38 WING-SHOOTING. 



THE WAY TO CLEAN A GUN. 



The easiest and safest cleaner for a gun may be made 

 out of a piece of hickory, of about the size of one's little 

 finger and six inches longer than the length of the barrels, 

 with an oblong hole of about an inch and a-half in length 

 — the hole beginning about an inch from one end and 

 running upwards. Then take a piece of cotton or flannel 

 cloth, and saturate it with a fine oil, such as refined sperm, 

 neatsfoot, or rangoon oil, or vaseline, alcohol, purified 

 benzine, or spirits of turpentine : introduce it partly 

 through the oblong hole, and pass it through the barrels 

 till all the powder has been removed. Afterwards, repeat 

 the operation with dry cotton cloths. Then the outside 

 of the barrels, locks, guard, and woodwork should be 

 oiled, and polished with cotton cloths. Raw linseed oil 

 is an excellent article to apply to the stock and woodwork. 



When powder has caked in the ban^els, take a cloth 

 and saturate it with spirits of turpentine, roll it in some 

 wood-ashes, introduce it in the cleaner, and use in the 

 same way as when cleaning the gun. 



To prevent the inside of the barrels from getting 

 streaks and spots deposited upon their surfaces, always 

 clean your gun upon the evening of the day, or rather 



