How Do You Care for Your Firearms?

dmccarty · Apr 28, 2011

czechsonofagun said:
...

Oh, here is some write up I just found - interesting point about sperm whales.

That is an interesting link. I just bought some Mobil 1 ATF for the truck tranny. What I do not use I will try as a gun lube. I bet the leftovers in the bottle will last a few decades.

Shoot It Clean It. :thumbsup:

Having said that I have read that on 22's cleaning the bore can affect accuracy.

I am far more concerned with rust than fouling. But on something that is used for defense or food it gets cleaned after use.

For handguns I first clean with brake cleaner and then move to Hobbes. I do have a clean from Remington that I use but Hobbes just works. Then Rem Oil or one other brand which I just forgot the name. It only takes 10 drops of oil to lube the pistol. I use the oil that I cannot remember the name, to lube our wood stove door latch. That latch will squeek as the season progresses and a drop of the oil works wonders. Impressed how well and how long the oil lasts given how hot the stove gets.

Later,
Dan

tomd999 · Apr 29, 2011

Hiya,

OK, here goes:

22 pistols, chamber and action cleaning only, never touch the bore as they will shoot horrible for 30 or so rounds until it gets filled with junk again. (proven in a ransom rest with my Walther GSP and Pardini SP, more than double the group size until the bores got dirty again)

22 rifles: same as 22 pistols

CF pistols Lead ammo, everything gets cleaned every 500 practice rounds and before a match. jacked ammo I go 1000 rounds of practice before a cleaning and of course, before a match.

Revolvers: same as the CF pistols except add a lot of chambers to the to-do list...

CF rifles:
Match bolt guns: butches bore shine to get the jacket fouling out or the RCBS electric bore cleaner, chamber brushed out, locking lug recess brushed bolt taken apart/firing pin inspected, magwell scrubbed.
Service Rifles: same as above with gas system cleaning and trigger group cleaning oiling.

They all get wiped with a gun cloth and put in a dehumidified safe.

For lube I use either breakfree CLP or some orange synthetic I got at a gunshow. For the 22 match pistols in the winter leagues I use either Deere spray graphite or a powered graphite product "lub-a-spray" (NAPA I think) on the bolts and receivers, works very well in low temps with no abnormal wear to any of the pistols after 12 years of use.

Tom

Larry Caldwell · Apr 30, 2011

czechsonofagun said:
I have a friend - he is chemical engineer working for a big oil company - and he uses ATF to oil his guns. I suppose it is preventative like any other oil. When I asked him if he is concerned about atf on hands and such while hunting, he said atf is almost consumption quality oil.

He's right. The original automatic transmission oil used a whale oil base. ATF is one of the primary ingredients of Ed's Red, a popular home brew bore cleaner and lubricant.

Ed's Red

I'ts particularly popular among black powder shooters, who have to deal with heavy and corrosive fouling.

Larry Caldwell · Apr 30, 2011

One other touch: I spray the inside of gun cases with a silicone spray lubricant. I also keep a rag either sprayed with silicone lubricant or oil in the case with the gun to wipe it down if salt or moisture become a problem. I have plenty of hard shell cases to haul guns around as needed.

Jimmy Joe · Apr 30, 2011

I mainly keep mine wiped down with oil, if they are going to sit for long periods I will pull an oiled patch down the bore just for insurance. When I get a new gun I thoroughly clean it to get the protective lube they use when packaging it. If you want a cheap and very effective cleaning kit check out Patchworm.com.

dieselbeef · May 3, 2011

WHILE WEARE HER...WHAT ABOUT A DEHUMIDIFIER FOR A SAFE..ops sorry:laughing:...i buy them disposable one occ but my safe is in the dining room and i dont think humidity is a problem with the a/c and the winter is so dry my nose bleeds...
i havent seen any rust but whats a good unit for inside and how does it work

Mounted Madness · May 3, 2011

With love and respect !

Larry Caldwell · May 3, 2011

dieselbeef said:
WHILE WEARE HER...WHAT ABOUT A DEHUMIDIFIER FOR A SAFE..ops sorry:laughing:...i buy them disposable one occ but my safe is in the dining room and i dont think humidity is a problem with the a/c and the winter is so dry my nose bleeds...
i havent seen any rust but whats a good unit for inside and how does it work

I mentioned the 5 lb. bag of silica gel I keep in the bottom of my gun safe. Silica Gel is a granular dessicant that absorbs moisture out of the air. When it gets saturated, just put it in a warm (225 degree) oven for a couple hours to drive the water out, and use it again. It works best in confined spaces, like the inside of a safe. The tighter the door seal the better.

CurlyDave · May 3, 2011

dieselbeef said:
WHILE WEARE HER...WHAT ABOUT A DEHUMIDIFIER FOR A SAFE..ops sorry:laughing:...i buy them disposable one occ but my safe is in the dining room and i dont think humidity is a problem with the a/c and the winter is so dry my nose bleeds...
i havent seen any rust but whats a good unit for inside and how does it work

A small heater inside the safe will insure that moisture does not condense on the contents.

I used to use a light bulb, but now I use a small aquarium heater, the kind that is meant to stick on the bottom of an aquarium. I peeled the release paper off the sticky side and stuck it to an aluminum cookie sheet which acts as a heat sink and radiator. It runs slightly warm to the touch and has lasted for many years.

Almost every safe has a hole for an electrical cord to reach the inside.

While you are at it, put a power strip in there so you can have a light when you want it. Mine is as dark as a bat cave, and me standing in the opening, peering in makes it even darker.