Cartridge Loading

• The easiest way to load a grease gun is to use a grease cartridge. These are designed to fit into the grease chamber of a grease gun. To load a grease gun with one of these, you first pull the rod in the back of the gun all the way out and lock it in place, generally by pulling it slightly off to the side. Unscrew the pump end of the gun from the barrel and set it aside. Then remove the plastic cap (it just slips off) from one end of the cartridge and insert the cartridge, open end first, into the gun barrel. The end facing out is then opened by pulling the metal pull tab, which removes that cover. Now screw the pump back onto the barrel and the gun is loaded. Release the plunger rod to push the grease in to the pump.
  
  

Hand Packing

• When a grease cartridge is not available, you can still reload your grease gun by hand. This is much more messy than using a cartridge but easily done if you have a tub of suitable grease handy. Simply pull the plunger rod back and lock it and remove the pump from the barrel as in cartridge loading. Then push globs of grease into the barrel with your fingers until the barrel is full. Replace the pump and release the plunger rod to use the gun, the same as when a cartridge is used.
  
  

Releasing Trapped Air

• Sometimes when a grease gun is loaded, regardless of the method used, air is trapped at the top of the grease, preventing it from being pushed in to the pump. Most guns have a screw at the top of the part of the pump where it screws onto the gun barrel that is loosened to allow the trapped air to escape. It is sometimes necessary to completely remove this bleed screw, but be prepared for a mess. It is usually difficult to get this screw back in the hole when the grease is pushing out of the hole. After the air is released pump the grease gun handle numerous times until the grease starts to be pumped from the gun.