If you hunt then you know just how expensive a good rifle can be, so you better maintain it. Most people tend to treat their rifles like their children, locking them in safe. To be serious though they are expensive and need to be maintained in order to make your hunt go as smoothly as possible.
You may find yourself hunting in less than ideal conditions. Sometimes in the snow, rain, or whatever other conditions mother nature decides to dump on you. It’s up to you to be prepared for everything and having a clean gun is the best way to do that. The last thing any hunter would want to happen to them is to have their gun misfire in the middle of a huge opportunity.
If your rifle is cleaned regularly then you won’t need to worry about any of this. However, it’s up to you to make sure it’s clean all the time and especially if you go out hunting.
The enemy of all guns is moisture, which you get from water, condensation, snow melting, etc. If you let the moisture accumulate on your gun then it can lead to rust. The other big thing to watch out for is carbon residue from firing your gun.
The carbon will lead to big problems if it’s not cleaned right away. The most important thing you can do for your gun is to use the best gun cleaning kit you can find. You can find a gun cleaning kit at most sporting stores and they are very inexpensive. They come with a variety of different items inside, which we’ll take a look at.
The first and most important thing you need is a cleaning rod with a variety of different size brushes. These bronze brushes are included in all gun cleaning kits and allow you to remove all the carbon build up in your barrel and bore.
Simply spray the cleaning CLP gun spray on your bronze brush and run it down the barrel to remove anything. The next most important tool in your gun cleaning kit will be a bore snake. A good bore snake kit is used to quickly clean your gun when you’re in a pinch. You can watch some youtube videos on bore snakes if you don’t know how to use them but they’re pretty easy.
Choose the best gun cleaning solvent is the next most important thing you’re going to want. Most solvents aren’t included in a universal gun cleaning kit, so you will have to purchase it separately for a few dollars. Don’t skimp out on this item because without it you will have a difficult time cleaning your guns.
Routine Rifle Cleaning
To be honest it doesn’t really matter which gun solvent or grease you use to clean your gun. There are a thousand different brands but they all do pretty much the same thing.
When cleaning any rifle be sure to wear some cheap plastic surgical gloves. The moisture on your fingers can linger on the gun and become impossible to remove. You can purchase a box of 100 from your local pharmacy for a few dollars.
The first step when you sit down to clean your rifle is to make sure it’s unloaded. All of the ammo should be in the other room as well just in case. You should generally clean your guns in a locked room where nobody can come in and mess with your gear.
The last thing you want is a kit coming in and screw everything up. The amount of cleaning you want to do on your rifle depends on you. Some people like to take the time to really disassemble it and get in their with a good gun vise to make sure they hit every area.
Break out your gun cleaning kit and go to work, making sure everything is clean before you hunt.
The amount of cleaning you’re doing also depends a lot on the type of ammo you use. If you’re using some kind of Russian surplus ammo then you may find your self-doing some extra hard labor.
The corrosive ammo will deposit more carbon than any other type of ammo. The biggest tip I can give you is to use as much spray as possible. The CLP should be sprayed directly into the barrel and onto the cleaning patches. You can even let it soak for a few minutes to make everything easier to clean.
Follow Frank on Twitter @GunCleaningHQ and check out his site at Gun Cleaning HQ.
