DISASSEMBLING FOR CLEANING AND REASSEMBLING A FIREARM

One of the most intimidating tasks a new gun owner has to overcome is learning to disassemble a new firearm so it can be cleaned.  Most firearms do not require any special tools to take them apart, but some have pins that must be pushed out to open or separate sections of a gun. The takeaway point here is to READ YOUR OWNERS MANUAL and familiarize yourself with the various parts and disassembly instructions BEFORE attempting to reduce your new fire arm to a pile of parts.

I wiil not attemp to address how to disassemble each and every kind of firearm in this post. I AM advising that manufacturer instructions for disassembly of a firearm are the best place to start.  If after reading through the owners manual you are still unsure about where or how to start disassembling your firearm, STOP and consult a qualified gunsmith!

One of the best things you can do when disassembling a firearm for the first time, is to have a good gun cleaning mat or pad on a clean, uncluttered surface, and as you remove a part, lay the parts out from left to right in the order that they were removed.  When the time comes to reassemble the firearm, the order that the parts go back into the gun is simply reversed.  In this way, the likelihood you might confuse parts, many of which might look very similar, is significantly reduced.

Whenever you finish reassembling a firearm, there are two things that should always be done regardless of whether you are storing it, or continuing on with a hunt.
Always do a function check according to manufacturer recommendations to make sure the gun is functioning properly, and always wipe the exposed metal surfaces down with a good quality silicon infused lint free cloth to remove hand oils and leave a light coat o silicon which works to protect and prevent rust and pitting of metal surfaces, thus preserving and extending the useful life of your investment, and in suing it will function properly the next time you need it to.

Again, do not be shy about asking for help if you need to.  The last thing you want is for the firearm you invested in to malfunction when you really need it to work.  An improperly assembled firearm is not just frustrating, it can be very dangerous.  Firearms retailers and gunsmiths are your best source for assistance with how your firearm works and many offer training classes for your particular gun or know where you can find such a course.  Just set aside your pride and ask!