Member Article

Tips to clean your weapon

At the end of the season, we must not forget that our weapon requires some care before depositing it in the armorer. In this article, we tell you how to proceed to ensure that the mechanics of our weapon enjoy good health for much longer.

Periodically we have to check and [clean our shotgun] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09Z5Ho-4AP8) or our rifle, companions of so many hauls, in order to preserve its good condition and functioning. It is nothing new in the eyes of any hunter concerned about his weapon. At the end of a day of hunting with abundant fire, such as a lucky pigeon shooting or a haul to the rabbit at the time of descaste, the good opinion of each one should force us to draw the weapon in order to clean it. The most cautious and careful have acted like this before locking their shotguns in the gunsmith, others will have greased to prevent rust during the months of inactivity(especially those who live near the sea or in the countryside) and the laziest and carefree have kept it as it is, without even passing a ramrod through the canyon. The bad habits, in the long run, cost us expensive bills.

For example, if we forget that during the winter, when the steel in our barrels is cooled, metal condensation occurs, we will be consenting that they will easily bite, both on the outside and inside. For those who believe that security guards protect us from all evil, tell them that our weapons are not safe. The explanation is simple: by not circulating the air it is very easy also to rust the weapons and that one is surprised to remove them, even if not much time has elapsed. It is also not advisable to keep them inside the covers, especially if they are synthetic. My advice is to put some sachets of mineral salts in the gunsmith to absorb moisture and spray the gun with a spray type 3 in 1 or similar. Then, Let’s see what advice should be followed to keep our shotgun in perfect condition.

1)  The first thing we will do is dismount the weapon by removing the forearm and the cannon. We will pass a soft cloth, preferably cotton. I usually keep some old shirt for it. It is very important that you do not loose fluff, as it will come into contact with metal surfaces and even with wood to eliminate all the excess oil. If it leaves fluffs in contact with the weapon, when firing, these would burn leaving residues that could cause failures and interruptions. Eye, because most of the shotguns that are used for hunting are now semi-automatic and require a little more attention than parallel or overlapping, so we will have to carefully clean the gas recovery cylinder or boiler, as well as the bolt head and the extractor nail.

**2) For the cleaning of the barrel, it is convenient to use a stick with three different brushes. ** The stick should be fiber to avoid damaging the inside of the barrel with friction and flexible to facilitate the task. If we need to handle brushes we will have to know in which cases each one of them is used: if the cannon lodges a great amount of dirt it will be necessary to pass first a spiral metallic brush. By pushing it (from the side of the chamber towards the mouth) it will pick up and push the burned gunpowder residue out, for which you have to repeat the operation several times. Next, another brush with hard bristles is passed until all remaining powder is removed. If the waste does not go well, you can use some cleaning oil or a specific product for cleaning weapons. Once clean, the inside of the barrel is gently oiled and a third wool brush is used to shine and remove any excess oil.

**3) Most modern shotguns have interchangeable interior chokes that will also need some care. **You have to unscrew the one that is mounted on the barrel and carefully clean the passage of grooves, both the barrel and the choke and screw it back. It is very important that the choke is always threaded thoroughly, otherwise, the cannon could be irreparably damaged.

4) Another point that must be verified is the gas outlet nozzles that tend to become clogged with the burned gunpowder, and if they are covered, the automation will not work properly. It is also convenient to remove the spring that surrounds the ammunition store and clean it.

All this may seem a nuisance but the shotguns, some more than others, are very sensitive to dirt and it is worth spending a few minutes every now and then if we want them to last us and not leave us lying in the middle of a day of hunting. Source: http://www.theglocksights.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Reed cooper .