Do you want to pamper your airgun to maintain excellent performance throughout your shots? David, our specialist, shows you how to take care of your weapon Airsoft. Through his expert advice and tips, from the stock to the barrel, become knowledgeable about cleaning and maintaining a pellet rifle.
MAINTAINING A PELLET RIFLE: WHICH INTERIOR PARTS SHOULD BE CLEANED?
1. BARREL MAINTENANCE
If you notice a decrease in the accuracy of your rifle, your gun barrel may be clogged. By firing, fine particles of lead alloy are deposited in the grooves of the barrel. When propelling the projectile, the rotation of the lead in the barrel no longer occurs correctly. As a result, your shooting accuracy decreases. Usually this happens after several hundred shots.
To maintain performance, there are two solutions to properly clean the inside of the barrel.
The swab is in the form of a cylindrical brush that is inserted into the barrel to clean the interior. This very effective method requires a little technique and effort to achieve optimal results.
Felt pads, easier and faster than the previous method, also allow you to clean the barrel of the rifle. To do this, simply insert the tampon as if you were inserting a pellet and pull. When fired, the pad will expand in the barrel to pass through the rifling and thus remove all lead residue.
From my point of view, both techniques are equivalent. Afterwards, it’s up to you to find the method that suits you best and with which you are most comfortable.
2. O-RING LUBRICATION
Even if the air rifle requires little maintenance, there are still a few maintenance points to be carried out occasionally to keep the rifle at peak performance.
When you feel a loss of power or see that the joints are dry, I recommend lightly greasing them. This part must retain all its elastic properties to ensure a perfect seal during compression and decompression of the piston.
For proper maintenance of a pellet rifle, be sure to place one or two drops of oil on the joint. It should be covered with a light film. In general, for pistols and tilt-barrel rifles with synthetic rubber seals, I favor a silicone-based oil.
Leather O-rings require a greater amount of lubricant and grease on a more regular basis. For this part, I recommend a basic maintenance oil.
3. LUBRICATION OF MECHANICAL PARTS
Mechanical parts such as the trigger, the barrel breaking mechanism or any other mechanism that experiences friction need to be oiled regularly. Applying a thin layer of oil is more than enough.
From time to time, the coil spring of air rifles needs lubrication. You can coat this mechanical part with a little mechanical grease. But personally as a professional, I prefer a grease based on molybdenum disulfide, because it better withstands repeated shocks from the spring. Additionally, this grease reduces friction between the cylinder and the spring. This makes your shot smoother.
Pellet rifles equipped with gas piston technology do not need to be lubricated at all during their life.
EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE OF A PELLET RIFLE
4. LACROSSE
The synthetic stock requires little maintenance, which is why airgun owners opt for such a stock.
To remove dirt and dust from this type of stock, simply use soap and water. Any type of soap will do.
Wooden stock: a wooden stock brings a real touch of elegance to your air rifle. But this material remains more fragile and requires a little more careful maintenance than a synthetic stock.
To maintain such a stock, I recommend the use of a linseed-based oil. This product has many benefits and properties in the treatment of a wooden stock. Linseed oil will nourish, brown and protect the wood. For a perfect result, use a soft cloth to avoid micro scratches.
5. THE CANNON
The exterior of the barrel requires very little maintenance. For steel barrels, lightly oil them with a dry cloth or a barrel wipe will be enough to complete the cleaning. This operation aims to remove the acidity of the fingerprints and therefore any risk of oxidation from the barrel.
Another piece of advice I can give you as a gunsmith. Never put oil inside the barrel. Being a flammable substance, at the first shot, the air pressure in the barrel transforms the oil into volatile and burning micro particles. This chemical reaction causes premature wear and deterioration of the barrel.