Why Keeping Your Shotgun Clean Is So Important (and Shotgun Parts to Keep Your Eye on)

There are some shooters out there that don’t clean their shotguns routinely, or even ever. For some, especially those that shoot old heritage break guns, the fouling is a badge of honor and a mark from the field.

But for those shooting pump-action and semi-automatic shotguns, keeping the gun clean is fairly important. This short post will cover the importance of keeping your shotgun clean, along with shotgun parts that will fail prematurely if the gun is not properly maintained. 

• Clean shotguns chamber, fire, extract and eject more reliably. While it’s not necessarily as big of a deal for break shotguns like side-by-sides and over/unders, those with reciprocating actions like pump-actions and semi-autos are sensitive to fouling accumulation. A lot of fouling in the shotgun’s firing pin channel behind the bolt face, or where the ejector or extractor engages the cartridge, can result in jams and all sorts of other issues associated with feeding, firing, extraction and ejection. For instance, excessive fouling in the shotgun firing pin channel can prevent the firing pin from striking the primer with the force adequate to ignite the propellant. 

• Clean shotguns experience fewer issues with cycling. Another issue with fouling has to do with action operation itself. A lot of fouling or grime from the field, for instance, along the action bars, can make the action gritty if not difficult to cycle, and that can cost you in the field. 

• Clean shotguns will experience fewer issues with corrosion and rust. Modern primers and propellants are neither as hygroscopic or as overtly corrosive as those of the past, but the case remains that excessive fouling can still attract and trap moisture that will accelerate corrosion, rust, pitting and other problems, on your shotgun. Keeping the gun clean and oiled will help insulate it against corrosion and similar issues. 

• Routine maintenance protects the value of your gun. A gun that’s filthy or which has some rust spotting or pitting on it might have a little extra character, but what it won’t do is maintain its value as well as one that’s been fastidiously kept clean. Something as simple as cleaning your shotgun every time you come in from the range of field will help preserve its value.

• Parts will wear out less frequently with routine maintenance and cleaning. Fouling is abrasive and it will wear on your gun, especially on moving parts. Again, this is more of a concern with pump-action shotguns and semi-autos but it is still something to consider. 

Shotgun Parts to Watch Closely (These Parts Will Fail First) 

Keeping your shotgun clean will preserve the life of your shotgun parts, but whether you are meticulous about cleaning or not, the following parts are the ones that will fail first, and which you should know how to replace. 

• Shotgun firing pins and springs: The shotgun firing pin itself definitely should have a life of several thousand rounds, but after a while firing pins can fatigue and snap. When that happens you’ll need to replace the shotgun firing pin to restore the operability of the gun. The spring is actually more likely to fatigue before the firing pin itself, and is another part you should know how to replace. 

• Mag spring: If your shotgun magazine spring fatigues, the action of a repeater or autoloader won’t function as intended until you’ve replaced it. The gun will still cycle and fire, but you won’t be able to use the magazine until you replace the spring. 

• Recoil springs: There’s no recoil spring on a pump action, but this shotgun part is critical to the operation of autoloaders, as regardless of the action type, the bolt won’t return to battery without a functioning recoil spring. It, like the firing pin spring, is one of the shotgun parts most prone to failure. Make sure you know how to replace it. 

• Extractors: Extractors don’t fail and need to be replaced so much as the claw and channel need to be kept clean, which is the focus of this article. However, if the claw breaks or the extractor spring fails, the action won’t extract shells. 

• Ejectors: Not all shotguns have ejectors, but for those that do, when the ejector springs fatigue, you can expect a lot of jams. This is another shotgun part that’s prone to failure, and another good one to know how to replace. 

Shop Shotgun Firing Springs, Extractors, Ejectors, and Other Shotgun Parts Here 

Whether you’re here for a new shotgun firing pin spring or a recoil spring, we carry a ton of parts for popular models. Get in touch with us if you don’t see what you’re looking for or you’re not sure what you’re looking for, and in the meantime, keep your guns clean.