Loading and Firing Your Bandgun

It would seem like a straightforward endeavor, but I've seen enough people load their bandgun completely wrong, only to have the band snap off before it can be safely loaded. So here is an easy-to-follow explanation how to load your gun.

1) Do Not load the gun catch-first, it's just not going to work that way. You start by placing the taped end in the muzzle.

2) Holding the band over the muzzle end with one hand to keep it in place, draw the band straight back toward the catch (not upward away from the gun). It's often easier to place the butt of the gun against your hip or stomach to keep it held firmly in place.

3) Loop the band over the catch. Make sure the trigger is in place, and that the catch isn't already in the forward position. If you have the muzzle end pointing downward gravity should do the job of holding the catch in place for you.

4) If everything went according to plan, the gun should be loaded and ready to go. Be sure to keep the business end pointed toward the ground while loaded, there's no guarantee that the trigger won't slip and release the band accidentally.

Adjusting Pull Strength

Most often, your gun won't need any modification to the trigger. However, there are occasions in which the trigger might feel a little tight and doesn't shoot easily. When the gun is new this problem will likely work itself out with wear, but if you need to adjust it, here are some tips:

1) Remove the brass sideplate (if there is a smaller one on the left side of the gun, that will house the pins rather than the larger one), pull the pins out and let the trigger assembly fall out the top. On some models it might be neccessary to also remove the trigger guard if they don't slide easily out the top of the gun.

2) Inspect the trigger portion of the assembly, is there a thin brass plate on the friction side (the top) of it? If not, it might have broken off. You can replace it with a small piece of sheet brass (or aluminum could work, and is easily available from your local hardware store), approximately 1/4 inch wide and half an inch long (yes, it's teensy). Attach it to the trigger using JB Weld or some other cold-weld available at your hardware store.

3) If the brass surface is still in place (most likely the case - those don't pop off easily!) you might need to file the catch portion of the trigger assembly. If the friction surface is rough, file it smoother. Be sure to file off as little material as possible, or you will damage the fit. Before doing that, you might want to remove some of the metal at the front of the catch piece (nearest the friction point). This will reduce drag as there would be less surface area where the two pieces meet. Hold the catch upright, with the catch pointing upward. Look at bottom, where the friction point is - the part of the trigger that faces forward in the gun, that's what you remove the metal away from. Just a little at a time, testing the pull every so often by re-installing the pieces and trying to load and fire it.