Spring Cleaning
Sporting Shooter|May 2017

In the first of a new series from The Gun Shop, the team at Botley Mills take us through some gun maintenance essentials now the game season is over.

Spring Cleaning

The last elusive pheasants have finally found their roost for the spring; the partridges have nested down for the season; and the guns have fallen quiet... But alas, now is the time for action! Although you may be looking forward to some ‘quiet’ time and putting your feet up, there is still work to be done – now is the perfect time to get your guns in order and ready for next season.

Here at The Gun Shop, we have a close team of gun enthusiasts who are passionate about fieldsports and the promotion of responsible shooting. Our aim over this series is to bring you an insight into the world of gun care and gunsmithing through the eyes of our resident gunsmith, Jonny, and the rest of the team. You’ll follow us through various projects, learn what to look out for on your own guns, and how to care for them.

Spring cleaning (the end of the season)

Going from heavy usage straight to storage is not a realistic option for any gun. Although modern guns are generally considered indestructible –given that they have chrome barrels and coated actions – they really are not. Lack of cleaning and routine maintenance can lead to costly repairs further down the line, or worse, the gun failing while out shooting, making for a ruined day out. So please, give your guns some TLC!

Regardless of whether your guns are serviced by a gunsmith or not, the start of the procedure is the same: a routine clean. The following method is a fairly good guide of how to clean your gun after every shoot. Firstly, disassemble your gun into the three major components – barrels, fore-end and action – then follow these steps...

The barrels

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