We all know that owning a gun is a serious responsibility. You need to keep it in good working condition to ensure its reliability under any circumstance.
Keeping a firearm clean and well-maintained is a crucial part of ownership, and it has many benefits for both your safety and your gun’s performance. So, how often should you clean your gun? Let’s find out:
How Often Should You Clean Your Gun?
This is one of the most frequent questions among gun owners. Unfortunately, there is no one universal answer that can be applied to all firearms and situations, but here are a few general rules of thumb:
Handguns
- If you carry your concealed handgun in a holster for a living, clean your gun every day.
- If you carry your concealed handgun in a holster during work or around the house, clean your gun weekly.
- If you are just target shooting, cleaning your gun once per month is probably sufficient.
Rifles
- If you hunt or shoot long distances for fun, clean your rifle after every session.
- If you are shooting casually at targets, clean your gun every couple of months to make sure it’s in good shape before a big hunt or match.
Shotguns
- If you use shotguns for waterfowl hunting, you should clean them after every use.
- Shotguns used for upland game hunting can go a few seasons between cleanings.
- Shotguns used for clay target games can wait even longer, but you should try and clean them at least once per year to remove powder accumulation that is corrosive over time.
What Makes Up A Good Cleaning Routine?
There are two fundamental steps to good gun cleaning:
- Disassembly
- Cleaning
A good gun cleaner will have the tools to remove any part of a gun from its stock or barrel.
Disassembling it makes cleaning chambers and actions easier. It also ensures that no dirt or debris is left inside your weapon’s mechanism after you have finished the process.
When it comes to cleaning, you need to choose a solvent or cleaner that will remove all of the gunk and residue left inside your firearm and on its surface.
Some cleaners are an excellent choice for both purposes, like Hoppe’s No 9 Solvent/Protectant Combo.
Most important of all is thoroughness. It takes a little more time and effort to clean a gun thoroughly, but it is necessary to do so.
Even if you clean every part of your gun after every use, you will still find yourself in need of a deeper cleaning from time to time such as during an annual inspection or when firing lead bullets.
What Should You Clean Your Gun With?
There are a few tools that you can use to clean your gun. They include:
- Bore brushes
- Chamber cleaning rods
- Patches
It also helps to obtain some gun cleaner to enable you to obtain optimal results during your missions of firearm maintenance.
The best type of solvent or cleaner will depend on what you are trying to clean. For example, if you’re trying to remove lead build-up from your gun it might be wise to use a cleaner like Birchwood Casey Lead Remover. But, if you have a more complicated firearm – for instance – you will want to go with more specialized products.
Finally, if you want to ensure the long life of your guns and protect them from rust, you want to invest in good gun oil. Even outside of firearms, lubricants can have many common uses. For example, WD-40 is ideal for bee stings and jellyfish bites, as well as skin irritations such as poison ivy and sunburns.
The bottom line is that there is no one guide to cleaning your guns that can be applied to all firearms and owners. The best thing you can do is determine the maintenance routine that works for YOU and stick with it.
Benefits of Cleaning Your Gun Regularly
The biggest benefit of cleaning your gun regularly is that it helps to extend its lifespan and ensures the firearm will work as intended when you need it most.
A clean firearm also has a higher resale value, which can come in handy for those who trade or sell their weapons. Finally, taking care of your weapon also comes with increased pride and self-satisfaction.
Cleaning your gun doesn’t have to be a stressful experience, and it certainly shouldn’t involve scrubbing for hours under the hot sun using old rags and rusty tools.
With a few supplies and a bit of effort every month or so, you can keep your weapon in great shape – ready to fire when you need it most.
What Does Hoppe’s No 9 Solvent/Protectant Combo Do?
Hoppe’s is a company that manufactures gun cleaning products and supplies, including gun oil, solvents, rods for bore brushes, and lubricants.
Hoppe’s No 9 Solvent and Protectant Combo is an example of a product produced by this company. This cleaning kit comes with Hoppe’s famous gun solvent and protectant, which help to remove powder residue and dirt from your firearm.
The price of the combo varies depending on the size. You can get a small kit for just around $10 or you can purchase a larger kit for less than $17.
Hoppe’s No 9 Solvent and Protectant Combo includes a specially formulated gun solvent that breaks down carbon, lead, and powder residue so it is easier to wipe away from your firearm.
The solvent has a protective coating that helps to preserve the metal finish of your firearm. The result is a shiny, clean surface that doesn’t corrode or rust as quickly as it would otherwise.
Finally, Hoppe’s No 9 Solvent and Protectant Combo includes protectant oil which you can apply after cleaning your weapon. This oil helps to keep your firearm lubricated so it does not wear down over time.
Benefits of Hoppe’s No 9 Solvent and Protectant Combo
It breaks down carbon to help you easily wipe away residue.
It includes a protective coating that keeps metal fresh, clean, and corrosion-free for the increased lifespan of your gun.
It is inexpensive, available in small-sized kits, and large kits are affordable too.
Hoppe’s No 9 Solvent and Protectant Combo is universal. You can use it to clean many types of firearms including handguns, shotguns, rifles, semi-automatic weapons, automatic weapons, black powder guns, flare pistols, antique guns, pellet guns, paintball guns, and airsoft guns.
Hoppe’s No 9 Solvent and Protectant Combo is a product that has been in the gun industry for over 50 years. It is trusted by thousands of U.S. military personnel around the world to keep its weapons clean under even the most extreme conditions.
Besides being used by soldiers, Hoppe’s No 9 has been recommended by firearms manufacturers, law enforcement agencies, and sportsmen.
#Hoppe’s #No 9 Solvent & Protectant Combo – the perfect combination of the original gun cleaner with a protective blend to keep metals shiny and protected.
How Often Should You Clean Your Gun – Bottom Line
The frequency of gun cleaning depends on how often you use your weapon.
If you take your gun out for hunting or to the firing range once a week, you should clean it after each visit.
On the other hand, if you only go shooting every few months or so, then there’s no need to overwork your gun with too much frequent cleaning.
In any case, it is a good idea to clean your gun at least once every year when you store it for the off-season.
If you want a thorough gun cleaning in a short amount of time, then Hoppe’s No 9 Solvent and Protectant Combo is an efficient choice that cleans, lubricates, and preserves metal.
By performing regular maintenance on your firearm, you ensure the highest quality performance every time encounter a self defense situation.