Place it on safety.

Pull back the bolt until it stops (opening the breach seals the pump assembly so that the air can build up so it’s essential to do this step before pumping the gun).

Pump it 1 to 10 times.

Load a BB or pellet.

Push the bolt forward.

Take off safety.

Aim. Fire.

Note: The trigger is a little harder to pull than you might be used to, it’s not broken, just give it a better tug.

Pull the bolt back, drop in a pellet with the head facing forward.

If you are having trouble inserting a pellet, a pair of cross-locking tweezers makes the job very easy. Grab them between the head and skirt with the tweezers to prevent pellet damage.

We have found that many times the trigger is a little stiffer to pull than you might be used to, especially brand new out of the case. This is normal, just try to pull the trigger a little further and it may just shoot!

If that didn’t help please check to see if your issue is under the next question “What do I do if my gun isn’t working or is faulty?”

We know that there are rare occasions where you may have received a gun that isn’t working according to our standards. To ensure that you have a gun you love, all of our shooters come with a 1-year limited warranty. Please do not attempt to change or fix the gun yourself without guidance, it could void your warranty.

Please choose from the topics below:

Receiver Broken in Half:

We ship thousands of 1866’s and do our absolute best to make sure that they are each carefully packaged to be ready for you to shoot out of the box. In the rare case that your gun was damaged in shipping and the receiver is cracked out of the box or cracks in normal use please take a picture of your gun and send it to help@barraairguns.com. We will work with you to see what needs to be done.

Missing Sights: If the front sight is missing or the rear sight is entirely missing, the barrel shroud needs to be replaced. Do not attempt to replace it on your own or it will void the warranty. Send an email to help@barraairguns.com with a picture of your gun and your address and we will work with you to fix it for you.

If the ramp or adjustable portion of the rear sight is missing, please email help@barraairguns.com with a picture of your gun and your address and we will send you the part you need and instructions on how to install it.

Faulty Seals: If you pull the bolt back and pump your gun and your shots don’t seem to get more powerful, this means that your seal is faulty. Do not try to replace the seal or it will void your warranty. Send us an email to help@barraairguns.com and we’ll replace your gun for you.

If your gun is cocked and air leaks out the barrel, the valve pin is defective. If air leaks between pumps the intake check valve is defective. If it fails to build pressure, it can be either of those seals, the valve o-rings, or the pump o-rings needing to be replaced. Email help@barraairguns.com for help replacing your gun. Do not try to fix it yourself without instruction from us or it will void your warranty.

Pump Assemblies: The pump pivot pin does wear out, takes about 5000 shots at max power to really start to notice wear, though it is usually still usable at that point. A drop of gun oil on the pivot points and the foam wiper after every 500 shots will keep the pump running smoothly for that lifespan.

If your gun isn’t working and is still within 1 year of purchase, please email help@barraairguns.com. If it’s outside your warranty you can try to fix it yourself. The pump O-ring size is #113 and can be purchased at a local hardware store.

Rust: To avoid your gun from rusting, make sure to store your gun in a dry area, maintain the gun with regular gun oiling.

Every time we ship a gun we put it in a waterproof bag and make sure it’s safely shipped. In the rare case that you open the box new and there is rust on your gun please take a picture of it and send it to help@barraairguns.com along with your mailing address.

Stuck Bolt Latches: Pull completely back, then try to push forward. Add a drop of gun oil. If a bit of wiggling doesn’t allow it to push forward, or if the latch won’t pull back, there is probably a bigger issue inside the rifle. If that’s the case, please email help@barraairguns.com to troubleshoot.

Safety Not Working: Be sure the receiver screws are tight, if the receiver is loose, the safety will not function properly. 

If the receiver screws are tight and the safety still isn’t working, please email help@barraairguns.com so we can help you. We may replace the gun or send you an updated safety design to replace yourself.

You should be fine if you accidentally over pump once or twice, just try not to pump more than 10 times because it can weaken the seals and shorten the lifespan of your gun. If you have over-pumped your rifle, dry fire it an additional time to dump any remaining air.

This gun should shoot accurately with pellets. If you’re shooting a pellet and still feel like it doesn’t shoot accurately, try cleaning the barrel and adjusting your sights. Try different brands, styles, or weights of pellet until you find the one that produces the best accuracy.

While you can absolutely shoot BBs from this gun, since the barrel is rifled, they aren’t the most accurate ammo to shoot from the 1866.