Abuse

2400 · May 3, 2016

I was having coffee with 4 buddys last week and one said he wanted a rifle that would take a lot of abuse. We got sidetracked on something else and that was all that was said about it.

Later on that got me thinking, what exactly is abuse? Does he use it for a hammer, pry bar, barbwire stretcher or just drop it from time to time. I have rifles and shotguns that have scars n the wood and scratches on the metal but as far as I know I didn't abuse them I was just using them over and over in the field and they got nicked once in a while.

What do you guys think of when you think of abuse?

Account Deleted · May 3, 2016

Never cleaning it and it maintaining function and accuracy.

PrairieGhost · May 3, 2016

What do you guys think of when you think of abuse?

People who neglect to clean their firearms. Stainless was a Godsend for some people. It still needs to be cleaned once in a while. Another abuse is those people who stick their gun in the pickup barrel down against the floor. A floor they have tracked rocks and dirt into. You look at their muzzle and it dings all over. Then they tell you it shoots under an inch all day long. Hmmmm. I have some swamp land for sale. It's sort of like my brother who builds custom knives. He sold about a $250 knife to a guy (would have been $500 from some people) only to have him use a rock to beat it through the pelvic bone on his deer. Some people treat their firearms that way.

Edit: Had to tell you this funny story. My brother gave an excellent knife to this guy for a present. He had sharpened it like a razor with 1000 grit before giving it to him. After dinner he could hear him out in his shop grinding away at something. Sure enough he brings it back into the house with one of those nice blue edges on it.

2400 · May 3, 2016

PrairieGhost said:
Edit: Had to tell you this funny story. My brother gave an excellent knife to this guy for a present. He had sharpened it like a razor with 1000 grit before giving it to him. After dinner he could hear him out in his shop grinding away at something. Sure enough he brings it back into the house with one of those nice blue edges on it.

Some people just need to be punched in the face.

Tikka280ai · May 3, 2016

Not cleaning in. Throwing it in a pickup or on an atv and using it like a tool. I don't buy pretty gun because I would feel like an idiot if it got dinged up or scratched. All but 2 of my guns are synthetic stocked and blued.

I don't use them as hammers or pry bars but they aren't babied either. But I am pretty persistent about cleaning them all 2 or 3 times a year

guywhofishes · May 3, 2016

I admit I use my guns, rods, and reels like they are tools rather than fine instruments. Clean maybe once a year... or not. Ha ha.

Does that make me a tool? :;:howdy

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p.s. That knife story made me feel icky inside.

espringers · May 3, 2016

the one an only high caliber i've ever owned was given to me in the spring of 1993 i think for a graduation present. BAR .243. i never learned how to properly break it down to clean it. so, i just never cleaned it. i finally took it to someone last fall to have it cleaned up. 22 years later. abuse?

Account Deleted · May 3, 2016

espringers said:
the one an only high caliber i've ever owned was given to me in the spring of 1993 i think for a graduation present. BAR .243. i never learned how to properly break it down to clean it. so, i just never cleaned it. i finally took it to someone last fall to have it cleaned up. 22 years later. abuse?

Criminal abuse.

LBrandt · May 3, 2016

Lent a 22-250 to a friend for deer hunting, he propped it along side the gap between the pickup box and cab. Forgot it was there and drove away, fifty yards later rememberd , that was abuse, but not near the abuse when he brought it back. But he did buy a gun that could damed near shoot in circles.

wby257 · May 3, 2016

You know you could just call him and ask him what he meant. That couldnt be that hard to do

2400 · May 3, 2016

wby257 said:
You know you could just call him and ask him what he meant. That couldnt be that hard to do

Yup, I sure can it's not hard to do and I plan on it.

I wanted other opinions, ideas and thoughts from some experienced outdoorsman. I figured this would be a good place to ask. Do you have an opinion?

SupressYourself · May 3, 2016

Abuse: When I was like 11 or 12, we were hunting rabbits in the tree grove with one of my dads Rem 870s. We weren't supposed to be using it when he wasn't around, so when we saw him come home, we left it propped against a tree. We were going to go back for it later, but forgot. A couple years later, we found it out there. A little steel wool and then some new blueing, and it was good as new.

Kurtr · May 3, 2016

More damage is done to chambers and throats from over cleaning than shooting. If it is shooting good no need to clean. Common sense comes into play if it is raining or you had to use it as a paddle to get to shore cleaning is good. I have gone 600 plus before i have cleaned my bartlein and still really didnt need it i just did.

fly2cast · May 3, 2016

I have a 1960's remington 6mm that shoots really nice. Taken a lot of deer. Not sure if it's ever been cleaned.

My name is fly2cast. I'm a gun abuser.

Account Deleted · May 3, 2016

Kurtr said:
More damage is done to chambers and throats from over cleaning than shooting. If it is shooting good no need to clean. Common sense comes into play if it is raining or you had to use it as a paddle to get to shore cleaning is good. I have gone 600 plus before i have cleaned my bartlein and still really didnt need it i just did.

Alright I hear both sides of this pretty often. For the true gun gurus here, how often should you clean your rifles, or more specifically, chamber and barrel? I think lube and good cleaning is warranted pretty often for moving components.

Kenneth · May 3, 2016

Kurtr said:
More damage is done to chambers and throats from over cleaning than shooting. If it is shooting good no need to clean. Common sense comes into play if it is raining or you had to use it as a paddle to get to shore cleaning is good. I have gone 600 plus before i have cleaned my bartlein and still really didnt need it i just did.

I dont buy it

JMF · May 3, 2016

I usually go 2-300 rounds between cleanings on the barrel and chamber.

Wild and Free · May 3, 2016

I am hit and miss, maybe clean them annually or every 5 years regardless of use. all get beat around the cab barrel down all still shoot fine.
Had a friend in high school fell out of a tree stand and landed on his rifle and bent the barrel in a "U" shape, he was so mad he stuck it in the crook of a tree and bent it back and had the balls to try it out and be damned if he didn't get the thing near spot on with his moment of tirade. Thing shot the same groups at the same distance as before he bent it and never did take it in just used it like it never happened, probably still has it.

Kurtr · May 3, 2016

Kenneth said:
I dont buy it

Call the guys up at Bartlein they might know a thing or two on bbls report back what they say......while your at it ask about the break in myth

Can anyone explain to me why you would clean the gun when it is still shooting? other than moisture or extreme conditions like falling in the mud or being in a sand storm why clean it.

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To add most people dont have the proper tools to clean said gun.

guywhofishes · May 3, 2016

cleaning shotgun barrels never made much sense to me I must admit

I still do it - but the entire time I am doing it I am thinking "this is dumb"

Abuse

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