[Bill.68]

Personally, Ive alway found that cleaning a gun, especially a new gun is a great way to get to know it.
I wont say you couldnt succeed at it, lots of, well, too many lazy lazy people on the Earth anymore.

 

[JohnnyDollar]

Well,
there are gun people and there are people that have guns.

There are people that hate cleaning their guns,

just like there are people that love to reload,
people that force themselves to reload, and people that try it, hate it and sell all their reloading stuff.

 

[1911 Mitch]

Well,
there are gun people and there are people that have guns.

There are people that hate cleaning their guns,

just like there are people that love to reload,
people that force themselves to reload, and people that try it, hate it and sell all their reloading stuff.

Send the reloading stuff sellers my way! I love like new 50% off retail!

 

[Chuy]

I'm one of those people that does not enjoy cleaning my guns . No amount of posts here is going to change that . I do it because it needs to be done .

 

[gunman42782]

I used to work at a range where we offered the service of sighting in your rifle for $25 plus ammo. That was over 8 years ago. I never could imagine anybody would pay to sight in their gun, but every deer season we would be over-run with guns needing to be sighted in. Of course, nobody holds a gun the same, nobody sees the sights the same, etc., but this did not deter them. I would imagine if someone was too lazy or too busy to sight in their gun, they would pay for someone to clean it!

 

[JohnnyDollar]

Send the reloading stuff sellers my way! I love like new 50% off retail!

Just read people over the years that simply did not like doing it.
Keep your eyes open, you will see stuff for sale.

 

[Jack Ruger]

I used to work at a range where we offered the service of sighting in your rifle for $25 plus ammo. That was over 8 years ago. I never could imagine anybody would pay to sight in their gun, but every deer season we would be over-run with guns needing to be sighted in. Of course, nobody holds a gun the same, nobody sees the sights the same, etc., but this did not deter them. I would imagine if someone was too lazy or too busy to sight in their gun, they would pay for someone to clean it!

Yes, but then when they missed the big one it was your fault not there's. If missed one under that program, I would want a sighting-in refund. 😂🤩😎

 

[jayhdavis]

Would it be advantageous to clean guns as an extra hustle? How many people do you think get others to clean their guns compared to how many really do it themselves? Not just a basic field strip but also removing the chassis and trigger assembly if need be. Barrel, chassis, frame etc... Would this be a good side hustle? Thanks.

The biggest hurdle you would face is proving to potential customers your expertise in cleaning firearms. The second biggest hurdle is keeping your pricing competitive. And last, doing a thorough job in an acceptable, to the customer, turn-around time.

 

[DirtyShirt]

Yesterday I would have said no.

But we were in Waco, TX visiting family this weekend and this morning at breakfast, I saw this business next door to the restaurant and they have apparently been in business a while.
The other side of the sign is pretty faded/weathered from the sun.
View attachment 190126

A clean gun is an accurate gun.
I thought AK's needed at least 1mm of rust inside of the bore before they're considered broken in.

 

[JohnnyDollar]

A clean gun is an accurate gun.
I thought AK's needed at least 1mm of rust inside of the bore before they're considered broken in.

Honestly, a slogan is a slogan.
I have read in several articles on reloading that you should fire 5-6 rounds after cleaning before testing any new loads, because the first few rounds will not be that accurate and the barrel has to "settle down" again after cleaning it.

 

[dwarren123]

Have to have a business license and insurance in most states . Will it be worth it?

 

[jj63]

Maybe so, but depends on how detailed of a cleaning, & if you have to disassemble much. Folks are most curious about their cars, & guns. If something isn't right when they get it back, they will come after your pocketbook. To me, not worth the liability.

 

[chiefneon]

Funny story. I was over trying and armor in the division is was in. While in my office one cleaning guns my LT walked by and asked it would cost to clean his Sig 220 for him. I stated no charge for cleaning LT just bring it to me. I stripped the pistol down and gave it a good cleaning. Placed all the parts in a paper bag and placed it on his desk. A short time later he came back to my office and stated “what the hell“ as the pistol was in pieces and he had no clue how to put it back to gather. I just look took the bag and stated “cleaning is free, its reassembly that expensive LT”.

