Proper Care of Firearms

There are a number of accessories every gun owner needs to have to make shooting safer and more productive. My must have gun accessories consist of cleaning equipment and supplies, personal safety equipment, carrying cases, locks, cabinets, and information. Each serves a very special purpose towards protecting and maintaining my investment, as well as providing that my family is always safe.

To me, the most important gun accessory I own is my firearms owner's manual. It provides me with all the information I need to properly maintain the unit and the proper method of disassembling it when and if necessary. If you purchased a used firearm you may not have received the owner's manual. You can usually obtain a copy from the manufacturer for little or no cost or obtain a surplus or reprint manual from a dealer. If you do not have your firearms' manual, get one. It is an essential piece of information.

Maintenance of the firearm is a crucial part of protecting your investment and assuring that when needed, your weapon will operate properly. Your firearms will last longer and work better if you keep them properly cleaned and lubricated. You will discover that some gun cleaning supplies work better than others. My favorites are Government Issue bore solvent and LSA weapons lube. Lesser quality ammo tends to be a bit corrosive and require a good grade of commercial solvent to dissolve the mercury salt from the primer. That is why I choose these products. The G.I. M-16 cleaning rod is a very versatile cleaning tool that does a good job on both small and larger caliber arms. It works well if you work from the breech, the recommended method, or any other method you prefer.

Safety while shooting is important and the accessories you use can affect your health and your accuracy. Ear protection serves two important purposes. The repeated exposure to the high decibel sound of gun fire can cause permanent hearing loss. Also you may develop a flinch which jerks your shots off target whenever you shoot because the sound of each shot generates that reaction involuntarily in most people. Wadded cotton in your ears is not good hearing protection. The most convenient effective ear protection for shooters is foam ear plugs. These are not as effective as a pair of good head phone mufflers but they are preferable to wadded cloth. The head phones and my eye glasses often clash so I generally wear both foam ear plugs and head phones.

Eye protection is the other essential shooting safety equipment. If you were eye glasses, make sure your lenses are safety glass. If you do not, obtain a good pair of safety glasses. Eye protection is necessary. You never want anything from the firearm or a ricochet from your shot to fly back into your eyes. This can be painful and dangers. Protect your eyes when shooting.

How you transport your firearms can protect your firearm and equipment, your person and passengers, and insulate you from local firearm transportation laws. Most municipalities require that firearms transported in a vehicle be secured in some form of a case. If you should happen to drop an unprotected firearm in the parking lot, damage to the unit itself as well as the telescopic site may occur. Transporting a fire arm in a vehicle secured in a case also reduces the chances of injury occurring within the vehicle in an emergency or accident situation. The type of case you use is also an important factor. In the interest of safety, I elect to use cases that do not look like firearm cases, such as an old briefcase with the interior reconfigured with foam padding is used to carry my small arms and an old golf club bag does the job for my larger arms. Be sure you know the firearm transporting laws for your local. Check with an area gun shop or with the National Rifle Association for current information.

The manner you use to store and secure your firearms at home provides additional protection for your family. I personally do not care to use display cases because anyone who enters your home or peers through a window will be able to see your guns. I prefer an unused converted closet with a lockable door in an infrequently used room of the house. To lock the levers and prevent the cylinders from closing I have discovered pad locks and bicycle lock work wonders. When storing your guns, do not keep them in the gun case because you lock the moisture in with it. Also leather is usually treated with some type of chemical which can be corrosive, therefore, it is a good idea if you do not leave your firearm in contact with holsters or stored in leather cases for long periods of time.

We all have our individual preferences when caring for those things we value. Here I have listed some of my preferences for accessories, care, and maintenance of my guns and firearms. These methods I have used for years and have never experienced any problems or loss of a firearm due to corrosive or handling mishap. I trust if you follow my suggestions you will be graced with the same fortune.

Resource: Personal Experience