Video: Clearing Plugged Gun Barrels

All right. So you never know what’s going to happen at any time when you’re duck hunting. And that’s why everybody loves it. But besides the excitement, there’s also a lot of safety issues that can happen at any time. OK. So let’s try this. Let’s see if you can identify them and then help us find ways to solve them. You ready?

Yeah.

All right. So any guesses what we’re doing here to start a safe hunt? Well, because we’re still heading to our hunting spot, our guns are not loaded yet.

See? But we’re still walking side by side using safe carries. Because—

Because we always carry and handle any kind of gun as if it were loaded.

And walking side by side is the safest, especially in this slippery stuff.

Is that the spot, Uncle Rob?

Yeah. That’s the spot. We have everything ready. We just have to set up the decoys.

OK.

OK. Thank you. OK. You ready?

Yeah.

OK. It’s safe to load.

OK.

All right. What did you notice about loading? Communication? Positioning? Let’s see what you noticed. We waited until we were at our hunting location and all set before loading. We also communicated clearly with our partner about what’s happening. And we positioned ourselves so we can see, hear, and respect our safe zones of fire. OK. Now we’re ready for some action.

Right there.

Uhh, Uncle Rob?

Ohhh. That’s no good. Well, we might as well make the most of this and learn a few tricks. Now, if you suspect you might have a plugged barrel, you need to get to firm ground with safe footing. And then open the action to unload your gun.

OK. First, we need to see if the barrel’s plugged. With a pump action, you need to pull the barrel off to check whether or not it’s plugged. How you remove the barrel depends on the type of firearm you’re using. And that’s why you should always check the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Yep. This one’s plugged. OK. So whether it’s mud, snow, ice, or dirt, what’s the best way to clear an obstruction? Use a stick as a ramrod? Remove obstructions with a cleaning rod? Or simply blow hard down the barrel to clear the obstruction?

Using a stick as a ramrod is a bad idea. First, you could break it off and really plug your barrel. And if your barrel is attached to your gun, you could damage your action with debris. Try again.

Ohhh. Look, blowing into the end of your barrel is never, ever an option. You better try something different to clear an obstruction.

That’s right. Using a portable cleaning rod is the right way to clear an obstruction. You want to push from the breech and push the obstruction out the end of the barrel. Once you’ve done that, you can use the other side and finish the job.

All right—let’s go. Look, just about anything can happen when you’re hunting. And that’s what makes it so exciting. But that’s also why safe hunting is a vital part of fun hunting. All right. Should we get back to those ducks?