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I know everybody has their own preferred method of gun cleaning. I've got my own for rifle and pistol but I'm still relatively new to shotguns and just picked up my first shotgun with chokes (Winchester SXP). I would like to know how my fellow Texas CHL forum members clear their shotguns?

I have an Otis system that I use on most of my guns which I like quite a bit but it doesn't seem to do as good of a job on shotguns. I'm considering picking up a one piece rod, jag, brush and mop combo but I'm always open for better ideas.

Also, how do you clean your chokes? I scrubbed mine with a pistol rod and 12 GA brush but it seems many soak them in something.

Thanks for your feedback.

OK, I am not going to say I am an expert because shotguns are new to me too. I bought a Remington Versamax so I tend to use the products they say in their manual, I clean the bore first by running a bore snake down the barrel. I take the choke out and put in one of those old small medicine bottles, spray with rem brite bore and let it sit in that stuff. I put the thread end down so it gets more soaking. I then use the brite bore to clean the threads in the barrel. I have a tipton rod and a proshot jag that I use to run patches down the barrel. Really havent had to do too much cleaning here but leave a light amount of rem oil on metal surfaces. On the Versamax there are gas cylinders, don't clean very often but I use brite bore every now and then. Take the bolt out rarely, disassemble and use rem oil rarely. Take the trigger assembly out once in awhile and spray with rem action cleaner and then a light rem oil. Make sure that entire shotgun has a very light coating of rem oil. Always seems to work perfectly and gun always looks good. To me the hardest part is getting the choke tubes clean. I would be interested in hearing any suggestions from others as to what works for them.

I clean my JM Pro every 1k rounds. Wipe down piston and spay clean bolt. I did the other month put froglube on bolt since it's not easy to lube. Will spray clp down tube. Rem oil sucks. Before a match ill pour a good bit of mil pro 7 around bolt

If you are talking about cleaning a pump gun after use. Drag a BoreSnake through the barrel a couple of times put a little oil in the barrel a few drops of oil on the moving parts you are good to go.

Semi automatics, not so much. After a long session of shooting I take my 1100 all apart remove any plastic or rubber parts, and soak everything including choke tubes for an hour or sometimes overnight in a tub of Ed's Red. With a cheap bristle (not nylon or foam) paint brush I scrub the insides of the receiver with Ed's Red. Mop the bore with more ER and let it soak for a while.

I guess you can tell I like Ed's Red. Using rags or paper towel wipe everything down well and check that it is thoroughly clean re applying Ed's Red and scrubbing with a soft wire brush any areas that aren't clean. When clean to your satisfaction reassemble and lubricate everything. I use Mobil1 motor oil 10W40 or 15W50 the specific viscosity is not all that important. Or, you can use the latest and greatest "gun oil" I find Mobil 1 or any other fully synthetic motor oil to be far superior to gun oil and cheaper too! For your choke tubes use a good grade of automobile grease or the L&G gun stuff.

If you are looking for Ed's Red, Brownell's sells it in 4 oz bottles or you can make your own. the recipe is available online just google. "Ed's Red."

Thanks everyone.

Mojo I have been reading about Ed's Red for years, just always a little intimidated to try making it myself.

Right now I use Hoppe's #9 solvent and oil and it worked OK though I wonder if it will be enough for the plastic fouling build up. I'm going to search around for something to use to soak chokes in as it seems quite a few people do that as well.

There are so many different cleaners, solvents, lubricants and tools to use that it is mind boggling to try and figure out which to even try.

The pump actions are easy to clean, especially this SXP. The Mossberg isn't that hard to strip down and it is a chore to clean in comparison to the SXP.

The Viper triple-brushed snake bore cleaning rope, is an excellent choice. It would make all other bore cleaning tools obsolete.

I think on shotguns the bore snake is the way to go, they are quick and easy. I don't use shotguns for self defense, just hunting, so I literally do not clean them until they begin to malfunction. With my Remington 1100, that's about every 2,000 rds. or so. My Mossberg 835 has not been cleaned in a decade, but I don't use it much. Same goes for my 870 in .410 which I shoot a couple rounds a month out of, mostly killing those pesky squirrels.

Watch the youtube video for your gun to see how to take it apart. Then, bore snake it with a bit of breakfree clp on the snake. Finally, rub all metal with clp. Done.

SQLGeek wrote:I know everybody has their own preferred method of gun cleaning. I've got my own for rifle and pistol but I'm still relatively new to shotguns and just picked up my first shotgun with chokes (Winchester SXP). I would like to know how my fellow Texas CHL forum members clear their shotguns?

I have an Otis system that I use on most of my guns which I like quite a bit but it doesn't seem to do as good of a job on shotguns. I'm considering picking up a one piece rod, jag, brush and mop combo but I'm always open for better ideas.

Also, how do you clean your chokes? I scrubbed mine with a pistol rod and 12 GA brush but it seems many soak them in something.

Thanks for your feedback.