Cleaning the pellet rifle

To practice precision shooting with a pellet rifle with skill, it is of course important to have a quality weapon. But it is just as important to take care of it regularly, and above all with the right gestures and products. Here's how to clean your rifle properly to ensure good performance.

Maintenance of interior parts

The cleaning of the inner parts is perhaps the most important, as possible dirt is not always visible. However, it can have a direct impact on the loss of accuracy. If you notice a decrease in accuracy without any fault on your part, it is possible that the barrel is clogged. To clear the barrel of your gun of the lead particles that end up clogging it, you can use a swab, a cylindrical brush that you slide into the barrel. The operation requires a certain amount of delicacy to get the swab in all the way and to remove everything without rushing. Another, simpler method is to use a felt pad. This method is simpler in that you insert the pad as if you were loading a pellet into your rifle. Then you fire the shot. The pad will go through the barrel and clean it.

It should be noted, since we are talking about the inside of the barrel, that lubricating oil should be avoided at all costs. This is a flammable substance. If this is not observed, there is a risk that burning oil residues will damage the barrel during a shooting session and drastically reduce the life of your air rifle.

Another possible loss of performance can come from a drop in pressure due to the seals that allow compression and decompression of the piston becoming dirty. To remedy this, there is nothing like a little greasing of the seals. A few drops of lubricant applied to the seals will maintain the pressure and ensure that your pellet rifle functions optimally.

Regular oiling is also recommended for all parts that are subject to regular and repeated movement. This includes the trigger and the break mechanism of the rifle for re-cocking. To avoid the trigger tail becoming harder or returning less well, or the rifle breaking not being as smooth as it used to be, it is important to oil these parts frequently, but not excessively.

Finally, another essential part that must be preserved, the spring can also degrade the quality of the shots if a clogging counteracts the back and forth movement. Finally, it should be noted that these precautions do not apply to a rifle with a gas piston, of course.

Maintenance of external parts

Concerning the stock, a real maintenance will be necessary for rifles with wooden stock. For rifles with synthetic stocks, it is obviously much more basic. Dust or dirt can stick to a synthetic stock, in which case it is sufficient to simply clean it with soap and water. A wooden stock is different. Dirt tends to stick to the material, and wood also has an aesthetic value. Hence the need to feed it well to keep all its qualities. The use of linseed oil, which cleans, nourishes and shines, is recommended, as is the use of a very soft cloth, as wood is an aesthetic but fragile material.

All that remains is the outer part of the barrel. This one being made of steel, there is no particular fragility and no specific maintenance is required. Before a shooting session, we make sure that no substance whatsoever is stuck on it and disturbs the concentration when we shoulder. From an aesthetic point of view, the barrel is cleaned to avoid leaving fingerprints, with a dry cloth or a wipe. Nothing fancy or special.

If you follow these tips carefully, you can count on your pellet rifle being as reliable as possible for the rest of its life, and you will be able to enjoy recreational shooting with complete peace of mind.