RWS (now Umarex, USA) GUN MAINTENANCE
Today's airguns are basically the same design that have been around for a great many years. Although they are different from conventional firearms, today's airguns may be maintained easily because modern manufacturing techniques have been combined with high-tech materials. The heart of any spring-piston airgun is the compression chamber. Though requiring minimal lubrication, the piston seal and chamber should be lubricated once every several thousand rounds. One or two drops of RWS Compression Chamber Lube applied through the compression chamber port will quickly evaporate and coat the chamber with a fine film of clear Moly. After the lubrication is applied, ten to twenty rounds of ammunition should be fired from the gun to ensure the lubrication has evenly coated the compression chamber. After the ten or twenty rounds have been fired, run several dry cleaning patches through the barrel to remove any lubricant discharged during the firing procedure. If cleaning pellets are used, be sure to use several cleaning pellets at a time, especially in magnum class airguns such as the RWS Model 48 or 52. One pellet will not adequately seal the barrel during the firing sequence and might allow the piston to hit the front wall of the compression chamber and cause damage. Never "dry fire" or discharge an airgun without a pellet or several cleaning pellets. Some of the more sophisticated match guns such as the RWS Model 10 and Model 75 require the special lubrication procedures which are outlined in their respective manuals.
Every spring-piston airgun requires a "break-in period" before optimum accuracy and velocities are reached. Most airguns require between 500 to 1000 rounds to "stabilize. After this has been accomplished, the mainspring of the gun should only require a light application of RWS Spring Cylinder Oil or Dri-Slide on a periodic basis. This can be accomplished through the slot on the underside of the compression chamber. As with any lubrication, too little oil can be implemented: too much can cause problems use restraint!
The barrel of the gun should be cleaned every 500 to 1000 rounds to remove dirt, oil and deposits. One of the more subtle causes of inaccuracy is a dirty bore. One should especially suspect this if the gun is shooting below previous levels of accuracy. Run a patch lightly soaked with RWS Spring Cylinder Oil though the bore, then continue until they come out clean. Do not use conventional bore solvents because they can damage breech and piston seals. Never run a bristle brush through the bore; the rifling in an airgun is delicate and can be damaged through improper cleaning.
The exterior surfaces of a fine airgun deserve the same care
as any fine firearm; in fact, the barrels of many airguns are
also the cocking arm and receive considerably more wear. Always
wipe down all exterior metal surfaces with a rag and a small amount
of acid-free and resin-free oil such as RWS Spring Cylinder Oil.
RWS Lubricants are specifically designed to maintain a high quality airgun in top notch condition. They are acid free and resin-free and will not harm piston seals, rubber O-rings, or other synthetic parts of the airgun. RWS Airguns do not require large amounts of lubrication. It is always a good idea to remember that too little oil is infinitely better than too much when it comes to lubricating the internal components of an airgun. We strongly advise against over-lubricating the power plant. The fact is that too much oil in the compression chamber can be ignited by the heated air as it is compressed in front of the surging piston. This sudden explosion, with its attendant flash and smoke, can be very harmful to the gun itself and potentially dangerous to the shooter and others close by.
Never try to disassemble any spring-piston airgun as the mainsprings are powerful and in a lot of cases are "pre-tensioned" and compressed even when the gun is not cocked. Releasing the spring without proper tools and training can send the spring on an unintended journey that can cause serious injury. Also, working on an RWS airgun will void the warranty. The factory trained technicians at RWS can quickly and safely handle any problems that might occur.
RWS adult airguns are manufactured to the highest quality standards and will perform faithfully for many years. In case a previously well-behaved airgun suddenly can't hit its intended target or suffers a general loss of power, going through a simple check list can save an unnecessary trip to the repair shop.
1. Check to see if your stock screws are secure and tight.
Most guns have three screws securing the stock to the airgun's
action. Two forward screws, usually on either side of the stock,
and one trigger guard screw generally are used. If any of these
screws become loose, the gun will be inaccurate and unpleasant
to shoot. Correcting the problem simply involves cleaning the
loose screw to remove any dirt and oil, adding a drop of screw-locking
compound, and re-tightening the screw.
2. Check all other screws, securing accessories such as
muzzle weights, and scope mounts.
The same problem will occur if any attached hardware becomes loose,
especially if it is mounted to the barrel. Correcting the problem
involves the same procedure as with the stock screws.
3. Check the breech seal on the barrel.
Internal seals on an airgun cannot easily be checked, but the
breech seal is clearly visible and can be readily inspected. Visually
inspect the seal for obvious damage and nicks. Then cock and load
the gun and point it in a safe direction making sure of a safe
backstop. Cupping one's hand over the breech while firing the
gun will quickly tell if the seal has a more subtle defect not
clearly visible. If the seal is indeed defective, a slight puff
of air will be felt as the gun is discharged, indicating a defective
seal. Replacement of the breech seal is a simple, easy operation.
4. Check for a dirty bore.
One of the most subtle, and least appreciated causes of loss of
gun accuracy is a dirty bore. Though an airgun barrel does not
see the same stresses as a cartridge arm, a small amount of oil
is expelled each time the gun is fired. Lead, being a soft and
easily oxidized metal, will leave deposits along with dust and
dirt, all of which serve to contaminate an airgun's barrel. All
that is needed is a few passes with a cleaning rod and patch to
restore previous levels of accuracy.
5. Check your sight's zero setting.
If the gun has been transported, left in storage for a long period
of time, dropped or otherwise severely jarred, or moved to a significantly
different climate, the gun's sight setting could have been adversely
affected.
If checks 1 through 5 are used as part of a regular maintenance routine, minor problems not yet noticeable in performance can be isolated and corrected. Thus the shooter may be assured of many days of safe, accurate shooting.
DO NOT LUBRICATE YOUR AIRGUN TRIGGER. LUBRICATION COULD CREATE A SAFETY HAZARD.