The moment your tag is filled often comes down to months of preparation distilled into one critical shot. This level of confidence isn’t achieved on the fly; it’s earned through meticulous pre-season work. Preparing your rifle for hunting season is a ritual every ethical hunter should embrace.
This guide walks you through the practical steps to ensure your firearm is accurate, safe, and utterly reliable when the moment of truth finally arrives.
Pre-Season Deep Clean and Hardware Check
Reliability starts with a thorough cleaning. Over months in the safe, lubricants can thicken and even lightly oil parts can attract dust.
Deep Clean
Give your rifle a full breakdown. Use a quality solvent to clean the bore, pushing patches through until they come out clean. Clean the action and bolt, and then apply a very light coat of specialized lubricant—excess oil can gum up in freezing temperatures.
Safety Checks
While the stock is off for cleaning, inspect for any hidden grime or corrosion. Most importantly, check all hardware. Use a torque wrench to confirm your action screws, scope rings, and base screws are tightened to the manufacturer’s precise specifications. A loose optic mount is the number one cause of unexpected inaccuracy in the field.
Perfecting Ammo and Zero
A clean rifle is ready for the range, but a prepared rifle is sighted-in with the exact ammunition you plan to hunt with. Rifles are individuals, and a slightly different grain or brand can change your point of impact dramatically.
Ammo Selection
If testing new loads, fire three-shot groups from a stable rest for each brand to find your rifle’s preferred, tightest-grouping round.
Sighting-In
Always confirm your zero before the season opens. Start at 25 or 50 years to get “on paper,” then move to 100 yards. Fire three-shot groups, adjust your scope’s windage and elevation turrets to move the centre of your group to the bullseye, and repeat until you achieve consistency. For most Alberta hunting, zeroing 1 to 1.5 inches high at 100 yards will ensure ethical shots out to 200 yards without holdover.
Confidence and Maintenance
Sighting-in at bench rest is one thing; shooting accurately in the field is another. The final phase of preparation involves blending your rifle’s performance with your own readiness and the harsh realities of the hunting environment.
Practice FIeld Positions
Practice shooting from prone, kneeling, and off-shooting sticks or a backpack. When sighting in, fire a few final “fouling shots” with your hunting ammo to stabilize the barrel’s point of impact before you pack it away.
Weatherproofing
For wet Alberta conditions, seal your muzzle by stretching a small piece of electrical tape over the end—it won’t affect accuracy but will keep the bore dry and clean. You can even use chapstick to pack exposed screwheads to prevent moisture intrusion. This final attention to detail ensures your equipment will function flawlessly, allowing you to focus completely on the task of locating game and following the Alberta Hunting Regulations.
Your Final Confidence Check: Trust the Experts at Storm Mountain Outfitters
Heading out for the season should be a time of excitement, not anxiety over your gear. By following these essential preparation steps, you’ve done your part to ensure an ethical and successful season.
If you need new precision tools or advice on the perfect hunting scope, we’re here to help. Visit our Stettler location for expert assistance in preparing your rifle for hunting season, or contact us today.
