Are you a hunter? Do you own firearms? If so, it’s important to clean and maintain them. What are some tips for doing so?
Before Cleaning
Before cleaning or maintaining a firearm you need to make sure it’s unloaded. Once it’s properly unloaded then it’s time to disassemble your gun. You can check the manual for guidance.
Pay special attention to the action and bore. You can use bore solvent to help remove fouling and/or residue. If you’ve got dirty bores, use a brass brush and solvent patches to clean them. Don’t forget to get some gun oil to help protect the bore(s). As for the gun’s action, you can use a toothbrush and gun oils (in a spray bottle) to clean those “hard-to-reach” places.
While Cleaning
Do you notice any rust on the exterior of the bore? Put some corrosion protection on it. Do you notice dirt on the stock? Use a toothbrush to get rid of that dirt. Wipe it down with a damp cloth afterward.
It’s always a good idea to visually inspect your firearm(s), looking for anything unusual like cracks or pits. If you’ve had issues with jamming or misfires, perhaps take the gun to a gunsmith for a professional adjustment or repair.
A good way to maintain your firearms is to store them in a safe and secure place such as a gun cabinet or a locked safe. Make sure to store firearms in a dry place– you don’t want to store them in padded gun cases if you can avoid them, since they can trap moisture over time. You want to store firearms in areas that don’t suffer from temperature extremes or high humidity.
Before storing guns “‘til next season,” make sure to remove (and clean) slings, removable magazines and/or accessories. This will help avoid corrosion.
Do you have firearms and want to use them? Looking for a good place to hunt? Tioga Ranch in PA is the place! Call 570-835-5341 for more information.