GNP Defend // Quick Fix
Quick Fix: Common Gun Problems, Solved
Pick your gun. Pick the problem. Fix it in four steps.
Unload first: remove the magazine, lock the action open, and check the chamber.
1 · YOUR GUN
2 · THE PROBLEM
STEP 1 / 4
AR-15: Sticky or sluggish bolt
- Strip old oil: Degreaser. Blasts old oil, grease and grit off the carrier and bolt.
- Lift the carbon: Gun Cleaner. Removes carbon, copper and lead. Spray, wait a minute, wipe.
- Rinse it clean: Degreaser. A quick rinse washes off loosened fouling and leftover cleaner.
- Oil and cycle: Gun Oil. Thin film on the carrier rails and bolt, then cycle it to spread.
For the cam pin and locking lugs, a dab of Synthetic Grease stays put longer than oil.
Full guide: the AR-15 lubrication guide →
AR-15: Rust spots
- Soak and bag: Gun Cleaner. Wet the rust, then seal the part in a zip-lock or garbage bag.
- Work it off: After an overnight soak, fine bronze brush or non-abrasive pad. Never steel wool.
- Dry it fully: Any moisture left behind starts the rust again. Tool: clean cloth.
- Seal with oil: Gun Oil. A thin film keeps bare metal from rusting again.
The bag keeps the cleaner from evaporating, so it has time to work on the rust overnight. Heavy rust? Repeat the soak and brush until it's gone.
Keep wood stocks and grips out of the bag.
DLC finish? Skip the soak: 15 minutes max, then a Degreaser rinse.
This works on surface rust. If you can feel pits with a fingernail, the rust has eaten into the steel: you can stop it, but not undo it.
Full guide: how to remove rust from a gun →
STEP 2
Work it off
After an overnight soak, fine bronze brush or non-abrasive pad. Never steel wool.
STEP 3
Dry it fully
Any moisture left behind starts the rust again. Tool: clean cloth.
AR-15: Carbon and copper in the bore
- Foam the bore: Bore Cleaning Foam. Removes carbon, copper and lead. Fill the bore from the breech end.
- Let it work: Give it a few minutes to break the fouling loose. Tool: none.
- Patch it out: Push dry patches through until they come out clean. Tool: patches.
- Oil the bore: Gun Oil. One lightly oiled patch leaves a thin protective film.
Full guide: the foaming bore cleaner guide →
STEP 2
Let it work
Give it a few minutes to break the fouling loose. Tool: none.
STEP 3
Patch it out
Push dry patches through until they come out clean. Tool: patches.
Handgun: Sluggish or gritty slide
- Strip old oil: Degreaser. Blasts old oil and grit out of the slide and frame rails.
- Clean the rails: Gun Cleaner. Removes carbon, copper and lead. Spray, wait a minute, wipe.
- Rinse it clean: Degreaser. A quick rinse washes off loosened fouling and leftover cleaner.
- Grease the rails: Synthetic Grease. A thin bead on each rail stays put through long strings of fire.
Full guide: where to grease slide rails →
Handgun: Rust spots from carry
- Soak and bag: Gun Cleaner. Wet the rust, then seal the part in a zip-lock or garbage bag.
- Work it off: After an overnight soak, fine bronze brush or non-abrasive pad. Never steel wool.
- Dry it fully: Any moisture left behind starts the rust again. Tool: clean cloth.
- Seal with oil: Gun Oil. A thin film keeps bare metal from rusting again.
The bag keeps the cleaner from evaporating, so it has time to work on the rust overnight. Heavy rust? Repeat the soak and brush until it's gone.
Keep wood stocks and grips out of the bag.
DLC finish? Skip the soak: 15 minutes max, then a Degreaser rinse.
This works on surface rust. If you can feel pits with a fingernail, the rust has eaten into the steel: you can stop it, but not undo it.
Full guide: how to remove rust from a gun →
STEP 2
Work it off
After an overnight soak, fine bronze brush or non-abrasive pad. Never steel wool.
