| |
From the Bench
by Glenn & Danny
Bent Barrel Prevention
Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of columns coming directly from gun technicians who work at Umarex USA. Please check back to see the monthly column, or subscribe to our eNewsletter to get a link to the column every month as a part of the newsletter.
The Umarex USA Service Department typically receives one or two break barrel rifles per week that have upward bent barrels. At first, this might seem like a strange phenomenon. After all, to cock a break barrel rifle, one typically has to pull down on the barrel of the gun, not up. Why, then, would we see so many upward bent barrels?
|
The barrel of the rifle is straightened by a gun tech on a barrel press.
|
This upward bending of the barrel occurs when a person has the gun in an open cocked position, safety OFF, and then pulls the trigger. The result of this situation is that the barrel slams shut with extreme force and bends the barrel upwards. After this occurs, the gun may or may not cock depending on what sort of internal damage has occurred. When this situation happens, we suggest not firing the gun again until it has been evaluated by our qualified gunsmiths to see how the problem might be fixed.
The rifle most likely will not be able to be sighted in due to the barrel pointing in a slightly upwards direction. Many times the trigger tongue will be broken and the stock may be cracked at the pistol grip area when the rifle has been discharged in this way. In most situations, our gunsmith can disassemble the rifle and adjust the barrel back to its original position with the use of our barrel press. The barrel press is an extremely large, heavy press that exerts a tremendous amount of force on the barrel to straighten it out. The press itself is a fundamental tool to any quality gunsmith.
|
The rifle is reassembled and test fired after the barrel is straightened.
|
After the barrel is adjusted to once again be straight, the rifle is reassembled by our gun techs, and then it goes directly to our shooting range to fire several pellets in order to ensure it will properly sight in. We do initial testing on the gun range and sight the rifle in to be accurate. After the rifle’s quality has been ensured, we take care to properly clean and service the other aspects of the rifle before returning the gun to its rightful owner.
To prevent this situation from ever occurring to you, please always practice safe gun handling, making certain that the gun is on Safe and your finger is not within the trigger guard area until a safe target has been acquired. Only after a target has been sighted should the gun’s safety be moved to the fire position and your trigger finger placed inside the trigger guard area. Following these steps will ensure that your gun is never damaged and no one is injured in the process.
As always, if you have any questions about this or any other issue, we can be reached between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM CDT, Monday through Friday. Please feel free to call us any time you have a question about one of our products or send us an email via our contact us page at UmarexUSA.com.
"From the Bench" is meant to provide information directly from gun technicians who work at Umarex USA. The monthly column is written by gun technicians as a way to provide firsthand knowledge related to gun safety, interesting facts, and general gun knowledge. Always consult an expert before making any gun modifications yourself. Umarex USA takes no responsibility for any gun modifications or enhancements made by individuals.
|