That beautiful, blued handgun, rifle or shotgun will last for generations with a few simple maintenance techniques and a little bit of time. It is not always necessary to devote hours to scrubbing a blued gun to keep that deep, blued finish looking as though it just left the factory.
Instructions
1. Inspect the weapon to ensure it is unloaded. Open the action and clean the chamber with a cotton cloth covered in gun oil. Use a cleaning rod and cotton patch to clean the inside of the barrel. Be careful not to insert the rod from the muzzle end. Cleaning from the breach prevents damage to the barrel's rifling. If you are cleaning a blued revolver, make sure to clean every cylinder.
2. Wipe off the outside of the weapon with lubricant and a cotton cloth. Make sure to get rid of any fingerprints on the weapon because oils found in the skin can lead to rust. It does not hurt to wear either cotton gloves or rubber gloves, not only to keep skin oil off the weapon, but also to protect your hands from gun oils. Use nylon brushes and plastic tips on the cleaning rods.
3. Before storing the weapon, put a generous amount of lubricant on the outside. Bluing is a fairly tough coating and it will last a while, as long as it remains clean and well-oiled. Run an oiled patch through the barrel before putting the gun away. Before you fire it, ensure that you remove excess oil by running a dry patch through the barrel. Finally, wipe off any residue or fingerprints with a silicone cloth before storing.
Tags: cotton cloth, patch through, patch through barrel, through barrel, will last