Avoidable Rifle Problems

1. Be familiar with your rifle, clean it thoroughly before a big hunt and carefully check it over.  If it has a previous record of failing to function or eject, it is warning you to have it checked out by a competent rifle smith.  In cleaning the rifle avoid gimmicky stuff, such as screw together cleaning rods and stainless steel brushes.

2. Go to the range and do a through zero of your rifle, get it as good as it will get.  If the shooting will be short 100-200 yards, a dead on zero is ok.  If its 200 to 400 yards, 1-1/2" to 2" high at 100 yards is recommended.  Knowing the rifles trajectory and point of impact considering your zero is very important on the longer shots.

3. After your shooting session and the zero is where you want it here's a trick that will help when you get to your hunt destination. Before you leave the range pace off 25 of your steps, set up a target and take two shots, remove the target and store it in your rifle case.  When you get to the hunt area there's almost always no decent place to test.  Again pace off 25 of your steps remount the target on something and take two shots again.  If they cut into your previous ones you know your zero is where you left it, go hunting!

4. Scope failure is probably the number one cause of problems on a hunt.  This is not always the fault of the scope itself, poor mounting systems, baggage handlers all enter into scope failure. Bad mounts and a poor installation of them causes inert binding and pressure on the scope itself in conjunction with recoil, the scope finally breaks.  When a baggage handler throws your rifle case containing the rifle and the mounted scope, the combined weight of impact effects the most fragile piece, the scope most of all.  My current answer to this is to not ship or fly with my scope on the rifle.  I carry on my scope, along with a spare one both fitted to the receiver, the scopes will return to exact zero every time. I didn't say "close to zero" or "almost every time," I mean every time and exactly back to zero.  During the 2000 season I traveled to Mongolia, Canada, and several other hunts.  To date, the 4-16 Swarovski has been on and off seventeen different times and I've yet to remove the scope caps.  Six successful shots were attempted and made from 323 yards to 539 yards.  This is the best setup I've ever used or tested and keeps my scopes in my possession during the trip.  If you elect to ship your rifle with scope, carry the extra scope in your carry on with the tools to change it.

5. Hunting in the rain can produce problems in several ways.  A wood stock will take on moisture and cause point of impact changes.  Never tote your rifle with the barrel straight up like a rain gauge.  Water in the bore will make a bullet go crazy and also can make the bore wavy from the bullet passing through the water in the bore and grooves.  Always protect the muzzle end (muzzle brake too) with a muzzle condom, piece of saran wrap or thin tape when in a diverse weather.  Water in the trigger is also bad, if it's not flushed out it will eventually cause rust and a trigger that won't cock.  The best way to de-moisturize your trigger is with lighter fluid, and flushing it several times, just remove the bolt and pour it through the trigger.  Never use any other lubricant in your trigger, only lighter fluid!  Conversely protect the rifle as much as possible while in bad weather.  Of course scope covers are necessary.

6. Try to keep your rifle in your possession while on your hunt. Never ever trust other unknowledgeable people to clean it up and oil it.  They will oil the bore and put it in your trigger every time. Both could cause an accidental discharge or a well-placed shot that went askew.  Third world folks and high tech rifles don't mix on the camp help level.

7. Watch where you put your rifle when not in use. Avoid drop in gun racks that African guides want to place your rifle in, they will beat the finish all to pieces on your rifle.  Also a good spot to get your scope knocked off too.  Never prop a rifle against a vehicle or flat wall, prop it in a corner or lay it flat on the floor.  Once it hits the ground or floor hard you will always wonder if it knocked your zero off.  The better quality scopes such as Swarovski will often be un-effected.  The cheaper ones will be off especially when they hit on a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete.

8. A rifle must be completely degreased when a hunt is planned in a cold climate, 10 degrees or colder. Many lubricants won't freeze but they thicken up, this causes the firing pin inertia to go from a needed quick slamming action to a slow slide forward action. Often this is not enough to detonate the primer.  Our instructions best explains the process, follow it and your rifle will fire at least to 40 below.  If it is colder than that stay in camp!  Forget graphite the object is for everything to be dry and clean but re-lube it properly when you get home.

9. Remove the firing pin assembly from the bolt or go to a safe place, load and feed every last round you plan to take on your hunt.  It makes no difference if it's factory ammo and a factory rifle or a custom rifle and custom ammo.  Check every one.  I've seen factory ammo that wouldn't go in two different rifles chambered the same.  Trust me check every piece before you leave home.  A remote corner of the globe is not a nice place to make this discovery.

10. The user usually causes slam fires; simply by the way that person handles the bolt.  If you hook your thumb around the bolt and pull it down to the cocked position this places your other fingers in and around the trigger.  The shooter, most of the time does not realize he actually touched the trigger. This problem is primarily involved with a light pull trigger ( 1 -1 /2 to 2-1/2 lbs).   Factory rifles with original unadjusted triggers at 6 or 7 lbs of pull takes so much force to pull, the bump of the other fingers won't be enough to make the rifle fire.  To avoid this push the bolt handle down either with the flat part of your hand with your fingers out straight or grasp the bolt knob with your thumb and forefinger causing your other fingers to be folded inward and out of the trigger area.  When the trigger is at fault rust, oil or trash are the things that are found.  On average the trigger itself is the culprit less than 20% of the time.  Conversely since the shooter didn't realize what he'd done he always believes it's the trigger.

11. Of all the different types of rifles and mechanisms available the bolt action with a one-piece stock will always be the most dependable and the most accurate overall.  The quality of your equipment and its care will be the most important part of your hunt, provided you adapt at using it and execute a well placed shot.  Usually bad bullet placement is blamed on everything except the real culprit "the shooter."  The three hardest words for a man to utter is "I Screwed Up!"

Jarrett Rifle owners and myself base the information you've just read on hundreds of hunts.  Regretfully most of these things were learned the hard way from a sad experience and a ruined hunt.  Hopefully they will help you avoid a bad experience on your next hunt. Always be willing to learn from other peoples mistakes because " you won't live long enough to make them all yourself'! ~ ~

~~~ Disclaimer.~~ ~

The information contained here is the sole property of Jarrett Rifles, Inc.  Any effort to reproduce a part of or the information in its entirety is prohibited without the written consent of Jarrett Rifles, Inc.

Thank you and good '.Problem Free"' hunting, James K. Jarrett

383 Brown Rd. .Jackson, SC 29831 .803-471-3616 .FAX 803-471-9246 E-maiI: jarrett@groupz.net  www.jarrettrifles.com