Dec 15, 2018 5 min read

That’s it, the 2018 rifle season is a thing of the past.

Your memories of the just-ended deer season might be good or might be bad, but unless you shot yourself in the foot there are no bad deer seasons.

If you are anything like me, then there are hunting clothes that need washed and rifles that need cleaned and put away in the safe. If it was indeed a two-week hunt, then you certainly got wet at some point and so did your firearms. Far too often I have seen rifles that were put into storage while still wet, then over the course of the year nature went to work on old Betsy and covered it with a coating of rust and a bit of pitting. Any moisture in the case it is placed in for protection can cause damage.

So, you say, you didn’t hunt while it rained and therefore you feel confident the rifle will continue to be pristine. Did you consider what happens when a piece of metal is moved from extreme cold into a warm game room? It is quickly covered with beading water. It is often referred to as sweat but it really is condensation. Whatever one calls it, moisture is what it is. Moisture causes rust. It is that sudden change that causes the problem. So how does one prevent this problem? I am not sure there is an entirely correct answer that suites everyone at all times.

Just taking the firearm to the coldest part of the house, instead of the warmest, helps. Farm houses used to have a mudroom, which was generally cool and made a great place to leave a cold rifle. Another little trick that helps is to place a gun in a carry case and leave the case in the car while hunting. Then you have a cold case and a cold gun – a perfect match. As you drive home, the car heats slowly, as does the case. Inside the case the rifle does the same. Slow warming prevents condensation. If the rifle is already sweating, you might as well wait until the temperatures equalize somewhat before wiping it off.

So now you are home after hunting with the rifle in the cold and it needs a good cleaning. Remember all of that condensation on the barrel and how it can cause damage? What about the condensation that appears inside? If the outer parts get wet too, then the action itself needs dried and lightly oiled. It’s the little things that get neglected and cause trouble. Slings, swivels and all the rest must be dried. Swivels are a good example as very few gun owners take time to clean and oil the swivels. Of course, it is the barrel that is most important to care for.

The barrel is of great importance to the performance of the firearm. Opinions vary as to the best method of cleaning but a simple method would be starting with a clean dry patch followed by a patch that is wet with a good solvent. I allow the now-wet bore to set for a while and then use a bronze brush of a proper size. Again, I let things set for about half an hour then run 8-10 patches through the barrel.

Unless impossible, all cleaning of the bore should be done from the breech with the use of a bore guide. The bore guide not only keeps the rod aligned with the bore but keeps patches from falling from the rod itself. I am often asked, what is the best bore cleaner? That, however, is a question I cannot answer. One thing that is certain, and that is many rifles are thought to be shot out but are only dirty. I have owned some that were still dirty after cleaning and require more than one scrubbing before that copper fowling was removed.

As I said at the beginning, everyone has an opinion on how to clean and how often to clean the barrel of a rifle. But my advice remains much like a public speech – keep it clean.

Don’t forget those entries need to be getting finished up for the George Block Conservation Scholarship. Hopefully, we will get more good entries. After last year we might be spoiled. But thanks to support from so many great businesses in the area we are preparing to do it again. Remember, any young person under the age of 18 living in Washington or Greene counties having done something for the environment, hunting, fishing or shooting can enter. I hope to see some of last year’s entrants trying again. Now that the season has ended more time is available to all of the parents to nudge those youngsters. They are the future of the sport and future conservation of the earth. If you need an entry and don’t have one, contact Mike Webber at 724-255-0593.