How often do you clean and lube your O/U and SxS ?

[sillymike]

The BSS thread got me wondering...

• Is anyone else taking their O/U and SxS out hunting in inclement weather?
• How often do you take them apart for a clean and lube job?

Personally, I kind of like to go out hunting on rainy days, just I kind of like going out hunting when it snowing outside... Sure, I also like going out hunting with it's sunny... or cloudy... and cool days are fun... and warmer days are still enjoyable... but that's beside the point.

The shotguns will get a complete strip and clean job at least once a year, and after any days spent in the rain.
- If I had to take them down to a smith to have them cleaned, I'd probably be broke by now.

 

[canvasback]

I also hunt with my SxS in inclement weather. I clean my gun after every hunt.

If it got wet (not that often) or it was cold out and moisture condenses on it, I do two things. I make sure I keep it out of cases as much as possible. Ie only when traveling. And the moment I am in for the night, wherever that may be, I place the gun near (not on) a heat source. I want all the metal to warm to well above room temp. Warm to the touch. But not hot. Kept warm, whatever moisture may have found its way into nooks, crannies and the action will find its way out. Once warm and dry I give the gun a wipe with my oily gun rag.

 

[straightshooter]

I'll hunt and shoot in drizzle or light rain, but I don't do either in the rain. Thunderstorms tend to be accompanied by high winds so, in addition to the issue of waving a metal pipe around in lightning conditions, scores suffer too. I don't hunt waterfowl because I eat what I hunt and I don't like duck or geese much. For these reasons, my guns don't often get wet. When they do, I strip them down and dry them out thoroughly, ASAP.

After the hunting season every year, I inspect all my firearms. Those that were used that season get a full strip, clean, and adjust or repair if needed. I have a database of my firearms wherein I document all the details concerning each gun and it's maintenance history. (What my database doesn't contain is any information regarding when or from/to whom they were acquired/sold.)

 

[guntech]

I used to hunt in sleet... my double would have snow in the rib after hunting. Alway wiped off, warmed up and treated with G96. The wood fit was good enough to keep snow out and the interior was already treated with G96 so a further strip down was only done once a year.

 

[sillymike]

+1 on warming them up...

I place the gun near (not on) a heat source. I want all the metal to warm to well above room temp. Warm to the touch. But not hot. Kept warm, whatever moisture may have found its way into nooks, crannies and the action will find its way out. Once warm and dry I give the gun a wipe with my oily gun rag.

+1

Compressed air to blow some of it off... or the wife's air dryer...

 

[Falconflyer]

I’m not against shooting in the rain or drizzle but since I’m from Alberta we seldom get the chance to!

I generally shoot between 100 and 300 rounds a day at sporting clays and I wipe the grease out of the receiver and relube with fresh grease every time. I also wipe the metal with an oily rag to get rid of finger prints and dust, not enough oil so it runs into the wood though. Bug spray and or sunscreen get wiped off the wood with a warm cloth. Every thousand rounds or so I pull the trigger, spray it down with solvent, dry and relube. Barrels get plastic wad buildup cut out with a brass chore boy scouring pad chucked up in a drill a couple times a year and about once a year the firing pins get pulled for cleaning, inspection and relube.
Hunting guns get a lot less attention just because they aren’t getting the same volume but they get cleaned and relube if they didn’t get wet and a tear down if they did.

 

[Denver Steve]

I'm pretty sure most avid Canadian duck/goose hunters just pour some of their pilsner into the action/bore/trigger assembly when stuff starts to gum up a bit on them because of the weather...lol

 

[Blackcats]

After every outing , rain or shine . But there again retired (think I spelled that right) so have lots of time on my hands .

 

[iron cat]

Mine get cleaned , hinged areas lubed and wiped off after every day , at the range or on a hunt .
If it is cold and wet they get brought to room temperature first
Cat

 

[sillymike]

Speaking of cleaning... A number of years ago I kind of bought one of those Otis cleaning pull-through shenanigan (it had a broken latch, and was in the discount bin for really not much $). I figured it could come handy as a leave-it-in-the-truck kind of thing.

Next thing you know, I really kind of like it!
- OK, I'm not a high volume shooter... After an average hunting days, I only have to wipe-out the powder residue from a handful of shots... but still, I really like how good of a job that rubbery thing does.

 

[Shovel]

Do you run a clean patch through before hunting? I dont. I put mine away with a light coat of oil in the bore and action. If I dont shoot I'm not worried about cleaning

 

[brybenn]

I clean my beretta gassers every 500 to 1000 rounds. If they get wet I just strip them and spray g96 and wipe off and reassemble
They're my choice for waterfowl hunting from my kayak so they get wet
As for my doubles it's much the same. Take them down and g96 and wipe off.
I had a baikal sxs for Lil over 20 years and put over 85 000 rnds thru it and I've never touched the inside of the action. Just g96 on the outside of the action and the barrels. The bluing has faded and the forearm latch is sharp as a razor but it's still tight on face and functions fine.
I never store my guns in cases when wet. I had a mossberg rust and pit from spending only 9 hours in a case after a misty hunt. It wasn't really raining just a really fine mist. Lessons learned. Mossberg has a horrible finish and don't put wet guns in cases.
My wet guns come home and spend time muzzle down in the gun room to come back to temp and then hit with g96

If I dropped a gun in the lake I'd tear it completely apart but for just hunting or shooting in the rain I think they're pretty resistant so the water doesn't get into the interior on my doubles. Fit and finish is just pretty good. It's my autos that have big gaps for water to get into so they get more attention

 

[hunter5425]

I clean mine after each outing with a complete breakdown ( butt removed) once a year, there's a reason so many used shotguns on intersurplus have pitted bores. I have a 102 year old Parker with pristine bores because the previous owner ( my wifes's great uncle) and I both take good care of the gun.

 

[sillymike]

Do you run a clean patch through before hunting? I dont. I put mine away with a light coat of oil in the bore and action. If I dont shoot I'm not worried about cleaning

Before, no.

After each outing, yes, both barrels. Regardless of shots fired (or not)

 

[Falconflyer]

Do you run a clean patch through before hunting? I dont. I put mine away with a light coat of oil in the bore and action. If I dont shoot I'm not worried about cleaning

Never.
If I’m putting a gun away for a while it will get a light coat of oil in the barrels but only if they aren’t chrome lined.

 

[XLNC]

This is generally how often I clean

- Wipe down barrels and stock after every use
- Grease and/or oil every 200-250 rds
- Clean barrels, chokes, ejectors, receiver and re-lube every 800-1000 rds
- Strip and remove stock to clean trigger, firing pins, etc every 10,000-12,000 rds

 

[Maritime Storm]

Was taught at an early age, shotguns do not go in the cabinet dirty. Rifles can, if it is hunting season and they were fouled when sighted in for the season and are to be cleaned at the end of the season or if wet.