Over the years I’ve heard horror stories from friends who work for some of the biggest firearms manufacturers and also local gunsmiths about problems they see caused by hunters being lazy or dumb.
Muzzleloaders returned with powder and a bullet in the barrel. Rifles with cartridges jammed in the action. Issues caused by neglect often are major culprits. I suspect that working in these facilities’ receiving department carries a high degree of, “Hey, use double extra triple caution handling a returned firearm.”
If you shoot a slug gun with a choke tube, here are some tips from TruLock to help keep your choke clean and in working order. It’s good advice for anyone who hunts turkeys, waterfowl and upland birds, too.
Three things that will freeze shotgun chokes in the barrel:
— Rust
— Residue build up from fired shells (unburned powder, fiber, plastic, etc.)
— Choke tube expansion (creep)
If you want to keep your shotgun chokes functioning as they were intended, perform these maintenance tips on a regular basis:
— Loosen and retighten the choke on occasion. Even better if you remove the choke and reinstall in the barrel on a regular basis. This will break any bond that is attempting to form.
— Clean the choke body and remove residue from the threads with a stiff brush and solvent of some kind.
— Clean the internal threads and choke counterbore in the barrel using a bronze bore brush and solvent.
— Wipe all surfaces dry after cleaning and lubricate them with a few drops of high quality gun oil.
