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Firearm safety - part 1

by Technical Advisor Brendan Atkinson

One of the major causes of problems in firearms is the overuse of oil


Firearm safety
I have been speaking with people who undertake warranty work on firearms. Unfortunately, in this day and age, no-one wants to take responsibility for their own actions and whatever goes wrong after purchase must always be the manufacturer’s fault.

I have yet to see a firearm that was in a dangerous condition as issued by the manufacturer. However, I have noticed that instruction books have grown in size, as each step of the way has to be explained in minute detail. Litigation after an accident, no matter how stupid, has seen to that.

One of the major causes of problems in firearms is the overuse of oil. Some shooters seem to think that if a little is good, then more must be better. A wipe over a firearm with an oily rag to prevent rust is a good idea, but oil must not be applied directly to any part of a firearm. Excess oil has a habit of intruding into the bedding area of wooden stocks, rendering the wood soft and the bedding area useless. Accuracy goes out the window and if the stock is really soaked then it is usually a write-off.

Putting oil into triggers is definitely not a good idea. Oils have a habit of attracting dust, fluff and grit and these will eventually combine to gum up the works.

If you need to store a firearm for some time, then an oily patch passed through the barrel is a good idea, but always remember to clean out the excess before using it again.

There are plenty of good compounds on the market now for the care and cleaning of firearms. Discuss this with your local gun shop; they have the products and the answers.