Clean before first use?

Squirrel Sniper

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I've been searching the forum for a good answer, but couldn't find one. What's the worst that could happen if you don't clean a brand new Mossberg 590 A1 SPX before firing for the first time?

I've seen some say, you must clean it, of course, don't be ridiculous. Others have said that thing is a monster, it won't be hurt if you choose not clean it first. I figure the answer is somewhere in between.

What do you think?
 
I always clean all new guns before firing. I think that a rifle might suffer some degradation in accuracy if fired with a barrel loaded with shipping grease, cosmoline, and/or dust. I honestly don't think it would matter with a shotgun, I just prefer to start with a clean gun.

John
 
On some new firearms the barrels have a layer of grease or oil inside to prevent rust. If you fire a round without first cleaning out the grease the additional pressure build up could create a tiny bulge in the barrel that would affect accuracy.

This might not apply if you are shooting shot as opposed to slugs but my advice would be to run a tight cloth through the barrel to clean out any grease or oil before firing.
 
Cleaning firearms

On some new firearms the barrels have a layer of grease or oil inside to prevent rust. If you fire a round without first cleaning out the grease the additional pressure build up could create a tiny bulge in the barrel that would affect accuracy.

This might not apply if you are shooting shot as opposed to slugs but my advice would be to run a tight cloth through the barrel to clean out any grease or oil before firing.

I would clean any barrel of any firearm that is NEW TO ME. This applies to new in box or second hand used firearms. First of all, it is a simple procedure that takes only a few minutes, it is a Safety precaution, and the only reason for not doing so is being lazy.

You never know just what might be in a barrel. I have seen bullets lodged into .22 rifles, cleaning patches, a cleaning rod tip, a shotgun wad, and part of a paper hull in barrels. New firearms, especially foreign or military rifles generally have a preservative in the barrel, and a large numbers of the surplus rifles available have been pulled from long term storage where they have been well greased to preserve them.

A small bit of grease in a barrel can raise pressures enormously. In fact, after WWI, several 1903 Springfield rifles on target ranges blew up because shooters dipped the nose of the cartridge in grease to prevent barrel fouling. This grease also migrated to the chamber of the rifle, and coated the surface of the chamber, so the brass cartridge did not have enough friction to momentarily stick to the walls of the chamber. This made for higher pressures when fired.

For the few minutes it takes to field strip and clean a firearm, it is worth the effort to clean and lubricate it so that it will function properly.
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Not just the barrel, I would clean everything. I don't want to cook the grease they have on the parts. Like seasoning a pan, once it's cooked it, it's even harder to get it off. No reason not to clean it before you use it.
 
You're probably not going to hurt anything. Just keep in mind that the oil that comes on a brand new gun isn't there for lubrication. It's corrosion prevention. Typically that stuff is a horrible lubricant and should be cleaned off as soon as practical.
 
Typically that stuff is a horrible lubricant and should be cleaned off as soon as practical.

Some shipping greases get nasty hard to remove once the firearms has heated up from shooting... a quick cleaning takes less than 20 mins, and you know it has lubrication where its supposed to
 
As above, safety! Never know what might be jammed in the barrel or trigger mech... my new Norinco CQ-A looked great out of the box but had an oil soaked cotton wad stuffed into the action end of the barrel. Never would have noticed it if I hadn't field stripped and cleaned it!
 
I ALWAYS inspect and clean a new to me firearm, even if it just came out of the original box. Mossberg heavily oils their shotguns during assembly, and it is a lubricating oil. My Maverick had it seeping out of the action when I bought it new. Packing material and other foreign objects can find their way into the barrel, you would be foolish to pull any new-to-you gun out of the box and start shooting. Its also good practise field stripping and reassembling it to get orientated with the new gun. clean it, always. you will be glad you did it when you get one with a major obstruction or serious flaw.
 
Every gun I clean and oil first. There are always tiny metal shavings and metal dust inside everywhere, including the barrel.

I also like to make sure everything is oiled up so wear-in can smoothly begin without grinding/galling. Lastly, I do a function test with a snap cap so I don't drive to the range and have an issue, Murphy's Law is a bitz.:kickInTheNuts:
 
Take it apart. Sometimes there's strange stuff in the gun. Like those hidden tampon things in the Norinco AR-15's.
 
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