How to Load a Stanley “Sharpshooter” Staple Gun at The Grumpy Geek

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How to Load a Stanley “Sharpshooter” Staple Gun

By Grumpy Geek 35 Comments

Categories: Uncategorized

It’s funny how the little things can really trip you up. I’d like to think I’m a pretty smart guy but I got a Stanley TR250 “Sharpshooter” staple gun today and I must have spent 10 minutes figuring out how to load the damn staples in it. Unlike most staple guns I have used before, the staples don’t ride in on the sliding rail but are dropped right into the slot on the bottom of the stapler (while the slide rail is out.) Of course the instruction sheet says nothing on loading the stupid thing. (Thanks Stanley…) So if you have any of the Sharpshooter staple guns, there you go. Maybe I’ll save someone a few minutes of aggravation.

35 Responses to “How to Load a Stanley “Sharpshooter” Staple Gun”

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1 Adam Jul 12th, 2010 at 11:04 am

wow.
Thank you. I’ve just done the exact same thing. I kept looking at the spring and thinking “What are you doing? Why don’t you engage in any way? Why won’t the staples just fraking load!!???”

Thank you for relieving my aggravation.
Adam
2 Judith Jul 16th, 2010 at 9:24 pm

Thank you! Both my husband and I experienced similar obstacles, failing the Stanley Sharpshooter staple installment IQ challenge! We were standing on our respective heads and our dialogue was escalating to the expletive deleted phase when I thought to “Google” for a solution. Not only do we appreciate your directions, but the shared suffering was a comfort as well!

Thanks again,
Judith

PS Next time try an “Arrow” stapler — infinitely easier to load!
3 Kristy Aug 2nd, 2010 at 10:13 am

Thanks so much! I was feeling so stupid and very frustrated!
4 MAC Aug 20th, 2010 at 1:23 pm

wow… thank you so much! now a half hour into our project, we can get started!
5 Carrie Sep 20th, 2010 at 9:58 am

You’re a star – ran out halfway through a project and was ready to throw the damn thing through a window. Thanks!
6 Lorie Nov 20th, 2010 at 12:50 pm

Thanks. You just saved my Saturday from wasting time on something that should never take more than a second! Funny how these small things can mess up a schedule. Thanks again for taking your time to write out the instructions for Stanley. You should send them a bill!
7 mindy Dec 12th, 2010 at 6:07 pm

Thank you!!! I have been struggling with this silly stapler for quite a while before I got the sense to look online and see if I could find help. I was so close and yet so very far. Thanks for posting.
8 Grumpy Geek Dec 12th, 2010 at 6:47 pm

This has certainly been a popular post. I’m glad so many people have found it helpful.

I suspect this peculiar design has something to do with Stanley’s flexibility to use brads and such in addition to staples, which is the feature that made me purchase it over an Arrow. However, they could save customers a lot of angst by just putting some instructions in the package. Apparently I was able to explain it acceptably in a few lines.
9 Stephanie Jan 8th, 2011 at 5:53 pm

ok, I get that you drop the staples in and it says that it will take 9/16 14mm and that’s what I’ve tried to “drop in” but its not working. any suggestions?
10 Grumpy Geek Jan 8th, 2011 at 9:58 pm

@Stephanie

All I can say is with the stapler upside down and the sliding rail out drop a whole strip of staples in the channel upside down (points up) and then push the slider back in making sure it locks.
11 Faith Jan 9th, 2011 at 12:46 pm

I love the electric stapler; saves wear & tear on my aching wrists. And the staples load quickly – but how in the world do the brads load??? Probably as easily as the staples, but I haven’t figured it out, yet. Ideas, please??? And no – I can’t find my instructions.
12 Grumpy Geek Jan 11th, 2011 at 2:37 am

@Faith I haven’t actually tried the brads yet.
13 dummy Mar 29th, 2011 at 10:51 am

thanks. i nearly took the thing apart by jamming scissors into the springy part. (after slapping it on the floor.)
14 Bill Apr 16th, 2011 at 12:32 pm

My question is how to get the spring-load back in, after putting the staples in–mine won’t go all the way in enough.
15 Grumpy Geek Apr 16th, 2011 at 1:00 pm

Generally that would indicate that the staples aren’t loaded right. Even with a full strip in place correctly there should be very little resistance pushing the rail back in and hooking it in place. Make sure you have dropped the staples in the bottom of the stapler with the points pointing up at you (assuming the stapler is upside down.)
16 carolyn Apr 16th, 2011 at 2:54 pm

Thank you so much. I was ready to go back to the store and find out how to load the damn thing or just leave it at the store in the first garbage can I saw. How hard would it be for Stanley to put a simple direction in the package? BUT, you saved me a humiliating trip back to the store. Thank you!
17 jessie Jun 29th, 2011 at 2:34 pm

