Home » Blog » How to clean a lever action rifle?

How to clean a lever action rifle?

How to Clean a Lever Action Rifle: A Step-by-Step Guide

A lever action rifle is a rugged and reliable firearm, well-suited for hunting, target shooting, or personal defense. However, just like any other firearms, it requires regular maintenance and cleaning to ensure it performs at its best and continues to serve you faithfully over the years. Cleaning a lever action rifle can be a bit more complicated than cleaning other types of rifles, but with this guide, you’ll learn the proper techniques and precautions to keep your rifle running smoothly.

Before You Begin

Bulk Ammo for Sale at Lucky Gunner

Before you start cleaning your lever action rifle, make sure you:

Check the caliber and type of rifle: Knowing the caliber and type of rifle will help you use the right cleaning solution, solvents, and supplies.
Assure you have the right supplies: You’ll need cleaning supplies such as patches, bore brushes, chamber brush, and cleaning solutions (see Table 1: Cleaning Supplies Needed for more information).
Safety precautions: Wear proper protection, including gloves, safety glasses, and hearing protection, to avoid exposure to chemicals and other dangers during the cleaning process.
Unload and secure the rifle: Clear the rifle of all ammo, and ensure it is not loaded or chambered, to avoid any accidental firings.

Disassembly and Inspection

For safety reasons, it’s always a good idea to remove the magazine and trigger mechanism before cleaning your rifle.

Remove magazine: Pull the magazine follower (or clip) away from the rifle and discard it.
Release the trigger mechanism: With your fingers, gently rotate the trigger mechanism (pull out the trigger pin), while simultaneously pulling the hammer slightly to the rear.

Perform a visual inspection to:

Check the action: Look for rust, corrosion, or heavy deposits of dirt and debris that might affect the smooth movement of the action.
Examine the bolt and receiver: Ensure no debris or obstructions hinder its rotation, bolt latch function, or smooth locking-up of the bolt into place.

Cleaning the Receiver and Action

Proceed with cleaning the receiver, bolt, and action to prevent corrosion and debris from damaging the internal components. The cleaning process can be separated into two main areas:

A) Cleaning the Bol and Receiver

Moisten a cleaning rag with a small amount of gun cleaning solvent and work it into the various grooves, crevices, and around any removable parts (like sights) to loosen any loosened debris.
Dip a bore brush into the cleaning solution: Push the brush into each end of the bolt grove and work it along each groove to loosen carbon build-up, dust, or other debris. Pay close attention to areas under cross-bolts (in the receiver).
Wipe down excess fluid with a cloth before reassembling anything or handling the rifle (use only dry cloths as solvents can cause surface film on your hands.

Cleaning the Barrel and Chambers

Cleaning the bore can be done in one stage:

Select appropriate cleaning patch and appropriate liquid solvent: Depending upon level of cleaning, take in mind whether a specific tool is required or should remain simple. Typically: Start with a cotton/paper patch for minor and cotton/poly patch when bore cleaning requires extra dirt/wax.
Take the patch wrapped it around the barrel section just behind the front cap by tugging off on it, gently removing accumulated debris (powders of any type), allowing carbon and debris to roll behind them, away from this cleaned section.

  • Once finished with that clean level, then start scrub, use dry rags, clean away some from this end by dragging that off and start by running that up.
    To proceed to cleaning barrel parts after initial clean.

Bore Cleaning Techniques

Barrel cleaning procedures.

Table 3:

*Bore and chamber cleaning methods: Barrel & chamber cleaning supplies comparison

Products’ ComparisonWipe with cotton

Cotton cloth & chemical fluid| No – wipe without cleaning liquid. You simply remove any powder.

Special bore brush, wire coil & fluid | Apply this solution directly and, the coil brushes

Gun cleaners liquid solution and solvent to bore | In any order you need help using gun cleaning kit: Using these, liquid fluids should always follow, once

Final cleanup & chamber check: Double the chamber for final touch for dust particles that should slide smoothly with dry swatches of fabric after, wiping surface dust as per dry towel cloth to get as small of residue or wax deposits on it (tobacco and tobacco. As it does it makes all cleaning, with little amount left to work by brush and patches are necessary. This clean state for barrel**

Chambers & receiver
With bore cleaning now removed,
Now check, before to prevent corrosion:
B. Inspect barrel finish or polish
Exterior rust/any dust can remain exposed on metal (keep to rust) & (ensure rust free for maintenance work. You don
Remove dirt dust

H.
C.
I

J.

L

J,
E
Note to readers: Before concluding you’ve done everything I should now do cleaning (all you know from step).

Remember: Afterward finish up your job using patches (if used.) As before cleaning you didn&#x27
Remove (as the
Your bore, as for clean area.

In closing there and this.

Enhance Your Knowledge with Curated Videos on Guns and Accessories


Leave a Comment