Cleaning my new gun

[xiphur]

Um yeah so i heard its god to clean NIB guns before you shoot them. Directions say use CLP. I bought the Beretta 92 FS (first handgun) and the dircetions are kinda... well i just don't like them. Also, I'm getting a little confused on what types of oils and things i should use. I'm assuming that CLP is an all purpose use any where thing. I already have hoppe's powder solvent and oil (which i use on my rifle) but I'm not all to sure where i should use it on this gun.

If i want to clean off all the the existing oil how would i go about that? I'm worried about mixing different cleaning products.

what kind of brush should i use for the barrel and should i worry about damaging the rifling.

What parts do i absolutely need to clean and lube? I took it apart and all those little small parts look like they would take forever to clean.

If i do use CLP, is it all that i need to use? Does it really clean lube AND protect?

Yeah i'm a worry wart and im scared that i might mess something up on my new gun. All replies will be much appreciated.

 

[RNB65]

Everyone has their favs, but here is what I recommend -- go buy 3 things: Break Free CLP, Hoppes #9 gun solvent, and grease.

All new guns come from the factory packed in some type of thick, yucky lubricant (usually cosmoline) to protect them just in case they spend decades sitting in storage. Getting it off can be a real pain. Field strip the gun and use Hoppes #9 on cleaning patches and just keep rubbing and rubbing until you get squeaky clean bare steel with all the yucky stuff gone.

Then rub a thin layer of the Break Free CLP on all metal surfaces to lubricate them. I also put a thin layer of grease on the slide rails of semi-autos. Any good quality gun or automotive grease will do (I use Mobil 1 Synthetic grease).

Clean the barrel using cloth patches soaked in CLP. Occasionally use a brass brush and Hoppes #9 to remove copper fouling. Also, a little CLP and a Bore Snake are great for quick cleanings. Break Free works great and is what I use 90% of the time, but occasionally I like to use something a little stronger (Hoppes) when I'm doing a detailed cleaning.

Cleaing guns ain't rocket science. Rub solvent on, wipe it off, rub lube on. Nothing to it.

 

[MachIVshooter]

What parts do i absolutely need to clean and lube? I took it apart and all those little small parts look like they would take forever to clean.

Yikes! For routine cleaning and maintenance, you need only separate the slide and frame and then remove the barrel and guide rod/recoil spring from the slide. Clean everywhere you can reach with hoppes No. 9, wipe dry with cloth/paper towels and then lightly oil contact surfaces with breakfree. Q-tips are a great way to get hard-to-reach places, and Kleen-bore makes a good double-ended polymer "toothbrush" that helps get into the little crevices.

what kind of brush should i use for the barrel and should i worry about damaging the rifling.

The usual bronze/brass/copper bore brushes are fine. If you shoot a lot of lead, you may need to run a stainless brush through. Some folks say the SS brushes damage bores, but I've been using them a long time and have never seen any ill effects.

 

[mattw]

ok i'm going to walk you through this, i've cleaned a couple NIB guns up this way and always have perfect results with a great looking (and great working) finished product.

you will absolutely need (for my way):

1. Chemical De-greaser. This can be found at walmart or academy sports or where ever they sell gun cleaning stuff. Hoppe's makes some but any brand will do.

2. FP-10 or BreakFree. These are both types of CLP. I like FP-10 the best because it smells good but i've used breakfree forever. If you have a choice here don't get the aerosol cans, they just make a mess.

3. .38-.45 generic bore patches, buy a lot because you'll always need 'em.

4. A pistol cleaning rod or a section of the cleaning rod from your rifle with the correct thread adapter for the patch puller.

5. A nylon or other plasticy nylon bore brush, copper or bronze is alright but not as good.

6. About 10 pages of the newspaper.



Some nice things to have that make it easier are:

1. a good stiff toothbrush

2. an old t-shirt to wipe off grease and excess lube

3. a 5 gallon bucket (to put all your parts in and spray degreaser)





Down to business:

1. disassemble your handgun and lay it on the newspaper pages that you spread out on the floor

2. grab your 5 gallon bucket and put all the disassembled pistol inside (except the grips) and spray alot of degreaser on everything, enough so that it pools in the bottom of the bucket and everything is half submerged. Now swish everything around and flip it over so its good and wet in the de greaser. At this point you will have a headache if not in a well ventilated area.

3. Take everything out of the degreaser after about 30 to 45 seconds of sloshing and lay it back on the newspaper and let the degreaser evaporate.

4. look over the parts and make sure the degreaser got everything off, your parts probably feel chalky and look a different color. don't worry.

5. spray everything down with a generous coat of FP10 or breakfree and rub it in with the old t-shirt.

6. use your bore brush to push soaked patches of your bore cleaner (you said you had some hoppe's no. 9 right?) you should only need one of these soaked patches and they should come out fairly the same as they went in (color wise)

7. push a patch soaked in your CLP down the bore and make sure you got a light coat of it on the outside of the barrel. make sure you run about 10 patches down the bore to get all the lube out.

8. wipe off all the lube you can from everything and put the grips back on and re assemble.

9. put one drop of clp on each of the slide rails and all the contact and camming surfaces (stuff that rubs together when you fire)

10. work the action a few times and make sure theres no grease in the mags, if there is clean those up by shooting some degreaser down the mag body and follow with clp then make sure there is nothing but a light coat of clp in the mag.

11. You're done, load it up and shoot. You'll probably have clp spraying everywhere the first few rounds but it will go away.

just make sure that everything has a light coat of oil, otherwise the degreaser will do bad things

 

[mattw]

thats probably true, i don't have nite sites on any of my guns though...

 

[RNB65]

Also, if your gun has wooden grips, remove them before doing any of the above. Strong solvents and degreasers will eat thru wood finish like the proverbial hot knife thru warm butter. I've got a lovely 2-tone, psychodelic nightstand next to my bed thanks to a spilled bottle of Hoppes #9.