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Cleaning with Precision: The GNP Blog

Straight answers on cleaning, oiling and protecting your firearms — from a brand that tests everything it sells.

149Guides published
13Pages
Duck hunter calling in flooded timber with a shotgun and a yellow Labrador retriever
Latest

How to Clean a Shotgun After Duck Hunting

Quick Answer: Clean a duck gun the night you get back, every time it saw rain, marsh water or salt. Dry it, break it down, strip the grime and old oil off...

CleaningSep 29, 2026 13 min read
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A hunter and a boy in camouflage walking a wet, misty trail at sunrise, rifle slung over the hunter's shoulder
gun oilSep 19, 2026 13 min read

Hunting Rifle Care in Wet Weather: Stop the Rust

Quick Answer: A hunting rifle rusts because water sits on bare steel for hours. Three habits stop it: a thin coat of gun oil on every exposed steel surface before the season,...

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GNP Defend Gun Cleaner spray bottle beside a polymer-framed pistol on a wooden bench
CleaningSep 17, 2026 11 min read

Polymer-Safe Gun Cleaner: What's Safe on a Frame

Quick Answer: A polymer-safe gun cleaner has no chlorinated solvent, acetone or MEK in it, because those are the chemicals that whiten, craze or soften a nylon frame. Purpose-made gun solvents are...

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September 11 remembrance — twenty-five years later
Sep 11, 2026 1 min read

Twenty-Five Septembers: A September 11 Remembrance

A September 11 remembrance poem from GNP Defend, twenty-five years after 9/11 — for the fallen, the first responders, and the families who still carry the day.

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Gun Storage Check Week Secure It, and Check Its Condition Too
How-toAug 25, 2026 5 min read

Gun Storage Check Week: Secure It, and Check Its Condition Too

Every September, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) runs Gun Storage Check Week® — September 1–7 this year — asking every firearm owner to take a few minutes and honestly answer one...

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Dry Lube vs Gun Oil: What Actually Protects a Firearm
ComparisonsAug 18, 2026 8 min read

Dry Lube vs Gun Oil: What Actually Protects a Firearm

Quick Answer: Dry lubricants (graphite, molybdenum disulfide, PTFE) leave a solid film that does not attract dust or sand — their one real advantage. They provide no corrosion protection and cannot replenish...

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GNP Defend vs Slip 2000 Honest Comparison
ComparisonsAug 12, 2026 5 min read

GNP Defend vs Slip 2000: Honest Comparison

Slip 2000 vs GNP Defend, honestly compared: synthetic all-in-one CLP or clean-first-then-oil? Chemistry, testing, temps and price.

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Fitting a Shotgun to a Young Shooter
YouthAug 7, 2026 8 min read

Fitting a Shotgun to a Young Shooter

Quick Answer: A shotgun fits a young shooter when the length of pull lets them mount the gun without stretching or scrunching, their cheek lands naturally on the comb with the eye...

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How to Clean a Muzzleloader (Before Rust Sets In)
CleaningJul 28, 2026 7 min read

How to Clean a Muzzleloader (Before Rust Sets In)

Quick Answer: Clean a muzzleloader the same day you shoot it — black powder residue pulls moisture out of the air and can start rusting a barrel overnight. The method that works...

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Best Youth Shotguns (2026) Fit Beats Firepower
YouthJul 27, 2026 8 min read

Best Youth Shotguns (2026): Fit Beats Firepower

Fit beats firepower. The .410-vs-20-gauge truth, action types from single-shot to over/under, and the youth models that actually fit young shooters.

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Can Gun Oil Freeze? What Cold Does to Your Lube
gun oilJul 27, 2026 6 min read

Can Gun Oil Freeze? What Cold Does to Your Lube

Quick Answer: Gun oil doesn't freeze solid the way water does — but cold absolutely changes it. As temperatures drop, oil thickens. Thickened oil drags on slides, bolts, and springs, and in...

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Junior Shooter Range Bag What to Pack (2026)
YouthJul 23, 2026 7 min read

Junior Shooter Range Bag: What to Pack (2026)

Nine items, fixed spots, carried by its owner — the junior range bag that teaches preparation while it saves your range day. Full packing list, diagram, and the handover method.

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Clean first, then oil.

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