Firearm maintenance includes inspecting and testing a gun for worn or compromised parts, replacing parts, and keeping the gun properly cleaned and stored.
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Firearm maintenance involves keeping the gun and all working parts free of carbon, metal particles (lead, copper, brass), and any other contaminant or foreign substance that may cause the gun to malfunction or to wear out prematurely. Oiling and lubricating the gun is also necessary to ensure the proper functioning of the device, to keep it from rusting, and to condition the metal components.
Firearms need to be partially or fully disassembled, when applicable, to properly clean them. A revolver does not usually need to be disassembled, while a semi-automatic handgun usually does.
Some tools used in gun cleaning are a bore snake, used to clean the barrel, a cleaning rod and patches, also used to clean the barrel, and different solvents and gun oils, for example Ballistol, used to remove contaminants and to lubricate and protect the components of the firearm. A jag is a cleaning tool that can be attached to the end of a ramrod, and is used with some historical firearms such as muskets. Other tools, such as a screwdriver, are sometimes needed for disassembly.
Firearms should generally be cleaned after firing them, and a deep cleaning should be performed periodically.
After a thorough cleaning, the next step in maintaining your firearm is to properly lubricate it. Lubrication is as important, if not more so than cleaning. In order to keep your firearms from malfunctioning, proper lubrication is essential and proper oiling protects metal parts from corrosion as well. Lots of people use Rem Oil, but there are other options out there. When deciding on what type of lubrication to use on your guns, it is good to understand what you are trying to accomplish. The main goals are to prevent wear and corrosion. Knowing what conditions cause these help us in deciding what to use to keep our firearms running smoothly. Firearms produce high momentary forces when they they are fired. These high forces can often cause the oil layer between two parts to be squeezed out resulting in grinding which causes wear. To prevent this from happening companies add microscopic solids to oil that provide "boundary protection". Basically it is harder to squeeze out microscopic solids than it is to squeeze out a liquid. The products that provide this boundary protection are known as "anti-wear" or "extreme pressure" (AW/EP) additives, so look for them in firearm oils like Lubrikit FMO 350-AW oil. This oil is great at penetrating into tight spaces but is thick enough to stay where you put it and provides the necessary boundary protection.
A tip: When oiling a part, put on a layer covering the entire part just thick enough to leave a distinct finger print after you touch it.
After oiling your firearm, a light grease should be used on its sliding parts. The use of grease has been discussed frequently online but since it is a newer concept, many have not tried it. Even though many have not tried it, acknowledged gunsmiths are recommending its use, especially on the frame rails of pistols and semi-auto rifles. Grease is better on sliding parts since these types of parts tend to shed oil quickly. As the parts slide back and forth the oil is pushed out of the way leaving the metal exposed. Grease was designed to stay in place and good ones like Lubriplate SFL-0 keep sliding parts covered. The staying power of grease keeps the parts protected even after continuous use. You want to make sure your grease has a base that is safe for the metals you are using them on. Grease bases like aluminum and lithium are best(chlorinated compounds are not acceptable). Make sure the grease is thin enough so it won't inhibit the action of the weapon (usually NLGI #0 is best). Also good cold working characteristics, resistance to acids/alkalis and water (especially water), and preferably non-staining (black grease stains are not attractive on your shirt and pants).
Some enthusiasts have recommended automotive oils like Mobile-1, and others use transmission fluid. Motor oils have good boundary protection but they are not meant to be exposed to open air and oxidize easily. Transmission fluid has been shown to work well but is particularly nasty and toxic. If you were out of options and needed something on the spot, a dab from you car would work. Some use WD-40 and others silicone spray, but these offer little lubrication so be advised. Use a good anti-wear, anti-corrosion oil for general application and a light aluminum based grease on the sliding parts of your firearm and you will keep it running smoothly for generations.
The first step is removing the bolt from the rifle. To do this, there is usually a button which needs to be held down while opening and pulling the bolt out of the rifle. If there is no button, then the bolt is removed by holding down the trigger while opening the bolt, and pulling the bolt out of the rifle. The bolt can be cleaned by gently wiping it down with a non-abrasive cloth. It is recommended you do not oil the bolt, because this can cause the bolt, or firing pin to stick in cold weather or after long periods of use. The barrel of the gun is cleaned by first passing one patch covered in gun cleaning solvent down the barrel using a cleaning rod. After the first solvent covered patch, it is recommended to refrain from using solvent of subsequent patches, and running patches through the barrel until one finally comes out completely clean. Once a patch can be passed through the barrel without getting dirty, the barrel is clean, and the bolt can be put back into the rifle. This is done by depressing the button used to take the bolt out, while putting the bolt back into the rifle, or by holding down the trigger while putting the bolt back into the rifle.