General Gear Maintenance

The number one rule of thumb with all gear is to rinse after use.  Even if you are diving in fresh water it is a good idea to make sure that any sand or other contaminants are rinsed out of and off of your gear after use.  You should make sure that you flush out your trigger mechanisms and reels carefully as well.

Band guns
The most important item to check after each use is the trueness of your shaft.  A minimal bend in a shaft can result in great inaccuracy!  Band wishbones should also be checked after each use.  Make sure that they are not damaged and replace as needed.  With a dynema wishbone you can easily replace it in minutes by setting up a replaceable wishbone system.  A failing wishbone is way too inexpensive to fix to jeopardize ruining a day of fishing or missing that trophy catch.  Don’t know how to set one up, take a look at these videos:  Wishbone Replacement and Replaceable Wishbone Knot

Latex bands should also be inspected often for signs of cracking or dry rotting.  Band life can be greatly extended by always storing your gun in a cool and dry location when not in use.

Pneumatic guns
Pneumatic guns require a bit more maintenance.  It is recommended that a complete overhaul be performed every year.  An overhaul includes the changing of all o-rings and oil as well as a thorough inspection of the internal workings of the gun.  Although you could go years without a problem, if you have something a simple as a failing o-ring while out on the water, you have just blown a day of fishing!  By properly servicing your gun you have a better chance of avoiding such mishaps, and problems are discovered and corrected before they cause even more damage.

Reels
Beyond the simple rinsing of your real after each use, you will need to periodically dismantle your reel, clean out any corrosion, replace o-rings, bushings, and re-lubricate.  You should also keep a lookout for frays in your reel line and replace line as necessary.