New gun- to clean or not to clean...

I always strip down a new firearm and clean it. Then lube it up regardless if I'm going to shoot it or store it. I have found some pretty thick grease in some and others were on the dry side but you'll never know until you strip it down.

I have several new unfired guns, some decades old. . I have never cleaned one. I just wipe them down with a good oil and stored them.

If you aren't going to shoot one of them, just oiling it should be plenty. It won't hurt anything to clean the factory crud off it first though, and it'll take all of what, an hour to do so?

Clean!

If the factory packaging is still intact then why would you clean it? It is packaged by the maker to remain in new condition that may be stored for years until sold. I think the factory knows better than us on how to keep a new gun in new condition. Now, if you handled it and got your fingerprints and skin oils all over it then you do need to get rid of that which can/will corrode steel.

factory packaging? cardboard box? plastic case? they sometimes come packaged with vapor paper, nothing about cleaning the gun will affect that vapor paper. they will have been handled when it got to the FFL to verify SN, and again at retail sale it would be handled and who knows how many hands in between. a gun is not like a new I phone hermetically sealed at the factory in china and first touched by the end user.

Most if not all "new" guns were test fired at the factory, I have yet to see one cleaned after. that un-burnt powder in the bore would bother me for long term storage. many new guns seams to have various forms of gunk on them, depending on who made it what gunk.

I had a Russian O/U shotgun when I got the stock off the lock-work looked like it was completely rusted, but CLP and a rag on each part revealed perfectly blued parts under the reddish greasy/crusty coating, I think it was a poor cleaning after bluing the parts,

For long term storage I would clean every part pack the metal parts in a good complete coating of rig grease or a thicker coat of Vasoline, or other thick coat of rust inhibiting compound like chain and cable lube and store it in a temperature stable dark dry place.

Wait. Not shoot a new gun. No, wait, NOT shoot it?
I don't understand. Like ever?
They may look the same but they are not the same.
Well, I suppose for collectors sake. Oh, a Buckmark? Well, I guess but how do you deal with the hives and constantly thinking about it?
I shoot. Nitroglycerin soothes hives. The best way to deal with obsession is to administer a healthy dose of compulsiveness.
A range day for both, a hundred rounds a piece, a cleaning and storage precautions for the 'one'.
Man, my legs are getting itchy...it's dark though, I'd better take some Benedryl... where's the Hodgdons H one ten?

Shoot it, Clean it, oil it, store it....you will get good results doing so.

Shoot it, store it can have any number of results, usually ending in rust, and you just dont want that on a new firearm.

I would shoot it at least a few times on principle, just to see if it works- assuming I was planning to keep it. Otherwise, just wipe down with some oil and put away.

Long term storage?

@milemaker13 Wonderful! I have a near matching set of Savage FV-SRs for my little girl and I. You're a great Dad, if any ask me! And one that plans ahead too.

I have a seven inch Contour Buckmark, love it. Seven hundred rounds without a cleaning yet. Absolutely no lead at all in the barrel. The reason I own one was to replace a Ruger mkiii lite, that would only go fifty or so rounds before a baffle strike to the compensator. Leaded up in the same way every time, starts at the six o'clock groove about round twenty and by fifty it won't hit a six inch circle at twenty yards.
The Buckmark just keeps on hitting, same Armscor ammunition. Which is pretty decent by the way.

I would be more concerned about packing in some dessicant, to keep humidity low. How and where
you store it are as important as if you oil it.

I clean a firearm, new or used, as soon as I get it. It gives me a chance to inspect the weapon for anything weird that might cause an issue. I also know how various packing grease and oils can malfunction a firearm to malfunction. A thorough clean job solves both. Even if a firearm intends to be a "safe queen" if you find any defects it would be worthwhile to get them fixed as you know about them.

herrwalther said:

I clean a firearm, new or used, as soon as I get it. It gives me a chance to inspect the weapon for anything weird that might cause an issue.

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Lets try this again. My thoughts exactly. And I have never bought a new gun and not at least test fired it to see if it functions correctly. If it doesn't, I don't want to find that out months or years later.

I do not own collector firearms and I am comfortable tearing one down. So before first use I will take it apart as much as I deem necessary to inspect and clean/lube it. You would not believe what manner of crud the manufacturer will leave inside and call them new! Then a function check and brief clean again just like any range trip. Doing a first inspection and a subsequent one after many rounds will show you the wear points or possible problems before a failure IMHO.

Breaking down a Buckmark isn't like taking down a Glock.
I field strip and rub down every new gun but don't worry too much about thorough cleaning. I like to know how a gun operates before I shoot it and taking it apart gives me a better idea on that. I have 22's that have 1,000s of rounds through them and they have never been cleaned other than wiped down before storage.

I do clean mine,an put a light coat of oil in them.

I am really in the minority here. I tend to, sometimes, pick up guns that I don't even care much about if I find them for a fantastic price. I have to admit that I have a couple that went straight in the safe and have never been fired. I have never seen a new firearm come from the manufacturer that wasn't plenty oiled if it's just being stored. SHOULD I inspect them before storage... Probably but I don't.

I NEVER shoot a semi-auto before thoroughly cleaning it though. Working in manufacturing for so many years taught me that virtually no machined product leaves the factory without some debris. Most guns I have purchased are pretty clean but I have seen debris (even metal shavings) in others.

I think it's a good idea to at least field strip a newly acquired firearm, clean it well, and lube it up.

Ya never know what little piece of debris may be lurking in there.

My "brand new" sig 238 had a teeny tiny sliver of metal hiding in the firing pin channel, which caused an occasional misfire. No harm done, but there it was.

jrdolall said:

Breaking down a Buckmark isn't like taking down a Glock.

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That's for certain, a Glock is far easier.

My brother bought a US Army MP Commemorative Colt 1911 in .45. THAT I wouldn't shoot ever. I am looking to buy a Winchester .94 "Golden Spike". That I wouldn't shoot either. Otherwise, all guns I buy are tools to use. If you are truly never going to shoot your .22 then fine, wipe it down after handling and put it away, hopefully on display so at least it can be seen. If you are ever going to shoot it field strip it, clean it, and shoot it ASAP - then put it away. Years from now if you shoot it and have a problem you may have no redress.

A committee approach.............no consensus. More of a personal choice.