The best way to ensure the longevity and performance of your over-and-under shotgun is to keep it clean. That might sound like an onerous chore, but you can effectively clean an over-and-under in less than 20 minutes on your kitchen counter.

The biggest culprits that foul your shotgun are residues from the shotgun shells. Lead, plastic and gas residues accumulate inside the barrel, potentially affecting the patterns of your ammunition and accuracy of your shots. Meanwhile, the receiver tends to collect powder deposits inside that build up over time.

To begin cleaning, first make sure the shotgun is unloaded. Next, find the owner's manual, which usually has instructions for disassembling your over-and-under. If you bought the shotgun used without documentation, try to find a replacement online.

Lay the shotgun on a soft surface. If you don't have a dedicated work bench topped with an absorbent cleaning pad, a disposable towel will do fine instead. Try to keep your over-and-under away from hard surfaces. Despite being made of steel, shotgun receivers and barrels can scratch quite easily, so it's best to put them on something soft. Likewise, always handle the shotgun components with care to avoid scratches and dents by accidentally banging them against a hard surface or sharp edge.

It's best to have a well-ventilated area. Some of the lubricants and solvents emit toxic odors.

Here’s a list of things you’ll need to clean your over-and-under:

Cleaning solvent: The most popular is Hoppe's No. 9, although others will suffice including Break-Free, Hornady's One-Shot and Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber. Sprays are best for cleaning inside the barrels.

Gun lubricant: High temperatures, fouling and inclement weather demand lubricants specifically designed for firearms. In short, don't use WD-40, 3-in-1 or engine oil on your shotgun. Rem-Oil, FP-10, Hoppe's No. 9 oil or Clenzoil tend to be favorites.

Bore snake: This will be extremely helpful in cleaning inside the barrel. A bore snake drops down the barrel, and you pull it through the muzzle. Usually made of nylon, it has bronze bristles that scrub away deposits and dry the barrel along the way. Bore snakes come in different sizes, so make sure you have one that matches the gauge of your shotgun.

The long string on the bore snake goes into the barrel first. You pull the bore snake through with that string so that it exits from the muzzle.


Bore brush: They have bronze bristles and screw into a long rod to reach through the entire length of the barrel. You would use one if the bore snake doesn't do an adequate job. Like bore snakes, these brushes are gauge-specific. If using a bore brush, follow with a bore snake to ensure a clean surface.

The bore brush is used to more aggressively clean the inside of your shotgun barrel. You still need to follow with a bore snake for a shiny surface.


Bronze cleaning brush: These are basically toothbrushes with bronze bristles designed to provide scrubbing power and withstand gun-cleaning chemicals. They can scratch the exterior surfaces of your shotgun, so use with care.

Cotton cleaning patches or a rag: Q-Tips aren't advisable because they shed and leave unwanted fibers.

These cotton patches (top) are designed for cleaning guns. They work great on hard-to-reach places. You can also get a patch holder that looks like a large eye of a needle and screws onto the same rod that holds the bore brush if you want to swab inside the barrel. Cleaning pads (bottom) also provide a soft, absorbent surface for cleaning your shotgun.



Oil: This is for the wood on your shotgun. Birchwood Casey makes Gun Stock Wax. However, you can also use Clenzoil or Ballistol on the stock and forend. I also like to use tung oil.

Rubber gloves: You don't want all these cleaning materials on your hands.

Before you begin, it's important to remember this: Don't overlubricate your shotgun. Too much oil can result in a slippery piece of equipment that's difficult to control (and potentially dangerous). An abundance of oil can attract dirt, and too much oil on the metal surfaces means that the excess can seep into the stock and forend, potentially damaging the wood. Apply just enough oil to ensure that the shotgun operates smoothly.

Your approach should be one of least resistance. Try the least abrasive approach first and gradually build to more rigorous methods until you're satisfied with the results.

Now that you have your supplies ready, break down the over-and-under. Essentially, you should have three pieces: the receiver with the stock, the barrel and the forend. Many shotguns use screw-in chokes that should be removed.

It doesn't really matter the sequence in which you clean the over-and-under, but we'll start with the barrels. Hold the barrels muzzle-down. It's best to use an aerosol cleaner that you can spray inside. Wait a few moments for the cleaner to work, and then run the bore snake through the barrel so that it exits through the muzzle.

Some bore snakes fit snugly, and you'll have to pull hard on the string to draw it completely through. Be careful and patient during this step. Hold up the barrels to a light and look inside. If necessary, repeat or use the bore brush.

Apply solvent to the barrels' monoblock including the recessed trunnion pivot points, locking lug and ejectors. Lubricate the pivot points and locking lug. Some people prefer gun grease over oil; their thinking is that it attracts less dirt and lasts longer. If you use grease, the best ones are dispensed through a hypodermic-like device for prudent applications.

Wipe down the outside of the barrel with oil. Don't press hard on the rib since some of them are delicate. In addition to cleaning the exterior, a thin layer of oil helps prevent rust. The barrel has a tab on the bottom to secure the forend and you should apply a small amount of grease or oil on it.

If you removed the chokes, use the cleaning aerosol inside the chokes and run through the bore snake or a bore brush. When done, the inside of the chokes should be dry and free of oil. Clean the threads and lubricate lightly. Wipe the exterior of the choke. Be careful not to oil the serrated knurl or it becomes difficult to hold the choke and tighten it. The choke should be screwed only hand-tight. Avoid pliers or other tools to tighten.

For the receiver, use a solvent on the inside but oil on the exterior. After cleaning the inside, oil the recesses that make contact with the trunnions, ejectors or locking lug. Wipe away the exterior oil as much as possible so that it’s safe to handle. Don't be tempted to drip oil inside the trigger; you'll gum it up.

If you opt to clean the stock, the best results are achieved by pouring the cleaner onto a rag and thoroughly wiping down the wood with it. Again, avoid making the stock slippery. At the same time, keep the recoil pad dry.

Regarding the forend, apply solvent on the interior locking mechanism, dry it, followed by a very light application of oil to prevent damaging the surrounding wood.

Give the shotgun a quick visual inspection and remove excess solvents or lubricants with a rag. Enjoy your clean over-and-under.