There are not many things on this planet that can generate quite as much excitement as a firearm, and among firearms, handguns are the most popular. For centuries, handguns were only used by soldiers and police officers, but today they are one of the most common types of firearm in the world.
Handguns are highly complex machines that can be taken apart and reassembled into many different configurations in order to fit the demands of many different shooting styles. This section breaks down and assembles a standard handgun along with details on how to perform each function.
A Handgun’s Disassembly
Taking a handgun apart for cleaning or repair is a routine activity for gun aficionados. But it can be intimidating for newbies to the shooting sports. There’s this idea that guns are so complex that they’re impossible to take apart and repair yourself. And if you try, you will undoubtedly hurt yourself in the process. The truth is that disassembling your handgun is actually easier than you might think, and it can be done without putting yourself or those around you at risk of injury.
All manuals seem to show the disassembly from the bottom of the gun up, but that becomes cumbersome and confusing. This guide shows the gun being taken down from the top, so that it disassembles logically.
- Disassembly – You will need to disassemble the handgun in order to access the frame and tame the reverberation. Always ensure you remember how your firearm is put back together.
- Remove the Grip – You will need to pry up on the grip in order to remove it from the frame.
- Remove the Ejector – The ejector is located above the chamber and can be removed by racks or should be pulled out using your fingers.
- Remove the Extractor – The extractor can be removed by simply pulling it straight out with your fingers or by using a tool to depress and release it.
While the gun is internal, we have to disassemble it into its smaller parts. From there, we’re going to break down the trigger and hammer assembly. Unlike some other guns that may have screws that go into the frame of the gun itself, this pistol has screws going in from the side into the slide. So you want to be sure when you are removing them to not lose them because if you do, yes, you’ll need a special tool and a new slide to replace them with.
Putting a Handgun Back Together
Reassemble your gun like any real professional. It should be done in the same way that it was disassembled for cleaning. The object is to get used to the feel of the action, to know how the gun works, and to use a minimum number of tools. Understand that you will never have all of the parts out of their sockets at once except when reassembling after cleaning. The gun only has eighteen parts, ten of which are small screws. When cleaning, they should be loosened with a screwdriver.
When reassembling a pistol, do not tighten all of the screws until the reassembly is complete. This is done to ensure that the handgun works correctly when shot. Check the different parts of your pistol to ensure that they are all present and correct. Whatever sort of pistol you pick, taking it apart and reassembling it will become necessary at some point. Follow these simple steps to take apart a handgun to clean or repair it.