Gun Maintenance
How Often Do You Clean Your Gun?
Many hunters neglect to clean their firearms. The reason is in their mind it has to be a whole day project involving soaked patches and push rods, screwdrivers and oil. It is a chore to take apart your firearms after every use so many just don't do it.
I get it, I don't want to come home from a day of hunting only to spend the next several hours cleaning my rifle or shotgun. Especially if I am excited about the meat I brought home. My mind is onto preparing a fresh dinner!
The good thing about firearms is that they are built to last, and last they will! How many of you are using your fathers, or even your grandfathers hand-me-down rifle or shotgun? Even with a little maintenance you can prolong the use of your firearm.
I have a .22 that I have used since I was younger. It is my trusted small game rifle that I have taken into the field countless times and it still works great. The stock has scratches and nicks, but everyone of them was earned and I am proud of. Most experienced hunters that I know have a favorite hunting rifle or shotgun and it may not be the prettiest, most shiny, same one that they show off to their friends, but it is always the first they grab when they go out the door. Nine times out of ten it is a beat up old gun, but it is their gun. Why? Because it has proven itself.
So what is the point that I am making? You don't need to polish the gun every time you come home. Did you know that the first swap of a barrel with a solvent soaked patch removes up to 90% of the residue? All the scrubbing and swabbing you do after that removes the remaining 10%. Don't get me wrong, you should clean your guns thoroughly at least once or twice a season and especially right before you store it when the season is closed, but you don't need to do it every time. Just a quick cleaning of the barrel is enough to keep the gun working well.
If I am hunting in rain, snow, or dusty conditions where particles or moisture can make their way into the gun, then I will take the stock off and check the action to make sure I get all the moisture or dust out from all nooks and crannies. But that is followed up with a quick couple swabs of the barrel with a patch or two and that is it. If you are meticulous about your gun and you do clean it every time it goes in the field, great! Keep up the good work. But if you are like most hunters who put it off time and again, remember that a little cleaning is better than none at all.
