Any gun needs proper care. Everyone knows this, but not many people have an idea about how to clean a gun correctly and what tools and lubricants to use. Unfortunately, ignorance of the rules and sequence of care can end badly for the system and individual parts of the gun.
Causes of Contamination of Guns
The first cause of contamination is carbon deposits left after a shot from a gun. It is formed during the combustion of smoke powders at the time of the shot. If you do not remove the smoky coating in time, there is a risk that it will turn into growths and it will be impossible to use a gun. In addition, soot has the ability to attract moisture, due to which rust can form.
Professional hunters use weapons regularly, so the gun always contacts with dust, dirt, moisture, which are constant companions in the forest and other areas.
If there is no time for proper care, clean the barrel itself. This is the most vulnerable point of the gun because it is subject to the effects of gunpowder and hot gases all the time.
There is no universal rule for everyone on how to properly clean a gun, but even a beginner must know the basic principles of this procedure.
Gun Lubrication
Lubricant for a gun is of primary importance. The absence of corrosion depends on gun lubrication. It will not be a discovery for you that after hunting, you need to immediately clean the gun, since the oxidation processes start instantly, and the barrel of the weapon begins to rust. Therefore, next, we will discuss a must-have event that every person must carry out at regular intervals.
How to Lubricate a Gun
Each metal part of a hunting rifle requires lubrication with special weapon oil. A special place in this process is occupied by gun barrels, which are lubricated with an abundant amount of lubricant.
Several types of oil for lubricating the gun should be distinguished, which must be used so that the gun is in good condition for many years.
Before cleaning the bore, the most suitable oil, which can help remove traces of soot and lead, is alkaline oil for cleaning hunting rifles. This oil should be applied abundantly into the bore after removing carbon deposits with a standard rag. The barrel of the gun coated with alkaline oil must be put on for 30 minutes so that the lead or soot begins to collapse.
After that, you can quite easily remove the residue of soot from the bore. The end of this event is the thorough removal of alkaline oil from the trunks. The most suitable for such purposes is neutral weapon oil. This oil is used to preserve the gun for a long period during the off-season or as a daily lubricant. It is necessary to renew the grease of the gun with neutral oil once a month to maintain a normal level of grease, which ensures the safety and protection of your weapon from corrosion.
Necessary Items to Clean a Gun
If you are not an expert in choosing care products, it is better to consult a more experienced friend or consultant in the store. A gun care kit, whether it is hunting or sporting, may vary. It depends on the manufacturer, but some professional shooters ignore the standard rules and select items based on their experience and preferences. Also, differences in tools and materials may be depending on the type of weapon, model, etc. The standard set includes:
- A wooden or aluminum ramrod, consisting of 2-3 segments for cleaning and lubricating the barrel;
- An iron brush for cleaning carbon deposits, metal particles, and rust;
- Brass brush with bristles for applying alkali-based lubricants;
- Brushes for cleaning dirt and dust;
- Wood skewers to remove dirt in hard to reach places.
Gun paste is also used. It acts as a neutralizer of the active combustion products of gunpowder, removes carbon deposits, fights corrosion, and restores the luster of varnished and metal surfaces. However, since the paste contains abrasive particles in its composition, careless use can lead to damage to the bore. It is better to use pastes in the most advanced cases when other means do not work.
There are additional tools: wax, solvents, impregnation for caring for wooden parts, etc.
The main thing is the correctness and phasing of the process. In addition to the above devices, you can purchase a special stand for the gun and other accessories. You will also need a flat, well-lit surface.
How to Clean a Gun From Rust
The formation of rust has a more negative effect on the performance of a rifled barrel than a smooth bore. In addition to corrosion, the steel surface can be damaged by lead or copper plating. The greater the initial speed of the bullet, the faster your gun becomes rusted. It is impossible to exclude such unnecessary formations, but the speed of their appearance can be significantly reduced. To do this, you have to properly and regularly protect and clean weapons. The rifled gun must be cleaned after each firing process.
Rust inside the gun
To avoid rust, you can wipe the gun in a timely manner from moisture, dew, precipitation, condensate, etc. Corrosion stains are eliminated by cleaning with metal brushes, dampened with plenty of water in anhydrous kerosene or another solvent. Old rust can be removed in the following manner:
- The trunk is tightly plugged with a wooden stopper on one side;
- Kerosene is poured from another hole;
- The second hole is also closed with a stopper;
- After 24 hours, the kerosene is drained, and the barrel is cleaned with a brush.
If the rust remains, the barrel should be filled with dehydrated kerosene and left for 24 hours again. After this time, the cleaning procedure is repeated. Such manipulations are carried out 3-4 times until the rust completely disappears.
Rust outside the gun
The rust that has appeared outside the gun is removed with kerosene compresses. Such processing is effective but very harmful to the weapon, so it is better not to run it too often. You can protect the gun from the formation of corrosion using medical glue BF-2. You can do this in the following manner:
- The gun is washed with a strong and hot soda solution;
- Wash the barrel inside with the same water using a ramrod and a nozzle with a puff;
- Using a cloth swab dipped in glue, process the necessary places on the outside and, if necessary, inside. You can apply 2-3 layers, waiting until the previous one dries.
Such protection lasts up to two years, depending on the frequency of use of the weapon. It is important not to touch the gun with your hands, so as not to leave greasy marks on the surface.
Lead cleaning
It is necessary to clean the gun from the lead so that the barrel does not corrode. A barrel with a rough surface due to shells or rust is screwed much faster. Smoothbore guns are cleaned with a metal brush made of thin wire or a spiral wire nozzle. If the lead does not move well, replace the oil with turpentine. By using plastic containers or wrapping the shot with paper, the lead of the barrel can be reduced.
In rifled weapons, cleaning of lead is done tightly wound on a ramrod tow soaked in turpentine. The procedure is repeated until plaque ceases to remain on the material. A heavily leaded barrel is pre-cleaned with a brass brush. After cleaning, the gun is wiped as after normal shooting.
Copper-plating is eliminated with the following solution:
- Ammonium sulfate 28 g;
- Ammonium carbonate 13 g;
- Ammonia solution (ammonia water) 170 g;
- Distilled water 100 g.
First, mix the first two components, then the last two components. The liquid components should be added to the powders, and then mixed well. Ammonium sulfate and carbon dioxide must be crushed smaller.
Before cleaning, the bore should be dried. The barrel from the chamber side is closed with a rubber stopper, and a rubber tube is put on the barrel so that 4-6 cm of rubber tube remains over the muzzle. After that, the prepared solution is poured into the barrel without reaching approximately 3 cm above the muzzle and left for half an hour. The blue color of the solution indicates that copper is dissolving.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we want to advise you to love and take care of your gun. And it will answer you with reliable operation of the mechanisms and well-aimed shots on the hunt and long service. Remember that caring for a hunting rifle is a process that starts when you buy a gun and does not end until you stop using it. Careful attitude to the gun will extend its service life, and it will not let you down at the most crucial moment. Did you like this article? Feel free to share your ideas and thoughts in comments. Also, share this article with your friends if you liked it.
I carried a BERSA .380 Thunder for about 7 years and that thing was rusted beyond belief. I’ve since sold that and moved onto a Ruger EC9S which started rusting after about 6 months carrying. I caught it in time to brush the surface rust off the slide before any pitting occurred. I used a brass bore brush and lightly brushed the rust off which worked well. Its a good idea to look over your carry weapon every few weeks to avoid issues like this.