Firearms Care - An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

• Keep your firearms covered when not in use. This is as simple as having a basic assortment of soft and hard gun cases designed for different situations. When traveling to and from hunts for longer distances, or in particularly rough conditions, a hard case provides maximum protection against dents and scratches and could save a scope or barrel from being bent or knocked out of alignment. Soft cases come in handy for short truck or boat rides. When used properly, cases also protect against unwanted moisture and grime. Look for cases that are lined with moisture-resistant materials that cushion against hard blows.
• Think prevention, not cure. Protect your firearms before you spot signs of rust or abrasion damage. Keep silicone-impregnated cloth wipes with your field gear and in each of your gun cases, and wipe exteriors clean after every hunt. Use a bore light after each hunt to check for excessive fouling or moisture in the barrel or the threading of your shotgun's chokes. In addition to lighting the way during the hunt, a pen light can serve as a field-grade bore light to check your barrels in the field.
• Treat emergencies immediately. If you drop a firearm in mud or water, don't wait until after the hunt to address the problem. Stop and clean the gun as best you can right where you are. Dirty guns can jam and become permanently damaged or even injure the hunter. Wet guns can rust or corrode quickly, particularly in salt water, or can freeze up when you need them most. Even tiny particles of dirt in the barrel can damage rifling lands and grooves, which affects accuracy. A simple field cleaning kit available in most sporting goods stores and catalogs will fit in a coat pocket and could save the hunt.
• Let your firearms breathe each night. Don't slide your long gun into its case after each hunt and then forget about it. Even tiny amounts of moisture you didn't see can cause damage overnight. After each hunt, uncase your firearm, wipe it down, run the bore if necessary, and then let it air dry for several hours just as you do your boots and gloves after a long day.
  
  

• Schedule an overhaul. Even if you do it only once a year, dismantle each firearm completely and give it a detailed cleaning. Following your instruction manual directions, remove stocks from actions, barrels from receivers, and bolts, slides and triggers from actions. Then start cleaning. Clean each part separately and thoroughly, looking for any signs of rust or excessive wear. Keep toothpicks and Q-Tips handy to remove grime from crevasses and small, inaccessible spaces in the action, but make sure you don't leave any cotton lint from the Q-Tips behind to attract moisture or grime. Again, a light coat of oil or silicon-based lubricant wiped until dry to the touch will help protect your firearms while stored.
• Remember the furniture. Many firearms owners clean the metal parts of their guns, yet ignore their wood stocks, which can dry out or even crack over a period of years just like the furniture in your home. To prevent this damage, first inspect your wood stocks and check for signs of drying or cracking, which will need to be repaired immediately. Next, oil your wood stocks once each year or as necessary with a high-quality, non-staining wood oil. Your wood stocks will retain their beauty and function much longer. As with oil on metal, don't overdo it. Rub the wood oil in carefully and thoroughly, but don't leave a wet film on the stock. Finally, make sure your stocks are dry and clean before applying oil. Oiling a wet stock could trap moisture in the wood.
• Store carefully. Not every closet or basement corner is appropriate for storing firearms. Find a cool, dry area in your home to place your gun cabinet or vault and store your unloaded firearms inside. When possible, store your guns uncased so they can breathe, and use commercially available dessicants (drying agents) to help dry the air in your cabinet or vault. These dessicants range from chemical canisters to low-voltage metal rods that dry the air efficiently when placed inside your cabinet or vault, and can be purchased from many retailer's catalogs and some stores.