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DIY Tricks of the Trade

Ernst

.30-06
"Philanthropist"
I'm sure many of you have weapon and shooting related tricks of the trade that you've used over the years. Thought it might be good to share a few I've used.

Long Gun Socks - take some old cargo pants or jeans, cut off the legs and sew up the cuffs. Makes great gun socks for storing long guns in safes or in your vehicles. Protects them from scratches and dings. Cargo pants, with Velcro closure leg pockets, are especially good because you can store various items in the pockets. Good repurpose of your old pants.

Muzzle Covers - protecting the muzzle when you're hunting or out working in the elements is important but you need to be ready to fire the weapon as needed immediately. In the drug and ointment section of any drug or family are boxes of "finger cots" that look like little single finger nitrite gloves. Typically used in the application of ointments. They fit perfectly over your gun muzzle to keep the rain, mud and debris out. When you fire the weapon they disappear and have no affect on accuracy. Much better than electrical tape because they leave no residue and don't fall off in the rain.

Magnetic Work Bench Mats - if you go to a sign store that makes these magnetic truck door signs you can typically buy the magnetic backing by the foot. Most are 18 or 24 inches wide and a sheet makes a great work bench cover to prevent you from losing small metal parts like gun springs and screws when you're doing maintenance.

Finding A Dropped Part - we've all dropped metal springs, screws or other small metal parts on the floor. If it's a solid surface floor you can usually use a flashlight to find it but what happens if it's carpet? Take your shop vac and "borrow" one of your wife's nylon stockings. Put the stocking over the hose end and secure it with either a rubber band or some tape. Turn on the vacuum and "suck up" the lost part. Simple hold your hand over the end of the hose as you turn off the vac and the part will fall in your hand.

Hope these hints are helpful.

Please share DIY things you've found useful.

Regards

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Long Gun Socks - take some old cargo pants or jeans, cut off the legs and sew up the cuffs. Makes great gun socks for storing long guns in safes or in your vehicles. Protects them from scratches and dings. Cargo pants, with Velcro closure leg pockets, are especially good because you can store various items in the pockets. Good repurpose of your old pants.

I keep a 500 pg in my trunk in this fashion. Looking in the trunk you wouldn't realize there is a shotgun in the pant leg... ;)
 
I have a trick or two up my sleeve. Probably old hat to most though.
One is that I like to wax my guns & knives. This way, they’re shiny and better protected from the elements. If you get caught out in the rain the water will bead and wick off. I also like to wax the mag tube on pump shotguns so the mag tube is as smooth as it can get. Doing so seems to make the action a little smoother. Renaissance wax is a good brand, but your run-of-the-mill high end car wax works well also.
Another automotive product I use on guns is interior cleaner/detailer. I use it to clean a & protect synthetic stocks.
Synthetic motor oil makes for a decent CLP, but I have seen Mobil 1 remove a little bluing if it was left on too long.
Another non gun product that makes for a good “gun product” is 3-In-One’s RVcare Slide-Out Silicone Lube. It’s a “dry lube” comparable to Hornady One Shot, except the 3-In-One cost half as much. The 3-In-One works exceptionally well on pump shotgun action bars and inside the channels they ride in. Spraying some inside the pump fore end where it will contact the mag tube helps to smooth out the action as well. The big plus is that it’s not runny and messy.
If you have a magnetic tray magnetize your screw drivers by placing them in the tray.
That’s all I have off the top of my head at the moment.
Keep y'all's powder dry.

https://www.3inone.com/products/rvcare-slide-out-silicone-lube/

*Edit* Simple Green is good at removing cosmoline.
*Edit again* Don’t use the 3-In-One as a cleaner, just use it to lube & protect.
 
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One more:
This one might be a little controversial, especially if one is a “gun snob.” But I like to paint some of my firearms. I paint the ones that are “working animals” and not “pets.” I’ll usually hit the barrel with a high heat black followed by a matte clear. Why might you ask? Well if I ding the barrel on something, say a deer stand window frame, etc, etc, I can just just hit it with another coat of paint. I figure it’s better than dinging up a “bare barrel.” If you ding a “plain blue” barrel then your pretty close to bare metal. I’m poor so I have make my stuff last.
 
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