How Often Should You Clean Your Air Gun?

by
posted on August 30, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
airgun-2.jpg

In order to alleviate equipment malfunctions on the line, it is important to maintain a clean competition air gun. Just like in other competition firearms, it is essential to keep the barrel of your air gun clean of any unnecessary oils or undesirable particles at all times. How often you clean your barrel will depend on the type of air gun you have, the smoothness of the bore and the type of pellets you use.

Collegiate Air Rifle Competition
Regular cleaning and maintenance ensure that a gun is safe to operate. Photo by John Rickards.


Most air gun dealers will recommend that a well-used air gun be brought in annually for servicing, but a less-used air gun may require servicing only once every two years. During servicing, most shops will replace the air seals, clean, lubricate and test the air gun for accuracy. By making sure your air gun is clean and well-lubricated, you could easily turn your 10s into Xs.

Feinwerkbau 500
Feinwerkbau .177 Model 500.


For a more in-depth look at keeping your air gun in tip top shape, read the Shooting Sports USA article “Air Gun Maintenance” by Scott Pilkington.

Latest

Usaclaytarget 2026Collegeresults 1
Usaclaytarget 2026Collegeresults 1

Alfred State College Wins Team Title at 2026 USA College Clay Target League National Championship

Alfred State and Montcalm’s Tanner Schmaus won national titles on tiebreakers at the 2026 USA College Clay Target League National Championship.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte Opens New PROOF Research Facility

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte opened PROOF Research’s newest Columbia Falls building, toured barrel and rifle production and fired a 22 Creedmoor rifle.

New: Watchtower Defense Vantage Handguns

Watchtower Defense’s new Vantage Series pairs ported slides and barrels with double-stack 1911 frames in full-size and compact versions.

Trijicon Gives RMR HD A New Look In Coyote Brown

Trijicon has added a Coyote Brown anodized finish to its RMR HD reflex sight, offered with 1.0- or 3.25-MOA dots for $1,066.

Collegiate Rifle: Anceline Brackman Fires First Perfect 600-60X in NCAA History

Murray State freshman Anceline Brackman fired the first 600-60X air rifle score in NCAA history Nov. 1 at Ohio State.

TriStar’s New Viper G3 Improves on Award-Winning Shotgun

TriStar’s Viper G3 semi-automatic shotgun adds oversized controls and stronger internals, with a 3-inch chamber in every gauge.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.