Hi everybody, i just sent my application for my PAL last week and already going crazy waiting for it. In the meantime, i'm just gather info and trying to plan purchases and storage at home and all that. My quiestion to you experienced owners is, what are some of the first things you do when buying a new gun? Do you clean it first? Straight to the range? Looking for any tips you can give a newb.
First thing to do after a firearm purchase?
- Thread starter DSza
- Start date
Give it a close "look-over", to make sure there are no obvious scrapes, scratches, flaws. Cycle the action to make sure it's smooth - no hang-ups or catches. Cycle a few dummy rounds/snap caps through it, to make sure it feeds and ejects okay. Run a cleaning patch down the bore. Familiarize yourself with the guns controls - safety, etc. If everything is okay, you should be good to go.
OkayShooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Clean it first.
Had a Stevens rifle that the stock was full of metal chips, from the machining process.
Ive shot guns straight from the box. Boy oh boy was it messy.
Had a Stevens rifle that the stock was full of metal chips, from the machining process.
Ive shot guns straight from the box. Boy oh boy was it messy.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
My own practice - whether receiving "new from store" or "new-to- me" - take it completely apart - remove scope and rings and bases - get tools to do so, if not on hand. Get work space / soft jaw vice / information or whatever needed to do so. I do an overnight soak with spray "WipeOut" - mostly to see if the bore needs further cleaning or if there were cuttings in there. I believe in re-lubing everything - inner guts, bore, bolt, etc. - that way I know what lube (or none) was put there - I suspect many "new" guns have an oil or grease for packing and storage - not necessarily for use - hence I have patches, cleaning rods, brushes, rags, solvents, oils and greases on hand for doing it up. I am sure some "new-to-me" previously owned guns were never disassembled or cleaned. Every threaded fastener gets re-torqued as per my various torque wrenches - that way I know that was done.
Read the "Owner's Manual" from cover to cover - often little "tricks" for that particular type of gun. Gives you a chance to see their recommendations for lube and for torque. Even "older" used guns have owner's manual to download on-line - or get books for really old ones (Mauser 98, for example)
You should be able to dismantle completely without leaving a mark - if you do, that probably means you are not following manufacture sequence, or you are "making do" with incorrect or worn tools. So far as I know, every component got installed in there by somebody - nothing "grew" in place, that I know of - but sometimes it is not readily apparent how to take it apart.
Read the "Owner's Manual" from cover to cover - often little "tricks" for that particular type of gun. Gives you a chance to see their recommendations for lube and for torque. Even "older" used guns have owner's manual to download on-line - or get books for really old ones (Mauser 98, for example)
You should be able to dismantle completely without leaving a mark - if you do, that probably means you are not following manufacture sequence, or you are "making do" with incorrect or worn tools. So far as I know, every component got installed in there by somebody - nothing "grew" in place, that I know of - but sometimes it is not readily apparent how to take it apart.
- Location
- Delta B.C.
I agree with Potashminer. Shooting straight out of the box has the potential to do damage to the rifle that can't be fixed. That's a waste of money that can be avoided. If I have the ability to inspect the gun physically before purchasing, I use a bore scope to inspect it. If you don't have one borrow one from someone. How you go about cleaning and lubing a rifle is a topic with many differing views and can get some very different answers. Some rifles are factory fired and some aren't. Some barrels are factory lapped and some not. I clean to bare metal and lap the rifle if needed. Though I didn't always do this, I do it now and I'm happy with my results. Take the time to adjust your trigger. In some cases you can polish tooling marks that can completely change the feel of a trigger. Making an inexpensive gun a real gem to shoot. I wish I had done this with all my rifles but you learn as you go. At least you are being smart by asking the questions now. Cheers and welcome to a new obsession.
Great advice here, thank you. One thing i don't know about is adjusting the trigger. I didn't know you could adjust it. What's the purpose of that? And what should i be looking for?
This is good stuff. Thanks!
Once you take a new gun home, it is yours and the shop will not take it back. Any problems will have to go through the warranty process, which in Canada, is usually a giant PIA.
A rank newbie, who knows nothing about guns, should ABSOLUTELY NOT TAKE THE THING APART.
Installing rings and a scope is a specific skill that is easy to get wrong because on the face it seems simple. Once again, a rank newbie should ABSOLUTELY NOT screw with the trigger.
He has no clue what he is doing with a trigger, nor what it should feel like, nor what is safe or not. Why do posters never take a second to consider the context of the issue being commented on?
No, the majority of the advice here is absolutely terrible for a newbie who knows nothing about guns. You should leave the thing alone .... you have been warned. Don't screw with something you do not understand.
