Cleaning & recommissioning · July 2025
Darne over-and-under shotgun: cleaning and recommissioning
Complete strip-down of the action, ultrasonic cleaning, polishing of the barrel sleeves, wood restoration, full reassembly
A Darne over-and-under shotgun, dirty and tired, brought back to condition from top to bottom. I stripped the action down to the last part: triggers, firing pins, eccentrics, safety, stock bolt, cocking springs. Ultrasonic cleaning of the parts, polishing of the barrel sleeves, wood restoration, then complete reassembly of the mechanisms.
A Darne over-and-under hunting shotgun, received dirty, oxidised in places, its woodwork dulled. The goal: return it to working and display condition without erasing anything of what it is. This kind of job is the heart of the trade: methodical disassembly, patience, and rigour at reassembly.
01Stripping down to the last part
Stock, action and trigger guard separated, then the mechanisms fully stripped: upper and lower triggers, firing pins, eccentrics, safety spring, stock bolt, cocking springs. Every part is identified and laid out in order: a reliable reassembly starts at disassembly.
02Cleaning and polishing
The action parts go through the ultrasonic bath, which lifts deposits without attacking the metal. The barrel sleeves are then polished. The woodwork is cleaned and restored to recover its depth, without excessive sanding: the original material remains the reference.
03Reassembly
Full reassembly: firing assembly, action mechanisms, trigger guard, woodwork. The shotgun comes out clean, functional and coherent, ready for display.
- Piece
- Darne over-and-under hunting shotgun
- Context
- Personal project
- Work
- Complete cleaning and recommissioning
- Operations
- Full strip-down, ultrasonic bath, sleeve polishing, wood restoration, reassembly
Gallery