What is the first thing you do when you get a new Gun?

The first thing I do when I get a new-to-me gun or a New gun is clean it. Then function and familiarize it in my hand. Then I go out back and shoot! I research a gun months ahead of purchase. Exception: my good friend needed money and sold me a blue GP-100 for $325. Even at gun shows I ask to inspect a gun before buying. I don't impulse buy. I shoot alot and reload, alot. A clean gun is a functional tool. DW
 
Clean bore and charge holes, then shoot, then clean. Then the fun part, I get to wax it. As far as the wife, my problem is she will talk me into buying revolvers. The guys at the gun shop like to see her come into the shop with me. I can not talk her into shooting one though.
 
Fondle it. Enter it into MyGunDB. Fondle. Read manual, fondle. Full takedown, fondle. Dry fire, fondle. Obsess over not being able to get to the range, assuage my guilt with a thorough fondle. Finally get to the range, shoot it, clean it, fondle. Fondle it into one of the gun safes. Fondly lock the safe. Re-open the safe to make sure it didn't shift while the door was closing, fondle. Re-lock the safe. Wish I could just go to sleep without going over the shooting of it, imagine fondling it. Fall asleep, dream of shooting it.

OMG!!! I HATE new guns! Who has the time for this???
 
That is a great question. First I re-inspect the timing and lock-up, remove the stocks, clean the bore and chambers, give it a complete wipe down with a soft rag squirted with Rem-oil, Soft tooth brush, Q-tips, pipe cleaners for the hard to reach areas, and apply oil on critical points. After all that and the guns seems to function well it goes to the range with a variety of ammo to see what it likes. Nickel guns get a complete hose down of Rem-oil to remove any remnants of ammonia. A light rub down with Semichrome IF I think it is need, then wax and admire. If, during the process, I detect any problems I will removed the side plate to see if I can identify the problem. Some variance, depending on the gun. Eventually the side plate will come off all of them for detailed cleaning/lub.
 
First, I check the action mechanics, then cleaning it to my liking.
 
getting ready to strip and clean my new M&P 22LR....as per the manual before 1st use....I do this with any brand new or new to me gun....I want to know what I have before I pull the trigger the 1st time
 
hdfinder47 said:
Dude - you need to man up like me. Wait till she goes to bed, then sneak it out of the truck in to the safe. She lost count years ago and "they all look the same".
Click to expand...

That is very true...;)
 
#1. POLISHING THE CYLINDER STOP BOLT: For all SA and DA revolvers - the single most important preventative action you can take and the 1st thing I do on any revolver of mine, new or used is pull the cylinder (or open it, in the case of DAs) and polish the cylinder bolt! They all come with file marks just waiting to needlessly cause an accelerated wear line and groove in your cylinder finish. This is especially true on stainless which is relatively soft and therefore similar to aluminum when it is machined in that it has a tendency to gall like those little cuts or chisel marks seen on SS cylinders from a sharp edged Cyl stop.

Once that's done, I've taken the mitigating action and after that it's just normal wear. I never think about the cyl line again except for proper handling:

Eventually you will get a line on the cylinder but it should never be completely around the cylinder; only 1/2 way to the next cylinder notch. A simple habit when you close the cylinder, with your left hand grasp it around the bottom of the frame with thumb and forefinger in opposing flutes positioning them at 3 and 9 o'clock when closing the cylinder will prevent scribing and becomes so natural after a while, one doesn't even have to think about. This works on five shot cylinders as well by positioning two flutes at 4 and 8 o'clock. Once closing the cylinder in alignment becomes a habit which is like after the 2nd time you do it for most of us, it's no "effort" what so ever; or about as much effort as remembering to breath. This WILL prevent a full cylinder ring and at least limit it to an interrupted ring.


Everything I do after that is already mentioned.
 
First thing - photo it, with a note next to it telling exactly what it is, and s/n. Email that to wife - she maintains the Excel spreadsheet labeled 'Hardware'. Goes in the proper place on spreadsheet.

Then - complete teardown and cleaning. Couple of years ago, I picked up a near-pristine M1917 that had been absolutely packed with what appeared to be axle grease. Thankfully, most are not that bad, usually old oil or WD40 varnish.
Then - enjoy!
 
The latest acquisition of mine, a 629-6, was detail stripped, cleaned, had the lock removed and the plug installed, had the innards polished up, had an older rebound slide installed, and a Wolff spring kit put in. I also took off the rubber grips that came with the gun and replaced them with Herrett's "Jordan Trooper" stocks. I like it much better now.:)

I put in the older rebound slide because, even though you don't see it when the gun is put together, it just makes the gun less chintzy in my opinion. To each his own though.
 
Hondo44 said:
#1. POLISHING THE CYLINDER STOP BOLT: For all SA and DA revolvers - the single most important preventative action you can take and the 1st thing I do on any revolver of mine, new or used is pull the cylinder (or open it, in the case of DAs) and polish the cylinder bolt! They all come with file marks just waiting to needlessly cause an accelerated wear line and groove in your cylinder finish. This is especially true on stainless which is relatively soft and therefore similar to aluminum when it is machined in that it has a tendency to gall like those little cuts or chisel marks seen on SS cylinders from a sharp edged Cyl stop.
Click to expand...

Excellent point. I don't automatically take this action, but I at least drag my finger across the leading edge of the cylinder stop. If it feels sharp, I hit the corner lightly with a stone.
 
It's never really mine until I completely take it apart and clean it. Then I shoot it. Gun cooties, old fingerprints I don't know, that's just what I do. I also completely wipe down any gun that I sell to remove my fingerprints. Paranoid? Maybe but the voices in my head can't come to a consensus on it.
Cherokee Slim
 
Add it to the Excel spreadsheet. Fondle it. Drool on it. Clean it. Take it to the gun club range and put a couple boxes of ammo through it. Take it home. Clean it. Check it for holster fit. Put it in the safe. Start looking for new holster and spare magazines if necessary.
 
after extensive fondling I:

- clean the bore and charge holes.
- clean and remove dirt and debris, especially the buildup around the adjustable rear sight (always a good amount there), behind trigger, and underneath grips.
- detail strip action (if needed, but may start doing so anyway as others have noted)
- Clean grip checkering, screw escutcheons, etc.
- Wipe metal dry and photograph
- Apply thin coat of oil
- Put away
 
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