Brand New M&P

[McNick]

Good afternoon, I'm a new gun owner and have purchased the M&P .22 and the M&P9... Both guns seem pretty well oiled. Do I need to thoroughly clean the pistols before going to the range or should they be ready the way they came?

[SavageSmoker]

Yes...disassemble, clean and oil prior to use. It's also a great way to learn how the gun works and visually inspect it prior to the first shooting.

[bobnieder]

By all means -- they heavily oil & lube their guns for shipping and storage. I just cleaned up a brand new Shield to prep it for a range trip, and I used up a pile of Q-tips getting the oil out of the grooves. Once it's clean, lightly oil it per the manual, and you're ready for business!

[Linejudgemick]

SavageSmoker is absolutely correct... always disassemble, clean and lubricate a new firearm before you use it. If for no other reason than to completely familiarize yourself with it and its operation. Also, there can be cosmoline in places you can't see without taking it apart.

[Thiokol]

The M&P22 that I picked up yesterday was loaded with a thick lube the consistency of Vaseline. So definitely clean them well and lube them as per the owner's manual and you'll be good to go.

[Smith357]

Yes, it is SOP to field strip and clean any new firearm if for no other reason than to visually inspect it make sure there are no obvious manufacturing defects and to learn how it functions. New firearms are shipped with more grease than they need because the manufacture has no way of knowing how long it will sit in a less than optimal environment before it is sold. The last thing they want is for that new in the box gun to be rusted so they oil them up.

[McNick]

Thanks everyone... I bought a new, universal kit and am planning on cleaning my pistol thoroughly before I hit the range. I'm on duty at the station so I can't look but I'm sure between the pistols manual & the manual with the cleaning kit, cleaning will be fairly simple BUT do y'all have any tips or personal preferences in techniques?

[bobnieder]

Not rocket science -- I use paper towels to soak up the bulk of the cleaner/oil/dirt mixture, followed by pieces of scrap tshirts, then Q-tips to get the excess out of all the nooks and crannies. Last of all the silicone treated Hoppes cloth to wipe down the metal surfaces and put on a protective silicone film. Brushes, patches, brass brushes for specialized uses. There are some you tube vids, but be careful, there are flakes there, too.

[AFrost20]

Congrats on the new purchases! You will not be disappointed in these guns. I will echo everyone else.......clean the guns thoroughly and lightly lube per the manual, then go out and enjoy!

[Smith357]

Originally Posted by McNick

BUT do y'all have any tips or personal preferences in techniques?

Right now I'm testing mine to see how long it can go before my urge to clean it takes over. Generally speaking, with a new gun it just a field strip and wipe down with a soft cloth, a few clean patches through the bore, and a few Q-tips.


As for cleaning kits I've been doing it for so many years I have more gear than I know what to do with. I use home made bore cleaner (Ed's Red) home made rods and jags with a large selection of brushes from natural bristle to bronze and a huge pile cotton rags.