Thread: Firearm Maintenace

G'day Team,

I have not found any threads with this info so figured why not see what tips, tricks & learnings people have picked up over the years.

I've spent a fair bit of time combing youtube and other forums/websites. One of the better videos I watched was this one here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlRHDZfccl0 'Forget the "gun cleaning" stuff - You're cleaning steel'.


I know the basics. No oil left in the barrel before shooting and only a minimal amount of oil ever.

I'm wondering how often/necessary a full disassembly, wipe everything, minimal oil, put back together should be done .. if at all?

I've got an old browning trombone takedown - I'd assume a deep clean on an old rifle will help preserve it. Can't find a manual online in English.

Also.. how many people soak a silencer in fuel.. and have you ever had any problems?

Looking forward to hearing how you operate.

Cheers,
Pat

First thing I see is the reference to steel - can cause an issue as we need to be careful with the stock, components of different materials and especially trigger and bedding material which often takes a very dim view of being exposed to bore cleaning chemicals. Alloy and brass especially can be fussy about chemicals despite the reputation for metal being impervious.

I use a bore guide and have something in the action to catch any spilled chemical. Also, I only go from chamber to muzzle if I can - sometimes it's not an option but it's always better to keep the crap going forwards and out than into the chamber. With copper solvents, don't use a brass jag or bore brush as the chemical will eat that too and give you a false blue reading. Them things are spendy too...

A good thread that will no doubt be flooded with suggestions, I am kept pretty busy with gun repairs etc. and would have to say that a large number of the jobs are related to maintenance (or the lack thereof), so a few suggestions to kick things.

All guns benefit (at least once a year - depending on use and conditions used in) from a total strip down, clean and re-lube

Stainless steel guns DO need to be cleaned and maintained (not all of the internal parts are stainless). I had a Tikka here last week where the firing pin had rusted up solid inside the bolt.

Shotguns (particularly O/U and side by sides) get water and crap ingress under the stock where you can't see.

Bolt actions need the bolts disassembling from time to time, a build up of crap can lead to soft strikes and misfires.

Very often missed is dismantle and cleaning of mags, particularly in 22s, a heap of problems are mag related.


Thats enough from me, let's see what you other learned gents can add. :-)

All makes sense, thanks @Fssprecision... but really not looking forward to stripping down my Winchester Model 88...

Originally Posted by Fssprecision

A good thread that will no doubt be flooded with suggestions, I am kept pretty busy with gun repairs etc. and would have to say that a large number of the jobs are related to maintenance (or the lack thereof), so a few suggestions to kick things.

All guns benefit (at least once a year - depending on use and conditions used in) from a total strip down, clean and re-lube

Stainless steel guns DO need to be cleaned and maintained (not all of the internal parts are stainless). I had a Tikka here last week where the firing pin had rusted up solid inside the bolt.

Shotguns (particularly O/U and side by sides) get water and crap ingress under the stock where you can't see.

Bolt actions need the bolts disassembling from time to time, a build up of crap can lead to soft strikes and misfires.

Very often missed is dismantle and cleaning of mags, particularly in 22s, a heap of problems are mag related.


Thats enough from me, let's see what you other learned gents can add. :-)

Yeah, that is interesting, I have run stainless Tikas for a fair while now, never been an issue. Pulled them out for a clean tonight after getting home and found rust in the action where the lugs slide back and forth.

No idea why as I have not changed the way I clean, was not in a saline environment, can't think of anything that may have changed to cause it to happen.

It wipes off easy enough, but still, why?

Originally Posted by bjp

All makes sense, thanks @Fssprecision... but really not looking forward to stripping down my Winchester Model 88...

I will let you into a secret, you don’t alway have to totally disassemble, sometimes I get them to a certain stage then use an ultrasonic cleaner…… most don’t have one though.

Greg Duley did a great run down on cleaning your semi a few moons ago. Very informative.

