What to clean before I shoot it?

[Char011671]

I will hopefully be picking up a SW40VE this weekend. I have seen different things to the extent that it's best to clean it and lube it before you shoot it. Can someone fill me in on what the main things to clean and lube are?
Thank you in advance
Char

 

[jkc]

Barrel, inside and out, bearing surfaces on slide and frame --- clean to remove any "factory crud" (technical term), then lube according to owners' manual.

 

[spricks]

Char I think you are makin a great choice choosing the .40VE. It's best to to read through the manual that comes with your gun (Providing it's new) and it will clearly show you how to field strip and lube the proper points. The slide can be tricky if you don't follow the directions with the proper placement of your hands...good luck.
spricks

 

[Char011671]

Thanks alot. I will go ahead and download the manual and start reading.
Char

 

[Dragon88]

Yup, give it a general cleaning and get all the crud out. I also like to give new guns a very good cleaning after shooting them the first few times. Other than that, lube the necessary points and don't fret about it too much. Guns are very robust if given even the most basic of care and maintenance.

 

[rte148]

mmmm, I love the smell of #9 in the morning. smells like victory.

 

[grizzlyj]

Char, don't forget to disassemble the mags as well and clean them too. clp/hoppe #9 works great.

 

[blastfact]

Is this your first firearm?

 

[zorro49]

As others have stated, your owner's booklet will instruct you how to field strip, clean, and lubricate the necessary areas of your pistol. I can fully recommend a product which I use that is a cleaner, lubricator, and a protector all in one, and has no odor or harmful chemicals to irritate the hands or lungs. Here is a link to Gunzilla which you may have to order from the website due to not many shops carry the product. zorro49
Top Duck Products, LLC., Creators of Superzilla and Gunzilla

 

[Char011671]

Is this your first firearm?

No this is actually my second one. I just wanted to make sure that I did what I needed to do to keep from messing anything up. I took it apart before I shot it and gave it a pretty good cleaning.

 

[conn ak]

mmmm, I love the smell of #9 in the morning. smells like victory.

Me, too. Nothing like #9. When cleaning all of the semiautos I've owned, I always clean the groove the slide rides on. You wouldn't believe the stuff your #9 soaked Q-Tip will pull out of a brand new gun, let alone a handgun you've been shooting all day.