How to Maintain a Starting Pistol

We've heard many stories from officials in the past regarding starting pistols becoming jammed. This can happen in the middle of a competition, or in some cases, after just one use!

In most cases, the reason for this is down to black powder residue building up within the mechanisms, which can happen very easily and very quickly. Because of this, we believe this guide is essential, as the information provided here can prevent any unwanted obstructions from occurring. By following this guide, you should also enhance the lifespan of your pistol in the process.

This video below discusses how you can take good care of your pistol and what tools you need to complete the job at hand!

What Tools You Need to Maintain a Starting Pistol

1. Starting pistol (the one used in this video was a Bruni 0.38 Starting Pistol)
2. Black Powder Cleaner (here we used Youngs Black Powder Cleaner)
3. Gun Oil (we used Parker Hale's Gun Oil)
4. Gun Brush
5. Gun Cleaning Cloth
6. Jam jar or equivalent for Powder Cleaner
7. Standard cloth for cleaning your hands after completing the job

How to Maintain Your Starting Pistol

1. Pull the pin at the front of the pistol to allow the central unit to flip out. You do not need to dismantle the gun any further than this. 
2. With your Black Powder Cleaner, mix one part with four parts of clean water in the jam jar you're using.
3. Dip your lint cloth into the Black Powder Cleaner, and work it around the body of the gun, ensuring you are cleaning all the corners and small areas. For smaller areas, roll the gun cloth up and twist inside the areas you need to clean.
4. Get some more Black Powder Cleaner and work it around the firing mechanism, as this is the part that will get clogged up the most.
5. Pull back the safety mechanism and clean inside this area too. You can also use a gun brush with the powder cleaner to scrape out any residue and oils.
6. Give the pistol a general wipe down to get rid of any other excess residue.
7. Put one or two drops of gun oil onto your gun cloth and work it into the mechanisms, being very careful not to put any excess on in the process. If you do, get an extra piece of cloth and rub it off.
8. Now you're all done, make sure to clean your hands with a standard cloth!

These steps above are a general guide as to how to maintain your pistol. For a more thorough guide, make sure you watch the video we have attached above!

We hope you find all of the information in this guide helpful, and stay tuned for more "How-to" guides soon!