Do you need to clean it before your first shoot? If so, will a basic handgun cleaning kit work? What should I be looking for? Tank you.
Do you need to clean it before your first shoot? If so, will a basic handgun cleaning kit work? What should I be looking for? Tank you.
In most cases you can shoot first clean second. I think its more of a personal preference. My S&W's I cleaned first because there was too much grease from the factory, same with my XD's. My Glocks Ive done both. 1 I bought and immediately shot, the others I cleaned for no other reason than I felt like it. To me the more important thing was field stripping them and giving them a once over for any issues.
Hoppes has a nice starter kit with everything you need for $20 at most stores.
What did you buy?
I took my Glock to the range brand new, and proceeded to put 500 rounds through it before cleaning the upper.
Didn't do a lower tear-down cleaning for another 1500 rounds.
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I have cleaned every firearm I've ever bought before shooting. It's also a good time to become familiar with it before you head to the range. I don't like the "factory oil" feel or smell. I have no doubt you can shoot them from the factory, it's just not something I do. To each their own, I prefer a look over and a thorough cleaning. If something does malfunction, you can eliminate that from the list too.
Most guns don't come from the factory lubed, but covered in preservative, and noted in the manual that it should be cleaned prior to firing. I always clean before use, but would go with what is noted in the manual as the proper way of going about it. if it says clean, clean. If not then just go shoot it.
I have bought a couple of guns & went & shot right after, without cleaning. But usually I clean before shooting, & always after.
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When I picked up my first handgun, the owner's manual was pretty adamant that you should clean before firing for the first time. It makes sense if you think about it, a lot of the manufacturing process leaves residue that you probably don't want in the action or barrel. Like others said above, check your manual.
I cleaned my wife's Glock 42 before it was shot for the first time. I was flipping through the manual just after I finished, and I saw that I had just removed all of the special lubricant to help break-in. Oops!
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