Gun Cleaning Clinic

Last night in Amarillo, A Girl and A Gun in Amarillo held a Gun Cleaning Clinic for ladies. Yours truly gave the lesson and had so much fun with a great group of ladies. It was cold inside the building and VERY cold outside, but we had a nice group that braved the cold and drove outside of town to enjoy some great fellowship and learn how to clean their firearms. It was not surprising to me how many ladies had never even seen a gun cleaned before, much less had ever done it themselves.

We had five women who were new to the group. We met these great girls at the last Gun Show. They braved the cold and the long drive and joined us in their coats to learn to clean their guns, and we are so excited to have them there with us!

Why is it important for me to clean my own gun?

Well, that's a good question. To me, it's not like your car's oil. You don't want to run down to the Jiffy Quick (not a real oil change trade name as far as I know, so sorry if it is) and have it cleaned and oiled and pay a discount price.

You need to know how it works, how it's put together, how it comes apart, and that it was done correctly. As I stated last night, and before on my blog, my LCP had to be sent to the manufacturer after the first visit to the range because the sales person took it apart in front of me and put the recoil springs back in backwards, causing damage to the action and, ultimately, improper cycling, failures to feed, and failures to eject.

If you and your gunsmith are the only ones who are allowed to disassemble and reassemble your firearm, AND if you are skilled in the parts and workings or your firearm, you will always know that it is in proper working order and that (barring any mechanical failure) it is going to fire when and if you ever need it to.

The Cowboy would gladly clean my firearm for me on a regular basis, but it is important to me to clean and maintain it myself when I visit the range.

When should I clean my gun?

That is a matter of personal opinion. In my opinion, if you are regularly visiting the range like you should, then you should clean it after every visit to the range. Fouling buildup on the inside of your firearm can cause malfunctions, misfeeds, and failures to feed or eject.

If for some reason, you are carrying regularly, but not practicing, it should be cleaned regularly to make sure it is free from debris such as dust, dirt and pocket lint.

How should I clean my gun?

That, too, is a matter of personal preference. I recommend having someone well skilled in gun maintenance to show you once, walk you through it once, and watch you do it on your own once before you try to do it on your own. If you can't make this happen, there are some great videos on YouTube, but be sure that the video is from a reputable source and not just some kid, making a video.

If you are in Amarillo and in need of gun cleaning supplies, Long Hunter's Shooting Supply at 6th and Carolina is the place to be. Jim and his staff have kits and supplies for all sizes and can help you find what you need!! Thanks Jim, for donating cleaning kits to our clinic last night!

If you didn't make it to the clinic and need help from me, please email me and I will set up a time to personally teach you how to clean your firearm.

Thanks so much for stopping by, I pray that you have a blessed day!

Lady