Neil Cross says that paying attention to the care of our shooting equipment will ensure it is reliable, safe and rust free in the future.
All good soldiers and all good shots know that care and maintenance of one’s arsenal is of paramount importance but never more so than during lulls in activity. The proper care of our weapons and equipment is important, even if our lives don’t depend on them. It’s surprising how many good guns are completely neglected during the off-season. The owners of vintage cars wouldn’t lay their machines up for months on end and then expect them to run faultlessly and with speed when needed. The analogy is flawed because cars are more complex than guns, but the principle remains the same. With minimal care, a classic British gamegun can continue to serve you for many more years. Most of its parts will have been made by hand, either in Birmingham or London. This means that the springs, sears and joints will not be uniform like the items created using computers.
