Do you read the owner's manual?
- Thread starter 45Gunner
- Start date
On those rare occasions...
When I buy a new gun, or one completely unfamiliar to me (and that is also rare), I read the manual. However, most of the guns I buy are used, often decades old, or older, and seldom do they have the original owner's manual.
I also have a fairly comprehensive reference library, to which I refer when in doubt.
And then there is TFL......
When I buy a new gun, or one completely unfamiliar to me (and that is also rare), I read the manual. However, most of the guns I buy are used, often decades old, or older, and seldom do they have the original owner's manual.
I also have a fairly comprehensive reference library, to which I refer when in doubt.
And then there is TFL......
boykinhntr
New member
I selectively browse through it. Most of the manual is useless BS. I do look at it if I have questions.
berettaprofessor
New member
I read the owner's manual every time, cover to cover....except for the general lawyer crap. That means I don't read the "this gun will accidentally jump up and shoot you" lines, but I do read the ones that say "don't use +P ammo in this pistol."
davlandrum
New member
Dedicated manual reader here...
riggins_83
New member
If it's a gun I'm not familiar with I'll read the take down section. I don't fire any hot loads (anything +P at all) in any of my autos so I don't have to worry about that. Usually I look at a diagram of the gun to determine what spare parts I want to purchase for it, too, though usually I do this online.
Many of my guns have been "different" because like most of you, I'm nothing more than a gun but trying to learn something new. A lot of these guns have something unusual about them and there's no reason not to refer to the owner's manual if you want to take it apart and put it back together, just like you used to try to do with clocks. It is surprising how different S&W autos are from Colts, for instance. But I'm still afraid to attempt to dissemble a Mauser bolt.
Really good owner's manuals come in four languages and have photos of models not sold in this country, always pleasing to an afficianado, but if you're lucky, one of the languages is English. One of my manuals is in German but the photos are sufficient, almost.
My late father-in-law was an engineer. He loved manuals and would annote all his manuals with additional instructions together with his opinions, usually negative, but I never do anything like that.
On the subject of manuals and such, anyone remember the old, what was it, PM Monthly or something like that that the army used to have back in the late 60s?
Really good owner's manuals come in four languages and have photos of models not sold in this country, always pleasing to an afficianado, but if you're lucky, one of the languages is English. One of my manuals is in German but the photos are sufficient, almost.
My late father-in-law was an engineer. He loved manuals and would annote all his manuals with additional instructions together with his opinions, usually negative, but I never do anything like that.
On the subject of manuals and such, anyone remember the old, what was it, PM Monthly or something like that that the army used to have back in the late 60s?
Must have been living right the last few years, got a number of 1911, Hi-Power, CZ75, S&W 9mm, and no real problem. There is a GOD and she has a sense of humor...
Picked up a Benelli B76 at a gun show at a reasonable price. Saw the field-strip instructions in a book that covers a lot of handguns, thought it would be a good move to break it down, chean and lube, then reassemble. Good thing the manual came with the Benelli(and was in four different languages). I tried to get that locking block back into the thing for over 24 hours. I found the operative phrase in the owners manual, all five words, that allow t he thing to slip back together so sweet.
Now to learn the secret handshake of the Ruger 22/45...
Picked up a Benelli B76 at a gun show at a reasonable price. Saw the field-strip instructions in a book that covers a lot of handguns, thought it would be a good move to break it down, chean and lube, then reassemble. Good thing the manual came with the Benelli(and was in four different languages). I tried to get that locking block back into the thing for over 24 hours. I found the operative phrase in the owners manual, all five words, that allow t he thing to slip back together so sweet.
Now to learn the secret handshake of the Ruger 22/45...
My general routine after purchasing a firearm.
It's been my experience that if you read the manuals for all the guns you own and assimilate the information reasonably well then you know more about your guns and guns in general than most gun owners.
- Read the manual.
- Look the firearm over and familiarize myself with the operation and basic disassembly.
- Read the manual again--or at least hit any spots that I may have gone over too quickly the first time or that apply to any questions step 2 may have raised.
- Take the firearm apart and clean/inspect it.
It's been my experience that if you read the manuals for all the guns you own and assimilate the information reasonably well then you know more about your guns and guns in general than most gun owners.
The Take-Down Part
I very seldom buy a "new" gun. Most of the guns I own were designed 98-100+ years ago (pre-lock Smiths, 1911s. Mausers). Not much to read, or reason to read it. On the other hand, if I get a different type of gun, I will read the take-down/disassembly portion of the manual. At least I look at the pictures.
I very seldom buy a "new" gun. Most of the guns I own were designed 98-100+ years ago (pre-lock Smiths, 1911s. Mausers). Not much to read, or reason to read it. On the other hand, if I get a different type of gun, I will read the take-down/disassembly portion of the manual. At least I look at the pictures.