Whether you shoot competitively, for sport and hunting or you keep a handgun for self-protection, there’s one place that is often over-looked in firearm care and cleaning that could affect how well your weapon works: the magazine. As the mechanism that feeds ammunition to your gun, taking proper care of the magazine is essential for shooting accuracy and timing. No amount of pricey solvents, cleaning systems or target practice will make as much of a difference in your performance as this one critical element.
Anatomy of Magazine
Regardless of your level of knowledge and experience, you should at least know the basic components of any magazine:
- the body
- the follower
- the spring
- the base
This is generally the same for every semi-automatic, no matter how many customizations you add to your gun. Even a high-quality magazine will experience residue build-up after each use, affecting the ability to load the next round. The answer is too break down your magazine and clean it as thoroughly as you would your semi-automatic itself. Here are the steps to the break-down procedure:
- Make sure the magazine is completely unloaded.
- Push the follower from the back, using your fingertip or any other object that will fit into the body.
- Pull the follower through the top as it appears, dislodging the spring in the process; remove both pieces, as well as the base if it isn’t welded to the body.
- Carefully examine all pieces for damage or warping.
- Make certain that the spring coils are evenly spaced and straight.
- Use a magazine cleaner on a dry cloth to fully clean each component, being careful not to stretch the spring.
- Run a magazine brush through the inside of the body two or three times. Then wrap a piece of cloth around the head of the brush and move it in and out of the body until it comes out clean.
- Reassemble the magazine, taking care not to bend or stretch the spring.
A weapon that’s improperly cared for can become affect the functioning of your handgun and decrease your accuracy. If you’re looking for more information on gun care, sales and other subjects of interest to enthusiasts, the Grabagun.com semi-automatic handguns section and many other websites and blogs are available for your browsing enjoyment. As part of a community that’s passionate about the quality of the merchandise as well as the care and safety of their own collections, you can become a positive force in promoting gun safety awareness.
