Do It Yourself Gunsmithing, by Charles M. - SurvivalBlog.com

Do It Yourself Gunsmithing, by Charles M. - SurvivalBlog.com: Do It Yourself Gunsmithing, by Charles M.
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Much has been written about what particular guns are best for home defense and SHTF, but I haven’t seen much about taking care of these weapons when gunsmiths are not around. Let’s look at what typically causes firearms to fail.

As a gunsmith, the main cause of firing malfunctions I see is dirt. This can be crud built up from dust collecting in oil forming a grease-like substance, or rust, or build-up from burned powder (carbon), or residue from the casings or shells.

The second most encountered problems stem from magazines, or broken or weak springs. Lost pins or screws, and broken extractors or firing pins tend to be the next [most common] group of failures.

So how do you prepare for these problems? First, if you don’t have an owner’s manual for your gun, go to the manufacturer’s web site and download one. It will give you information on proper operation, how to field strip the gun for cleaning, and lubrication instructions. If it is an older gun, you may be able to find a manual at StevesPages.com. The next document you should have is an exploded parts list and instructions on disassembly and assembly of the firearm. Many of these are also available at StevesPages.com.