How to clean a pistol safely: basic cleaning and care

The first step in cleaning a pistol is always to unload it: remove the magazine, lock the slide back and check that the chamber is empty. Then field strip only what your model's manual allows, clean the barrel and the parts with residue, use little lubricant and take care of the magazine too. Repairs and adjustments are a job for a licensed gunsmith.

Warning: each model has its own procedure. Always follow your pistol manufacturer's manual. This text is a general safety guide and does not teach complete disassembly, repair or modification.

Why clean a pistol?

Powder residue, lead and dirt affect how the gun works and encourage corrosion. The owner's manual for the Taurus PT 24/7 OSS pistol, which this guide is based on, says the gun should be kept clean and "covered with a light film of good quality oil to prevent corrosion", especially after use.

When to clean it

According to the Taurus PT 24/7 OSS manual:

• after every shooting session, no matter how many rounds;
• every 200 rounds, if you fire more than that on the same day;
• a gun stored unused: wipe the outside and the barrel with a lightly oiled cloth, removing any excess.

Another manufacturer's manual may give a different interval. Check the one for your model.

Safety first: how to unload

The Taurus manual repeats the warning: "make sure the firearm is unloaded before cleaning". Always follow this order:

1. Muzzle pointed in a safe direction and finger off the trigger at all times.
2. Remove the magazine.
3. Pull the slide back and remove the round from the chamber, if there is one.
4. Visually check that the chamber and the magazine well are empty.
5. Take the ammunition to another room or lock it away from the cleaning table.

These are the same rules checked in the Federal Police shooting test, where a safety violation can fail the candidate, under the test rules in Annex I of Normative Instruction IN nº 111-DG/PF/2017 of the Federal Police (Polícia Federal, PF).

What you need for basic cleaning

• a mat or cloth to cover the table;
• a cleaning rod for the caliber;
• a bronze bore brush;
• a nylon brush and cloth patches;
• solvent and oil made for firearms;
• safety glasses, against solvent splashes and springs.

How to clean a pistol, step by step

1. Unload and check the chamber, as described above.
2. Field strip the pistol only as your model's manual describes. The Taurus manual says normal cleaning is done using the disassembly steps in the manual itself. Any disassembly beyond that, for repairs, should be left to a gunsmith.
3. Clean the barrel. Remove powder residue from the barrel and nearby areas with a suitable brush. If there is lead in the barrel, the Taurus manual says to scrub it with a bronze brush soaked in oil.
4. Clean the slide and frame with a cloth and a nylon brush, removing visible dirt and residue.
5. Dry off any excess solvent before lubricating.
6. Use little lubricant. The manual calls for lubricant "sparingly on moving parts" and care with sprays near ammunition.
7. Wipe oil out of the chamber. The Taurus manual says to clean any oil from the chamber before firing and never to lubricate cartridges.
8. Reassemble the gun according to the manual and check that the parts are back in place.
9. Store the gun unloaded in the safe. See how to store a gun at home.

How to clean the magazine

The Taurus manual says the magazine "must also be cleaned" for the gun to work well. Magazine disassembly varies from model to model and involves a compressed spring that can fly out. Wear glasses, follow your model's manual and reassemble in reverse order.

Why not overdo the oil?

According to the Taurus manual, lubricants and sprays can seep into the primer and cause misfires. Some can also get into the case and spoil the powder. If only the primer ignites, the bullet can get stuck in the barrel.

If you suspect a bullet is stuck in the barrel, the manual says to unload the gun immediately and look through the entire barrel, not just the chamber.

When to see a gunsmith

• Any malfunction: stop using the gun, unload it and take it to a gunsmith, the Taurus manual advises.
• Periodic inspection: the manual recommends a yearly inspection by a competent gunsmith, even if the gun seems to work well.
• Repairs and complete disassembly: these belong to the gunsmith or the manufacturer.

In Brazil, a gunsmith needs a license from the Federal Police (Ordinance nº 2259/2011, Portaria nº 2259/2011). The ordinance regulates the professional activity: the basic cleaning described in the owner's manual is done by the owners themselves. See how the gunsmith license works.

What never to do

• Modify the gun. Article 16, § 1, II, of Law 10.826/2003 (the Disarmament Statute) punishes with 3 to 6 years of imprisonment anyone who modifies a gun's features to make it equivalent to a restricted or prohibited firearm.
• Tamper with the serial number or any identification mark on the gun (art. 16, § 1, I).
• Clean with ammunition nearby or with children in the room.

Next step

Set aside your pistol's manual and put together a basic cleaning kit. After your next shooting session, clean the gun the same day, always starting by unloading it and checking the chamber.