When you make the choice to buy a gun, gun safety is always the number one priority. One of the best ways to keep yourself and those around you safe when it comes to firearms is by performing regular gun maintenance. But what is the best way to perform maintenance on your new shotgun? Performing regular and proper Shotgun maintenance will protect your investment while keeping your shotgun safe to operate.

Continue reading to learn the helpful steps for how to keep your shotgun in pristine condition for years to come.

Start With the Barrel

The first step when you begin to clean a shotgun is to inspect the shotgun Barrel. It is common for barrels to collect residue from gunpowder as well as plastic fouling from the shotgun shells that the gun owner used. There is usually a surprising amount of fouling and lead buildup from previous uses of the shotgun, so carefully inspecting the barrel will be sure to prevent damage or rusting.

There are a variety of touch-up pastes available on the market for cleaning your barrel and keeping it in proper operating condition.

Inspect Exterior for Damage

Once you’ve completed the inspection and cleaning of your shotgun barrel, proceed to inspect the exterior for any damage or scratches. Repeated use and removing from your gun slip can cause scratches and damage over time. Thankfully, touch-up pastes can help you with repairing that minor aesthetic damage to keep your shotgun looking as good as new.

From there, take a close look at the exterior barrel surfaces for any damage, especially if you have a shotgun extension like the one available at secure.arnzenarms.com.  Start at the breech end and make your way down to the muzzle of the shotgun barrel. 

Keep a close eye out for any dents that you might have on the exterior of the barrel from knocks or drops. You should also look for any rivelling. Rivelling is caused by firing your shotgun with oil or grease in the bore. If you do happen to discover any dents in your shotgun, don’t ignore them. While you may not be able to fix them, an experienced gunsmith will be able to make your shotgun as good as new.

Check Out the Top Rib

Unfortunately, the top rib of your shotgun barrel is one of the most fragile parts of the firearm. It is pretty easy to accidentally put a ding or a dent into your shotgun’s top rib, especially the raised and ventilated variety.

One of the most common ways that damage to the top rib of the shotgun occurs is from dropping. Be careful to not drop your shotgun and if you do, be sure to inspect it for any damage on the top rib the next time you’re doing routine gun cleaning.

Another common way that the top rib sustains damage is by hitting the top crossbar of shooting cages when shooting at clay pigeons. If this does happen to your shotgun, you’re in luck. Gunsmiths are able to fix the top rib to be as good as new in no time.

Cleaning the Multichokes

If your shotgun is equipped with multichokes, it is essential to make sure that they are maintained for your safety as well as the longevity of your shotgun. When performing gun maintenance you should remove the multichokes.

Once the multichokes have been removed, proceed to inspect them closely for damage and then clean them. After they have been cleaned and no damage is found you are good to grease them and reinstall them into your shotgun. 

Before undertaking the task of cleaning the multichokes, be sure to clean the barrel bores with the choke tubes fitted in. Otherwise, you can fill the choke threads with residues that will foul up your shotgun barrel.

Clean the Choke Tube Threads

The Choke Tube Threads and barrel threads are some of the easiest parts of the shotgun to clean. All they need in order to be adequately cleaned and maintained is a light spray of light bore cleaner, though WD-40 will work as well.

From there, use a small toothbrush to gently clean the barrel threads and choke tube threads until they are clear of any residue or fouling. Once you are done cleaning be sure to lightly grease the choke tube threads and then reinstall back into your shotgun.

Cleaning the Barrel Bores

Every time that you clean your shotgun you should pay especially close attention to the barrel bores. The barrel bores need to be closely inspected for fouling, followed by being lightly oiled. The most common way to clean the barrel bore is with a push-through cleaner with a patch attached to the end. This pushes the cleaner through the barrel while collecting any residue and fouling that is in the barrel.

From there, a bronze brush is pushed through the barrel followed by a spray of the barrel cleaner of your choice. While this form of cleaning is good most of the time, it is important to give your shotgun periodic deep cleans.

Thankfully, most modern firearms come equipped with chrome-lined bores that prevent quick rusting and make cleaning easier. The size of the barrel and the type of ammunition you use play a big role in how often you need to clean the barrel. If your shotgun has a larger barrel and has larger amounts of leading and fouling, it is possible that a larger bronze brush is required to give it a proper clean and to clear the barrel. 

There are even cleaning brushes that work with a drill for that satisfying deep clean that your shotgun barrel has needed. This is a quick and easy way to clean your shotgun barrel and keep it pristine for years to come.

Now You’re Ready for Proper Gun Maintenance

Gun maintenance and proper cleaning are vital to the safety of you and those around you. It is also important for the longevity of the investment that you’ve made into your shotgun and will save you money on repairs or replacements.

Now you’re equipped with all of the steps and knowledge to give your shotgun the cleaning and maintenance that it needs to continue working at the highest levels.

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Also read: How to Improve Your Accuracy with the Nightforce NXS 3.5-15×56 Scope

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