Thanks so much!! I struggled for quite a while and even the Stanley website does not provide an answer to this question!!
18 Amy Jul 15th, 2011 at 12:07 pm

Thanks so much, I’d like to think I’m intelligent too! Was struggling with the loading of the staples and not sure I would have figured it out without your sharing your information with me! You would think when a company changes something up there would at least be a diagram to follow. Thanks again!
19 BO Aug 16th, 2011 at 11:48 pm

Here’s one more helpful hint (this being posted after an hour of fighting with my staple gun that I use somewhat frequently…)
Sometimes a staple can become “jammed” in the loading chamber…even if you load your staples correctly, the gun will not engage the staples properly.
To clear this out, you’ll need to…
1) remove the loading chamber
2) push down on the “Wings” at the bottom of the TR45 Sharpshooter and pull-back. This will disengage the bottom of the staple gun
3) Jammed staples fall right out, and your sanity is restored
Great graphic of this process here (in the manual) http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp?TYPE=STATICLEFT&PAGE=knowledgebase.htm&LEFT=left_knowledgebase.htm
20 Grania Rogers Aug 20th, 2011 at 9:29 am

You little beauty, so easy when you know how! For the lack of any sort of hint the design team should have their b******s nailed to a board, with the sharpshooter of course.
21 Rebecca Sep 21st, 2011 at 4:52 pm

Thank you Soooo much…I’ve laughed so hard reading everyone’s comments. I too was feeling so stupid – glad to know I was not alone. I guess misery loves company!
22 Rick Oct 8th, 2011 at 8:24 pm

I don’t think anyone answered how you load brads. Here is a site that shows a picture: http://notes.ricochet2200.com/home/other/load-brads-in-stanley-staple-gun
23 Grumpy Geek Oct 9th, 2011 at 2:19 am

Thanks for the info and link Rick. – GG
24 Tracy Oct 17th, 2011 at 5:43 pm

Ack! After a little ‘percussive maintenance’, I gave up trying to figure this out myself and took it to the neighbor’s house to see if they could figure it out. They couldn’t either, but they DID manage to shoot the spring loader across the room. The package says it can take 5/16″ staples, and that’s what I’ve got, but they’re not fitting, no way, no how. Does anyone have a set of pictures for loading this? I’ve only found one set online, and the pics don’t show diddly (waay too small). I appreciate your explanation tho- it’s nice to see that I’m not the only one who had problems with this!
25 donna Dec 1st, 2011 at 2:45 pm

Thank you, I was ready to toss the staple gun through a window. The Stanley people should get on board as their manual was illegible.
26 Tino Dec 10th, 2011 at 6:05 pm

Thanks, saved us a lot of time trying to figure it out.
27 Claire Jan 29th, 2012 at 2:10 pm

I got mine years ago as a present. Didn’t have the heart (or the nerve)to tell the gift-giver I couldn’t figure out how to use it. So it’s been sitting in my toolbox ever since. Today, I decided to look it up online before I threw it out. I am so glad I did! DUH!! It’s so simple! But why in the world wasn’t there even a little picture to show how it loads? If not on the product, then on the refill staples box? Thanks so much! It works great and I’m so glad you put this up for us to see!
28 Elaine Walton Feb 2nd, 2012 at 3:26 pm

Please help! I have tried that. My sharpshooter is model TR110 and I am using Arrow staples, could that be the problem? There is a loose piece of metal, looks as though it should hold the staples in place but doesn’t ….. I am at a loss, even my husband cannot figure it out and he is a very smart chap! Please advise ASAP before I have to buy new dining chairs instead of reupholstering the old ones!
29 Grumpy Geek Mar 7th, 2012 at 11:10 pm

I haven’t tried that combination. I recommend getting a set of Stanley staples to eliminate the possible incompatibility.
30 Donna Mar 23rd, 2012 at 5:23 pm

I will not be using a Stanley Sharpshooter again. I have Stanley staples in 5/6″ as recommended, but they don’t fit. I now have staples stuck in the shaft with no way of getting them in or out, and this is my SECOND stapler of the day–I had to take one back already because nothing came out. I will no longer use Stanley products because of this even though I have to go 85 miles to the nearest city to get other brands.
31 Erin Apr 5th, 2012 at 12:19 pm

Staples loaded fine, but when I’m stapling something, they don’t go in all the way. I know sometimes they have that feature for putting up Christmas lights, but I really don’t want to go back and hammer in every staple flush. Thanks
32 Tina Apr 24th, 2012 at 2:07 pm

Thank you. I had started to believe I was completely idiot.
33 Peter May 15th, 2012 at 11:00 pm

Wow, amazing how many people I’m following to this site. Thank you for this! Finally I can get the thing loaded!