What is up with folks paying a gunsmith to clean their guns?!

[drewga11]

I don't particularly like cleaning guns (thank the Army for ruining that for me). However, I do like to shoot my guns and it is too easy and quick to do it myself to ever consider paying someone else to clean them. I did get someone else to clean a couple of older guns passed down from my grandfather that I still know very little about the inner workings of.

Detailing my truck is a little different. A professional detail on a full size truck is not cheap from what I have seen, but the results look far better than what I personally can manage with soap and wax at home. I really hate washing and waxing my truck, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper than paying someone else to do it.

Paying someone to cut my grass is also different, at least as far as I'm concerned. My grass ain't going anywhere. I don't pay all that much to have it done because my neighbor's teenage son runs his own landscaping business. He gets around to cutting it whenever he has time. I absolutely despise cutting grass and it baffles me that anyone likes doing it.

 

[l33571]

FEAR! It's the one thing that keeps a common man from trying anything ( mechanically related to begin with.

I thought this until I took down an MP5 burst pack and an HK P9S. It's not that I'm afraid it's that it tool me a week to figure it out and then with training someone shows you all the tips and tricks and your like **** that's much easier knowing that. Tribal knowledge is real unless a you're ****ing mechanical genius which I am not.

 

[l33571]

Hella good info! Ill get signed up for a class. I have the sp5 and the sp5k-pdw and I beat **** out of them!

If you go the HK classes in Columbus stay at the AC Marriott. It's a good/newer hotel and HK will send you the info for their discount rate. There are some good restaurants and bars within walking distance. Lots of the local joints close early or aren't open on Sunday & Monday so plan accordingly.

 

[rodanvssct]

I have heard of doing this in a scenario where you are driving to Canada or Mexico, and leave it at a gun shop to be cleaned before you go over the border, and then pIck it up again upon return.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[alleycat]

I remember those days. "What if I **** up this $500 Glock by cleaning it?"
Now it's like "Well let's dig into this obscure $2k firearm that has virtually no instructions and figure it out or learn a very hard lesson."

 

[greg vess]

I thought this until I took down an MP5 burst pack and an HK P9S. It's not that I'm afraid it's that it tool me a week to figure it out and then with training someone shows you all the tips and tricks and your like **** that's much easier knowing that. Tribal knowledge is real unless a you're ****ing mechanical genius which I am not.

Well it really helps to stay organized. Lay out the parts as you take it apart. Make sure they a in order of disassembly so you know where to start with reassembly. If not you have a big jigsaw puzzle laying in front of you.

If I know I am dealing with something that has a lot of parts like a engine removal, I get several large clear plastic containers that have separated compartments in them. I start with the first piece to remove and put all the nuts, bolts and other connections in those one, two or three compartment. When I am finished I can close it and lock it shut so crap doesn't get kicked everywhere. It also give me a reverse order guide to go by. Absolutely crucial when doing work with a ton of parts and small fasteners. I just remember how it goes back together after take it apart. However if it weren't for a organized box to keep thing organized I can see where that could get confusing. Could do harm by using fasteners that are too long or too short for that install. Organization is key when doing a complex disassembly and reassemble. Oh! Also cleanliness.

 

[BHPSteel]

Well it really helps to stay organized. Lay out the parts as you take it apart. Make sure they a in order of disassembly so you know where to start with reassembly. If not you have a big jigsaw puzzle laying in front of you.

If I know I am dealing with something that has a lot of parts like a engine removal, I get several large clear plastic containers that have separated compartments in them. I start with the first piece to remove and put all the nuts, bolts and other connections in those one, two or three compartment. When I am finished I can close it and lock it shut so crap doesn't get kicked everywhere. It also give me a reverse order guide to go by. Absolutely crucial when doing work with a ton of parts and small fasteners. I just remember how it goes back together after take it apart. However if it weren't for a organized box to keep thing organized I can see where that could get confusing. Could do harm by using fasteners that are too long or too short for that install. Organization is key when doing a complex disassembly and reassemble. Oh! Also cleanliness.

And use your smartphone camera

 

[greg vess]

And use your smartphone camera

Yeah! Rear drum brakes. Case in Point. I have done so many I can figure it out but it's a must for the new generation of mechanics working on old cars. Good call "BHPSteel

 

[cmshoot]

The first time I reassembled a Winchester model 97 shotgun from a box of parts I had limited resources but “figured” it out, ordered or made or found missing pieces, and it ran like a dream. An older gunsmith I know asked if I knew why it was called a model “97”?
“Because there are 97 freaking parts inside that thing!”

That’s true! The 1897 is like an oversized Swiss watch.

 

[greg vess]

Hell! I will clean guns for 25-50 bucks a throw all day long. Then be smiling all the way to the bank. I feel for the man that can't clean an AR-15. If they don't have the equipment I guess I can see their reasoning but for one cleaning you can buy most of the supplies to clean it with.