Maintenance is the difference between a firearm that lasts a lifetime and one that fails when you need it most. After a long Alberta fall spent trekking through snow, sleet, and dust, February is the ideal time to give your rifles and shotguns the deep clean they deserve before they go back into storage for the season.
Follow these firearm cleaning & maintenance tips to ensure your gun is ready for the next hunting season.
The Post-Season Deep Clean
During the season, most hunters do a quick wipe-down, but the post-season requires a much more thorough approach. Start by completely field-stripping your firearm to access any carbon and copper buildup that’s accumulated in the action and barrel. Use a high-quality solvent to break down these deposits, and always clean from the breech to the muzzle to protect the crown of the barrel from damage. Ensuring the bore is clean now prevents pitting and loss of accuracy during the off-season.
Combatting Rust
Our local climate in Alberta can be tricky; moving a cold rifle into a warm house creates condensation, which is the primary catalyst for rust. That makes firearm cleaning and maintenance tips for rust prevention some of the most important we can share.
Focus your maintenance here on hidden moisture traps, such as the area where the barrel meets the stock. If you’ve been hunting in the snow, it’s important to remove the barrelled action from the stock to ensure no moisture is trapped underneath, which can lead to permanent damage that’s difficult and expensive to repair.
Protecting Wood & Synthetic Stocks
Maintenance isn’t just for metal. Wooden stocks can swell or crack if they’ve absorbed too much moisture or if they dry out too quickly near a heater. Apply a light coat of specialized wax or oil to maintain the wood’s integrity. For synthetic stocks, a simple cleaning with mild soapy water is usually enough to remove stains, but be sure to check the bedding blocks and recoil pads for debris that could affect the fit.
Proper Storage
Once your firearm is pristine, the way you store it is just as important as how you cleaned it. Avoid storing guns in soft fabric cases, as these can trap moisture against metal. Instead, use a climate-controlled safe with a dehumidifier.
Before storing, apply a thin, consistent layer of high-quality gun oil to all exterior metal surfaces to protect against the elements. Remember, a dry gun is a vulnerable gun when it comes to storage.
Professional Gunsmithing at Storm Mountain Outfitters
Sometimes a deep clean reveals issues that a standard cleaning kit can’t fix, or perhaps you’d prefer a professional touch to ensure your gear is in peak condition for next year. At Storm Mountain Outfitters, our in-house gunsmithing services offer everything from detailed cleaning to precision repairs and inspections. Let us take the guesswork out of maintenance so you can rest easy knowing your firearm is ready for the next opening day.
Visit us in store to chat with our experts and learn more about our gunsmithing services.
