Lubricating a shotgun

I have a 12 ga FN Browning O/U shotgun I bought new in 1955. I hunted for a few years, then decided I wasn't mad at the animals so it has spent the following years behind a living room door, silently helping preserve my right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

The time is approaching to pass it on to the next generation, one of my sister's boys. The gun is in very good condition except for a few very light scratches from dragging on my hunting jacket while raising it trying to murder a quail. I have never done anything but clean it and the grease in the unaccessible parts of the action is stiff and no doubt needs to be removed and relubricated. I can remove the barrels, slide the forearm forward and stand the chambers and associated mechanism in a solvent. For the rest of the action, I expect to remove the stock and soak it.

Before I get into it, does anyone have a better suggestion?

Bill

Personally I'd have it professionally serviced. I don't know specifically about your Browning but double guns in that league are complex internally and sometimes have parts retained in position by the stock. Some of those might fall out when the stock comes off. I don't know if that will be your situation.

You could at least get an estimate if any of these smiths are close to you:

https://www.bbb.org/search?city=sai...d_type=Category&page=1&sort=Distance&state=mo

If you decide to do it yourself I'd avoid compressed air. I'd soak the action, swish it around, soak, swish, etc several times. If you use an aggressive solvent you'll have to relube. There's a product called DunkIt that leaves a lubricating film after drip dry. Good luck.

Good point. I have always done my own gunsmithing but in this case it might be worth paying a professional. Beyond that, the midwest Browning warehouse is only a half hour drive from here. Monday I will get their advice.

The Browning warehouse used to be in downtown St. Louis. When I bought the gun, I settled the economics on trading a Winchester Model 12, which I despised, with a dealer, then went to the warehouse to pick out the exact gun I wanted with the drop that suited me. I have never wanted another shotgun.

Bill

This method is not recommended, but back in '66 I'd take my M14 in the shower with me. The water could be as hot as you wanted it. I'd hold that field stripped Remington-Rand M14 under the shower head and then hand it to my buddy Phil Altland. It was so hot that it dried instantly. Then I'd spray it with 3 in 1 oil. Use to come in aerosol cans. 'Fore long most all the guys were following suit. It made them sparkle.

Ray Behner said:

This method is not recommended, but back in '66 I'd take my M14 in the shower with me. The water could be as hot as you wanted it. I'd hold that field stripped Remington-Rand M14 under the shower head and then hand it to my buddy Phil Altland. It was so hot that it dried instantly. Then I'd spray it with 3 in 1 oil. Use to come in aerosol cans. 'Fore long most all the guys were following suit. It made them sparkle.

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We did similar with M-16s when I was in. There was a laundry sink in the barracks that put out water like a fire hose and hot enough to boil an owl. A couple shakes to get off the big water drops and the rest evaporated instantly.

I'm sure that many collectors would pay big money for that Remington-Rand M-14. Hot water is quite effective in cleaning a weapon that has seen service in the field and range. A Browning O/U that has not been fired in years should simply be disassembled to its larger components, and wiped down with a quality lubricant. If you have a cleaning rod, swab out the barrels with the same lubricant. Unless it has been immersed in water or lived in rain often, the internal workings probably are fine. If you are uncertain, take the gun to a real gunsmith for inspection. I'm glad to hear that you are no longer mad at game animals. Do you know what first angered you toward them?

sealark37 said:

I'm glad to hear that you are no longer mad at game animals. Do you know what first angered you toward them?

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I never had any anger toward animals. A more complete statement would be something like- since I wasn't mad at the animals and I found that I no longer enjoyed killing things, I stopped hunting and confined my efforts to murdering clay birds, mowing down rows of communist empty beer cans and perforating paper.

I don't object to hunting, though. After all, we are genetically and traditionally carnevors and hunters have done a lot for the country. When I was a teen, there were no turkeys or pheasants in Missouri and there were so few deer that deer season was almost a joke. Now, due largely to the Missouri Department of Conservation, which then was entirely supported by hunting and fishing licenses, we have large populations of all.

I called the Browning Warehouse. A very helpful fellow said that I could remove the screw holding the stock and slide it off. Nothing should fall off. They put the action in a vapor degreaser but I could use a spray on solvent, letting it soak for a few hours and blow it out with compressed air. Then they give it one shot of a spray on gun oil on each side. Sounds simple enough.

Bill

I'd take it Browning. Their repair shop is near you, and they have several gunsmiths there who were my classmates. They will know how to detail strip, clean, lube and re-assemble your Superposed.

wyop said:

I'd take it Browning. Their repair shop is near you, and they have several gunsmiths there who were my classmates. They will know how to detail strip, clean, lube and re-assemble your Superposed.

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Interestingly, when I said because they were so close, I would run it down, they said they will not take personal deliveries, Covid-19 and all that. I would much rather hand carry it than trust it to UPS or whatever, but at the moment that is not an option.

Bill