doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How often do you clean your guns?

That typewritten note is clearly the first known example of the use of a typewriter!

Why don't we come back to cleaning guns?

I started this thread because I realized that my guns haven't left the safe in three years. Been thinking whether I ought to run a few oily rags through the barrels or they can just as way wait until the next use, whenever it may be...

Flintfan, I concur all are soiled by the reality of life

That said, the reaction was to a particularly innane letter to an editor about what was sporting

I clean my guns every time I use them, they often come out of the
Cabinet for a quick check over and a wipe when not in use too.
My work tools are all in good order and clean aswell but everything else I own is usually, wrinkled , rusty or lost.
For the record, I have never shot an Indian, African or a Dubliner(yet) saying that, I'm a Welshman. So do Zulus count ?

Whenever they need it and whenever I need it. Quiet time.

To Mike's point and others, guns probably should be wiped down every other year or so if properly dehumidified in a safe. For me this includes running Breakfree CLP down the barrels or similar.

Unless you are really storing for a number of years, this should be sufficient.

I also put Napier NP90 in the container for guns, musical instruments and tools.

Guns that have not been used are still wiped down, and bores oiled, two to three times a year. The guns are stored in a safe with a dehumidifier. I live in the humid mid-atlantic and bad things can happen quickly. My guns look great.

When you do clean your shotgun, do you keep going until the barrel patches come out 100% clean?

OR, do you just clean until the bore is shiny, and the patches still sjow some discoloration.

Unless I plan to store the shotgun for a long period, I usuall do the latter (good enough?).

If I want the bores to be 100% spotless, I leave bore cleaner in overnight, and finish the next day. Probably not necessary, and perhaps OCD...

I get them till the patches come clean and then I store them muzzle inclined down so no excess oil gets in the wood.