver, or the beginning of the barrel. It will keep your from wearing or chipping the head space where the cartridge meets the barrel.
You should always use clean cotton patches when cleaning a gun. Soak one of these in a universal gun cleaning solvent and run this through the barrel one time to let the solvent begin to soak in. Next, fit the appropriate size bronze brush to your cleaning rod. These brushes come in caliber sizes so you should get individual ones for each gun. Run the brush, soaked in solvent, down the barrel until it just begins to protrude from the muzzle, then bring it back. Repeat this 10 to 12 times.
Cleaning the Barrel
After you have run the brush through, soak another cotton patch and run it through. It should probably be black and slightly green from the powder and copper the brush has loosened. Continue to run patches through until they come out clean. After the patches come out clean, run a dry patch through to get the solvent off the inside of the barrel.
Cleaning the chamber and oiling.
Use a clean cotton patch and a bore and chamber cleaner to clean the firing chamber of your gun. Check the manual on your gun to see if you need to lube any moving parts and use an appropriate gun lube to do so.
Rust Proofing
Moisture is the enemy of firearms and you should always wipe your gun down with a rust-preventing gun lube before storing it.