Why You Should Regularly Clean Your Firearm

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Why You Should Regularly Clean Your Firearm

A firearm's maintenance can be crucial to having a highly-functional and dependable firing experience. From the range to the field, a little bit of TLC goes a long way to keeping your gun in shape for whenever you need to use it. It’s even more crucial for firearms that you use for self or home defense. Protecting yourself or others is the last moment you can afford your firearm to fail.

Regularly cleaning your gun is a part of its maintenance. Whenever the components are clean and lubricated, they tend to perform much better.

The Importance of Regular Firearm Cleaning

A gun is only as good as its ability to fire with consistency and accuracy. Reliability issues diminish a firearm's worth. Proper care and maintenance are crucial to keeping your firearm in peak condition. Like having a secure, discreet place to store your gun, cleaning your firearm is a great way to ensure you are keeping your investment at peak condition.

What Causes Firearm Damage?

While there are several ways the elements can damage your gun, three common ones that can harm your firearm or keep it from performing at its best are dirt and dust, corrosion and fouling.

  • Dirt and dust are contaminants that can cause damage by getting into the gun's components and creating friction between the parts. This wear and tear over a long period can cause reliability issues with your firearm or expensive damage. Excessive dirt or mud in the barrel of a gun can cause a pressure buildup, which can be dangerous for the shooter.
  • Fouling is metal from the bullet left inside the gun's barrel after it's fired. Fouling can cause inaccuracy due to the buildup of metal inside of the boring of the barrel. This buildup causes the bullet to exit the barrel at a slightly different position than its intended design.
  • Corrosion can happen to a gun whenever it is exposed to moisture for long periods or is not cleaned correctly after an outing. Corrosion is a common problem because most firearms rely on metal for their construction. When the metal is exposed, it leads to oxidizing of the metal, which then leads to rust.

How Often Should I Clean My Firearm?

There isn't a single answer for this question, and it is up to the owner on how many times he or she should clean the firearm. The frequency of cleaning is dependent upon a few different factors:

  • What type of gun is it? Whenever you are trying to decide how often you need to clean your firearm, the first factor to consider is what type of firearm it is. You will need to frequently clean and inspect performance rifles and concealed carry handguns while a field rifle used for plinking or clay target shooting may be able to go a few weeks or months without a detailed clean.
  • How often do I use or fire this gun? The more often you use your firearm, the more it will have to be cleaned. A large amount of fouling from a firing session or two left over time can permanently affect the accuracy of the gun. Regular cleaning also goes for concealed carry. If you carry your handgun close to your body, sweat and other oils from the skin can corrode the exterior, and lint from clothing can block the firing pin.
  • Where is this gun typically stored? If you store your firearms in a low moisture, temperature-controlled safe or piece of concealment furniture, they won't need to be wiped down and oiled as often as a weapon that is more exposed to the elements. Concealed carry or hunting weapons you leave in your vehicle need more attention than rifles you keep in a gun safe.
  • What type of ammunition do I fire with this gun? The kind of ammo you use is important to note whenever you are trying to lay out a cleaning schedule for your firearm. Different types of ammunition can be more or less corrosive than others, and copper and lead fouling vary in how they affect your gun's barrel.
  • What is the body of the firearm made out of? Rifles vary in their composition due to their style, age and purpose. A newer gun may have more plastic on the exterior, making it more resistant to moisture and corrosion. An older style firearm with more metal or wood may be more susceptible to warping or rust than a modern design. Another consideration is how soft the gunmetal is. A steel chassis of a gun will be more resistant to scratches and dings than aluminum.

How to Keep Your Firearm Clean

Whenever you are cleaning your firearm, it is vital to be in a well-lit, ventilated area. A garage or spacious workshop space both work well for a routine cleaning. Before cleaning, always make sure to double and triple-check that your gun is unloaded. Safety is the biggest priority whenever you are handling a firearm. Make sure the surface you are cleaning your gun on is clear of any objects or debris that may cause a misfire or damage.

What Items Do I Need to Clean My Firearm?

