The Discipline of a Clean Firearm

There’s a difference between owning a firearm and being responsible for one.

Cleaning your firearm isn’t just maintenance. It’s discipline. It’s respect for the tool. And if we’re being honest, it’s a direct reflection of the person holding it.

At Rezilyent, we trust Riptide Armory products because they’re built for real use, not just range-day convenience. Even better, the company was founded and run by a former US Navy SEAL. They put their cleaning supplies to the test and now a large majority of current SEAL teams are now using their products. We've ran thousands of rounds through our firearms with NO issues caused by any of their stuff.

Why It Matters and When To Clean

A dirty firearm will fail you. Maybe not today. Maybe not at the range. But eventually.

Carbon builds up. Lubrication breaks down. Small failures stack until they become a big one. That’s not something you want to discover when it counts, especially when it comes to your EDC (every day carry) firearm. It needs to work every single time and the only way to ensure that is keeping it clean and lubricated.

Our training guns are a different story though. We run tons of ammo through them before they are cleaned. Why? Because they get used a lot and it would be a full-time job to come back after a training day to clean our guns that were used. So what we do is we keep an eye on performance. We shoot enough to know when something doesn't feel right. Like having a pebble in your shoe. You can run, but do you really want to? No, you take off your shoe, dump the pebble and keep going. Our training guns are the same. We'll notice an occasional mis-feed, brass being ejected differently, not going into battery properly etc. But one thing we always do is ensure there is oil. It's crucial to have metal on metal moving parts lubricated.

There’s a bunch of common rules, let's break these down.

Every YouTube Tactical Timmy says you should clean your guns:

• After every range session. - The logic here is that it's the most optimal condition. You shoot your gun, it's dirty, clean it. Reality is this. If you shoot 50rds at the range and go home, this rule mandates that you clean it. Why? Let's tell that to the Private in the middle of Afghanistan that he needs to clean his gun after burning through two 30rd mags. It's not going to happen. He's going to keep loading, keep firing, addressing any malfunctions and keep running the gun. They are designed to WORK during harsh conditions. It's worth mentioning, if you have a budget firearm, cleanliness matters more than it does for average to high priced firearms. Budget builds don't have the extreme tolerances that their higher priced relatives have.

• After exposure to dirt, rain, or sweat - Yes and no. Sand and dirt will muck up your gun fast. Oil is a magnet to this stuff. Wherever there is oil, you will have buildups of gunk. You need to consider the variables however. If it's a nice calm day, it's really not needed. What you need to think of is how windy is it? Is there sand blowing around? Is it dusty where you are? Sand will absolutely cause you problems so it needs to be taken seriously. It's the amount of sand/dirt that's the issue. Rain? Yeah, clean it. Rust sets up really quick so get rid of it. It's something that you will regret immensly if you don't. I've been there, getting caught in a 3pm Florida monsoon out of nowhere. We don't stop training just because of rain. But we will clean them afterwards, every single time. How about sweat? Really.....do you sweat THAT much? Is it getting inside your gun? If so, I really want to see this. I'm obviously not working hard enough then. It's going to get on your grip, your stock etc but a simple wipe down works just fine. Don't sweat it....pun intended.

• Before storing long term - Yes! Riptide CLP+ Graphene is great for this. CLP stands for Clean, Lubricate and Protect. They took it a step furhter and added graphene to their solution. This leaves a very protective, smooth finish on your gun. The oil acts as a barrier to oxygen preventing rust. Typically, we clean our stored guns every 12 months or so. However, for example, if we decided to go shoot our M1 Garand from 1944, we visually and physically inspect it first. Shoot it. Then clean it for storage again when we get back.

• Before carrying for defensive use - This is a no brainer. As mentioned before, your EDC gun needs to be clean, lubed and ready to go at all times. This is the only gun that if I train with it that day at the range, I clean it when I get home. If you’re trusting it to protect your life or someone else’s, it should be clean. Every time. Period.

Why We Use Riptide Armory

There’s no shortage of cleaning products out there. Most overcomplicate the process or don’t hold up.

Riptide Armory keeps it simple and effective:

• Cleaners that break down carbon fast

• Lubricants that actually stay where you put them

• Products designed for hard use, not shelf appeal

No gimmicks. Just performance. You can head over to the member store to place an order.

What You Actually Need

Keep your setup simple and effective:

• Cleaning rod or bore snake

• Bore brush and patches

• Riptide Armory solvent

• Riptide Armory lubricant

• Riptide Armory optic cleaner

• Nylon brush or old toothbrush

• Riptide Armory Cloth

That’s it. No wasted gear.

The Process

Keep it methodical:

1. Clear the firearm - No shortcuts here. Check it. Then check it again. "I know for a fact it's not loaded. There isn't even a magazine in it." Check it. Don't be stupid.

2. Break it down - Field strip only. Keep it simple. Don't know how to do this? YouTube or check your manual.

3. Clean the barrel - Run solvent through it. Brush it. Patch it until clean. Bore snakes simplify this process and makes it much more efficient. Be sure to check the rifling inside the bore.

4. Clean the action - Use a nylon brush and Riptide advanced gun cleaner to remove carbon from contact points.

5. Wipe everything down - Get rid of all of the grime and old oil. Be generous with your Riptide advanced gun cleaner. Spray it EVERYWHERE. It's safe for all types of finishes including metal, polymer and wood. Let is soak, brush where needed and wipe it clean. If your rag keeps coming off black, clean it again.

6. Lubricate properly - Light, intentional lubrication using Riptide Armory Advanced Gun Oil on moving parts. Check for wear spots and add your oil. Check your owners manual (not YouTube for this) for your manufacturer suggested lube points. Remember, just a dab will do ya. There's no need to smother this thing, less is more!

7. Reassemble and function check - Put it all back together and make sure everything runs exactly how it should.

Common Mistakes

• Over-lubricating

• Under-lubricating

• Using cheap or ineffective products

• Not checking your firearm after reassembly

• And the biggest mistake? Not making sure it's unloaded before you start. Yes, it happens, a lot.

Shortcuts show up at the worst time and could cost someone their lives.

Schedule a Connect Class

As a member, you can schedule a connect class where you invite other members and friends. We come to you and we'll walk you through every step of the process, free for members! Nowhere else can you get that level of service. Plus you get to hang out with cool people like us!

Final Thought

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about consistency.

A clean firearm tells a story. It says you take this seriously. It says you’re prepared.

If you’re going to carry, train. If you’re going to train, maintain.

And if you’re going to maintain, use products you can trust.

Protect what you can't replace.