Cleaning Your MP

8/13/2019 Cleaning Your MP

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Disclaimer

Responsibility for the safe handling and use of firearms and chemicals are solely yours.Therefore it is strongly urged that the reader, understand and follow all the instruct ions andprecautions that come with their firearms and the chemicals used to clean them.

Please read and understand these instructions thoroughly prior to attempting this procedure.

Safe gun handling is your responsibi lity at all times.Safety must be the prime consideration when handling f irearms.

Always treat every firearm as if i t is loaded.Always veri fy that a firearm is unloaded

I accept absolutely no l iability for the readers use of these instructions.

The instructions shown here are gleaned from research through numerous sources, including discussions withother gun owners and my own experiences. It is one I follow and have found to work for me.

They are neither the only nor possibly the best method for cleaning a weapon. Therefore I welcome anyfeedback that will offer improvement.


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SuppliesThe following are available in a kit from firearms dealers and the sporting goods section of most majordepartment stores. This kit listed below is available from Hoppes. Be sure you get the kit specific toyour caliber firearm. As you use up these supplies they can be purchased separately.

Bottle of solvent

Bottle of lubricating oil

Rod

Jag

Patch holder

Patches

Bronze bore-cleaning brushNote:Although stainless steel barrel brushes areavailable, due to the hardness of stainless steel,you run the risk of damaging the barrel by using it.

Addi tional suppl ies

Toothbrush Q-Tips

Pipe Cleaners - Cotton ones are available at tobacco or cigar stores

Cleaning Rags Preferably old clean t-shirts cut into 10 x 10 squares which can be washedwhen necessary.

Nitrile gloves Available at pharmacies, these are more durable than regular latex gloves.

Safety Glasses

Canned compressed air

Several sheets of newsprint

Nylon bore-cleaning brushNote:These are used if you are going to be using a solvent designed to dissolve copper debris.These powerful solvents will also dissolve bronze brushes.

Owners manual for your weapon

Preparation

1. The fumes of cleaning solvent can be very strong. Work in a well ventilated area such as a garage. Ifyou must work indoors, be sure to work near an open window, preferably with a small fan to direct thefumes out.

2. Clean work surface. A 20 x 18 piece of plywood with several sheets of newsprint on it is ideal. Theplywood protects your table and when you are finished you can roll all your waste into the newsprintand dispose of it in one ball.

3. Have a trash container handy when using the nylon brush. Holding parts inside the container as youscrub them will prevent splatter from hitting nearby objects.


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Field Stripping

NOTE: Perform steps 1 - 7 every time you are cleaning your weapon, even if you know it is safe.

1. Remove the magazine from the gun2. Remove all ammunition from the magazine and lock it away. There should be no ammunition near the

cleaning area.3. Point the weapon in a safe direction.4. Rack the slide three times to make sure there is no round chambered5. Lock the slide in the open position by allowing the slide to move slightly forward from the rear most

position while pressing upward on the slide stop.6. Hold the gun out in front of you and look down the barrel, you should see light. (Do I have to remind

you not to look down the barrel from the muzzle end?)7. Look down the magazine well, you should be able to see right through it.8. Use the frame tool provided (or a similar device) to lower the sear deactivation lever down into the

magazine well as shown below.

9. Keeping a firm grip on the slide, rotate the take down lever clockwise.


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10. Grasp the slide from the top as shown and remove the slide from the frame by pulling it slightlyrearward then forward while being careful to retain the recoil spring and guide rod assembly.

11. Turn the slide over and remove the recoil spring by compressing it slightly and lifting it out.

12. Remove the barrel from the bottom of the slide.


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13. Shown below are the parts you will have after field stripping. This disassembly is all you need to do forbasic cleaning. If any further disassembly is needed, it should only be done by a qualified gunsmith.