STEP 3
Dry it fully
Any moisture left behind starts the rust again. Tool: clean cloth.
Handgun: Carbon on the barrel and feed ramp
- Spray the carbon: Gun Cleaner. Removes carbon, copper and lead. Let it sit a minute.
- Scrub the hood: Nylon brush on the barrel hood, feed ramp and breech face.
- Rinse it clean: Degreaser. A quick rinse washes off loosened fouling and leftover cleaner.
- Oil it lightly: Gun Oil. A thin film on the barrel's outside and locking surfaces.
Full guide: the carbon build-up guide →
STEP 2
Scrub the hood
Nylon brush on the barrel hood, feed ramp and breech face.
Shotgun: Action wet after a hunt
- Flush it out: Degreaser. Washes water, mud and old oil out of the action.
- Dry it fully: Let it dry completely before oiling. Tool: clean cloth.
- Oil the action: Gun Oil. Thin film on the bolt, rails and receiver. It repels water.
- Cycle and store: Cycle the action, then store it out of the wet case.
Full guide: cleaning a shotgun after duck hunting →
STEP 2
Dry it fully
Let it dry completely before oiling. Tool: clean cloth.
STEP 4
Cycle and store
Cycle the action, then store it out of the wet case.
Shotgun: Lead and carbon in the barrel
- Foam the bore: Bore Cleaning Foam. Removes carbon, copper and lead. Fill the bore from the breech end.
- Let it work: Give it a few minutes to break the fouling loose. Tool: none.
- Patch it out: Push dry patches through until they come out clean. Tool: patches.
- Oil the bore: Gun Oil. One lightly oiled patch leaves a thin protective film.
Full guide: how to clean a shotgun →
STEP 2
Let it work
Give it a few minutes to break the fouling loose. Tool: none.
STEP 3
Patch it out
Push dry patches through until they come out clean. Tool: patches.
Shotgun: Rust spots
- Soak and bag: Gun Cleaner. Wet the rust, then seal the part in a zip-lock or garbage bag.
- Work it off: After an overnight soak, fine bronze brush or non-abrasive pad. Never steel wool.
- Dry it fully: Any moisture left behind starts the rust again. Tool: clean cloth.
- Seal with oil: Gun Oil. A thin film keeps bare metal from rusting again.
The bag keeps the cleaner from evaporating, so it has time to work on the rust overnight. Heavy rust? Repeat the soak and brush until it's gone.
Keep wood stocks and grips out of the bag.
DLC finish? Skip the soak: 15 minutes max, then a Degreaser rinse.
This works on surface rust. If you can feel pits with a fingernail, the rust has eaten into the steel: you can stop it, but not undo it.
Full guide: how to remove rust from a gun →
STEP 2
Work it off
After an overnight soak, fine bronze brush or non-abrasive pad. Never steel wool.
STEP 3
Dry it fully
Any moisture left behind starts the rust again. Tool: clean cloth.
Bolt-action rifle: Stiff or hard bolt lift
- Strip old oil: Degreaser. Blasts old oil and grit off the bolt body and lugs.
- Clean the bolt: Gun Cleaner. Removes carbon, copper and lead. Spray, wait a minute, wipe.
- Rinse it clean: Degreaser. A quick rinse washes off loosened fouling and leftover cleaner.
- Grease the lugs: Synthetic Grease. A small dab on the locking lugs and cocking cam.
Full guide: how to clean a bolt-action rifle →
Bolt-action rifle: Copper fouling in the bore
- Foam the bore: Bore Cleaning Foam. Removes carbon, copper and lead. Fill the bore from the breech end.
- Let it work: Give it a few minutes to break the fouling loose. Tool: none.
- Patch it out: Push dry patches through until they come out clean. Tool: patches.
- Oil the bore: Gun Oil. One lightly oiled patch leaves a thin protective film.
Push patches from the breech end, with a bore guide if you have one.
Full guide: the copper remover guide →
STEP 2
Let it work
Give it a few minutes to break the fouling loose. Tool: none.
STEP 3
Patch it out
Push dry patches through until they come out clean. Tool: patches.
