Do you need to clean a firearm...
 

before the 1st time it's shot? My dad seems to think that before you fire off a weapon for the 1st time you're required to clean it... opinions?

You really should clean it before firing it. The grease that the manufacturers apply to new firearms are more for storage than they are for lubrication. Clean it and apply a little lubricating grease to the moving parts, and run a dry patch down the bore.

Firing a gun with a barrel full of packing grease is not recommended and can be really dangerous. After you're done shooting it, clean it again, and run a patch coated with oil down the bore to protect it. Before shooting it the next time, run a dry patch down the bore again.

right on man thanks :thumbsup

Read the OP, saw this.... and you basically said what I thought while reading. :thumbsup

sounds like some good advice here. I'm no expert with guns, but I can imagine firing a new weapon without cleaning it first would be quite dangerous.

a clean fire arm is a non jamming fire arm

fire arms like being cleaned!

not if your in a hurry

The great thing about cleaning a firearm is while you are cleaning you inspect each part for function. That is one of the reasons why I never shoot a new firearm without cleaning it. Just because it is new doesn't mean it is safe/ready to fire. After a day at the range I clean the firearms before putting them in their socks and into their safe.

OK
First, yes clean your gun before firing it, please remember to wear latex type gloves, the clean solutions are not good for you, ask any gun smith

Secondly, it's not important that you have to clean after every use, but I do. Most gun ranges have rental guns and they don't get cleaned too often because of the chemicals that have to be used.

Third
Storage in a dry and secure place. Get a gun safe. If you have a pistol for protection, they make small safes that sit on your bedstand that can be opened very quickly. If someone breaks into your home when you're not there, you don't want to arm a criminal

not only should you clean it before hand, but there is a break in cleaning regiment you should follow in between the first 20 or so rounds.

something like this: http://www.rifle-accuracy-reports.co...-break-in.html

nahhh, just make sure you wipe your prints after....

Just use this magical squirrel as a weapon:

http://sixblack.com/images/gfy/120sig-gfy3.gif

That depends... you planning to only use it once?