 

[AKJ86]

Funny story. I was over trying and armor in the division is was in. While in my office one cleaning guns my LT walked by and asked it would cost to clean his Sig 220 for him. I stated no charge for cleaning LT just bring it to me. I stripped the pistol down and gave it a good cleaning. Placed all the parts in a paper bag and placed it on his desk. A short time later he came back to my office and stated “what the hell“ as the pistol was in pieces and he had no clue how to put it back to gather. I just look took the bag and stated “cleaning is free, its reassembly that expensive LT”.

I hope you didn't do a full disassembly. That would be s jerk move. If that was just a field strip and he couldn't put it back together that would be embsrrassing for him. Lol

 

[LarryNBoise]

Have to have a business license and insurance in most states . Will it be worth it?

Plus an FFL license. Not sure if that has been mentioned, but once you touch someone else's gun to perform a service or modification for money, you are now in FFL territory. Now if you offered a self service ultrasonic bathhouse like a laundromat concept where the owners placed their gun parts in the basket and turned the machine on and waited for it, you would just be renting the use of the expensive ultrasonic cleaning machines. You could charge based on the size of the machine they required and duration set for cleaning. Of course they would use at their own risk breaking their own guns down. I would love to dump all my AR and Handgun parts in a large ultrasonic basket together and grab ear muffs waiting for the spin cycle, all the while surfing the web for new guns to add to my collection. . I cleaned a lot of M-16s in the military at the shooting range in those large Ultrasonics back in the early 70s. The sound was so deafening, it would rattle the fillings out of your teeth.

 

[Nomadic Paladin]

When I hear "side hustle", I'm not thinking you are open to the public, but working off of word of mouth and among people you know.
Not sure of this idea of needing an FFL to clean someone else's gun. I've done it a few times for friends. Of course I didn't charge. I just pointed out that I needed to test the firearm before cleaning. If you have a gun I haven't shot, a cleaning is worth a gun rental to me.

 

[Corndog]

Honestly, a slogan is a slogan.
I have read in several articles on reloading that you should fire 5-6 rounds after cleaning before testing any new loads, because the first few rounds will not be that accurate and the barrel has to "settle down" again after cleaning it.

I can tell you with certainty, a clean rifle is usually not at its best potential. I start my season off by cleaning my rifles. I then check zero. Both my M77 and No. 1 noticeably tighten up their groups after 3-4 rounds. At this point if it’s hitting correctly, I’m done. The rifle is put away with a dirty barrel and hunted with all season.

After the season is over, I clean them.

 

[jayhdavis]

I can tell you with certainty, a clean rifle is usually not at its best potential. I start my season off by cleaning my rifles. I then check zero. Both my M77 and No. 1 noticeably tighten up their groups after 3-4 rounds. At this point if it’s hitting correctly, I’m done. The rifle is put away with a dirty barrel and hunted with all season.

After the season is over, I clean them.

Just ask the bench rest shooters. They all fire fouling shots before shooting for group.

 

[notavegetarian]

Have some regular customers for this service, most new customers will bring in inheritance firearms, or something of that nature. For cleaning and safety check, some will bring in their new purchases of curios have seen a lot of them as we can dip them into the degreaser tanks for deep cleaning removal of heavy grease and contaminants.

 

[hiketheball]

Would it be advantageous to clean guns as an extra hustle? How many people do you think get others to clean their guns compared to how many really do it themselves? Not just a basic field strip but also removing the chassis and trigger assembly if need be. Barrel, chassis, frame etc... Would this be a good side hustle? Thanks.

Yes but you have to find the people who want this service.
Older shooters would be a group that would like this service.
Pricing is the tricky part. A LGS armorer charges $75 for cleaning because the armorer doesn't want to do that.
You will have to know about a lot of gun and you will have to get business insurance and probably a business license.