Do’s & Dont’s when using cleaning products / lubricants on any gunmetal

There are many opinions out there, but scarily, many self proclaimed experts are just full of hot air. Don’t assume someone posting a video is correct. Don’t give unnecessary credit to somehow who looks cool saying it. And don’t automatically believe what someone working in a gun store says.

I, myself, still have a lot to learn but I do know enough to provide sounds advise based on three decades of experience in working with firearm maintenance products, testing materials with the leading factory engineers in the world, and accumulating first hand knowledge from some of the most experienced professional shooters, gunsmiths and defense program managers.

The fundamentals don’t change. There is carbon fouling and possibly copper fouling, and it is highly recommend to remove buildup to preserve the operational integrity of your guns before your next shooting event. Some scoff at this, but then again, slobs think its cool not to clean their bedrooms either.

Here are the recommended steps and notations that all gun owners should apply when treating their firearms with care:

1. From the very first time you shoot, you should clean inside the bore most importantly, but care for the other critical friction points and exposed surfaces as well, to a lesser extent.
2. Make sure you remove any solvent residue as well for this is the leading culprit in causing jams or at least gumming up the action.
3. Apply a quality lubricant to clean, dry surfaces. That means that there is nothing in the way between a gun oil and the gunmetal surface.
4. Don’t just trust what you see. Wipe surfaces down with high percentage isopropyl alcohol to reveal any solvent residue which would probably appear as amber. The alcohol will evaporate quickly.
5. Polish lubricant into the gun bore metal until not visible. Of course, I recommend Tetra Gun Lubricant or the Triple Action CLP or the aerosol version.
6. Wipe off any excess. In the bore, you want to set a spit polish finish before shooting.

You will appreciate both the improved smoothness and reduced residue buildup once you have achieved what I call Bore Conditioning.

If your gun treatment is done correctly, you can literally dry wipe the gunmetal off gently and remove and see the black color of the carbon fouling while still keeping the bore lubricated and protected. That is the goal.

Not all gun lubricants are the same – not even close.

Gun solvents and other cleaning products are not all the same. If you think that then you also believe the Earth is flat.

Respect chemistry, and avoid the reaction chemistry of cross-contaminating different brand’s chemicals. You don’t know what kind of mess you can create.

Don’t let loud, ignorant people guide your knowledge. Your experience will be your judge. Truth.

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