Gun Cleaning & Maintenance

First, before buying and using the weapon, visually inspect the rifle for damage to better assess its condition. Begin with an overall examination of the rifle. Inspect for obvious damage, corrosion, contamination, missing components, and other visible deficiencies. During this inspection, you also conduct a function check to ensure everything works. If a gunsmith or maintainer can check the headspace, that's beneficial.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we took a look at how bigger handguns aren't always better. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. Now this week, I thought it would be appropriate to go over some key maintenance tips that will help you keep your gun in the best shape possible. Over the last week, I’ve had two people have different issues with their guns or gear due to a lack of maintenance, so this is certainly a common issue with the concealed carry community. Let's take a closer look at some key maintenance tips.

The British L85 is one of the more unusual stories in modern military small arms. Conceived during a period when Britain was attempting to develop a new generation of infantry weapons around a domestically designed intermediate cartridge, the project eventually produced the L85 rifle. This advanced but deeply troubled weapon would later become one of the most extensively reworked service rifles of its generation.

For maintainers, particularly those supporting partner forces, the PK series offers a notable advantage over many Western and other Soviet-designed systems with its adjustable headspace. This feature significantly simplifies sustainment and repair in austere environments, with the ability to mismatch parts to keep guns up and set the headspace to keep them safe to operate. Unlike the AK, which requires careful bolt matching to achieve correct headspace and often demands higher-level support for barrel replacement, the PK allows maintainers to compensate for wear and component replacement through adjustment. This capability reduces downtime, eases logistical burdens, and keeps weapons operational longer.

The AK rifle has earned a reputation as one of the most widely produced and reliable firearms ever made. Designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the years following World War II, the platform has served military forces, law enforcement agencies, and civilian shooters across the globe for decades. Its gas system, generous clearances, and relatively simple design allow it to continue functioning in conditions that might disable more tightly fitted firearms. Its fairly open front trunnion and the two locking lugs are also simpler and easier to clean out and get back in the fight.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about how the Glock 48 is the new standard in concealed carry. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, with all the storms hitting the northeast part of the country these past few weeks, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to take a closer look at some ways to protect your gun after moisture creeps into your gun. Let's take a closer look at weather hazards to your carry gun.

The internet can't agree on AR cleaning schedules. You've got the "after every range trip no matter what" crowd and the "never cleaned mine, runs great" guys. Both are kinda wrong. Real answer depends on how you shoot and what you're willing to tolerate. Your rifle won't grenade if you skip a cleaning session. But neglect adds up.

GRITR has released a new series of caliber-specific Bore Cleaning Ropes designed for quick barrel maintenance in the field or at the range. The ropes are intended to offer a single-pass cleaning solution for pistols, rifles, and shotguns, and are built around a braided cord with an embedded brass brush and a weighted lead-free tip.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about the proper time to carry certain guns. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I want to take a look at some of the top items to clean regularly when you're carrying a concealed handgun. Some will be obvious, while others get neglected fairly regularly.

Welcome back to TFB’s Small Business Spotlight! In this weekly article series, we talk about small firearm-related businesses. In today’s edition, we’ll take a look at Operator Survival Tool (OST), a manufacturer of an AR-15 maintenance/survival tool and other accessories.

Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer's Bench! Since summer is in full swing here in Minnesota, I've been able to accumulate some spent brass and put some quality time with the RCBS Ultrasonic Case Cleaner-2, and I wanted to share my real-world findings on brass cleaning specifically. We've already covered this unit's first impressions and cosmoline cleaning capabilities, but today we're diving into what RCBS markets as its primary function - cleaning brass cases. The question I kept hearing was simple: does it actually work better than traditional tumbling methods? Is that the point? Let's find out.

So you bought a muzzleloader—great. The work has just begun. Not only do you need to put in the range time to get it sighted in, you’re in for a much more involved post-shooting clean-up job. CVA knows all about it—they probably sold you the muzzleloader to start with—and now they have a new offering with everything you need to keep your rifle running well and looking good. They call it the Elite Muzzleloader Range & Cleaning Kit.

Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer's Bench! I don't normally review run-of-the-mill cleaning kits, but Remington and I were already working with one another on ammo for reviews, so I thought the Remington Sportsman Cleaning Kit was worth a closer look. It's an affordable option that comes in a nice wood case, lacks solvents or lube, but besides that, it's great for the average Joe. I'm more of a rod man than a bore snake kind of guy anyway, so let's see how this traditional cleaning kit stacks up.

Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer's Bench! It's been a minute since my last article. I've been away from the bench, so to speak, with various projects in the works – expensive, in-depth adventures that will come in due time. Now that the Minnesota winter is over and the bench has thawed, it's time to get back into it. Before diving in, I want to give a big shout-out to RCBS for sending along a good chunk of reloading equipment to sprinkle into our bench escapades. In this article, I'll be taking a closer look at the RCBS Ultrasonic Case Cleaner 2, a substantial piece of equipment that promises to revolutionize the brass cleaning process. Let's dive right in!

Keeping your AR-15 clean is essential for reliability when you need it most. A properly maintained rifle will function flawlessly and prevent premature wear on critical components. While there are different cleaning philosophies out there, this guide will provide you with a proven approach that works for both casual shooters and serious enthusiasts.

Vortex has two new scope mounting tools and an improved cantilever mount joining their catalog. The new releases include an improved torque wrench, a scope leveling kit, and an updated Sport Cantilever scope mount. Keep reading for all the details.

Holsters are just like handguns: They need maintenance, or they fall apart. The new Henry Holster Hospital is made to serve that need, for the DIY-minded gun owner.

Over the years, I’ve amassed quite a collection of tools, but when it comes to gunsmithing, I never started with a dedicated set. Instead, I picked up tools piecemeal—a wrench here, a punch there—usually driven by the immediate needs of a project. Too often, I resorted to makeshift methods or ill-suited tools that got the job done but left me frustrated, realizing later that the right tool could have saved me a lot of hassle from the start. Reflecting on these past missed purchases, today we’ll explore some of the best AR-15 tools you can buy in 2025 for your at-home gun bench, whether that’s the dining room table, the kitchen counter, or a proper workshop setup.

A good kit makes cleaning your AR-15 much easier. Over the years, I’ve used many cleaning kits, from general gun kits to specific ones like those listed below. Like with most things, I prefer to keep my cleaning kits simple. So, I kept my picks for the best AR-15 cleaning kit as basic as possible, except for the last one (keep reading to find out why)!

Real Avid produces a wide range of firearm maintenance and cleaning equipment. This year their new releases for SHOT Show are kits of drivers optimized for shooting use. And some even have torque control built in!

Welcome everyone to the  TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb below, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article, I decided to do some much-needed and desired maintenance on a gun that was once dubbed “the gunsmith’s best friend” or “gunsmith’s nightmare” depending on where you read. I of course am talking about the contentious Colt 1877 otherwise known as the Lightning (Thunderer for 41 cal or Rainmaker for 32 cal). I have talked about all the little issues, controversies, and real-world happenings of this controversial Colt in a separate Commentary article. Today we are taking it apart, taking a peek, and seeing if we can get this thing closer to the like new condition it deserves. Let’s dive right into Diagnosing and Assessing a Colt 1877 Lightning!

Welcome everyone to the  TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb below, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article, I figured with Memorial Day around the corner it may be a good opportunity to talk about M1 Garand maintenance or even a touch of general firearm maintenance and conservation. The last time we did something like this was with a Glock and a Glock Armorer’s Book. Perhaps you have Pappy’s M1 and want to clean it according to the military manuals or you just want to be on top of preservation. Let’s dive right in!

