Every cartridge leaves something behind in the barrels. There's powder residue, which holds moisture against the steel and is how pitting starts after a wet day. And there's lead, which builds up where the barrel narrows around the forcing cones and the chokes.
Shotguns are easy guns to look after, though. Fifteen minutes after each outing does most of the work. Every few trips, and before the gun goes away for the summer, it's worth a more thorough going-over.
What you'll need
Make sure everything matches your gauge, whether that's 12, 20, 28 or .410.
- A cleaning rod with a phosphor bronze brush, a wool mop and a jag. Our carbon rods won't mark the bore, and Parker Hale adapters let you swap the heads.
- Or a pull-through such as Flexclean, which is handier at the shooting ground.
- Ballistol Universal Oil to clean, lubricate and protect. It also neutralises the acidic powder residue.
- Robla Solo Mil for lead and copper fouling, plus a couple of rubber stoppers.
- Cleaning felts or kitchen roll, a cloth, some cotton buds and an old toothbrush.
- A little gun grease, such as Vaseline Gun Grease, for the hinge pin.
The Ballistol Gun Care Kit has most of this in one case.
After every outing
Open the gun, check both chambers are empty, take the fore-end off and lift the barrels away from the action.
Spray or drip some Ballistol into each barrel from the breech end and leave it a few minutes. Then brush or pull through from breech to muzzle, a few passes each side, and follow with dry felts or kitchen roll until they come out clean.
Hold each barrel up to the light and look down it. Grey streaks near the chamber or at the choke end are lead, and that's your cue for a deep clean.
Wipe the breech face, ejectors and action flats with an oily cloth, and use the toothbrush to get into the corners. If it rained, take the woodwork off and let everything dry in a warm room. Don't put it on a radiator, and never leave a gun overnight in a wet slip. Once it's dry, wipe a little Ballistol over the metal and the wood and it can go back in the cabinet.
The deep clean
Every few outings, do all of that and then a bit more.
Take the chokes out with the key and clean both the chokes and the threads inside the barrel. Put a thin smear of oil or grease on the threads before they go back in. Don't fire the gun with the chokes out, as it damages the threads.
Robla Solo Mil deals with the lead. Put a stopper in the muzzle, stand the barrel upright, fill it from the breech end and leave it for a couple of hours, or overnight if the fouling's bad. Drain it, brush through and dry-patch. Robla leaves the bore bare, so give it a light coat of Ballistol afterwards. Keep it off the woodwork and do it somewhere with a bit of air.
The forcing cones collect the most fouling, so give them some extra passes with the bronze brush. Then clean the old grease off the hinge pin, the hook and the bearing surfaces and put a fresh, thin smear on. Too much and it finds its way into the stock. A drop of oil on the ejectors is plenty.
If the woodwork looks dry, our guide to oiling a gun stock covers that.
Storing it
Store guns muzzle-down so any surplus oil drains away from the wood, and keep the film of oil on the metal light rather than heavy. In a damp house or outbuilding, a small dehumidifier or a few silica gel packs in the cabinet make a real difference. Over the winter, have a look at your guns every month or so.
Choosing a cleaning kit
| Check | Why |
|---|---|
| Gauge | Brushes, mops and jags only work in the right bore |
| Rod | Carbon or coated rods won't scratch; bare steel can |
| Brush, mop and jag | One scrubs, one dries, one holds patches. You'll use all three |
| A bore cleaner | Oil on its own won't shift heavy lead |
Questions people ask
How often should I clean my shotgun? A quick clean every time you've used it, even if you only fired a few cartridges. A deep clean every few outings, and always before it's stored for any length of time.
Is Ballistol OK to use on a shotgun? Yes. It cleans and protects in one go and won't harm the wood or a leather slip.
Do I need to clean a new gun? Yes. New guns often come with preservative grease in the bores.
Do the chokes have to come out every time? No, but don't leave them in for months on end. Residue builds up in the threads and they can seize.
Everything above is in our Weapon Care range and goes out within one working day. Not sure which rod or brush fits your gun? Give us a ring on +44 (0) 7817 267314 or email sales@ballistol.co.uk.
More guides: How to Oil a Gun Stock · How to Cold Blue a Gun · How to Stop Rust on Metal
