Don't put those guns away dirty
Don’t put those guns away dirty
A little TLC goes a long way in preserving longevity and performance of firearms
By Tyler Frantz
As the final days of Pennsylvania’s small game and furbearer seasons tick away, hunters will soon be left with little more than memories of expired outdoor opportunities. Looking back in reflection, most will hopefully find satisfaction in knowing their firearms have served them well.
But before weapons are stowed for safe keeping through the offseason, it is important for gun owners to give their hunting tools the proper attention they deserve. Firearms are significant investments, and it’s wise to protect the longevity and performance of these investments with proper cleaning and care after use.
Ben Bode, Assistant Store Manager for Trop Gun Shop in Elizabethtown says a thorough gun-cleaning regimen should be the standard for all hunters at the close of the seasons. “I recommend first cleaning out your weapon with a dedicated solvent to remove dirt, powder and fouling, then following up with some kind of CLP agent, which cleans, lubricates and preserves the barrel to guard against corrosion and rust,” said Bode.
“Of course, proper storage is an important thing to consider as well. You don’t want to leave your firearm in a gun case. You want to put it somewhere with low humidity, such as a gun safe or other protective container, but I would advise using an electronic desiccant or silica gel to help draw moisture from that enclosed space.”
“A lot of people store guns in garages or basements, which are damp places to begin with,” Bode added. “So if someone throws a bunch of guns in a safe without a dehumidifier of some sort, all that moisture, condensation and humidity is going to build up, eventually leading to rust issues.”
Growing in popularity with military and sporting arms shooters, as well as hunters, is an interesting bio-based cleaning product called FrogLube. The all-natural, “green” formula carries a USDA seal for its innovative food grade mixture that not only cleans firearms, but also seasons and protects them without leaving nuisance residue behind.
Ryan Poorman, Vice President of the company’s distribution center in Mill Hall, PA (KenumDistribution.com), explained more about the process of using FrogLube during the NRA’s Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg.
“FrogLube makes a great solvent and has different options for a CLP,” Poorman explained. “The solvent is used to break down all the powder residue and debris collected over time spent in the field, so use this first. Let it work for a few minutes, then scrub the surface with a brush, towel or cleaning tool until clean.” “After a good treatment of solvent, wipe down with either our paste or liquid CLP, let it set into the metal, then wipe it all dry. If you allow a CLP to sit too long, it will get tacky after time and collect dust. Even with regular cleaning oil, you do not want to leave anything on the surface,” Poorman advised.
According to the company’s website, FrogLube.com, the formula is designed to seep deep into the micro spaces of the metal and season the surface of the bore, friction points and any other treated areas. Once treated, fouling particles resist bonding to metal surfaces and instead are easily wiped away or brushed off the surface.
It is a water insoluble treatment that is absorbed through the firearm to prevent oxidation, resist corrosion, repel water and protect against foreign particles that come with the normal wear and tear of regular, everyday use. It can even be used on brand new guns.
“What a lot of people don’t realize is that it’s important to preseason new firearms,” Poorman said. “With guns right out of the box, there can be a lot of miscellaneous substances, such as a petro-chemical lubricants for example, left on barrels from the factory. These aren’t always the best for guns.”
“With our two part system of the solvent degreaser and CLP lubricant, I recommend warming up the gun to enhance the absorption of FrogLube into the pores of the metal, which actually seasons the bore to protect from within, rather than simply putting something oily on the surface.”
FrogLube may be applied with standard weapon cleaning tools such as nylon brushes, bore patches and brushes, Q-tips, bore snakes and cloths. But, since FrogLube is 100% bio-based, users can even select a cloth to wipe down the outside of the barrel, then throw it in the laundry after use. To thoroughly reach all the complex nooks and crannies of a firearm, however, gun owners may want to consider looking into “Swab-Its Bore-Tips,” made by the innovative American company, Super Brush LLC.
Launched a few years ago at the Las Vegas Shot Show, Swab-Its Bore-Tips were deemed to be one of the best new products of the year. Superior to patches, their ease of use saves time, they follow the rifling better, and they can even be reused after a simple cleaning with soap and water or mineral spirits.
Bore tips, which thread onto a standard 8-32 cleaning rod, are made of a tough foam material that is engineered for a specific tight bore fit providing 360-degree contact with all the lands and grooves of a gun’s rifling. They are currently available in .22cal, .243cal, .30cal, .357cal, .40cal, .45cal, 12-gauge, 20-gauge and 410-gauge.
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Swab-its also has a line they call “Gun-tips,” which are independent wand-like swabs designed for efficiently cleaning rifle actions, open chambers and pistols, and a line of .177 and .22cal pull-through “Bore-Whips”, which can be inserted through a breech opening to clean a barrel with just a few swipes.
The lint free, USA-made Swab-its foam cleaners are available at www.Bore-Tips.com, as well as retailers such as Cabelas and MidwayUSA.
As with any mechanical device, guns work better when they are treated properly. Take care of your firearms before putting them away for the winter; they’ll be sure to return the favor with maximum performance next hunting season.
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