Guns 101: A Student's Guide to Firearm Maintenance and Selection

From the Bench - Blue Coat Arms Company Updated July 2025

The beauty of gunsmithing is that it's such a vast art - no single person can master every aspect. What I can share are some lessons I've gathered along the way, always with the understanding that there's more to discover. After nearly a decade in this craft, I'm still learning something new about firearms almost daily.

New Firearms: First Steps for Any Purchase

Whether you're bringing home a brand-new firearm or a well-loved piece, I've learned that a thorough cleaning and safety inspection should always be your first step. Even factory-fresh guns can have manufacturing residues or shipping debris that need attention.

A lesson I've learned about shopping for others: Firearms are deeply personal tools. I've seen too many well-intentioned purchases that didn't quite fit the intended user. If you're buying for someone else, bringing them along isn't just courteous - it's practical. They need to feel how the grip sits in their hand, understand the controls, and most importantly, they need to learn how to use it safely and effectively.

Note: Always be mindful of straw purchase laws - the actual user must be the legal purchaser.

Finding Your Purpose, Finding Your Fit

Over the years, I've noticed that the best firearm choices start with honest questions:

• What role will this serve? (Daily carry vs. home defense vs. range use)

• What feels natural in your hands?

• What can you operate confidently under stress?

Platform Observations (A Student's Perspective)

Disclaimer: These are observations from my limited experience. Your mileage may vary, and I encourage you to research and test for yourself.

Revolvers: Still learning to appreciate their elegant simplicity. They're about as straightforward as firearms get - fewer moving parts often means fewer potential failure points.

Smith & Wesson M&P Series: I've worked on quite a few of these. They have their devoted followers, though I've noticed some consistency issues in higher round-count examples. The trigger work requests I get for these have taught me a lot about striker-fired mechanisms.

Beretta 92/M9 Platform: Solid track record, though I'm still not fond of that exposed trigger bar design. The platform has proven itself over decades of service.

FN Firearms: Generally well-engineered. European manufacturing standards tend to show in the fit and finish.

1911 Platform Variants: This is where I see the widest quality range. Some manufacturers maintain the platform's legendary standards, while others... well, let's just say not all 1911s are created equal. I'm still learning the subtle differences between manufacturers.

Auction Considerations

Gun auctions remain a learning experience for me. The dynamics are unique - sometimes you find incredible deals, sometimes emotions drive prices beyond reason. If you're new to auctions, observe a few before bidding. There's an art to it that I'm still studying.

The Ongoing Journey

What I've learned most in this craft is that every firearm has something to teach us. Whether it's a century-old military rifle or the latest polymer striker-fired pistol, each one offers lessons in engineering, history, and human ingenuity.

The best advice I can offer? Handle as many different firearms as possible, ask questions from experienced shooters and gunsmiths, and never stop learning. This field is too vast and too fascinating for any of us to master completely.

What questions do you have about firearm selection or maintenance? I'm always eager to learn from others' experiences and share what little I've picked up along the way.