Image: Lefever Nitro Special 16 gauge side-by-side, a trusty classic double that came through our showroom in 2017. Explore our current shotgun listings.
Post-Season Shotgun Care: Getting Ahead of the Next Hunt
As the last echoes of spring gobblers fade and the season winds to a close, now’s the time to turn your attention to the care of your trusted shotgun. Whether you carried a side-by-side through the woods or a pump gun through the blind, your firearm has earned a little attention.
In This Article:
- How to Handle Handle Post-Season Cleaning
- How Often Should I Clean My Shotgun?
- What Else to Look For—And When to Get a Pro Involved
- Expectations are Key
- From Maintenance to Meaning—When It’s Time to Consider Full Restoration
- Mechanical Restoration: Not as Common as Full Restoration, But Sometimes a Viable Option
- More from this Series
- Share Your Stories
- Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Sending it in for cleaning, inspection, and any needed repairs now—not months from now—means you’ll have it back in your hands well before the leaves start to turn and the dogs are back on the trail. Post-season care isn’t just about preservation—it’s about preparation. Take care of it now, and it’ll be ready when it matters most.
Tell us your stories.
As always, we want to hear from you! What are your stories? The comment section is open below.
When the season wraps up, we take the time to give our shotguns the attention they deserve. Whether it’s a trusted vintage double, a well-used pump, or a modern workhorse, the principles of post-season care remain largely the same. It’s not about reinventing the wheel—just good, basic field maintenance done right.
Metal
We always start with the mechanics. Using the right tools makes a big difference: brass-bristled brushes, a set of pointed probes for tight corners, and clean, lint-free rags. That combo helps get into the grime and residue that tends to collect in moving parts over the course of a season.
Next, we move to the barrel. A good solvent breaks up the fouling, and a thorough wipe-down ensures it’s clean from breech to muzzle. Don’t forget those choke tube threads—clean them out and apply a dab of appropriate lube to avoid galling. It’s also a good time to give the forend’s moving parts a once-over.
When it comes to lubrication, go light. Too much oil invites buildup, especially if you’re using your gun again soon. For short-term storage, a light general-purpose oil works fine—just don’t overdo it. But if the gun’s going back in the safe for the long haul, we recommend a fast-drying anti-rust spray for the metal surfaces. It offers protection without leaving sticky residue.
Above all, inspect the bore. Is it clean? Dented? You’d be surprised how many shotguns come through our shop with bores that haven’t been looked at in years. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s essential—and it only takes a few minutes.
How Often Should I Clean My Shotgun?
A good rule of thumb: clean your shotgun after every outing—especially if you’ve been out in the elements. Moisture, powder residue, and grime can all cause corrosion over time, even on a well-maintained gun.
For heirloom and vintage doubles, you don’t need to fully strip it down every time, but you should:
- Wipe down metal surfaces with an oiled cloth
- Clean and lightly oil the bores
- Check for any signs of moisture, rust, or looseness
If your shotgun sees occasional use, a thorough seasonal cleaning (once or twice a year) paired with proper storage will go a long way in preserving both function and value.
Just remember: more oil doesn’t mean more protection. Over-oiling can actually attract dirt and residue, gumming up the works over time. Use oil sparingly—just enough to protect the surfaces and moving parts without creating buildup. When in doubt, less is often more.
Wood
The wood deserves a moment too. A lightly damp rag is enough to wipe it down—no need to get aggressive. And a word of caution: those all-in-one CLP (clean-lube-protect) products can be trouble, especially if they get into checkering or grain. We’re always very careful when using these product types.
And while it might seem mundane, the everyday stuff—cleaning, inspecting, reassembling—is what makes the biggest difference. For newer guns, always follow the manufacturer’s manual. It’ll point out maintenance needs specific to that model, some of which may not be obvious. If your manual suggests an annual check-up by a qualified gunsmith, take that seriously.
During a post-season cleaning, it’s not uncommon for a few surprises to surface—especially on older shotguns that have seen their share of field time. That’s why, while we’re working away, we keep an eye out for common wear signs that may signal the need for deeper attention.
One of the most frequent issues we come across is the classic side-by-side that’s gone “loose.” Here’s a quick field test you can do yourself:
- Open the action and hold the shotgun by the wrist.
- Gently move the barrels side to side.
- Listen and feel for any clunks or rattles.
- Then close the action and look closely—do you see daylight between the barrels and breech face?
If so, chances are your gun is loose, and that’s not something you want to ignore. It can point to worn locking surfaces or hinge pins—things that need to be addressed by a qualified gunsmith to prevent further mechanical wear or safety issues.
Another recurring theme? Screw damage. It might seem minor, but bunged-up screw heads are a telltale sign of improper tools—typically standard hardware store screwdrivers instead of proper hollow-ground gunsmith bits. We see this all the time, and our go-to recommendation is always the same: Brownells Magna-Tip. It’s a simple investment that pays dividends. Beyond function, screw condition and indexing also offer quick insight into whether a gun’s been previously worked on—and how carefully.
