Safariland Blog - Firearms Accessories

When using a cleaning rod, use a muzzle guard too

(Matt Foster) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:00:00 -0400

We all know that cleaning your gun is one of the most important tasks you can do regularly to ensure a long life for your firearm. More importantly, cleaning your firearm properly can ensure that you're accuracy won't suffer. So, when you are utilizing a cleaning rod also make sure it has a muzzle guard.

Why?

When the cleaning rod makes contact with the crown, it wears the rifling. The crown part of your barrel is the last point of contact for a departing bullet.

The muzzle guard can stop the cleaning rod from contacting the crown of your barrel.

Ensure that the guard is tapered to fit in your barrel at the muzzle end.

Most guns can be cleaned from the breech. But if you can’t or don’t have time to disassemble the firearm for cleaning, a muzzle guard can make the difference in your accuracy.

Weaver™ Style vs. Picatinny Bases

(Matt Foster) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:28:00 -0400

Whether you call it Weaver™ style, cross slot, Picatinny, 1913 mil-std or scope rail, often there’s some confusion about these scope mounting systems. Are they the same? Are they similar? Will my Picatinny rings fit a Weaver style base? That’s easy…in the order asked above, no, yes and definitely maybe.

Are they the same? No. The two scope mounting systems were standardized at different times, and I suspect the Weaver style strongly if not almost entirely influenced the Picatinny design.

Are they similar? Yes. When looking at each base head on, they are almost identical, and for scope mounting purposes, those dimensions are interchangeable. When viewing the base from the side, that’s where the critical difference comes to light.

The main difference? The cross slots on the base that the recoil lug or bolt on the rings fit into are wider on the Picatinny system than on the Weaver style system. Also, Picatinny specifications call for even spacing of the cross slots, where the Weaver style system does not have that specification and a few slots are often placed where it best suits mounting a scope.

Will my Picatinny rings fit a Weaver style base? Maybe. If the recoil lug in the rings is small enough, they may work with a Weaver style base, but most often they will not. Yet Weaver style rings will almost always fit Picatinny bases.

If you’re curious enough and want to know, the dimensions for both styles of bases can be found online and remember, that if you’re using Picatinny rings, it will be best to find a Picatinny base as well.

Is Your Accuracy Degrading?

(Matt Foster) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:24:00 -0400

If the accuracy of a frequently used firearm is degrading, there is a possibility that it is a fouled bore. The barrel of any modern firearm takes an amazing amount of punishment. High power cartridges expel white hot gases under incredibly high pressure, eroding the throat, fusing carbon onto the rifling, while bullets are physically swaged down the barrel, depositing copper into the lands and grooves.

Sound bad? It’s not. It’s all part of the plan. Routine cleaning and maintenance keep this from becoming a problem. But sometimes the maintenance gets put off.

If cleaning the barrel gets put off a while, it might end up with excessive carbon and copper fouling. At this point accuracy will usually start to suffer. Typical solvents won’t get this out of the barrel. Fortunately there’s a better way through chemistry. In this instance, there are a couple of chemicals that can solve the problem.

You need a foaming bore cleaner that expands as it's applied and clings to the bore to gently dissolve copper and brass fouling. This makes removal easy. A bore paste works through a mechanical action to cut through copper, moly and hardened powder fouling. Neither harms the metal of the bore.

Both products will leave the inside of the barrel stripped of any protective oil, so follow the procedure with a patch coated with a synthetic oil to clean, lubricate and protect the metal.

Pushing Rope

(Matt Foster) — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:19:00 -0400

Ever heard the phrase “Pushing Rope”?, meaning doing something that doesn’t work. This weekend I was reminded why nothing beats having a cleaning rod available while shooting. At a recent Speed Steel match, I encountered a number of malfunctions. Given I was using a variety of ammo I had begged, borrowed or stolen from friends, this wasn’t a surprise. On the bright side I got lots of practice doing mag changes and jam clearing.

However, one stoppage I couldn’t clear through my normal flailing around. When I retracted the slide to clear the unfired jam, the case came out but left the bullet firmly seated in the rifling.

I know many of you probably have and use the rope-pull-through cleaner, and that’s fine. But, without a good cleaning rod available to knock the bullet out backwards (because you sure aren’t going to drive it forward), my competition would have been over. No amount of magic would have enabled a rope style cleaning system to remove the bullet. The same goes if you ever drop your gun in dirt or mud. A rope style cleaner may not be able to get through it. You just can’t push rope!

While it may sound glaringly commercial, our Pockits are about the handiest style of kit you can put in a range bag. The rod and cleaning implements store in the screwdriver style handle. It takes up less room in a bag or case than a box of ammo. Regardless of which one you choose, always carry a cleaning rod when out in the field or at the range.

Good shooting and be safe!

How To Maintain Your Firearm In The Off-Season

(Matt Foster) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:49:00 -0400

It’s still getting dark really early, making it hard to get to the range or the duck blind after work, and most hunting seasons are over with. That makes this time of year perfect for firearms maintenance, that most of us seem to put off until the last minute. Doing this during the “off season” will give you an opportunity to fix or discover problems that may have cropped up this last season. It also prevents frantic last minute phone calls to manufacturers for spare parts or services right before hunting season, when it is too late.

A thorough cleaning is a great place to start. There’s a good chance you’ll discover anything out of place, dinged, rusted or missing. For me, I like to take my hunting rifle apart, separating the barreled action from the stock and removing the bolt. I do this not only because I want to make sure all the metal surfaces are clean and free of moisture, but because it’s not uncommon to find bits of leaves or twigs that may have found their way in between the stock and the barrel. If you’ve “free floated” your barrel, that sort of thing defeats the purpose. This is also a great time to check scope mounts, sling swivel studs, bipods, and anything else you hang on your rifle or handgun.

After cleaning and fixing any problems, putting it all back together with a high quality lubricant and preservative on all metal surfaces, I’m ready to go to the range or hunting at a moment's notice. But more importantly, maintenance gives me confidence in my equipment.