So many firearms come through our repair department that it’s worth talking about the biggest “trouble spots.” I sat down with our Head Armorer, Chris, to find out what he sees on the front lines of our shop floor. He said most problems boil down to 3 common mistakes.
Here they are (in no particular order), followed by tips from Chris on how to avoid them:
Mistake #1: Not having a quality or complete firearms cleaning kit.
You wouldn’t pound a nail with a screwdriver, so using anything other than a complete cleaning kit with the proper tools for the job ain’t gonna get it done. Bottom line: Come off the dough for a good kit that’ll serve you for years to come. Your gun will thank you.
Mistake #2: Properly clean your firearm, especially right after you’ve used it.
Look, cleaning your gun sucks, we all know that. But it’s important to take the time and to do it thoroughly. It’s easy to overlook some of the details of the cleaning process. Don’t. Glossing over the small stuff can cost you big-time down the road.
Mistake #3: Using low-quality ammunition.
Countless people spend thousands on high quality rifles and machine guns, just to turn around and use cheap, crappy ammo. The immediate savings you pocket by using the less-expensive ammunition is likely to catch up with you later. Low-end ammo can be corrosive to your firearm, or even explosive. To avoid ending up with a peeled back blunderbuss ala’ Elmer Fudd, spend the money for good ammunition now and preserve the integrity of your firearm during its lifespan.
Following these easy steps can make all the difference- both in the performance and long term health of your firearm and wallet.
-Sean