A professional gun cleaning means someone who works on guns every day takes your gun, cleans it inside and out, and hands it back oiled and ready to store or shoot. At Lakeside Munitions in Cumming, a cleaning is $35, or $25 if you bought the gun from us.
That price is posted, and so are the limits. This post explains what the gun makers say a full cleaning covers, what Lakeside’s cleaning includes and what it does not, and when it makes more sense to hand the job off than to do it yourself.
What a Full Cleaning Covers
Gun makers publish their own cleaning steps in their manuals, and the three we read agree on the basics. Smith & Wesson’s M&P pistol manual (this link goes to a retailer-hosted copy), Colt’s carbine operator’s manual and Mossberg’s pump shotgun manual all describe the same parts of the job:
- The gun is made safe first. Every one of them starts with making sure the gun is unloaded before any cleaning begins.
- The bore and chamber are cleaned. Smith & Wesson says to remove firing residue from the bore and chamber with a properly fitted brass brush dipped in gun cleaning solvent, then finish with a dry cotton patch to take out the residue and solvent. Colt describes brushing the chamber and the bore, then pulling clean patches through until one comes out clean and dry. Mossberg says to scrub the bore and chamber with solvent and follow with patches until the barrel is clean.
- The moving parts are cleaned. On a rifle, Colt lists the bolt, its locking lugs, the extractor face and the firing pin. Mossberg says to clean the bolt, the bolt slide and the action slide bars to remove built up residue.
- The outside is wiped down. Smith & Wesson says to clean the outside with a non-abrasive cloth.
- A light coat of oil goes on last. Smith & Wesson says to lightly coat the metal parts, inside and out, with a good gun oil. It also says not to over-lubricate, because extra oil collects unburned powder and carbon that can get in the way of the gun working right.
- The gun is checked. Colt says to do a function check after the gun is cleaned and put back together, and if it fails, to have it looked at by a competent gunsmith.
Those are the makers’ steps, not a list of what any one shop does. Every gun is built differently, so the exact takedown and the oiling spots depend on the model.
The makers also warn about the supplies. Smith & Wesson says to use only solvents made for firearms, to avoid long soaks in solvent and long ultrasonic cleaning, and never to use ammoniated or other strong alkaline solvents on its guns, because they can damage the finish. It also says to clean in a well ventilated area and wash your hands afterward, because cleaning a gun can expose you to lead and other substances. If you clean at home, both are on you.
What a Cleaning Includes at Lakeside
Here is what we can say for sure, straight from our posted price list and shop policy.
- A cleaning is $35, or $25 if you bought the gun at Lakeside.
- Surface rust cleanup is included during a cleaning, to the best of our ability. If you want to know more about rust, read what can and cannot be restored.
- The work is done in our shop, not shipped out.
- Gunsmithing is walk-in. You do not need an appointment.
- General maintenance beyond a cleaning is charged at the posted bench fee, $45 an hour.
We do not publish a step by step list of every motion in a cleaning, and we are not going to invent one here. What you get is the posted job at the posted price. If you want to know exactly what will be done on your gun, ask at the counter before you hand it over. That is how every job on the gunsmithing price list works: you know the number before the work starts.
The Limits
Our posted prices are for a gun in factory condition. If other changes have been made to the gun, we look at the job first, and the cost may vary. That keeps the price honest in both directions.
Gunsmithing at Lakeside covers basic maintenance, minor repairs and accessory installs. It does not cover complex machining or permanent structural alterations, and we do not do Cerakote coating. A cleaning is a cleaning: it takes off the dirt, the residue and surface rust we can reach, and it protects the metal. It is not a repair, and it will not fix a part that is worn or broken.
Cleaning It Yourself or Having It Done
Cleaning your own gun is a normal, good habit, and the makers expect you to do it. Here is how the two choices compare.
| Doing it yourself | A professional cleaning | |
|---|---|---|
| What you need | A cleaning kit, a clear table, good light and time | Nothing but the gun |
| Know-how | You follow your manual for takedown and oiling | Someone who works on guns handles it |
| Cost at Lakeside | The cost of your supplies | $35, or $25 if bought here |
| Best for | Guns you shoot often and know well | Guns you cannot take apart, or are not sure how to |
Neither choice is wrong. Many people clean the gun they shoot most at home and bring in the gun that has sat in a safe for years. If you want to learn, we have a post on how to clean a pistol and one on what goes in a cleaning kit.
When Having It Done Makes the Most Sense
A few times when handing it off is the smart move:
- You inherited a gun and do not know its history or how to take it apart. Handing it over beats guessing.
- The gun has been stored for a long time. Mossberg says a gun stored for a long time should be thoroughly cleaned and oiled first, and a gun that has sat for years may need more than a quick wipe.
- You are about to sell or trade it. Condition is part of what a gun is worth.
- The gun got wet or dirty. Colt says to clean a gun as soon as possible if it gets wet.
- You are short on time or tools.
How often to clean depends on how you use the gun. Our post on how often to clean your gun covers the intervals the sources give for range, hunting and stored guns.
What to Do Next
Bring the gun to our shop on Atlanta Road in Cumming. No appointment is needed, and the price is the one on our gunsmithing page. If you have a question first, such as whether your gun is in factory condition, send it through the contact page.
