1/28/2017 AmericanRifleman|8CheckstoRunBeforeFiringYourNewGun

8ChecktoRuneforeFiringYourNewGun
.GilHorman-Frida,March11,2016

Inpuruingothperonalandprofeionalhootingendeavoroverthelateveralear,I'vepreparedafairnumerofnewandued
rearmforrt-timetriptothehootingrange.xperiencehataughtmethatonecanneveraumeagunireadtohootuntilit
haeenthoroughlcheckedout.Whileomegunprolemwillnotpreentthemelveuntilthegunired,manpotentialiue
canereolvedoravoidediftheareidentiedeforethetriggeripreed.Hereareafewimportantteptotakeeforeloadinga
newgun,orauedgunouhaveneverred:

1.VeriftheAcceoret
Ifthegunarriveinaoxoracae,gothroughthecontenttoverifthatalltheitandpiecearepreentandcompatilewiththe
rearm.It'unuualtogetanincorrectcomponent,likea.40&Wmagazinehippedwitha9mmpitol,utitdoehappen.Amore
commonoccurrenceiforomethingtoemiing,uchareceivingonlonemagazineinteadoftwo.Fornewgunpurchae,the
ettimetoveriftheacceorieiatthegunhopeforeouuitandtakeithome.

2.ReadtheOwner'Manual
Intructionmanualareoring.IknowecaueI'vereadomanofthem.Gunmanualin
particulararenotorioulinconitentintheirqualitanduefulne.omewillleavethe
readerfeelinglikethearereadtoeldtripthegunlindfoldedwhileotherareaouta
intructiveaaetofprehitoriccavepainting.Neverthele,it'importanttotakethetime
toreadthemanualfromcovertocover.Moreoftenthannottheutletieofloading,
operating,andmaintainingagunwillehidinginthatlittleookletalongwithomeofthe
tickingpointthatcaneavoidedifoureadtheneprint.

Ifit'auedgunthathanomanual,thengetone.everalcompanienowprovideprintalecopieoftheirmanualonline.Ifou
inheritedadutmuketthatwauilteforetheinventionofmovaletpe,itwouldewietotakeittoaqualiedgunmithtolook
itover.Itmaeavalualeantiquethathouldnotehotinordertopreerveitvalue,oritcouldetoooldtohootafelwith
modernammunition.

3.CleartheoreofOtruction
RecentlIlookedthroughthearrelofatetrieuingaorelighttondanojectthathouldn'thaveethere.Afewtrokewitha
cleaningrodrevealedthatthe2"polmerchameraghippedintherie'chameraaafetmeaurehadeen6"longeforeit

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1/28/2017 AmericanRifleman|8CheckstoRunBeforeFiringYourNewGun

rokeoleavinga4"chunkofplatictuckrightwheretheulletwould.Ahiverran
downmpineaIimaginedthe"educationalopportunit"Ihadjutavoidedtakingthe
timetoconductthiimplecheck.

4.GiveItTheOnceOver
Althoughomemechanicalprolemarelatantloviou,othercaneutleorhardto
nd.IrememeranoldCZ52pitolondiplaatalocalgunhow.Itlookedolidandthe
eller'pricewaverreaonale.utdepitethedeiretojutnapitup,Itookthetimetoexamineitmorecloel.Aitturnedout,
therewaane,nearlinviilefractureintheframerunningfromthecenterofthedutcoveracktowardthetriggerguard.TheCZ
52ichameredforthepotentlittle7.62x25Tokarevcartridge,oIhadnodeiretoeholdingthegunwhentheframenallgaveout.
Oncetheellerawthecrack,thepitolwaremovedfromthetaleandapotentialldangerougunfailurewaaverted.Afew
minutepentingivingagunanexaminationitimewellpent.

5.trip,Clean&Luricate
Whenitcometogunafet,weliketoticktoimple,eatorememeraolutelike,"Treatevergunaifitwereloaded."oherei
anewonetoaddtothelit:"Treateverunfamiliarrearmaifitweredirt."Factor-frehguncontainmanufacturingreidueto
omedegreeoranother,uuallintheformofmetalhavingandgrindergritheldinplaceoilorgreae.Uedgunareoftenfouled
withpowderreidue,freeoflurication,orcloggedupwithluricantthathardenedintotaralongtimeago.

ogoaheadandeldtripthegunaccordingtothemanufacturer'intructionandgiveitagoodatheventhoughouwillhavetodo
italloveragainafterhooting.Whileouareinthere,lookoverthecomponentforanviilecrackorreakagejutaoudidwith
theexterior.Findingaaweforetheguniredhouldhelptoconvincethemanufacturerthatthehaveawarrantiuetoreolve
inteadofacutomerwhoauedtheirproduct.

6.GiveItaTwit
Allkindofrearmcomponent,greatandmall,aredeignedtoeremovedandreplaced.It'notuncommonforthoeparttohake
looeandgetlot.It'impoiletocountalloftheadjutaleightandgripcrewthathavefallenintothedirtnevertoeeen
again.Toavoidthehaleofdealingwithalotcomponentdowntheroad,itmakeenetocheckthetightneofthevarioucrew
andtwitaleiteforeheadingtotherange.Ifouhaveanpartthatlookaifthearepronetowandering,takethepropertool
alongfortherthootingeionandcheckthemaougo.Inomecae,adroportwoofaliquidthreadlockingcompoundmae
neededtoolvetheprolem.

7.DouleCheckAmmunitionCompatiilit
Thecalierofammunitionaparticularrearmcanafelchamerinotalwacrtalclear.omeguncanremorethanonekindof
ammunition.TheeincludeAR-15riechameredfor5.56NATOand.223Rem.,themith&WeonX-frame460XVRthatcandiget
.460&W,.454Caull,and.45Colt,andtheTauruJudgewhichcanre.410hotgunhellawella.45Coltrevolverround.everalof
thepopulardefenivehandguncalierarenowavailalein+Pconguration,meaningtheroundoperateatanincreaedlevelof
preurethatmightdamageoldergun.Andjutincaethingwerenotconfuingenough,wehavecartridgewithmorethanone
deignation.The9mmpitolroundialoknownathe9x19Paraellumand9mmLugerutit'nottheamecartridgeathe9mm
Makarovor9mmKurz.

Ifouhaveanquetionaoutwhatammunitiontoue,refertoourowner'manualorcontactthegunmanufacturerdirectl.The
importanceofloadingthegunwithonltheammunitionit'deignedforcannoteovertated.Thefailuretodoocouldreultina
catatrophicgunfailure.

8.RunaenchCheck
Aenchcheckinvolvetetingeachofagun'controlandfunctionwithoutanammunition.Onceouhaveveriedtherearmi
completelunloaded,gothroughthetepofoperationuchapullingackthecharginghandle,engaginganddiengagingthemanual
afet,cockingthehammer,droppingthemagazineandoon.Ifallofthecontrolareworkingproperl,thenit'timetoheadforthe
range.

INTHIARTICL
.GILHORMAN NWGUNTIP PRPARINGGUNFORRANG RANGTIP HOOTINGTIP

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