Before going anywhere near oil, you need to establish how the stock was finished in the factory, advises Mike George
Gun maintenance
Never neglect to clean your gun and keep it in the best possible condition because a well-cared for gun will bring more positive results and help you to fire more accurately.
Everything you need to know
Here we consult the experts who give advice on how to clean different types of gun, what to use, how to treat a gun after shooting, how to store and tasks for regular gun maintenance.
Reader’s enquiries about gun maintenance
We also publish letters from readers with various questions about keeping their guns in good shape. (If you have a specific query, e mail shootinguk@timeinc.com and we’ll look into it for you.)
What happens if you put away a gun whilst it is still wet? Should you store your gun butt down or muzzle down? Does it matter? What are the risks of having a dirty gun?
Browse through this section and you’ll find some useful tips on maintaining your shotgun or rifle.
Will gun cleaning affect the accuracy of my .22 rimfire?
Gun cleaning: I have been told that if I clean my .22 rimfire it will lose its accuracy. Is this true?
A 20-step guide to cleaning your stalking rifle properly
How to clean your rifle: You’ve been out with your rifle, had a great day, but it’s come back filthy and soaking.
10 gun care tips every shooter should know
Never neglect gun cleaning. A little effort will keep your guns safe, reliable and rust-free Do not put a gun in a gun slip into a gun safe. You want air movement Do not put a heater or a lightbulb in your gun safe. Your stock will over-dry, warm…
How to clean and care for a semi-auto shotgun
A lot of issues will be avoided simply by taking 10 minutes to clean your gun properly every time you’ve used it. In the long run it will pay dividends to do so and ultimately save you money should you want to trade it in or sell it on. I…
How to oil and clean your shotgun
There are a number of accessible working parts on a shotgun that need lubrication.
How to care for shotgun chokes
The screw-in choke tube is a very common option on most shotguns and it is important to maintain it properly.
How tight must the stock and scope screws on my gun be?
I have finally, after much grunting and cursing, succeeded in loosening and removing the stock bolt from my Miroku 6000. When I re-assemble the gun after cleaning the action, must I put the bolt back as tight as it was?
How to clean and maintain your rifle scope
Q: With all this rain of late, do you have any tips for cleaning my rifle scope and keeping it safe? Bruce Potts, our resident expert gives his advice A: People tend to put a scope on a rifle, then forget about it and never consider cleaning it until something…
Should I store my gun butt-down or muzzle-down?
Q: I see that from time-to-time there is debate on your website as to whether guns should be stored butt-down or muzzles-down in cabinets. What do you think? A: Mike says: The idea of storing guns muzzles-down is that any oil or cleaning fluid left in the bores runs out on…
How to care for your sound moderator
If not, you will have a badly fitted and sometimes dangerous moderator and suffer the consequences of moderator failure long before its sell-by date. It constantly amazes me that some people never clean their rifles, let alone any ancillary equipment – they are just stacking up trouble for the future.…
4 things that affect rifle accuracy (and how to correct them)
Next to calibre or cartridge choice, the subject of rifle accuracy (or lack of it) is the one that most frequently frustrates rifle shooters. It is a problem usually associated with older rifles, as new rifles these days are well made and accurate “out of the box”. However, even the best rifles can go sour. The rifle is…
Can an airgun barrel be too clean?
A: If you used a cleaning kit that was designed for airgun barrels it is very unlikely that you’ve caused any damage. The most likely cause of the loss of accuracy is your barrel being too clean, as pellets seem to run best when there’s a fine film of lead in the bore. I’ve known it to…
Difficulty cleaning a rifle
A: Cleanliness is next to godliness but when cleaning a rifle, especially the action area, it is very difficult to clean the section where the bolt recesses into the action. The locking lug area in a rifle’s action accumulates primer residue, cleaning solvents, debris and brass chips. These can all affect a rifle’s performance. I use a Sinclair…
How can I touch up a scuffed synthetic stock?
A reader asked: How do you touch up a synthetic stock? Mine is really scratched. Shooting Times rifle reviewer and stalker, Bruce Potts, had this advice for airgun maintenance: Synthetic stocks can be practical against knocks and scratches and keeping a rifle’s zero from shifting as, unlike wooden stocks, they don’t warp in bad…
The risks of a dirty gun
A shotgun is an investment that needs to be cared for to look beautiful, but also perform to its full potential. So where do you begin? Does it need to be cleaned after every outing or just when it’s starting to look a bit ropey? What products are best and ultimately, what’s the worst that can happen if a…
How can I protect my guns in storage against rust?
Mike says: A thorough clean, followed by a wipe-down of the metal parts with a lightly-oiled cloth should be quite sufficient for guns in storage, providing your friend is going to examine your guns reasonably frequently. If the guns have chromed bores – and most modern guns have – there’s no need to leave the tubes…
Re-barrelling an old rifle
Q: I have an old Sako Forester rifle that I really like in .308 Winchester, but the barrel is now past its best. I was thinking of having it re-barrelled to the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge when I vary my firearms certificate. Is it a good round? A: The 6.5 Creedmoor…
How to clean your rifle
A rifle is a precision instrument and such things really do need to be kept clean if you expect them to work properly. But – and it’s a big BUT – I have seen as many rifles damaged by over- cleaning as ruined by lack of it. As always, there is a…