Video: Our ever-popular Introduction to Metal Preparation video series (yes, all the way back from 1995!) includes a chapter on screw repair, an often-overlooked area of maintenance and restoration.
We’re sometimes asked if a post-season service is the right time to take on cosmetic work. The answer, more often than not, is no. A cosmetic refresh—rebluing, refinishing the stock, or recutting checkering—is typically part of a full restoration, not seasonal upkeep. When we’re doing annual work on vintage guns still in service, the goal is prevention. For example: if the barrel blue is just faded or patchy, that’s cosmetic—let it be. But if there’s active rust, that’s a different story. That’s when it’s time to take action to stop the damage before it spreads.
Watch for signs that it’s time to bring your gun in. If you’ve noticed a pattern of malfunctions, don’t ignore it. Same goes for the feel of the action during reassembly—if something feels gritty or sluggish, and you’re not sure what to do next, that’s when a professional can help.
And remember: there’s no shame in reaching out to a gunsmith. Knowing your limits is part of being a responsible gun owner. Every cleaning, every inspection is a chance to learn—and the only “mistake” is not asking for help when you need it.
One of the most important conversations we have with customers revolves around setting expectations. If you’re bringing your shotgun to your gunsmith for service, be clear and specific about what you want done. Are you asking for help with a mechanical problem, a cosmetic issue—or both? And what’s driving that decision?
In our shop, we take that very seriously. We’re careful to match our work to your request. With old guns in particular, even something seemingly simple like replacing a spring may require making a part from scratch. That’s the nature of keeping heirloom-quality firearms running—and we’ll always let you know what’s involved before any work begins.
Image: Restored Parker BHE 12 gauge. Visit our blog to get the behind-the-scenes restoration story.
As you wrap up your seasonal cleaning routine, it’s worth stepping back and looking at the bigger picture—especially when you’re caring for a shotgun that’s been in the family a while. Yes, keeping the mechanics clean, lightly oiled, and in working order is critical. But while you’re doing that work, it might also be time to ask: is it time to take the next step and consider restoration?
At Turnbull, our focus is full restoration of classic American doubles—from makers like Parker, L.C. Smith, A.H. Fox, Ithaca, Lefever, and Winchester, along with a select group of vintage pump actions. Most of our restoration work—about 75%—involves bringing a cherished family heirloom back to its original factory condition. Within that group, about half of the restored shotguns go on to live a second life in the field, even if it’s just for the occasional bird hunt or once-a-year clay shoot.
Whether the gun is destined for the field or the family display, we always begin with a detailed consultation. We want to understand how our customer sees the value of their firearm. Is it market value? Sentimental? A little of both? Everyone has a different story—and that story often shapes their decision to restore or not. Much has been written about the question of whether or not to restore. For sure we’ve had our say, and so have noted writers like Terry Wieland. But when it comes to seasonal projects, we do occasionally encounter what we call a mechanical restoration.
Image: Outdoor writer John Ross brought us his classic Parker DHE for full inspection and care options. Together, we decided mechanical restoration would be the proper course of action. Read the story, “An Old Parker Finds New Life” in Sporting Classics.
Here’s a scenario: a well-loved Parker or L.C. Smith that’s been in the field for generations. It’s got a few bumps and bruises—dings in the stock, worn checkering, faded case colors, blue that’s going patchy. But the bores are clean, and it still swings well. The gun has character. And it still gets used.
In these cases, a quote for a full restoration to original factory spec might exceed the owner’s valuation of the gun—every owner has their own calculus (see above), and that’s okay. A full restoration means the works: a new hand-checkered stock and forearm to match factory records, factory-style engraving, and the kind of deep polishing and historically accurate finishes that define our restoration work. But sometimes, once a customer sees the scope of that project, they take another look at the scratches and scuffs—and start to see memories instead of flaws. A timeline of hunts. The story of the people who carried it.
We’ve written about this type of mechanical restoration before. And when the conversation shifts in that direction, we often end up focusing on making the shotgun mechanically sound—and keeping it in the field where it belongs.
Even this kind of mechanical or partial restoration involves plenty of care and detail. We might:
- Disassemble and thoroughly clean the action
- Fit a new top lever spring
- Polish the bores
- Set barrels back on the face
- Rebuild a damaged dolls head extension
- Touch up engraving where needed
- Spot blend rust blue to match the overall condition
- Install a new front bead
- And of course, reassemble with the proper grease and oil
Even when a shotgun isn’t being fully restored to factory-new condition, we still apply the same philosophy and attention to detail. How do we know what’s correct? Decades of study, traveling to shows and museums, collaborating with collectors, and more than a little trial and error. That’s what it’s taken to master these long-lost techniques and bring them back to life—one shotgun at a time.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about metal and wood. It’s about honoring a legacy, preserving a memory, and maybe even making a few new ones the next time you head out into the field.
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