Cleaning

14. Now is the time to put on a pair of those Nitrile gloves.

15. Screw your patch holder to the end of the rod.

16. Place a patch in its holder by threading a corner through it like you would a needle, pulling it until youhave even amounts of patch on each side as shown.


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17. Dunk the patch into the solvent. Be sure your rod is clean before doing this. If the rod is dirty, eitherclean it first or soak the patch by hand. Sticking a dirty rod in the bottle will contaminate the solvent.

18. Run the wet patch all the way through the barrel from the breech end (the end with the feed ramp on it),so that it comes out the muzzle end. Do this a couple of times making sure the entire barrel is wet.

19. Switch out the patch holder for the bronze barrel brush.

20. Insert the brush through the breech end and push it completely through the bore so that the brushcomes out the muzzle end. Hold the handle of the cleaning rod and pull the brush back. Do this three tofour times making sure the brush exits the muzzle each time.

21. Run a wet patch through the bore a few times. If it does not come out clean, alternate the brush andpatch until the patch comes out relatively clean.


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22. Attach the jag to your rod and run a dry patch through the barrel. If the patch comes out dirty, you needto repeat step 21. Note: The patch does not need to be perfectly clean

23. Using the solvent damp cloth square, clean the outside of the barrel, paying particular attention to thefeed ramp at the breech end. The nylon toothbrush may be needed here.

24. Dry the barrel with a clean cloth and set it aside.


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25. Take a cloth square and wet it with solvent. Wipe down the slide, cleaning all visible debris. Follow upby cleaning the nooks and crannies with solvent soaked pipe cleaner and nylon toothbrush.

26. Using the nylon toothbrush and solvent, vigorously clean the breech face until all the foreign matter isremoved.

27. Using a solvent-wet cloth square or patch and nylon toothbrush, clean the recoil spring. A pipe cleaner

works well for cleaning between the coils. Be sure to use a clean one to dry off the excess solvent.


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28. Clean the frame in the same manner with which you cleaned the slide. Using the pipe cleaners and Q-Tips, thoroughly clean under the rails and any other nooks and crannies.

29. With the can of compressed air, blow any residual solvent and debris out of the tight spaces. Youdefinitely want to use the trash container for this step.

30. Using a clean cloth, dry everything. Use Q-Tips for the inside corners of the slide, frame and otherhard-to-reach areas.


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Lubrication

31. There are seven lubrication points where a single drop of firearms lubricant should be applied. Careshould be taken not to over-lubricate. Using a clean pipe cleaner spread the lubricant on the top andbottom of the rails (Points 1, 2, 4 and 5). Also be sure that oil is spread around the barrel at lubricationspoints six & seven.

Assembly

32. Verify that the sear deactivation lever is in the lowered position; it must be protruding into the magazinewell as shown

33. With the bottom of the slide turned up, replace the barrel in the slide so the muzzle is flush with the endof the slide and the barrel lug is turned up away from the ejection port.


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34. Insert the protruding button (smaller) end of the recoil spring guide assembly into the slide guidehousing (muzzle end) and the rear of the spring into the assembly notch of the barrel lug. Make sure itis properly seated.

35. Holding the slide and recoil spring guide firmly in one hand, with the take down lever down, place therear of the slide onto the front frame rails. Slide it back making sure it aligns properly with the back rails

36. Continue moving the slide onto the frame until the slide is fully rearward, then rotate the take downlever fully upward before allowing the slide to move forward to the closed position.


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37. Replace the frame tool into the base of the grip.

38. Once you are satisfied the gun is properly assembled, point the gun in a safe direction and rack theslide two or three times to make sure lubrication has spread properly.

39. Insert an emptymagazine into the pistol.

40. Check for proper functioning by drawing the slide fully rearward at which point the slide stop shouldmove up and hold the slide open.

41. Test the slide release

42. Follow this with a couple of dry fires. If anything does not feel right, consult a qualified gunsmith.

43. Using a clean cloth, give the gun a final wipe down.

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Cleaning Your MP