Step-By-Step Maintenance Of Cartridge Powered Concussion Stunning Equipment

These broad principles apply equally to most cartridge-fired captive-bolt equipment, regardless of manufacturer or model. The manufacturer’s instructions should be followed at all times.

Daily Maintenance

Each time a captive-bolt stunner is used it should be cleaned to prevent corrosion and hardening of carbon deposits. It is essential that the following simple operations are carried out in order to ensure maximum bolt velocity and effective stunning:

1. Unscrew the muzzle from the barrel and remove the bolt assembly (i.e. bolt, washers and recuperator sleeves). Older models may have rubber collars or ‘Plasticine’ instead of recuperator sleeves.

2. Wipe out the inside of the barrel with a soft, dry cloth and scrub with a wire brush to remove the soft powder and sludge. This is best done while the barrel is still warm and before the powder solidifies.

3. Remove the washers and recuperator sleeves (or their equivalent) from the bolt and remove any carbon using a wire wheel or brush. Once cleaned, wipe the bolt over with a lightly oiled rag.

4. Clean any powder and sludge from the recuperator sleeves and washers, and examine them for wear. Replace any excessively worn sleeves, and reassemble them on the bolt in a different order to that in which they were removed (i.e. move former middle sleeves to the ends and former end sleeves to the middle). End sleeves wear the fastest, so rearranging the order minimises wear. A full set of sleeves should last for approximately 4,000 shots.

5. Using the tool provided with the stunner, remove any carbon deposits from the breech and tap out onto a hard surface such as a wooden table top.

6. Reassemble the stunner and wipe all metal parts with an oily rag. Wrap the stunner in an oily rag before locking it away in a secure cabinet.

Weekly Maintenance

The enlarged diameter inside the barrel at the breech block end (the undercut), must be kept from filling with powder, otherwise bolt return and stunning power will be adversely affected. Therefore, in addition to daily cleaning, the following procedure should be carried out weekly with the undercut cleaning tool which is provided with the stunner:

1. Grip the undercut cleaner vertically in a vice.

2. Slide the barrel down the cleaner until the breech face makes contact.

3. Apply sideways pressure to the barrel. Maintaining this pressure, rotate the barrel backwards and forwards two or three times. Turn the barrel through 90º and then repeat the forwards and backwards movement. Repeat this process until the undercut has been thoroughly cleaned.