Most clogging and dust accumulation comes from too much oil. The Winchester 88 is not an easy gun to disassemble and reassemble unless you are well versed in it. Pull the action from the stock every couple of years and wipe it all over with an oily rag and lightly spray some CRC over the bolt. That and correct barrel cleaning should be all that is needed to last for many years. Similar attention to any centrefire rifle will suffice. Don't get into trying to correct non-existent problems.

for past years and I mean years it has been Remington oil for all bar the bore then only after a solvent hoppes no9 after firing leave overnight and once rags clean then remingtion oil to store and I have had no problems those two products have been my go to for years and I dont see any need to change - for an over night trip I carry a little cannister of break free and will put a pull thru of that in overnight to protect barrel and then dry rag in morning job done - CRC and its equivalents only used to touch up rust spots on firearms I am restoring

Compressed air has been so useful over the years for cleaning firearms and parts, with other cleaning degreasing agents, that I forget that not everyone has a compressor. Really, they are so cheap these days- everyone needs one.

Originally Posted by 00buck

Compressed air has been so useful over the years for cleaning firearms and parts, with other cleaning degreasing agents, that I forget that not everyone has a compressor. Really, they are so cheap these days- everyone needs one.

so long as the compressor is blowing clean air and has a water filter on it otherwise one can blow water vapour thru parts

Originally Posted by Fssprecision

A good thread that will no doubt be flooded with suggestions, I am kept pretty busy with gun repairs etc. and would have to say that a large number of the jobs are related to maintenance (or the lack thereof), so a few suggestions to kick things.

All guns benefit (at least once a year - depending on use and conditions used in) from a total strip down, clean and re-lube

Stainless steel guns DO need to be cleaned and maintained (not all of the internal parts are stainless). I had a Tikka here last week where the firing pin had rusted up solid inside the bolt.

Shotguns (particularly O/U and side by sides) get water and crap ingress under the stock where you can't see.

Bolt actions need the bolts disassembling from time to time, a build up of crap can lead to soft strikes and misfires.

Very often missed is dismantle and cleaning of mags, particularly in 22s, a heap of problems are mag related.


Thats enough from me, let's see what you other learned gents can add. :-)

Thanks for sharing some of what you know @Fssprecision, I think thats the best one as of yet. If you've got anything to add I'm sure others will appreciate it as much as I do.

Have you done much rifle bluing?

I seem to have inherited a lot of old worn firearms, all with good bores. I think a new blue would really sort the majority of them out.

I've got some time at the moment with a broken neck and plan to start with my grandads old air rifles.. then progress to my old mans side by side ( I think this is the best progression in terms of ease ) before moving to a 22wm bolt action - then the browning trombone.. this one holds the most sentimental and I've hopefully honed my skills by this stage.

I'll finish with a WWII 303 and a rem 700 300WM from the 60's , I'm having some trouble with the 3 + 1 mag and might have some learning over the next few months to help fix that up. Otherwise I'm thinking of trying 2 get a magazine installed (safer) It Looks a beaut at the minute, original wooden stock. Tempted to sell it, I don't think the kick is any good for my shoulder post surgery.

Online I'm seeing cold bluing, hot bluing, rust bluing and who knows there's probably some blue bluing & red redding out there.. If anyone has experience in this field, please share.

Hoping to find some affordable options, from what I've gathered the cold option could be best.

Cold blueing is just a quickly-wearing surface coating, nothing more than a lick and a promise. Hot blueing is the industry standard for the past 80 years. Rust blueing is the original method that is slow and expensive to do but durable with a slight matt finish. For what you pay for what you get, hot blueing is the best but still at least $200 if done properly and more if surface prep is required.

I have blued steel and wooden stock hunting rifles. They get stripped and lightly oiled after every hunt, with a light gun oil coating down the barrel as well for storage. Nothing fancy.

I see your handle of 3 bailers and sigh...oh shit another pighunter cruel to firearms. I've met a few who believe hunting in the rain is how n when a rifle gets cleaned!!!! I used BreakFree CLP through bore. One wet,two dry then final lightly wet patch on Speer jag. Outside gets oily rag whiped all over. And blood spots,soon become rust spots so good look while whipeing down to get rid of any.if I've been near seawater,the gun comes out of cabinet three days later and it's shocking when you see the bits you missed covered in fine red rust. Good oily rag going over again fixes that.