Do your hunting guns a favor,
Clean them now to prevent problems next season.
If you cherish your firearm and want it to
perform well on opening day next season, do not simply "put it away" now
that your hunting season is over. Even if you do it only once a year, the
end of the hunting season, especially for guns that will see little or no
use for months at a time, is an excellent time for its thorough cleansing
from muzzle to buttstock. It will ensure your gun is in tip top condition
the first time you uncase it for a practice session or to check its zero
before next years big hunt.
The most harmful culprit to a firearm's bore is metal fouling, from both
copper jacketed and lead bullets. Each time a gun is fired, these bullets
leave behind tiny, often microscopic metal fragments that over time, accumulate
and degrade a gun's inherent accuracy. Only a complete cleaning will rid
the bore of this fouling.
Regardless of how often you clean the barrel, doing so properly is the most
consideration. Before you do anything make absolutely sure that your gun
is completely unloaded. Use a heavy duty cleaning rod with rotating handle,
perhaps even a teflon coated rod for added protection against internal
scratching. Use jags, brushes and patches designed specifically for the diameter
of the muzzle to be cleaned, a solvent that removes copper fouling and a
cleaning rod guide to help channel the cleaning rod through the center of
the action so as not to harm the chamber and the throat (rod guides also
help prevent solvents from spilling into the action or on the butt-stock).
A gun vise or cradle that holds the firearm firmly in an upright position
will make any cleaning endeavor far easier.
Whenever possible, clean the firearm from the breech end. Bolt action and
break action rifles should always be cleaned from this end to prevent the
muzzle from being damaged at its crown. If your cleaning a revolver, an
autoloading firearm or any other action type that requires cleaning from
the muzzle, be sure to use a cleaning rod that can be fitted with a muzzle
guard attachment. This is a small brass attachment that slips down the cleaning
rod and provides rod guidance through the bore.
To begin cleaning the bore, attach a solvent soaked patch to the end of the
jag, and insert the rod through the chamber and into the barrel on bolt or
break action guns (or through the muzzle end as described above). After
channeling it through the entire length of the bore, remove the patch. (Do
not pull the patch through the bore.) The patch should be dirty with powder
residue and metal fouling. Next, place a clean, dry patch on a jag and follow
the previous procedure. This will remove any loose grime and fouling. Insert
another solvent soaked patch followed by a clean one. Continue this process
until a clean, dry patch comes through the bore.
Barrels with heavy amounts of fouling require a more thorough job. Start
by inserting a patch soaked with solvent and wait for 20-30 minutes, depending
on the directions given with the solvent. After the soaking period, run two
dry patches through the bore. If the second patch appears green or blue,
the barrel is fouled heavily with copper. Apply the same procedure as many
times as needed.
Bores with considerable copper or powder buildup generally require the use
of a bronze cleaning brush. Before using the brush swab the bore with two
solvent soaked patches. Then soak the brush in solvent, and scrub the entire
length of the barrel with even strokes. Make at least 10 passes with the
brush, and use plenty of solvent. Allow time for the solvent to penetrate
the fouling before trying the wet and dry patch procedure described above.
If fouling subsists, continue the process until a clean patch is rendered.
Cleaning the bore of a shotgun is far easier and can often be done with a
few brisk strokes with a specially designed cleaning rod such as a Tico
Tool.
Before you store your firearm, be sure to lightly coat the barrel, inside
and out with a thin coat of deep penetrating gun oil. This will inhibit rust
and help prevent fouling from reoccurring. (Before shooting the gun to practice
for next season remember to run two dry patches through the muzzle to rid
it of excess oil.)
Besides the bore, the action of a gun, especially on shotguns and revolvers,
must be free of dirt and residue to function properly. Any mechanical areas
of the action should be wiped clean with light oil on an otherwise dry rag.
Solvent can be used for tough buildup, but should be used sparingly on fine
finishes and wiped clean after use. Use a rag to remove grime from the chambers
interior as well. Some revolvers or autoloaders may require a bit of scrubbing
with a toothbrush or gun-cleaning brush to remove accumulated fouling or
dirt.
Finally, again wipe down all surfaces using a clean rag and light oil, including
wood stocks, which sometimes are neglected during hunting season. If the
removal or disassembly of parts, such as the trigger assembly or bolt is
required for a complete cleaning of hard-used guns and you do not feel confident
enough to do it yourself, search out a qualified gunsmith. Many offer a cleaning
service that takes little time and little cash.
Source: Guns & Ammo
© February 1999
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