GUN
LOREgun safe for just this purpose.
Once the gun has been
handled, they immediately
wipe it before replacing it in
the rack.
Today there are a whole raft
of good cleaning solvents and
lubricants on the market, more
than ever before. There are
several well known brand
names to choose from in
addition to those mentioned
above, which were used as
examples. Guns cleaned and
stored according to the
instructions on the package
will be safe in storage.
Field care of firearms in camp
and while hunting is basically a
continuation of the method used
for storage. Obviously, thebore should be wiped clean of
all oil or grease, as an excess of
lubricant in the bore can cause
pressures to jump when the
rifle is shot and change the
rifle's impact point.
The muzzle can be kept free of
rain or snow by simply placing a
strip of plastic tape over it. A
piece of tape about 26mm long
will do the trick. And there's no
need to bother yanking it off
when a shot presents itself as the
bullet will go through it without
being deflected.
Riflescopes without an
hydrophobic exterior lens
coating should be fitted with
end covers to prevent the
lenses from fogging our getting
wet, but are a handicap if fast
shooting is called for. When
carrying out a stalk, a good
method is to carry the scope
rifle muzzle downward with
the scopes eyepiece high under
the armpit. This prevents rain
getting on the lenses and the
objective lens below is
protected by gravity and being
recessed in the end of the tube.
In icy conditions a firearm
should never be brought into a
warm tent or hut because the
sudden transformation from
being brought suddenly from a
sub zero temperature to warm
one causes condensation to
form on the exterior of the rifle
as well as inside the scope tube
making it fog up. A good way of
preventing this is to leave allfirearms in a soft case outside
on a verandah or in an
unheated tent, and take them
out each morning for the day's
hunt. The firearms will
maintain the temperature of
the outside air so that
condensation does not form.
Also, in extreme cold, such as
the Arctic or far northern
countries in winter, any grease
left inside a rifle's bolt will
cause it to freeze up and stop
the firing pin from functioning.
It is imperative to dismantle
and clean the firing mechanism
in the bolt prior to going on a
hunt and relube it with a space
age grease that won't freeze up.
Finally, a suitable gun
cleaning kit is a necessity on a
hunt. The best kit is small and
light like the Otis which comes
in a small round tin with a
pull-through. A metal weight
attached to a strong cord is
dropped through the bore and
a dry or lightly oiled patch
hauled through the rifle bore.
Remember, any centrefire
rifle that has been fired or
carried all day in wet
conditions, should be cleaned,
dried and oiled as soon as you
return to camp. All it takes is a
little care and time, whether at
home or in the field to assure
your gun remains in good
working condition and will
function flawlessly whenever
a shot at a game animal
presents itself.44 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ APRIL 2015The rifle’s best protection
by far is a light overall
coating of gun grease.”
RIFLE BARRELS AUSTRALIA
Calibres from .17 to .50Barrel fitting service for most rifles-blueing,
fluting, spiral fluting of barrels and bolts, octagonal barrels
and custom muzzle brakes and bolt knobs.CUSTOM RIFLES BUILT.
To do a proper job of bore cleaning you’ll need bronze brushes,
and a stiff one-piece rod.biggest hazards in the field are
rain, snow, fog and moisture
from condensation accruing
from rapid and extreme changes
in temperature. Much of the best
big game hunting is carried out
in extreme or adverse climatic
conditions where the hunter
must expose his rifle.
For hunting on foot in rain
or snow, the rifle's best
protection by far is a light,
overall coating of gun grease,
applied as for gun storage by
wiping it on with a greased
cloth. This will generally keep
all moisture off the metal,
even in the rain.
The bore, however, should
not be coated. Instead at the
beginning of the day's hunt, theBONUS IPAD FEATURE:
Tap each image to see a
full-screen version.Tap here
to watch
video