Field Stripping a Handgun: Taking Your Pistol Apart for Cleaning

Field stripping is disassembling a handgun or other firearm to inspect, clean, and lubricate it without using specialized tools. This allows gun owners to find any deformities and ensure their firearm is working the best it can. But what is the process of field stripping your pistol?

Field Stripping a Handgun: My Journey

While it is an important practice everyone should learn, I’ve always been too nervous for fear of doing something wrong. The last thing I would want was to accidentally damage my firearm or be unable to shoot afterwards because I did not put my firearm back together properly.

Thankfully, I have reached a point in my shooting journey where I feel confident and educated enough to challenge myself and try something new. Here is my experience field stripping a pistol for the first time and everything that I learned along the way.

Gathering the Materials

Before I could disassemble my pistol, the first step was gathering the necessary materials. This included a cleaning mat to keep the materials in place, a microfiber cloth to assist with cleaning, and a gun cleaning kit.

I could take this pistol apart to inspect and then reassemble. However, I wanted to use the opportunity to thoroughly clean this handgun with some OTIS Technology products. Once each necessary item was lined up around me and ready to go, I set my Taurus GX4 handgun on the mat, rolled up my sleeves, and got to work.

Before field stripping her handgun, the first step was gathering the necessary materials.

Gathering Information on My Pistol

My first order of business was educating myself on where exactly to start. Rather than stand there and stare blankly at my handgun, I decided to ask my significant other for assistance. While having firearm-savvy friends and family members is nice, it is not always an option for everyone.

Luckily, the internet has countless videos that are extremely educational and useful to help you field strip your pistol. You can also look at your owner’s manual, which is full of helpful information and guides for your pistol’s disassembly.

Breaking Down Your Pistol

In my quick lesson on field stripping a pistol, I learned that the Taurus GX4 includes a helpful tool to remove the slide. This tool was a small plastic Taurus GX4 keychain with a small key designed to unlock the takedown lever. Not every firearm slide is removed the same way, and each will have different variations of the process. The keychain was a nice added touch.

However, before removing the slide, I had to ensure the firearm was unloaded. Pointing the firearm in a safe direction, I removed the mag and pulled the slide back to ensure the chamber was clear. Under no circumstances do you want to work with a loaded firearm when field stripping. This is incredibly dangerous and prone to disaster.

Pulling the slide forward, it separated from the frame in one swift motion.

Now that I was ready to begin, I started by placing the key in the takedown lever and gently twisting the keychain horizontally until I heard a satisfying click of the slide moving. Pulling the slide forward, it separated from the frame in one swift motion. My excitement grew as I investigated the handgun’s interior, silently questioning why I had not done this sooner.

After adding slight pressure and pressing down, the spring could easily be lifted out of the slide.

Carefully setting the frame to the side, I allowed the slide to sit in my hands for a moment before removing the recoil spring. After adding slight pressure and pressing down, the spring could easily be lifted out of the slide.

The author found that all it took was a simple wiggling motion and nudge forward for the barrel to lift and pop out gently.

Next, I had to remove the barrel, which I thought would be difficult to remove due to its positioning. However, I found that all it took was a simple wiggling motion and nudge forward for it to lift and pop out gently. Before I knew it, the frame, slide, recoil spring, and barrel were lined up on the mat, ready for cleaning.

Before the author knew it, the frame, slide, recoil spring, and barrel were lined up on the mat, ready for cleaning. The process of field stripping her handgun was complete.

Handgun Reassembly

After clearing off the residue and polishing each piece of the handgun until my fingers were filthy, I was ready to reassemble my pistol. This part made me the most nervous because I feared I would be unable to put everything together properly. However, the process was not as bad as I assumed.

Starting with the barrel, I inserted it into the slide, gently pulling it down until it locked into place. Next, I pressed the recoil spring on top of the barrel, making sure to place the “fatter” end of the spring towards the muzzle.

Finally, lining up the back slide rails with the frame, I pulled back until I heard a click. As quickly as I had taken it apart, the Taurus GX4 was back together. I felt proud that my first time field stripping a pistol was a success.

Field Stripping a Handgun is Not as Overwhelming as I Thought

I had always assumed that breaking down a pistol would be a difficult and overwhelming task. However, it was a soothing and educational process that helped me become more familiar with my firearm. From start to finish, it was a fun, positive, and rewarding experience that made me appreciate my pistol even more.

Given that you take your time and pay attention to what you are doing, it is an activity that is pretty hard to mess up. I could not get over how effortless it was and wanted to break down and reassemble it again and again.

If you are nervous about disassembling your firearm, I encourage you to shake off your nerves and try it.