[kunsangsean]

Hey all,

I got my first nice semi-auto (Beretta A300 Ultima) and I'm trying to read up on cleaning and care. I've been out in some pretty wet snow conditions, and after getting home I've been taking the barrel off, wiping down everything I can get to, and then letting sit to dry in the garage, then putting some light oil on.

I'm wondering if people do more disassembly than that after a wet hunt? Taking the action out etc? I'm not sure how well sealed everything is. I prop the action/stock and barrel up so that any moisture inside could drain out.

Today I put some gun oil in the action, which appears to have been mistake because the action is much stickier, whoops.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[superslickie]

My routine when i get back from any day out shooting or hunting
Open case yo dry inside (hang or prop open)
Wipe exterior of firearm with cotton cloth
Stand firearm in corner to warm up to room temp
Go enjoy cup of tea
Wipe exterior of gun down and apply birchwood universal
Take barrel/s off wipe down all surfaces
Blow moisture/debris out
Reassemble
Store

End of season it gets a complete tear down, clean, grease and stored. Check monthly for storage issues

Before season it gets a quick wipe down and once over.

 

[kunsangsean]

My routine when i get back from any day out shooting or hunting
Open case yo dry inside (hang or prop open)
Wipe exterior of firearm with cotton cloth
Stand firearm in corner to warm up to room temp
Go enjoy cup of tea
Wipe exterior of gun down and apply birchwood universal
Take barrel/s off wipe down all surfaces
Blow moisture/debris out
Reassemble
Store

End of season it gets a complete tear down, clean, grease and stored. Check monthly for storage issues

Before season it gets a quick wipe down and once over.

Thanks for sharing your routine! That's helpful.
Do you apply any birchwood universal to the action? And when you say blow debris/moisture out - do you just mean blow on it or use an air compressor etc?

 

[superslickie]

I use an air compressor to blow junk out, i already have it so its nothing to buy
I apply birchwood to the action twice a year, before and after season, just a light coat rubbed on warm surfaces with a cotton cloth. I use birchwood as it wont run like oil during storage and with our crazy humidity here helps prevent rust

 

[Dano08]

Pretty much the same routine as Superslickie. Dry out/ blow out and a wipedown. Light oil where and as needed. End of season, complete tear down, cleaned, lubed, then stored.

 

[Stargazerwa]

With my 686 I remove it from its scabbard, open the breach and set it to ride in the back seat immediately after the hunt. When I get home I wipe it down, open the breach and dry it inside at room temperature. I reapply WD40 Corrosion Specialist to the barrel, rib and all blued parts and clean the bore. It’s important to completely dry the scabbard if you use one, I open mine up and stand them over a heat register. The only gun I have ever had rust was because it was stored in a wet scabbard.

 

[MNGunner]

I let mine warm up to room temp usually just put it in my heated safe
Clean out carbon from barrel and out of action (this may involve field strip of semi or pumps depending on how much it was shot and/or if it got wet)
Lube

 

[kunsangsean]

Any advice on what to do when you put too much oil on? I put some Hoppes gun oil in the action and on the piston, but I think I used too much - and the action got much more difficult to work right after doing that. I'm looking at getting some aerosol Gun scrubber to clean the excess oil off.

 

[cleboje]

I may be overly anal, but I am fastidious when it comes to gun care...

Here is what I do after EVERY outing in which I have fired my gun...be it 4 shots at game or 400 shots at clay targets:

1/ Clean interior of barrel from all powder/carbon fouling...Hoppes #9 followed by dry patches followed by a light coating of Break-Free CLP.

2/ Clean trigger group of all powder/carbon fouling...Carburetor Cleaner to blast out the gunk followed by a thin application of Break-Free CLP on all articulating parts.

3/ External wipe down of all metal surfaces with a silicone impregnated cloth (removes finger prints and any other smudges).

These habits are ingrained from a lifetime of depending on a firearm to keep me safe and free...

Remember, a clean gun is a happy gun.

 

[ChiTime]

I do what the others have said (although I also run a bore snake through the barrel a couple times, followed by a lightly oiled patch), but agree with Cleboje - if it's been a wet hunt, take the trigger group out and let it dry, then thin application of spray oil to the trigger mechanics and wipe down the excess. On the A300, it's only one drift pin to remove the trigger, and besides, having the trigger group out makes reassembling the bolt/recoil-connector a lot easier.