There’s an old adage I’m fond of using, “Firearms only have two enemies–rust and politicians.” I’ve written extensively about the difficulties the latter pose in this space previously. Today, a little about the rust.
When the snow is deep outside your window, it’s easy to get cabin fever. Although there is still a season open for rabbits, grouse, and the never ending quest for coyotes, most hunters are spending their time right now sitting on the couch watching the latest offerings on the Outdoor Channel. There are some die hard anglers who will wet a line in the coldest days of winter, but I’m not normally one of those people.
I have found some activities which will pass the time. Each year, I set a day–normally a Saturday afternoon/evening. I gather up every gun in the house and carry them carefully to the garage. I set up the gun vise, uncork various bore cleaners and solvents, open a brand new pack of patches, and get busy.
You should clean a gun ever time you shoot it. The absolute best time is while the barrel is still hot. I have friends who swab the barrel at the shooting range after every shot to remove the fresh powder residue. I’m not quite that dedicated. However, after each hunting trip I do wipe it off and run a swab through the barrel if I fired a shot. If you’re in the market for a reliable mat, you can find the best cleaning mat Amazon has to offer with just a few clicks.
The winter time cleaning is where I get detailed. I remove the bolt or other detachable apparatus. I often remove the barrel from the stock to attack any moisture which may have worked its way under the barrel at one time or another.
Use a quality solvent. There are several on the market and if you need help ask the guy at the sporting goods store to offer you some advice. Follow the instructions on the bottle. Most will have you thoroughly soak the inside of the barrel and brush it. Then let the solvent sit for five to ten minutes to loosen the built-up residue. Run patches through the barrel until they come out clean. Patches are cheap, new barrels aren’t.
I usually take the triggers apart and any other mechanisms and clean them thoroughly. Be extra careful. Remember every part and where it goes, otherwise it’s an expensive trip to the gunsmith to fix what you “fixed.”
Never leave a heavy coating of oil on your gun. Wipe it down with a soft rag to soak up any excess oil.
One other suggestion was offered to me by a gunsmith. Always use a one piece cleaning rod. The rods which come with compact gun cleaning kits typically screw together. They tend to come unscrewed as they run though the rifling and the separation between sections can cause nicks in the rifles.
Doing this once a year ritual will protect your firearms for many years to come. With proper care, firearms will last several lifetimes.