How often do you need to clean a rifle when your not firing it more than a few times a year.

[whitetail23]

How often do you need to clean a rifle when your not firing it more than a few times a year.

[Smitty18]

I clean mine after a hunt or trip to the range and every couple months i wipe them down if they have been in the gun cabinet

[seadog]

I clean them EVERY time I use them. If you use them several times a year, you're probable good with that. If I don't use a gun for a while, I take it out every 3 months or so and check it and wipe it down very lightly with oil. (If your guns are not properly stored in a dry place, you might want to oil them more often, but don't overdo it--the oil will collect dust/dirt and give you a different problem).

[MB27]

I clean mine after shooting it.I only use my gun a few times a year,but try to look for rusting every couple of months.

[Johnnie]

Depending on the atmosphere the rifle is stored in, i.e. humid, salty, dry, etc., should govern your cleaning or maintenance schedule. If the storage area is dry, wipe down the rifle with a light coating of oil inside and out as needed. I don't think a bore brush cleaning would be necessary in maintaining a bore in a dry atmosphere. Too much bore cleaning can be as bad as not enough. I would clean the bore only when needed in dry storage.
In humid or salty storage conditions I would clean the bore using a bore brush followed by a medium oil coating of the bore. Then a light oil coating on the exterior of the rifle. In humid or salty conditions I would perform a cleaning maintenance at least once a month.
I've noticed metal dries out and needs to be conditioned. Not only do I give my firearms a light coating of oil, I give my scopes a wipe down with a light oil coating, too. You'll be surprised on how your scopes look healthier after a light oil wipe down.

[Cgull]

After each hunt or use.

[Cgull]

After each hunt or use.