9 top tips to cleaning your shotgun correctly

To make sure we’re all doing right by our beloved shotguns, we asked Dale Boast, the legendary gunsmith at ASI Ltd, and a man who has seen more neglected bores than most of us care to imagine, for his top tips on keeping a shotgun in fine fettle.

1. Don’t leave your gun in its slip after a wet day

A wet slip is a rust factory. Red rust can appear incredibly quickly – and once it bites, it can mean permanent damage.

2. Let your gun dry naturally

Wipe off excess water, but don’t put it by a radiator or blast it with heat - this can cause the stock to warp or crack

3. Remove mud and grime from the chequering

Wipe the bulk off with a wet cloth, let it dry, and then use a soft toothbrush to work the remaining soil out. Remember: soil is abrasive.

4. Use an oil such as Browning Legia Oil sparingly to give your woodwork a bit of TLC.

After particularly soggy days, once the stock has dried naturally, show it a bit of love. Dale recommends using a proper stock conditioning oil to revive the finish and nourish the wood. But go easy – too much oil can turn lumpy, and excess left on the wood can actually cause rot or make the stock spongy.

5. Break your gun down into its main components to give it a thorough clean 

You don’t need to lay your gun out like an exploded diagram after every day on the peg, but breaking it down into its main components is a solid start. An oily rag is your best friend here, but make sure it’s clean and free from grit.

6. Don’t neglect the metal parts of the fore-end or beneath the ejectors / extractors

Use that rag to give the metalwork inside the fore-end and action a gentle wipe. These areas attract more muck and moisture than many shooters realise, and a quick clean helps fend off rust and wear. 
Another spot to pay attention to is under the extractors.

These can accumulate gunk, and in extreme cases this can stop your gun closing correctly. Pop them open, have a look, give them a gentle clean underneath. It takes seconds – but it can save a trip to the gunsmith.

7. Clean your barrels regularly

Start by spraying some solvent/cleaner like Legia Oil down your barrels, then scrubbing thoroughly with a phosphor bronze brush on a cleaning rod until nothing further comes out.  Follow up by using a Britbore mop to swab them out, pushed through using your cleaning rod.

Available in 12, 16, 20 and 28 gauge, Britbore mops are particularly good at removing eco-wad residue and getting barrels back to spotless. A simple, clever bit of kit. Simply pop one in each barrel and then push them through with your cleaning rod. They fit tight, but with a bit of a shove they’ll pick up loads of grime. Repeat this step until the mops come out more-or-less clean. 

8. If you have multichokes, remove them regularly

If you’ve got multi-chokes take them out every so often, clean the threads and recesses, and apply a small amount of choke grease, lest they become welded in. Always make sure they’re tight when you put them back in, and before you next use your gun.

9. Take extra care when using ecowads

Eco-wads can leave quite a bit of residue which can be tricky to remove. If things get really stubborn, Dale recommends a brilliantly simple fix: pour a kettle of boiling water down the barrels. Boiling water loosens the residue quickly and makes cleaning far less time-consuming. Follow up with the usual phosphor bronze brush and mop.

Shotgun cleaning doesn’t need to be a faff, nor does it require a bench full of specialist tools. A few minutes of sensible attention after each outing – and a bit more care after a particularly grim weather day – is all it takes.

The small amount of time required is well worth it compared to the potential cost of ignoring it. Your gun is a companion on countless memorable days in the field. Treat it well, and it will repay you many times over.

Just Cartridges are the number one online cartridge store but also sell Britbore mops and Browning Legia oil; both which are quality products perfect to keep your shotgun clean.