First cleaning ever, apprehension

[thirtydaZe]

Well my shield 40 has about 1000 rounds through it, its my first handgun ever, and its time to give it a solid cleaning. Just bought a CORE 40 5" yesterday, so i can really see how used my shield looks by comparison.

Anyhow, ive watched the youtube vids, read the threads here, also have that .pdf posted here handy.

Im confident in what im doing, but very apprehensive about firing it that first time after i do a personal reassembly.

Any pointers, tips or advise anyone can lend?

[WilliamG]

Originally Posted by thirtydaZe

Well my shield 40 has about 1000 rounds through it, its my first handgun ever, and its time to give it a solid cleaning. Just bought a CORE 40 5" yesterday, so i can really see how used my shield looks by comparison.

Anyhow, ive watched the youtube vids, read the threads here, also have that .pdf posted here handy.

Im confident in what im doing, but very apprehensive about firing it that first time after i do a personal reassembly.

Any pointers, tips or advise anyone can lend?

My advice is... don't do it? Just do the field strip and clean it, and nothing more. There's simply no need, especially after only 1,000 rounds.

[Blue9]

No need to do anything beyond a normal field strip.

[thirtydaZe]

Lol, yeah, i was referring to field stripping, thats all i was planning on.

[WilliamG]

Originally Posted by thirtydaZe

Lol, yeah, i was referring to field stripping, thats all i was planning on.

Oh, in that case, just do it! It's so simple. The M&P center-fire pistols are some of the easiest pistols in the world to field-strip.

Also, I recommend cleaning after every shooting, but that's just me.. Then you won't need to do more than some light cleaning/bore snake down the barrel.

[Blue9]

Oh! Don't sweat it.

Clean the barrel and wipe down the frame. I like to use a toothbrush on the frame and then just wipe it down. You don't need to use solvent on the frame.

Then just use a single drop of oil on each location described in the m&p manual. Don't over do it.

Reassemble and it'll run like a champ. Nothing to worry about when firing it after cleaning that you wouldn't worry about before you've disassembled.

[jimmib]

I also am in favor of field stripping and cleaning after every use...I have had a model 15 for 30 years and it still shoots and looks like it is brand new...a little elbow grease always pays of on any machinery

[thirtydaZe]

Well sounds good. I have all my supplies, and am ready to go, just didnt want to get started and figure out im lost in it all. I know it looks simple.

Sometimes i just wait for something to go wrong...

[Shield44]

Just remember "a little" solvent and gun oil both go a long way.

[Jaysq]

After you start to re-assemble make sure the recoil spring assemble is correctly aligned, both horizontally and vertically. See page 24 of the manual.

[Lost Lake]

Pretty hard to screw it up.... It strips down to four parts... Can't put the barrel in backwards or anything... MAYBE you could put the recoil spring in backwards... Yep, just stripped one of mine down and you can put the recoil spring in backwards but you can't get the slide on if you do.

No worries. It's an easy gun to maintain!

Now let's talk about stripping down a Ruger Standard.... What a pain...

.

[kozmic]

Have at it! The ability to field strip and properly clean and lubricate all of your guns is mandatory for proper care and operation. After a few times it will become second nature.

[DGT]

Break down a C96 Broomhandle Mauser. Once you get it back together (if you get it back together) you will not be intimidated my any modern pistol.

[shawn mccarver]

Here is my procedure:

Unload. Check x 3.

Field strip only.

Use a shop rag to wipe powder and ash off the magazine tube and the follower. No need to disassemble them. Set the magazine aside while doing the rest of the procedure.

Dip bore brush in Hoppes No. 9 solvent and make a few passes through the barrel and the feed ramp area.

Let the solvent stand in the bore to "work."

Use a dry shop rag on the frame, rails and the visible metal parts to wipe off the burned oil, powder and ash - it comes right off. Usually there is no need for solvent here. If you find you have to, then use it sparingly.

Use the same shop rag to wipe off the exterior of the slide as well as the interior. Carefully wipe away any residue from the breech face. Visually inspect to make sure there is no garbage under the extractor hook. DO NOT allow any oil or solvent to seep into the firing pin channel.

Now, use your shop rag to wipe the excess solvent off the exterior of the barrel. After that, use a dry patch on a rod with jag or slotted tip to wipe the solvent out of the barrel.

Place a drop of oil at each location shown in the owner's manual.

Re-assemble.

Check for function.

You are finished.

The whole process takes less than 5 minutes, uses a small amount of solvent, a few drops of oil and one or maybe two cleaning patches.