Recommended Rifle Cleaning Instructions

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January 2, 2024

Regular cleaning and maintenance of any firearm is a key component to attain maximum functionality and accuracy. Weatherby recommends that your rifle should be cleaned, in general, after every range session, hunting trip and before storage. During a lengthy range session, (30 or more rounds), it may be that your rifle shows signs of decreased accuracy during use, and needs to be cleaned to restore that accuracy. Keeping the rifle clean and maintained will also extend the life of your Weatherby rifle.

Weatherby recommends using only quality firearm specific solvents, oils, products, and tools on your firearms.

Equipment Needed

Caliber specific cleaning rod (Nylon or non-marring type are best)
Caliber specific cleaning jags
Caliber specific bore brushes
A soft nylon cleaning brush
Quality cleaning patches
Non-abrasive paper towels or rags
Quality cleaning solvent (Hoppes No 9, Barnes CR-10, Remington 40-X, etc.) Follow the directions for the use of your specific cleaning solvent.
Quality lubricating and preserving oil (Many types of lubricants and preservatives are available, select one made for firearms and is suited to your locale, and needs)
A non-marring firearms vise, or cleaning stand. A padded bench vise with good vise blocks can be used if available.

These items can be easily sourced from a local sporting goods store, and many firearms specific retailers online such as Brownells or MidwayUSA.

Checking to ensure the rifle is unloaded and no ammunition is in the immediate area of where you are cleaning the rifle, and remove the bolt, following the instructions provided in your Owner’s Manual, which can also be found at Weatherby.com. Then secure the barreled action into the cleaning stand, rifle rest or vise as appropriate for your situation. Next, thread the appropriate caliber cleaning jag onto your cleaning rod and put a patch on it. Push the patched end of the cleaning rod from the breech end of the rifle through to the muzzle, in one gentle motion. Do not use any more force than your arm can apply. If the patch and jag combination is too large, cut down the patches by ¼” until they fit through snugly, or step down one size in cleaning jag. Never hammer a cleaning rod in the bore of your rifle, and always clean from breech end (the receiver side) to the muzzle end. Run a few dry patches through the bore to remove any loose debris or fouling. After you’ve removed the loose fouling, put another patch on your cleaning rod and apply some cleaning solvent (please follow the specific directions for the solvent you choose), after letting the solvent penetrate and dissolve residue for five to ten minutes, install an appropriate caliber bronze brush onto your cleaning rod and brush the bore 10 times, 5 passes forward and 5 passes back through the bore to break up any fouling that may be in the rifling. After running a brush through the bore, put the jag back on your rod and run a few cotton patches through the bore to remove any fouling that may have come loose during the brushing. Repeat this process until your patches come out clean. When the bore is clean, you may, ONLY IF STORING THE RIFLE, apply some oil to a patch and push that patch through the bore. This will protect the bore from corrosion during storage.

You must clean the oil out of the bore before firing the rifle. Firing a rifle with an oiled bore will result in damage to the barrel and will not be covered by warranty.

You may use a combination of patches, nylon brushes and even cotton swabs to remove any visible carbon deposits, and any dirt or foreign matter that have accumulated inside the receiver, or on the bolt. Please ensure no foreign material gets into the trigger, as that can cause a failure of the trigger or safety.

After cleaning the action of all debris, apply several drops of oil to a cleaning patch and wipe down the inside of the action, taking care not to oil the locking lug or chamber area. You may lubricate the outside of the bolt, again taking care not to lubricate the locking lugs of the bolt area. The Mark V rifle has specific places where the safety and bolt sleeve need greased to achieve proper long term function. There is a separate FAQ at Weatherby.com that discusses the greasing of these areas.

If detailed cleaning of the bolt of your rifle is required, disassembly of your specific model is outlined in your Owner’s Manual. Clean any deposits, foreign matter, or hardened lubricants, using paper towels, brushes as needed. Light lubrication of the firing pin spring, and a small amount of quality grease on the cocking cam surface when re assembling is all that is required. Reassemble according to your Manual.

You may oil the exterior of your firearm, this will help resist any corrosion to the finish. Blued steel and stainless steel firearms benefit from this the most, and Cerakote and other finishes can benefit from the extra protection. Only a light coat of oil is necessary. Stocks generally do not need oil or preservative unless they are an oil finished wood stock, and a specific oil should be used-not firearms lubricant.

Once the rifle has been cleaned to your desired level, you may resume use, or store it as needed.

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Please take note

Never clean your firearm with ammunition present in the area.
Never leave solvent in the bore for an extended period of time. This can corrode your rifle’s bore and damage the rifling.
Never fire the rifle with oil, solvent, or liquid in the bore. This can damage your barrel in several ways, or create a high-pressure spike which may cause a catastrophic malfunction and destroy your rifle, and harm yourself.
Please follow the disassembly procedures in your owner’s manual for your specific model of firearm.
Please use firearm specific solvents and oils. Other products may have corrosive agents, or leave residue which can damage your rifle, or its finish.
You may find that your rifle shoots its best after one or even a small number of “fouler” rounds. This can be the case where a rifle will be the most accurate after a specific number of foulers, and accuracy will begin to degrade after a certain number of rounds (Example, between three and twenty rounds). If this is the case with your rifle (this knowledge only comes from firing your individual rifle and getting to know it), it is permissible to fire your fouler shots pre-hunting season and clean after hunting season.
As desired, you may elect to remove your rifle from the stock and clean under the stock line. Please follow the owner’s manual specifically for instructions on how to do that specifically for your model. This is important to clean under the stock line after occasions where the rifle may have become wet or damp to prevent corrosion.