There are many things that go into being a responsible gun owner. Though you might be legally allowed to purchase a gun without training, taking gun safety classes could be extremely beneficial. Knowing how to safely clean, store and secure your gun are other core tenets of responsible gun ownership.
It also helps to know when your gun needs professional gun repair. If you’ve ever asked, “Why is my gun not working?” then you know how flummoxing firearms can sometimes be. When you can’t solve the problem yourself, you need to find a gunsmith who can help. This article will cover signs that your gun needs to be repaired.
There’s visible damage to the barrel
Sometimes there’s damage to the barrel that you can’t see unless the gun is taken apart. If you can tell that the barrel is damaged by simply performing a visual inspection of its exterior, you’ll want to take it in to have it repaired. This is because even minute damage to the barrel can have an effect on the bullet’s flight path and the gun’s firing mechanism. It’s best to have a gunsmith look at it.
The wooden stock is warping
Wooden stocks on older guns are a nice touch, and give the weapon a softer and warmer feel. The only problem is that wood is prone to warping. This is mainly a problem on rifles, and can be caused by anything from temperature changes to humidity to water and moisture exposure. You’ll want to take proactive steps to prevent this from happening, but if it does, you should bring it in for a gunsmith to repair it.
The gun won’t fire
This is obviously a major problem, and a common one as well. The main causes for your gun failing to fire are malfunctioning primers, gunpowder that’s become old or wet or the gun’s slide being out of alignment with the receiver.
To diagnose this, check your spent casings and see if there are indentations on the primer. Check your ammo and make sure it’s not too wet or too old, and make sure the gun’s slide is properly aligned with the gun’s receiver. The more information you can provide the gunsmith, the easier it will be for him or her to successfully repair it.
The gun won’t take or feed ammunition
This can usually be avoided by frequently cleaning your weapon. Other causes for this problem are a faulty magazine (which you should save for parts even if it doesn’t work), a nicked-up feeding ramp (this can be remedied by polishing it with fine steel wool) or some defective ammo. Some ammunition can have bent or warped casings or projectiles, and you should make sure not to feed these into your weapon.
You hear a soft metallic click when you pull the trigger
This isn’t the sound the gun makes when it’s out of ammo—this is much worse. This noise can indicate that your gun’s firing pin has just broken. You can try to rig up a temporary firing pin with a spare parts kit and some research, but this problem is best left to the professionals.
Call for gun repair today
Now that you know what to do when you’re wondering why your gun isn’t working, give us a call at Harrison Street Pawn. We have gunsmiths who specialize in professional gun repair, and we stock everything from new guns to ammunition to gun cleaning and repair supplies.