Magazines are important parts for your gun and can be great add-ons to your battle belt. Keeping them clean is essential if you want a functional gun. Ideally, this should become part of your regular gun maintenance, which poses a few questions.


Drawing a magazine from a magazine pouch

How to clean gun magazines, how often should you do it, what happens if you don’t, and should you oil up your magazines? Let’s find out!

Step 1 – Disassemble the Magazine

To give your magazine a really deep scrub, you’re going to have to take it out of the gun and disassemble it. Most magazines have five basic parts.

You have the base plate, the floor plate, the magazine shell (also known as the body), the follower, and the spring. With some guns, the follower and the spring are connected and can’t be taken apart, so don’t try to force the spring out of the follower.

Magpul PMAG disassembled


Magpul PMAG disassembled with spring and base pad on table

When you bought your gun, you also got a manufacturer’s handbook with it. In that handbook, you’ll find detailed instructions on disassembling the gun and the magazine.

Follow the instructions, and you’ll be fine.

Step 2 – Clean It with a Brush and a Clean Rag

Magazines and guns are susceptible to the same kind of damage – you need to get rid of dust and moisture. However, you won’t find any gunpowder residue in the magazine, so that makes it noticeably easier and quicker than cleaning your gun.

To get rid of all the dust, just scrub all magazine parts with an old toothbrush or a brush made for magazine cleaning (for example, GTUL brushes). You should also run a clean rag through the magazine body just to make sure it’s clean on the inside.

For most magazines, this is more than enough to keep them clean for a long time.

However, if you’re doing outdoor drills in a high-humidity area or if you drop your mag in a puddle, you’ll need to protect it from moisture as well. Experts recommend using an alcohol wipe to clean any would-be rust out of your magazine.

Step 3 – Reassemble the Magazine

Once you’re done, all that’s left to do is reassemble the magazine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Put the mag back into your gun and make sure everything’s clicking just right. If it is, you’re good to go!

You have to either clean your magazines like this or have spare magazines lying around!

How Often Should You Clean Gun Magazines?

Since it takes no more than 10 to 15 minutes to disassemble, clean, and reassemble a magazine, it’d be great if you cleaned the magazine every time you shot your gun. 

But really, as long as you pay attention and clean them when residue builds up or when you notice they are dirty, you will be fine.

As I said, magazines don’t collect gunpowder residue and you just need to get rid of all the dust and moisture. This won’t take much of your time, so why not do it every time you shoot your gun?

Gun and magazines on table


Gun and magazines on table

Not only are you keeping your weapon functional by doing this, but you’re also preventing future failures.

For example, magazine springs can get worn out and need replacing – this usually happens after a long service time (for example, Glock magazine springs can get worn out after firing 5000 rounds).

If you clean your spring frequently, you’re prolonging its longevity, but you’re also inspecting it and you’ll notice damage or weakened spring recoil.

However, it would take a lot of dirt to cause a feeding failure, so if you don’t have the time for cleaning your magazines every time you use them, they won’t mind if you only do it every other month.

Should I Oil Up My Magazines?

There are two schools of thought on this question.

Some experts recommend that you use a tiny bit of oil on your magazines if they’re exposed to moisture. That way, you’re preventing rusting. However, you shouldn’t use too much oil, as that will just cause more dirt buildup.

The other side insists that you should never use any oil as it’ll only cause dirt buildup and you’re just substituting your rust problem for a problem with dirt.

One thing is clear, though – if you oil up your magazines, apply very little oil, and only oil up metal magazines – not polymer mags!