Before you begin cleaning, it is crucial to lay out everything you will need to make sure that you are ready to go. Because of the variation in size, construction and design of each firearm, make sure to consult the owners manual before you being your cleaning. Some of the most common items you will need to clean your gun include:

  • A bore snake and cleaning rod or other barrel cleaning instruments
  • Nylon or cotton patches for cleaning out debris and oiling the barrel
  • A high-quality cleaner and lubricant
  • Cleaning rags for the exterior of the gun
  • A container for any smaller components to your gun

Make Sure You Have a Secure and Discreet Place to Store Your Clean Firearm

After you have given your trusted firearm the cleaning and maintenance it needs, having a place to store it to keep it clean, safe and accessible is just as important. Concealment furniture and wall art is a great way to stash your freshly cleaned gun.

If you are looking for a better way to store your firearm of choice, contact Liberty Home Concealment for well-designed, secure storage options.

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Hanging instructions for the Patriot Wall Shelf

Factors to consider befor you start

Installing a Patriot wall shelf can be a very simple project but there are several factors that you need to understand. our shelves have been designed to work with standard pine 2X4 construction that was 16" on center. Because they were designed around the 16" on center pine 2X4 framed walls that is the process for our instructions. Installing the shelves on amy other type of wall is done at your risk. Liberty Home Concealment does not advise you to attempt installing your shelf onto amy other type of wall.

Understanding what is beneath your walls

Anytime you are doing work or attaching something to a wall it is wise to have a solid grasp of what lies beneath the surface of your walls. If you are not comfortable with the task of hanging a shelf on your wall perhaps it would be wise to hire a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor to install the shelf on the wall for you. There are many factors that you should consider prior to beginning yur shelf installation. SAFETY is the first and top priority.

Safety First

As a consurmer of Liberty Home Concealment, it is a safe assumption that you are a gun owner. Liberty Home Concealment sincerely hopes that you have a great grasp of the concept of SAFETY FIRST. The installation of our shelves requires several steps and we highly recommend that you have a friend help you with the installation. This is very important as the size and moving parts of the shelves can make the installation very cumbersome and potentially dangerous for a single person to accomplish by themselves. So please, we urge you to get some help. Secondly, proper tools that are in good serviceable condition are a must. Please use your tools in a manner consistent with the manufacturers intended use. Using proper tools can make the installation quick, simple and enjoyable. But most importantly, SAFE. So, save yourself the trouble and use the proper tools.

CAUTION!!

Failure to follow and comply with these instructions could result in INJURY and even DEATH!

Tools that should be considered for a safe proper installation

Stud finder, Tape measure, Pencil, Level, Electric screw driver, and Safety glasses.

Step 1

Confirm your desired wall has adequate support by finding the studs with the stud finder. Also, remove the foam insert until later instruction. Mark your stud locations and transfer those measurement onto your shelf. Drill pilot holes through shelf in marked locations. We recommend using a 1/8" or 3/16" bit for the pilot hole. A hole too big will allow the screw to pull right through the back of the shelf. That would be bad. And unnecessary. Please use the proper drill bit. Depending on your wall you should be able to locate at least two studs to anchor your shelf into for maximum strength. Some walls may even allow for three studs to be anchored into. The shelf MUST use at LEAST (2) pine 2X4 studs and the shelf bracket's to fully support the finished loaded weight.

Step 2

With the help of a friend, and using a level and your original measurements hold the shelf in its desired location and transfer the pilot hole locations to the wall. You should be using a minimum of two studs for this step. Each stud receiving (3) screw locations. Two internally, and the other two in the brackets on top. For now, only focus on marking the internal locations. Mark the four internal screw holes. Make sure to hold your shelf nice and level for this step or yur final installation will be crooked.

Step 3

With the help of a friend, hold the shelf into its' mounting location. Line up the holes in the shelf with the marks in your wall and your wall anchors, and install the six long wood screws into the wall. Four into two different studs, and two into the wall anchors.

Step 4

Installing the shelf brackets to the TOP of your shelf. At this point your shelf is attatched to the wall but it is not ready for any weight. Please DO NOT ADD ANY WEIGHT until you have firmly mounted and anchored your brackets into the top. Have your friend help you support the weight of the shelf until you can get the brackets tightly mounted to the desired location on your wall studs. Again, use two studs. Do not add weight to your shelf either inside, or on top, until both brackets are fully installed. Using the supplied 3/4" screws attach brackets to the top of the shelf and 2 of the longer screws for the stud attachment.

