GUNSMITHING, WHATS IT ALL ABOUT?????

General maintenance

When a shotgun is discharged, 2 to 3 tonnes of pressure per square inch is xploded about a foot in front of your nose. It is therefore wise to have the gun checked and serviced by a competent gunsmith. Every 1 to 2 years, it should be completely stripped to its component parts, cleaned, checked and reassembled.

When the action etc. Is completely stripped, I use an ultrasonic cleaning tank to ensure all parts are as clean as possible. If there is rust, each part is then polished, to restore the surface. Trigger sears, springs etc are then checked for wear and cracks, before re assembly with light, multi purpose grease. Here are some pictures of shotguns I have recently been asked to service. If it’s been a few years since yours was last serviced, yours could look like this!!!!???

Believe me when I say, these are by no means the worst I have seen, and truly represent only a few years of neglect. A special note for game shooters at this time. After a seasons shooting, I would recommend you have your game gun serviced at the end of the season, but most of you leave it to the beginning of the next season, or don’t bother at all.

Every year I am besieged by shooters esperate for their guns to be repaired for their first day. They always get so upset when you can’t help as others have got into the queue in front of them. Game shooting is expensive and to miss a day due to neglect of your gun is false conomy.

UPDATE

On recent forays into the world of the internet, I have been worried by the number of sites offering a “one price for all “, servicing for shotguns. The last time I counted, a box lock, none ejector 12 bore had approx 14 moving parts, not including securing pins. An assisted opening Holland & Holland, single trigger ejector has, if my memory serves me correctly, at least 30, plus 13 assorted springs and in excess of 17 screws and pins. 0/U’s, depending on the make, lie somewhere in between. Therefore, how can one price serve all, if all the guns are checked with the same diligence?

I am not saying the people who offer this service don’t do a good job, I don’t know, I have never used one, nor do I know anyone who has!

If you have, or you know anyone who has, please let me know, I am very interested.

Tim