Proper gun care and maintenance is a crucial, and often maligned part of owning a firearm. But whether you're a hobbyist or competitive shooter, knowing how to clean and store your gun will not only improve performance, accuracy and reliability when shooting, it will also attribute to the safety, longevity and day-to-day working of your weapon.
To kick things off, Waterman's give you our easy checklists and guides to cleaning and storing your gun in the best ways possible.
Gun Cleaning Checklist
#1. Always check your shotgun isn't loaded before you begin cleaning.
#2. Remove and clear away all loose ammunition around you to reduce the risk of hazards.
#3. Open the chamber before you begin cleaning.
#4. Do not remove your chokes - these features are designed to prevent dirt and debris from becoming embedded in the barrel threads, effecting the performance of your gun.
#5. Cleaning often occurs at the end of a season, which can be wet, so in this case make sure you properly dry your gun out. Remove the stock and fore-end, wiping the parts down to remove all surface drops and and dampness before leaving at room temperature to dry. Don't place near a fire, radiator or similarly concentrated heat as this could cause the wood to warp.
The action, barrels and other metal parts should be wiped dry and put into a hot room or airing cupboard to ensure all moisture evaporates completely from those hard to reach places. The barrels, once thoroughly cleaned should be oiled along with the action body and trigger which should sprayed with a small amount of Bisley gun oil aerosol protection spray.
Gun Storage Guide
#1. Follow our cleaning guide before placing your gun into storage to prevent any corrosion caused by a build up of dirt, debris and carbon deposits, which can all retain moisture.
#2. Oil all moving parts to ensure that moving parts like actions and bolts remain lubricated when in a static position for long periods of time.
#3. Wipe down the outside of the shotgun with our Silicone Gun Oil Aerosol Spray by Bisley. The oil spray works by creating a protective barrier against moisture and dirt which will not evaporate like mineral oils, preventing against the onset of rust.
#4. Place your shotgun in a storage cabinet or Rothery AC Shotgun Slip Case. Our storage cases come with a fully waterproof design and a dense yet soft fleece lining for complete security and protection when the weapon is out of use.