Welcome everyone to the  TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb below, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article, I decided to add to my pile of dummy rounds and show you folks one way to make them. There are multiple ways and they all have pros and cons. I would not call this gunsmithing by any means but it’s gunsmithing adjacent. Sometimes testing a firearm with live ammunition is not possible or necessary. I have always found it convenient to have a safe quick way to test feeding and chambering. I find myself wishing I had more cartridge types but I’m at the point where I don’t feel like overpaying for a few mass-produced ones. That being said, let’s dive into my solution and how I make dummy rounds!

Good evening everyone and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the brand new YHM 338 Bad Larry Suppressor. Last week we discussed the fast approval times and a few impulse-buy suppressors if you feel like spinning the roulette wheel that is the ATF eForms NFA application process. Due to an ongoing snow/ice/rain storm, we are staying inside today by a warm fire and tackling our NFA administrative and maintenance checklist. I know you need to get caught up as well. Let’s take a look.

Fix It Sticks has been promoting and expanding its firearm-focused toolkits a lot recently and they’ve also just announced a whole new toolkit specifically for ARs. The New AR Toolkit from Fix It Sticks is their most extensive AR toolkit available and features virtually every tool you could imagine for easily and effectively servicing your favorite rifle at the range or at home. Suitable for both AR-15 and AR-10 pattern rifles, the AR toolkit features loads of handy tools and is still compact enough to fit inside a normal range bag.

Welcome everyone to the  TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb below, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article, I decided to take you guys along with me for another closer look at some tools I picked up at SHOT 2024. Wheeler was once a sponsor of TFB Armorer’s Bench so I made sure to stop by and say hello and thank you and when they were showing me the new stuff they handed me their newish F.A.T. Stix Preset Torque Wrench Set. I have had the chance to use these a couple times now so let’s dive into the F.A.T. Stix Preset Torque Wrench Set and give it a closer look!

Fix It Sticks has a bunch of handy little toolkits that are compact, and quite useful in the range of everything from regular field stripping to mounting and removing optics. Fix It Sticks has just announced one of its newest dedicated tools – the Field Pistol Sight Tool for adjusting rear polymer sights on handguns. Normally this is a job for a punch and hammer or perhaps even another larger sight adjustment tool. This iron-sight-specific tool is compact enough to fit in any range bag and eliminates the guesswork of adjusting pistol sights with clear markings.

Welcome everyone to the  TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb below, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article, I am going to relay my experience working with silicon carbide and the process of applying it to a grip. This is something I have no experience in, have heard of, have seen it done, but never attempted until now. I did some stippling in gunsmithing school and honestly, it was not for me. I can do it but I am not a patient person so the time/steadiness aspect involved in actual stippling is unattractive to me. Silicon carbide-ing grips however presents itself as being not only user-friendly for a beginner but also forgiving. So how’d it go and how’s it feel? Let’s dive right in!

Welcome everyone to the  TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb below, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article, I wanted to recap some of the new tools I spied at SHOT Show 2024. SHOT 2024 came, went, and left us with some interesting and exciting new products on the way and already on store shelves. I had the amazing opportunity to attend (my first SHOT) and it was overwhelming, to say the least. At the same time, it was an absolute blast and a great chance to meet folks. Lots of new stuff left and right but I kept my eyes out for anything new under the TFB Armorer’s Bench umbrella of interest. Let’s dive right in!

Breakthrough Clean Technologies, based in Louisville, Colorado, was founded in 2013. As the name implies, their focus is on cleaning products – primarily for firearms, but they also deal with some other areas like lenses and boats. Their original product was their Military-Grade Solvent, which is currently offered in a spectrum of options from small 15ml spray bottles up to a 5-gallon drum. More recently, they’ve developed a specialized suppressor cleaning solution. Now Breakthrough Clean has announced a new suppressor cleaning kit, which incorporates their suppressor cleaner along with some purpose-built tools for maintaining your favorite cans. Check out the press release below for further info.