Cleaning your guns is part of the responsibility of owning them. If you do not want to see they wear down and jam, then performing routine maintenance on them is a must! So how do you clean a long rifle? Here is everything you need to know!
Cleaning a Long Rifle in 6 Steps
Whether you use it consistently or just want to keep it looking pretty, here are the six steps to help you clean a long rifle!
Cleaning the Bolt
Before cleaning your rifle’s bolt, you need to make sure that it is unloaded. Clamp the rifle in the gun vise and promptly remove the bolt. Once you have done this, put some drops of cleaning lubricant on a 12-gauge cleaning patch and wipe the bolt down.
Applying Powder Solvent
You should apply powder solvent to a wet patch and stick it on a jag. Feed the power solvent up into the bore through the use of the jap. You should do this a few times to make sure that everything is reached.
Scrubbing the Bore
You should dip a clean bronze brush into the powder solvent and start scrubbing the bore. Do this thoroughly, making sure to scrub all the way up and down the bore.
Removing the Power Fouling
Next, you will want to take your jag and put three solvent patches up into the bore. The last one should come out white if it is cleaned thoroughly. Finally, you will put a dry patch up into the bore; this completes the powder fouling process.
Applying the Copper Cleaner
When applying the copper cleaner, you start by putting a patch covered in penetrating oil up the barrel. You will then put a 12 gauge patch covered in a glob of copper cleaner into the bore. You should repeat this process quite a few times to thoroughly cover the surface. Keep it up until the patch turns black.
Removing the Copper Fouling
To check to see if you are finished, run a solvent patch and a dry patch up the bore. Use your borescope to check for copper. If there is little to none in the bore, then you are all finished. If not, then repeat the process.
How often should a rifle be cleaned?
Now that you know how to clean your long rifle, the question stands, how often should a rifle be cleaned? A general rule that most gun owners adhere to is cleaning it after every trip to the shooting range. If the gun is not seeing much action at the range, then you should aim to perform maintenance after every 250-300 rounds. This prevents the carbon particles from building up on the barrel, thereby wearing the firearm down.
Maintaining Your Long Rifle
In order to keep your long rifle in tip-top shape, it is imperative that you have a place to store it. Owning a gun safe is a surefire way to address this issue. If you want a gun safe that is guaranteed to meet your needs, then contact North American Safes today!
Let Us Help!
North American Safes assists our customers through repairs, lock changes, and relocations. When it comes to safes, we are here to help in any and every way. Contact us today with any questions you may have!