Clean it if you want, or not, and then take it out and shoot it.
hunterfisher65
Member
- Location
- edmonton ab
Put a deposit on your next firearm
Fair enough, and while i know i'll be in over my head with a lot of this stuff, i do want to learn. I'm generally a cautious person anyway, so unless i'm certain i know what i'm doing, i plan on just going to a gunsmith for anything i'm not comfortable with.Once you take a new gun home, it is yours and the shop will not take it back. Any problems will have to go through the warranty process, which in Canada, is usually a giant PIA.
A rank newbie, who knows nothing about guns, should ABSOLUTELY NOT TAKE THE THING APART.
Once again, a rank newbie should ABSOLUTELY NOT screw with the trigger.
Why do posters never take a second to consider the context of the issue being commented on?
No, the majority of the advice here is absolutely terrible for a newbie who knows nothing about guns. You should leave the thing alone .... you have been warned. Don't screw with something you do not understand.
Clean it if you want, or not, and then take it out and shoot it.
I bring it home take the stock off and clean everything. Set the trigger. Put the stock back on and torque to oem specs. I then install the scope and take it to the kitchen table and put it in my rest. I bore sight it by centering the top of a fence post 200 yards across the field in the Center of the barrel. Move the scope to match the barrel. I then take it to my range and make sure it’s on paper at 100 yards then zero at 200.
I'm intrigued by this. Do most places take deposits? Can i put a deposit before receiving my PAL and have it ready when i get it?
Depends on the shop you're dealing with. I've returned a new gun (Marlin LA) that had issues, right from the factory. Showed them the problem(s) and they gave me a store credit for the full amount - and I bought myself a nicer/better gun.
Also - DSza. I can't think of many merchants that won't take a deposit on a product they carry - fire arms, or anything else. Most are very happy to get financial confirmation on a purchase.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Re-read the first three words in my post - after that, it is on the reader to decide if they have the same know-how, tooling and experience that is here.A rank newbie, who knows nothing about guns, should ABSOLUTELY NOT TAKE THE THING APART.
There might be some merit in a "rank newbie who knows nothing about guns" - to dismantle their new purchase, and not have a functioning firearm available to them.
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- Location
- Delta B.C.
It varies with make and model. Look into reviews and upgrades for the model and makes your interested in and read the instructions. In most cases it's a simple allen key that changes the tension on the sear spring. And there are often replacement sear springs that can be purchased. The purpose of adjustment is mostly to increase your accuracy. The lighter the trigger the less physical input from an outside force that moves your point of aim. Adjustable triggers are designed to be adjusted by you the owner and are only adjustable within the factory safe parameters as will be indicated in the instructions. Pick a few models that your interested in and post specific questions about that make and model. Someone here will pipe up with experience and knowledge to share. Just because your a newbie doesn't mean your an idiot who shouldn't familiarize yourself with the mechanics of the firearm as the instructions will tell you repeatedly. Understanding your firearm is a practice of safety. If the instructions tell you not to do something specifically then you probably shouldn't. I'm sure you passed your test because you said you have so go ahead and do what your skill level and aptitude allows. You will be safer having a better working knowledge of each different firearm. Cheers
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I agree with this fully. When you help a new driver buy a car, you don't recommend that they strip down the thing and re-build it themselves, do you? Why would you want them to do it with a gun? Specifically, telling a new shooter to start playing with the trigger adjustment first thing is nuts IMHO.A rank newbie, who knows nothing about guns, should ABSOLUTELY NOT TAKE THE THING APART...a rank newbie should ABSOLUTELY NOT screw with the trigger.
OP, read your manual and understand how to operate the gun; loading, unloading, bolt operation and removal, operation of the safety. I would also suggest a couple dry patches through the bore before firing. If the scope has been mounted before purchase, it should be bore-sighted already, so you should be at least on paper with your first shots. You could perhaps read up on simple bore-sighting and check that if you wanted to.
Beyond that...shoot it. All the other nonsense that is being thrown at you in this thread is stuff that you can revisit once you have a better idea of and feeling for the operation of the gun.
You asked for stuff that others do when they buy a gun. You have heard what a bunch of experienced gun nuts do when they buy their next gun. You'll likely do most of this stuff yourself when you have a few years and a few guns under your belt. For now, though...take it easy and enjoy. Walk before you run. Don't be that guy who does something stupid and gets hurt, and then sues the maker for something that is entirely operator error...and don't be the guy who shows up at the gunsmith with a box full of springs, pins, screws and assorted hardware and wants it re-assembled into a gun. Good luck and welcome to shooting.
I personally would not completely strip a new firearm beyond a general field strip (even being someone experienced in doing this).
Have a read through the manual then run the firearm through basic functionality/operation with a snap cap - loading, pulling trigger, extracting and ejecting. Then clean it, oil it as per manual and head to the range.
YMMV
Have a read through the manual then run the firearm through basic functionality/operation with a snap cap - loading, pulling trigger, extracting and ejecting. Then clean it, oil it as per manual and head to the range.
YMMV
