How do you guys treat your hunting firearms?

It's funny, I keep my fire arms immaculate most of the year. But here in eastern NC we get almost three months of Bambi rifle season. I certainly don't àbuse my deer rifles but they are treated as the tools they are in the field. I am careful not to bang them around and knock the scope off, but my hunting rifles do see some honest wear, especially the stock. It pains me greatly to leave the barrel fouled for three months at a time. ;)
 
when I did hunt, it was several evenings a week. I'd keep the actions dirt free and run a boresnake before every outing. The other surfaces were quite dusty
 
I clean and oil two or three guns before deer season and head for the range. After they are sighted in, the bore stays dirty until after deer season. The first shot at the range is always off until it gets some dirt in there.
 
I guess I would describe them as well cared for tools. If they get varied for a while in the back seat of the truck they get a coat or blanket under them. If carried I try to be careful but the nicks etc. are character marks, like little scars, and like scars it hurts me when they happen. If I needed to wade through a swamp with one or be out in the pouring rain, so be it. But it get cleaned and cared for when I get home. Also depends on the rifle, sometimes things like my AR just gets dried off with a paper towel.
 
Sorry, Greg, but what you wrote tells me of carelessness and a lack of respect for tools. Not good.

IMO, tools should not be used carelessly such that there is unnecessary damage. They should be maintained such that they will be as useful at some future moment as they are in immediacy.

Sure, little nicks and dings or scratches are unavoidable in what is commonly seen as normal wear and tear--but those are not careless abuse.

Sloppiness with a rifle can result in the sights being no longer accurate. Easy to merely cripple an animal, or have a complete miss and a bullet out there which might be addressed "to whom it may concern".
 
I have different rifles that get treated differently. I treat them all as well as I possibly can given the circumstance they will be used in. My hog hunting rifles do at times un-avoidably take a beating. My bean field rifles get treated almost as good as safe queens.
 
As an 'extreme use' comment, I had a chance to fire a decades-old full auto Norinco Chinese AK-47 at their test range outside Beijing. Despite having fired, by one estimate, over a half million to a million rounds, with wear spots where you'd expect them, the weapon was in reasonable shape and felt surprisingly solid.
Most well made weapons don't ask alot, and a little care can make them last a very long time (rounds wise too).
 
whoa now

Half a million to a million rounds, whoa now. I don't doubt that somebody in China told you that, I have read of others who toured AK sites in earlier times. But I think that maybe comrade Chin got his commas mixed up. That or it was propoganda.

Half a million, that's 500,000 rounds. Twice that.......hard to believe. Or....the round count was not "without breakage" and the AK was repaired as needed.

All that said, wish I could have taken said tour.
 
Bamaranger
The North Industries Company (Norinco) test range is 90 minute drive outside Beijing. Everything from pistols to AK's to 23mm AA guns plus RPGs were there for the shooting for $'s.
They were out of RPGs dangit but the rest and more were a blast. Look it up if you get a chance.
As for what we were told, yep we had no way of verifying. Maybe all but the stock and buttplate were original, who knows.
But it was clear they took great care of the weapons there.
Seriously anyone headed to Beijing, look it up! I would love to see some pics of a Yank with an RPG.
 
This sure sounds like a troll OP.......but I could be wrong......

Half a million to a million rounds, whoa now.
Click to expand...

In a full auto - that's what? about a month's worth?

I own an O/U with 300,000 through it over 20 years.......not hard to do.
 
I wipe my rifle down before I take it out and as soon as I bring it in.

I'm as careful as I can be in the field, I know it will get some new marks I try not to let it bother me...

I do leave the bore fouled all season...
 
500,000 rounds through an AK is definitely believable. I have read where IMI has fired over 500,000 rounds through their CZ clone pistols before having to re-barrel. I am sure the AK had a few barrels on it at that round count.
 
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The man said "Full-auto". I have my doubts. I well remember the early scrap. The receiver blocks were not even heat treated. The blocks started to mushroom. Remember the M-14 copy" and all the issues it had. Chinese junk is still "Hit or miss" to this day when you buy it. Everybody here goes to WALMART for the quality, right? The only thing I have seen over the years that they have improved on in the gun related field is optics, but you better stick to the very simple scopes.
 
Realistically my rifles get super care throughout testing during the year, once deer season comes in, I'm not babying any gear I take to the field. I will not throw my rifles around the back of a truck, or hold down barb wire with them but scratches, blood and weed seeds just means to me that I hunted hard, especially blood on them.....
 
I've been a mechanic for over 40yrs, I don't treat my guns like my tools.
And take pretty good care of my tools.
 
I try and take good care of my possessions, when it's time to sell them I will be repaid for the trouble.

We've all walked past gun show tables piled with junk rifles that will never sell except for parts.

The pawnshops are filled with beat-up truck guns.

You don't have to let us tell you, just go look for yourself. Cared-for rifles sell quickly, and for a decent price, while beaters sit in the rack.
 
I generally hunt hard areas bugs me to accidently scratch. Drop, or nock my guns so I compensate.
Hunt with 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser composition stock. Leaupold scope sport trigger.
Usually gets muddy. Dusty. Wet, sweaty any else you can think of in south texas. Wipe it down with g96. bore snake at end of hunt daily . Good cleaning before storing for next season.
 
If your life depends on it, treat it like your daughter.

If your sustenance depends in it, treat it like your mother.

If it is a toy, get the most fun out of it that you can.

:D
 
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