Bolt-action rifle: Rust after storage
- Soak and bag: Gun Cleaner. Wet the rust, then seal the part in a zip-lock or garbage bag.
- Work it off: After an overnight soak, fine bronze brush or non-abrasive pad. Never steel wool.
- Dry it fully: Any moisture left behind starts the rust again. Tool: clean cloth.
- Seal with oil: Gun Oil. A thin film keeps bare metal from rusting again.
The bag keeps the cleaner from evaporating, so it has time to work on the rust overnight. Heavy rust? Repeat the soak and brush until it's gone.
Keep wood stocks and grips out of the bag.
DLC finish? Skip the soak: 15 minutes max, then a Degreaser rinse.
This works on surface rust. If you can feel pits with a fingernail, the rust has eaten into the steel: you can stop it, but not undo it.
Full guide: how to clean a gun for long-term storage →
STEP 2
Work it off
After an overnight soak, fine bronze brush or non-abrasive pad. Never steel wool.
STEP 3
Dry it fully
Any moisture left behind starts the rust again. Tool: clean cloth.
Muzzleloader: Crusty black powder fouling in the bore
- Foam the bore: Bore Cleaning Foam. Water-based foam fills the bore and dwells on the black powder fouling.
- Let it work: A few minutes lets it dissolve the fouling salts. Tool: none.
- Patch it out: Run patches on a jag until they come out clean. Tool: rod, jag.
- Oil the bore: Gun Oil. Dry it fully, then one lightly oiled patch on the bare steel.
Clean it the same day you shoot. Black powder fouling pulls moisture from the air and can start rust overnight.
Full guide: how to clean a muzzleloader →
STEP 2
Let it work
A few minutes lets it dissolve the fouling salts. Tool: none.
STEP 3
Patch it out
Run patches on a jag until they come out clean. Tool: rod, jag.
Muzzleloader: Crud on the breech plug or nipple
- Pull the plug: Unloaded gun: remove the breech plug or nipple per your manual.
- Spray the crud: Gun Cleaner. Water-based and made for black powder. Let it sit a minute.
- Brush it clear: Small brush on the threads; pick the flash channel clear. Tool: brush, pick.
- Oil and refit: Gun Oil. Dry it fully, thin film on the threads, then refit the plug.
If your rifle maker specifies a breech plug grease, use that on the threads instead of oil.
Between shots at the range, a Gun Cleaner Wipe keeps the breech face and nipple clean.
Full guide: everything for black powder cleanup →
STEP 1
Pull the plug
Unloaded gun: remove the breech plug or nipple per your manual.
STEP 3
Brush it clear
Small brush on the threads; pick the flash channel clear. Tool: brush, pick.
Muzzleloader: Rust after a wet hunt
- Soak and bag: Gun Cleaner. Wet the rust, then seal the part in a zip-lock or garbage bag.
- Work it off: After an overnight soak, fine bronze brush or non-abrasive pad. Never steel wool.
- Dry it fully: Any moisture left behind starts the rust again. Tool: clean cloth.
- Seal with oil: Gun Oil. A thin film keeps bare metal from rusting again.
Take the barrel out of a wooden stock before it goes in the bag.
The bag keeps the cleaner from evaporating, so it has time to work on the rust overnight. Heavy rust? Repeat the soak and brush until it's gone.
This works on surface rust. If you can feel pits with a fingernail, the rust has eaten into the steel: you can stop it, but not undo it.
Black powder fouling left overnight is the usual cause: clean, dry and oil the same day you shoot.
Full guide: how to remove rust from a gun →
STEP 2
Work it off
After an overnight soak, fine bronze brush or non-abrasive pad. Never steel wool.
STEP 3
Dry it fully
Any moisture left behind starts the rust again. Tool: clean cloth.
On DLC finishes, don't leave Gun Cleaner on longer than 15 minutes; a Degreaser rinse afterward neutralizes it.
Want the full routine? The step-by-step guide is at https://gnpdefend.com/pages/how-to-clean-your-firearm