Keeping it clean
Having one’s gun serviced is something we must all consider – especially as the season closes. It is possible to over-clean guns or to otherwise attend to them too much, but it is much more common for sporting weapons to be neglected by optimistic, thoughtless or simply parsimonious owners. Meantime, prevention is always better than cure. Clean your guns well and store them with care in a dry and even temperature.
When should you service a gun? This is a difficult question and only guidance can be given. English and Scottish bench-made guns should be serviced annually in my opinion, or even more frequently if they are hard used. If used occasionally, annual servicing won’t be necessary and may, indeed, be detrimental. But guns must be stored well and this should include light lubrication. I use a clever product called VP90 by Napier – a rust inhibiting sachet that may be put into your gun cabinet – as well as wiping over with a lightly oiled cloth every time a gun is put away.
With modern, machine-made over-andunders servicing
