Great tools and materials for firearm maintenance

So, as many of you know, I adopt a somewhat different approach to firearm maintenance than many. That is, I don't put in any work that doesn't need to be put in.

To be more clear, I mean that I'm not going to scrub and polish and shine my guns every time they go near a firing range... I'm going to perform as much maintenance as necessary to keep them operating at 100% for whatever their mission is. Nothing more, nothing less.

Which for my primary competition pistol, a CZ75 SP01 Shadow, that means:

Before every match

1. Check for loose sights/fiber optics. Loctite sights, replace fiber, etc as necessary.

2. Function-check trigger mechanism - clean/replace parts if faults found.

3. Function-check slide-lock and slide operation - clean/replace parts if faults found.

Every 5-10 matches

1. Snake the barrel and wipe loose 'crud' off of the barrel, feed ramp, and slide rails

2. Run a mag-brush through the magwell/receiver.

3. Put a few drops of oil on the slide rails and barrel.

4. Inspect all screws for tightness (torque stripe makes this stupid-simple) - Retighten and loctite as necessary, replace if necessary.

Every 25-30 matches

1. 5-10 match maintenance

2. Spray off/out the lower with gun scrubber.

3. Lightly brush out the slide with a receiver brush.

Annual checkup

1. Replace wear springs (well, let's be real, ALL springs) - TRS, Firing Pin, Sear Springs, Recoil Spring, Hammer Spring, etc - all of 'em.

2. Brush, scrape, solvent, etc all parts (Yes, even the bore)

3. Ultrasonic clean all parts for that extra

4. Replace fiber optic whether it needs it or not (it definitely will after ultrasonic cleaning of the slide)

5. Relube and reassemble

To accomplish this, I use a few tools and supplies:

1. Mag brush (great for brushing out magazines, though I use it for the magwell as well)

2. Wicking loctite 290 (for sticking screws that are already installed, like the overtravel adjustment on the cz75 trigger). Can also be used in place of "blue" loctite on all the other screws.

3. "Retaining" loctite (680) for sight locking

4. Receiver brushes for cleaning receivers/slides

5. Gun Scrubber for avoiding the whole scrubbing thing

6. Lucas gun oil (I'm not picky on lubes. This is what I'm using now after being given a large bottle as a door prize at a major)

7. Bore "snake" I really, really, really like these ripcords much better than the woven cloth with-brush-in-the-middle types. They don't tear up my fingers, spray crud all over the place, catch on my bags, etc, and seem to work just as well.

8. Torque stripe - Paint this stuff across a screw and the surface next to it, and it will be plainly obvious if it has loosened.

9. Ultrasonic cleaner - Well, it's an ultrasonic cleaner... for ultrasonic cleaning

10. Ultrasonic cleaner solution - Doesn't rust your stuff, cleans well, looks cool, plastic-safe if you're into that kind of thing.

11. Spare parts for your gun - fiber, batteries, screws, springs, etc as necessary.

12. TekMat for protecting your work surface

13. Surface cleaner for cleaning lead and stuff off of your table after cleaning

14. Hand cleaner for cleaning lead and stuff off of YOU after cleaning

Dan

Chief Instructor, Driven Tactical

PS, as always, as an Amazon Affiliate, I earn for products you buy through these links - It doesn't cost you anything, but it does help support my shooting addiction. :)