European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 6, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Key part of a Good trip a thorough cleaning of any gun includes a careful wipe Down with a Good Quaty  gun a by Dave Henderson United press International a Well cleaned gun can make the difference Between a disappointing a or even disastrous a Hunting trip and a pleasurable one Joe Ventimiglia of Chagrin Falls Ohio is a gun care specialist. He is descended from a Long line of shooting champions and is an inveterate Hunter. He is also president of the family business which researches manufactures and Sells shooter s Choice gun care products. In Short Ventimiglia knows guns. He offers the following advice before heading off to Hunt a Check if the bore is clean. Cleaning a Shotgun after a Day of shooting is like washing dishes or taking garbage out after a great meal. It s not the part you look Forward to. But immediate gun cleaning is just As necessary As Kitchen chores. As a Shotgun tube cools condensation occurs. Plastic wad and powder fouling attracts moisture and hardens trapping that moisture against the Walls of the tube. Rust and even pitting can occur. Ventimiglia suggests you use Only phosphorus Bronze brushes that Are wound on a Core a they Are much More durable and flexible. He says an excellent Patch Rod can be made from a five eighths Inch wooden Dowel with a bicycle Handlebar grip fastened to one end. An absorbent paper Towel folded and rolled to bore filling diameter is an excellent cleaning Patch. Soak the Towel with a bore cleaner of course he suggests shooter s Choice bore cleaner and push it the length of the bore from chamber to muzzle. Wet Brush and wet Patch until clean. If the bore was already clean and has been stored awhile run a clean Patch through to wipe out any Oil. A work the action repeatedly and if possible Cycle a few Dummy rounds through the gun. The shop is the place to discover any problems not in the Field. A look the gun Over thoroughly. Any shiny surfaces on moving parts connote Wear. A touch of grease on the shiny parts keeps things running smoothly. Rule of thumb if you can see the grease after it s been applied you be used too much. A to prepare yourself dry fire your Rifle or Shotgun to reacquaint yourself with just where the trigger Breaks. In old guns use snap Caps to protect the firing pin. A Check and tighten if necessary screws in guards scope mounts and other sights. Use a screwdriver ground to fit the screws. Few things mar the appearance of a Good gun More than screws chewed up by poorly fitting screwdrivers. Practice makes Hunters Best shot better by Tom Barry Cox news service so you want to be a Bird shooting Whiz you can t do it by Reading about it and you can t do it just because shooting ability is in your genes. Even if you Are Well coordinated Quick Quail diving ducks and zipping doves will Humble your ego quickly. All shooters whether True duffers or fair Shotgun handlers can improve their skills if they Are willing to put in some concentrated Effort before opening Day and every time they get a Chance during the Hunting season. The usual advice is to go shoot some skeet. If skeet trap or hand thrown Clay targets Are the Only games available by All Means go shoot some but Don t do it the Way the hotshots who compete at these sports do a gun solidly mounted to shoulder target not called for until the shooter is ready. That s for Competition at skeet or trap not practice for live game Birds. Practice these games As though you were in the Field. Observing safely rules Start with a dismounted gun safety on have the Puller throw the target when he s ready not when the shooter is. The Quot secret Quot to Good Wing shooting is being Able even when surprised to mount the Shotgun swiftly and surely establishing Lead As the gun comes up and firing just As the butt Stock reaches the shoulder. The Best practice for game Birds is the new to us blokes Clay target game borrowed from the British Sis Ken George proper gun fit is critical to Good shooting. And called Quot sporting  this requires a dismounted gun Start and is designed so that the flight of the Clay targets a of various sizes shapes and colors a resembles what Hunters encounter in the Field. Most clubs have qualified instructors. Ask the club manager. For my Money a Little sporting class practice is better than a lot of skeet or trap. Shooters new to Bird Hunting worry a lot about having the proper equipment. Unless you just want to show off your Bank account there in t any reason for anything new or fancy. Your 12 or 20-gauge pump or Auto loader will do just Fine. If it has a 30-Inch, full choke barrel you might think about buying a Shorter barrel equipped with interchangeable choke tubes for doves and Quail. The critical thing is gun fit. A Short Low Stock can be brought to the Correct dimensions with an inexpensive slip on rubber recoil pad and a velcro mounted comb pad. If the Stock is too Long and the comb too High it can be Cut Down quickly by a decent Gunsmith. But get the gun to fit otherwise you re working under a considerable Handicap and it will show up in your empty game bag. Use the proper shot for the game you Are after. Don t just buy whatever shells Are on Sale at the discount store. To my mind these shells Are no bargain. The shot is soft and patterns poorly. You la wound or miss and not know Why. The surest Way to guarantee Good hard hitting patterns Short of loading your own with High Alimony Lead shot is to buy 12-gauge trap loads. With Good shells a gun that fits and some useful practice you should be Able to neatly Best those who never shoot Between Hunting trips. You la get More Birds and More important wound fewer. It la be better sport and you will be a better sport. S stripes Magazine february 6, 1992