Step 5

Unlocking your shelf. Use your magnetic key to locate and unlock the bottom of the shelf. Do this while the shelf is open so you can see what is going on. You may even want ot make two small marks on the bottom of the shelf if it helps you to locate the pickup. It will take a little practice to find the location of the magnetic pick up but you will find it. Make sure you aren't inadvertently trying to unlock the gas damper. Once the location of the lock pickup is located, the magnet will hold itself in place. However, the shelf will not fully disengage the locks until you release the pressure on the locks by lifting the shelf slightly upward with a simple squeeze of your hands. Once you hear the audible clicks of the locks disengaging you can slowly open the shelf allowing the gas damper to lower the shelf to its resting stop.

Concealment Picture Frame Installation Instructions

Consider What is Beneath Your Walls

Anytime you are doing work or attaching something to a wall it is wise to have a solid grasp of what lies beneath the surface of your walls. If you are not comfortable with the task of cutting a hole in a wall perhaps it would be wise to hire a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor to install this item in the wall for you. There are many factors that you should consider prior to beginning your shelf installation. SAFETY is the first and top priority. CAUTION!! Failure to follow and comply with these instructions could result in INJURY or even DEATH!!

Recommended Tools

These tools are not required to install your Liberty Home Concealment picture freame however they will help with the installation process. Stud Finder, tape measure, level, pencil, jigsaw, circular saw, keyhole saw, Sawzall, drill/driver, inspection mirror, flashlight and a second set of hands to help with marking your wall before cutting. These products were designed to work with "standard" 2X4 construction that was framed on 16" centers.

Step 1

Acquire all the tools to complete the job. Do not forget about proper personal protective gear.

Step 2

Confirm that your wall space is empty!! Failure to do so could result in serious injury or even death!

Step 3

Clean your work area around your desired install location. Cover any furniture with a tarp, drop cloth, or painter's plastic to aid in quick easy cleanup.

Step 4

Use a stud finder to locate the space between two studs. Confirm that you have 14.5" between the two stud edges before marking and cutting your walls.

Step 5

The back box of your picture frame is the size you need to make your hole. Hold picture frame tight against the wall and use your level to ensure frame is sitting level against the wall. On smaller sized picture frames such as 5"X7" and 8"X10" you will fasten to both studs. While holding the picture frame tight against the wall while checking for level and trace around the outside perimeter of the picture frames back box.

Step 6

Before cutting the entire wall opening Liberty Home Concealment recommends that you cut a small hole within the area that wil become the full-size hole. This is done to check and confirm your wall is truly clear of obstructions inside the wall such as electrical wiring plumbing. It's much easier to patch a small hole vs repairing a large hole because you got ahead of yourself. Do not skip this step!!

Step 7

Once you are sure that there are no obstacles inside your cut area, cut the full rectangle that you have marked previously. Remove drywall cutout away from the wall.

Step 8

Slide your new insert/picture frame into the hole you just cut.

Step 9

Use the supplied screws to fasten to the stud or studs that run up the sides of the rear of the box. On smaller frames box will only fasten to the stud you biased your hole towards.

Picture Installation

1. Lay frame face down on soft surface such as a towel or blanket. 2. Hold firmly and slide picture frame in to the open position. 3. Remove four metal picture retainer clips, if clips are tight use a flat bladed screw driver to wiggle free. 4. Remove wood backer noard and lay picture onto glass. Making sure of proper orientation. 5. Reinstall backer board and 4 retaining clips. 6. Slide picture frame closed and enjoy!

Wall maunting instructions for Freedom Series Coat Rack

Recommendation

Liberty Home Concealmemt does not recommend the use of hollow wall anchors to mount larger items on your walls. While anchors may provide sufficient holding capability, Liberty Home Concealment recommends attaching directly to the studs located inside your wall to ensure the most secure level of attachment.

Step 1

Choose the desired location of the item you are wanting to mount your coat rack.

Step 2

Once you have your ideal location use a stud finder to locate 2 studs in your wall that will support your coat rack. Mark the location of each stud's center with a pencil. Use a nail to confirm stud has been located.

Step 3

Hold product against wall and use level to make sure it is even. Use a friend to help hold level while transferring stud location marks to inside of product to be mounted. Tip: Remember the adage "Measure twice cut once." That same rule applies when making holes in your walls.

Step 4

Check that product is plumb and level before securing. Once proper placement is achieve fasten first screw through product and into stud. Re check for level and attach second screw into next stud.

Step 5

Step back and admire your handy work. Now get started filling your piece of concealment furniture with all the items you are wanting to keep stored securely out of sight. ENJOY!!

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