Thread: Do you try to fix new malfunctioning firearms yourself first?

I occasionally see threads where people either trade off or send back for repairs a gun that is having some minor malfunction issues that would seem to be pretty easy to repair. You see people say things like "Sig polished the feed ramp and now it works fine."

That got me thinking...do most people repair small imperfections themselves or do they end the gun in for repairs or trade it off?

I myself always try to fix the gun myself first. It usually just comes down to filing off a burr, smoothing out a feed ramp, polishing a rough surface, or something like that. Only once have I had a gun that was so bad I had to send it in after being unable to rectify the situation myself.

I can understand why some people would take the stance of "this thing is new, I should not have to do a danged thing" but I cannot bring myself to not try to fix it myself.

I'll fix it myself if it doesn't involve removing any metal, like buffing a feed ramp or tweaking a 1911 extractor. When my LCP broke it went back to Ruger and was returned with a free hat and a $20 gift card to the Ruger website.

In this world of the internet, I always do my research before committing to a gun smith. Could just be a Mag issue?
Dave

I agree, sometimes to my disadvantage I am a tinkerer... Most of the time though I can sort out any problems and its kind of fun. All my Smith and Wessons have new mainsprings and trigger return springs. I'm currently working on a Tokarev TT33 that is getting misfires on surplus ammo, I'm beginning to think its just hard primers on the ammo as I have replaced the firing pin and spring as well as the hammer spring. As far as new pistols, I don't buy any of those too often these days except the wife's S&W 642 which immediately got new springs. I did have a problem with a Taurus PT22 which broke a firing pin. I did send it back for warranty work only because I had trouble finding a firing pin. It was such a hassle that I ended up selling it out of spite after it was fixed. Like they say, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself...

On a new firearm, I'll send it in, if I think that the manufacturer will fix it for free. I have sent three firearms back, with good results. Springfield 1911, had sights that were way off. My Savage .17 HMR wouldn't hold a zero. A Beretta Stampede that the cylinder wouldn't spin freely. Other than those problems I fix them myself.

If you have to use a dremel on a firearm you shouldn't be doing it!

-my rule of thumb

Originally Posted by Weebs

If you have to use a dremel on a firearm you shouldn't be doing it!

-my rule of thumb

Dremels are the worst tool anyone could ever use, IMHO. Hand finishing is much better.

I don't buy guns just to turn around and send them away. At least, I never have before. I always end up messing around with them myself. I guess I just have never had bad enough issues to warrant sending them to the factory. Besides, If there were no option to send them back to the manufacturer (i.e., SHTF), I want to know how to do it for myself. I learn a lot about the inner workings of firearms that way...... trial and error, that is.

Originally Posted by PlayboyPenguin

Dremels are the worst tool anyone could ever use, IMHO. Hand finishing is much better.

I tend to agree, but I have an aftermarket barrel bushing that I am close to resorting to a Dremel on to make the doggone thing fit!

Originally Posted by Spray-n-pray

I tend to agree, but I have an aftermarket barrel bushing that I am close to resorting to a Dremel on to make the doggone thing fit!

A keyhole file is and always will be your friend.

I have, I'll admit, tried to fix something and made it worse. Most simple things I'm willing to do, but I've also ended up paying more money in the end to have the factory fix my boo-boos too. I have a respectable collection of gun-smithing tools that I've acquired over the years for one project or another.

Then again, the only way you learn is by doing. I don't send my cars to the mechanic either if I can help it. There is a threshold however when the unique tools and skill outweigh the diy fix. There's usually a lil voice in my head that says "you know if you dig too deep with that file, that 500$ gun is ruined". I try to be careful.

I love my Dermal, But I don't use it on my guns!!!

Originally Posted by Izzy

I love my Dermal, But I don't use it on my guns!!!

A dermal can polish a feed ramp very nice and can help with glass bedding.

I use them on my firearms. Just know your limmits. It is eazy to take off metal and hard to replace.

It seems nowadays that adjusting a magazine lip yourself can void the entire warranty.

If there's a warranty, i'll probably let them do the work. I have enough guns that being without one of them for a while would be fine.

I always work on it myself.
Build up a new 1911 from a new frame, to installing barrels on a rifle to trigger work.
before winter is out I plan on having a full blown oven set up for doing my own spray-and-bake.

Just know your own limits and if you start to feel uncomfortable about what your about to do, STOP. Seek help at that point.

Of coarse I try to fix it myself, its a man thing. I don't ask directions either.

If I screw things up trying myself, I have the satisfaction in knowing I tried and by the time a professional is needed I feel like I'll get full value out of his services.

I will definitely take a look at it. The internet is a great source of information and I attempted a number of "fixes" I never would have tried before. It started with simple things, and has progressed.

Even if I can't fix it, I want to understand it. I do have to acknowledge I can't buy *all* the specialty tools.

Originally Posted by Weebs

If you have to use a dremel on a firearm you shouldn't be doing it!

-my rule of thumb

Statements like these are made by people that don't know how to properly use the tool.

No matter whether the gun is old or new, I always try to figure out what the problem is. If it's an old gun, I'll attempt to fix it myself. If it's a new gun, I send it back to the manufacturer because they almost always send you something as a "sorry for the trouble" gesture.

Doesn't cost me anything and I get a working gun plus whatever, that's a good deal.