Always, ensure your pistol is unloaded and cleared before doing anything.

Double check by ensuring the magazine is removed and pulling the slide back while visually inspecting the chamber.

However, it is necessary if you do not know how to disassemble your gun.

Shown in this photo is the author doing a deep clean as part of his gun maintenance. Keep your gun clean and lubricated to ensure smooth operation. He is applying a gun cleaning solvent to the inside of the slide to eliminate fouling. After scrubbing it with a cleaning brush, he applies a thin coating of gun oil to prevent rust and accelerated wear.

Learning how to properly clean a handgun is an important skill for any shooter. A dirty gun increases the potential for inaccuracy and malfunctions.

Grab that owners manual out the box and start reading the manufacturers disassembly procedure.

you’re free to see all of theSpringfield pistol manuals here.

Cleaning a gun is dirty work.

The author demonstrates proper gun handling in this photo. He is preparing to disassemble the gun, and points the gun in a safe direction. He removes the magazine and checks the chamber prior to giving it a general cleaning. Many gun accidents happen when people aren’t sure the gun is unloaded. You must ensure the gun is unloaded prior to cleaning it. Keep the gun pointed in a safe direction until it is completely checked and field stripped.

You want to make sure your gun is unloaded prior to cleaning it. If you assume every gun is loaded when you pick it up, you are more likely to use proper gun safety skills and prevent a negligent discharge.

confirm the surface you are cleaning on is easily cleaned.

The proper tools are a must.

Without tools designed for the job you wont be able to successfully complete the job very well.

The author shows his gun cleaning area in this photo. His Springfield Echelon is on a cleaning mat along with brushes, solvent and other tools. These simple tools will allow you to clean the majority of handguns including revolvers with ease. The same oils, solvents, patches and brushes can be used to clean the barrel, slide and frame of virtually any handgun.

Are you prepared to clean your handgun by having the right tools on hand? A gun cleaning kit will typically contain bore brushes, cleaning patches, solvent and lubrication oil.

I always wear a pair of nice nitrile gloves as well.

you’ve got the option to never be too safe.

Start by spraying your parts down with the cleaner.

The author shows how he uses a cleaning mat in this photograph. The Real Avid cleaning mat prevents gun cleaner from leaking through to your table top. When you need to clean your pistol, the mat can help prevent damage to the table surface from a metal guide rod or other parts of your gun. If you do not have a dedicated mat, consider using a thick, clean cloth when you are ready to clean your firearm.

A quality cleaning mat, like this one from Real Avid, can protect your gun and tabletop. A good mat offers cushioning and can absorb chemicals that might otherwise leak through to the kitchen table.

Using your brushes work in all the cracks and crevices of your barrel and recoil spring.

You will be able to see debris inside the barrel so clean it until you are happy.

you’ve got the option to use your patches to run through the barrel as well.

In this photo, the author disassembles his firearm so he can start cleaning it. Knowing how to clean a gun is the responsibility of gun owners. Be sure to check the gun owner’s manual that came with it at purchase. Handgun malfunctions are rare with properly maintained firearms from reputable brands like Springfield Armory. A basic cleaning after each range trip can give you a lifetime of trouble-free shooting.

After confirming the gun is unloaded, the next step to clean and maintain your gun is to field strip it. This will allow you to clean the inside of the barrel and the rest of your gun where fouling builds up.

Soak them in cleaner and run them through using your cleaning rod.

After the barrel and recoil spring are clean, its time to move onto the slide.

If this is a pistol carried often, chances are your slide is just nasty.

Here the author demonstrates how to clean the gun’s slide in this photo. Even if your gun stays in a gun safe most of the time, dust and dirt can still find its way into the slide rails. You should want to clean the gun on some regular basis to ensure it’s clean if you ever need it.

When you clean the gun, you may want to start with the slide before moving to clean the rest of the pistol. The inside of the slide can have a build-up of dirt that can foul its smooth function.

I know my carry guns look like Chewbacca was open carrying it in his shoulder rig for a while.

Personally, I use Gun Butter as my go to lubricant.

I put a thin line inside the slide rails as well as a drop or two on each spring.

The author is working to get his pistol clean in this photo. He is showing how to clean the barrel with patches. The general idea is to keep running patches through the barrel — from the breech end if possible — until you start getting clean patches. When you run it through the barrel, you do not want to damage the muzzle with your cleaning rod. That’s why many people recommend pushing the patches through from the back of the barrel.

The barrel of the gun deserves special attention when you are giving it a real cleaning. Patches wet with solvent can help clean the interior of the barrel. Keep at it until a patch comes out clean.

Gun Butter is easy to use, doesnt make a big oily mess, and works phenomenally well.

Its time to tackle the frame.

I personally love double-sided nylon brushes for the frame.

The author demonstrates cleaning the pistol frame in this photo. Fouling can get everywhere when shooting. It’s easy to overlook the rest of the handgun when you are doing much cleaning, but don’t! Before you reassemble your gun, make sure the gun is completely and thoroughly cleaned and lubricated. You don’t want inattention to detail to cause your gun to malfunction when you take the gun to the range.

Don’t forget the frame and magazine when giving your pistol a good gun cleaning. Your favorite gun will appreciate the attention to detail.

The smaller the better in my opinion because then I can clean all those hard-to-reach areas.

The magazines get very dirty inside and outside and can cause a malfunction in feeding during live fire.

Use caution when disassembling your magazines because the springs are compressed very tightly at times and can hurt.

In this final photo, the author demonstrates dry firing the pistol to ensure the functioning of the handgun. If everything is not properly put back together, the gun may not fire when needed. Be sure to follow the instructions from the manufacturer and follow any cleaning systems or other recommendations they make.

Once you’ve completed your gun cleaning, you want to reassemble and function check the pistol. With it unloaded and pointed in a safe direction, work the slide, trigger and magazine release.

Use safety glasses and extra care when working with magazines.

You also do not want any cleaners or oils near your ammos primers.

Putting It All Together

After everything is cleaned and lubricated, you then reassemble everything.

AMSOIL Firearm Cleaner and Protectant

Reassembly will also be covered in your manual but is normally the reverse of disassembly.

After you get the gun back together, its imperative you test functionality.

A clean microfiber cloth is perfect for this job.

Gun Butter

I will spray the exterior lightly with my cleaner and then rub it clean with the cloth.

In my opinion, there is no absolute right or wrong way to do it.

As I mentioned before, I hate cleaning guns, but it has to be done.

Springfield Armory Knives, Tools & Cleaning Solutions

Setting yourself up for success is going to make the job much more enjoyable and makes it go fast.

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