Firearms need to be regularly maintained to prevent any malfunction, which in the case of self-defense, could have dire consequences. While girls with guns are women confident in their shooting skills, they should also be confident in their ability to dismantle and properly clean their guns.
Here are six tips on gun cleaning for women:
1. Make sure the gun is not loaded: Safety is paramount when handling firearms and even if you "know" the gun is not loaded, double check it anyway before beginning the cleaning process. As a precaution, some even advise removing all ammunition from the room.
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2. Invest in a good gun cleaning kit: Under the kitchen sink products may work well on household chores but specially formulated gun cleaning kits will not only provide the right cleaners but also the tools needed for the process. "Almost every top competition shooter uses a superior-performance lubricant and cleaner product, as do top military and leading law enforcement operations. When someone's life is on the line, weapons reliability matters,"
reports NRA Gun Care.
3. Ventilation: The fumes from gun cleaning chemicals can be unhealthy. While the days of truly noxious solvents have passed, even the more environmentally friendly chemicals still require adequate ventilation.
4. Review the owner's manual: This may seem pedantic but it is an important first step.
According to Guns and Ammo reviewing the manual will help to "understand the layout of your pistol and the tools and procedures for disassembly, reassembly and the points on the pistol where lubricant will need to be applied. This will help you to avoid damaging the gun, launching springs across the room or leaving key parts of the gun unlubricated."
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5. Stay organized:
According to NRA Family Insights, "When cleaning your gun for the first time, it's helpful to place all the bits and pieces in the order and direction in which they came out to make it easier to put back together again. This seems like a simple and obvious tip, but was very helpful in the reassembly."
6. Regular maintenance is key: Most experts agree that firearms should be cleaned after every trip to the range. However,
Concealed Nation brings up a good point about concealed carry and the wear and tear on guns. "If it's a firearm that you carry and you miss out on some range time for an extended period of time, you should clean that firearm every few weeks. If you notice an accumulation of anything at any time, it is recommended to strip down the firearm and give it a good scrub and re-lube ... What if a chunk of lint gets in your firing pin channel? You'll want that cleaned out."
This article does not constitute legal advice. Check the current gun laws before purchasing or traveling with a firearm.
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