Published: March 08, 2008 04:58 pm            

MARTINO:Take care of those guns in the off-season

You can slip on the ice while duck hunting, cracking your head and the stock (did it). You can lean it against the rear bumper of your truck while parked in a gravel parking lot and watch it slide off gouging it horribly (did that too). You can accidentally drop it from a tree stand busting the forearm (saw it done, thanks brother Jim). And, you can smack the barrel against a steel corner post, leaving a sickening dent in the barrel (saw that done too, thanks Bob).

Guns are tools and are meant to be used, unfortunately some times accidents do happen, especially while in the field. Let’s face it; we enjoy being outdoors although sometimes the terrain and inclement weather do not provide the most hospitable conditions.

With the hunting seasons now over, many of us will unfortunately relegate our shotguns to the gun safe, gun rack or they’ll be tucked away in their special closet corner until welcoming their comfortable feel next fall.

What we may not realize is it’s possible to abuse our guns unwittingly in the privacy and comfort of our own homes. Both lack of care and bad maintenance can age our prized possessions prematurely. Here are some of the most common offenses.

The world is full of people who clean the barrels of their autoloaders but fail to clean the gas system. When enough dirt and residue build up inside, the moving parts bind and wear prematurely and soon enough the gun won’t work. Its manual will explain the routine maintenance required. If you don’t have a manual, ask the manufacturer to send you one.

Many scatterguns now sport choke tubes. Not removing it for a thorough cleaning can turn an interchangeable choke tube into an immovable, rusted in fixed choke (saw that done too, thanks Carl).

Anytime you clean the bore make sure you take the tube out and clean the threads with a small wire brush. Then put on a fresh drop of oil or grease and screw the choke back in finger tight. Choke Tube Lube made by Birchwood Casey works perfect for this.

The infamous WD-40 has more uses than duct tape, but lubricating a gun isn’t one of them. First off, this popular oil evaporates in time leaving no protection whatsoever. Second, under the heat of firing, WD and burned powder and dirt create an inky black sludge on moving parts that is a bear to remove.

Stick to lubricants made specifically for guns. The best I have found is Rem Oil. This product contains Teflon which keeps firearms operating smoothly in all conditions.

All of us at one time or another have rubbed oil onto wooden stocks to make them shine. Unfortunately that oil sinks into the wood causing it to swell and eventually crack. Oil is for metal parts, not gunstocks. Just wipe the wood clean and leave it alone.

Don’t neglect the hinge pins or trunnions on simple break-open guns either. The Shooters Choice grease that comes in a small syringe makes it easy to lubricate these small parts. However, grease can collect dirt and residue turning it into a gritty compound that can abrade steel. Strip the grease periodically from the hinge pins, trunnions and ejector mechanism and apply a fresh dab.

The worst way to store a gun for the season is to zip it in a vinyl case with a synthetic wool interior. The fake wool holds moisture and vinyl does not breath. Store a gun like that, especially in a damp basement, and it will have a nice coat of brown rust on it when you take it out in the fall. If you want to store it in a case, use a gun sock impregnated with silicone. These socks are inexpensive and are cheap insurance in the off season.

There are no doubt accidents happen from time to time while in the field and our firearms may end up with a scratch, ding or dent here and there. But these happen while being used and as long as they aren’t too bad, only add to the special characteristic of our own personal firearm.

But trashing a gun due to improper maintenance and storage is inexcusable. So with the hunting seasons now over, take the few minutes required to insure your firearm will stay operational and looking good for years to come.

Free workshop

The Wildcat Creek Watershed Alliance, Inc. will host a free workshop detailing ways to reduce residential pollution and impacts to our Wildcat Creek watershed. Low Impact Development (LID) utilizes techniques and practices that infiltrate, filter, store and evaporate precipitation through cost-effective landscape features.

Planting native species, using pervious pavers, collecting rainwater in barrels or cisterns and amending oils to allow for increased infiltration are all examples of practices that can be installed on existing structures.

By utilizing these concepts within residential landscaping, water consumption for watering lawns and flowers can be reduced. These practices also reduce the amount of pollution, like sediment, fertilizers and bacteria that all too often migrate to our Wildcat Creek and neighboring streams.

If you are interested in learning about these concepts, the free workshop will be held March 27 beginning at 7 p.m. The program will take place in Hunt Hall on the campus of IUK.

Additional workshop details can be obtained by calling Heather Buck at (317) 266-8000.

John Martino is the Tribune’s outdoors columnist. He may be reached through the sports department.

        

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