Gunsmithing vs Johnsmithing

[ZeroJunk]

Especially if you hold the dremel in one hand and the gun in the other

It's more challenging if you hold the gun between your legs and the Dremel in your teeth. I usually do it during Yoga exercise.

[Wildalaska]

It's more challenging if you hold the gun between your legs and the Dremel in your teeth. I usually do it during Yoga exercise.

Now thats....

a GUNSMITH!!!!!!!



WildwearenotworthyAlaska TM

[Slopemeno]

The guy I worked for swore it was a 1) german goiter if he was lapping his gut over the work as a third hand, or 2) a japanese toe-vise if he was using his feet...

[Wapiti]

Every "gunsmith" I have known, albeit not that many, started as a "johnsmith". ie; no formal training except the school of hard knocks. I dare say there was a day when there wern't no school at all fer smittin'. Some of the best "old fart" gunsmiths I have known/met, started in their garage/spareroom/basement etc...

Anyone know which "gunsmith" school Fred Smith of Bullberry Barrel Works went to when he was getting started? I hold his smith'in abilities in quite high regard, I do say!

[HankB]

Dremel tools have ruined a LOT of guns - but I've used one quite a bit without ever ruining anything. The key is to know the difference between a GRINDING bit and a POLISHING bit. I've used the abrasive-impregnated rubber polishing bits a lot, and felt wheels impregnated with Simichrome are VERY useful - just don't use them when you need flat, square edges, and you'll be fine.

I'm not a trained gunsmith, but here are some of the jobs I've tackled successfully, starting from when I was in my early teenage years . . .

* Detail stripping and cleaning a gun. (Duh!)
* Polish a feed ramp.
* Filed down a too-high front sight on a 1911.
* Mounting riflescopes, including lapping the rings.
* Glass bedding a couple of rifles.
* Adjusting rifle triggers (M70, Browning Safari)
* Inletting a rifle into a new, semi-inletted stock.
* S&W revolver trigger job (after watching the Jerry Miculek video)
* Refinishing a couple of Garand stocks.
* Building a 10/22 - new barrel, new stock, new trigger components.
* Fixing a premature slide lock problem on a BHP.
* Installing a Jewell trigger on an AR15 clone.

Notice that nothing is what anyone would consider a MAJOR job - these are all things that any semi-serious shooter OUGHT to be able to do without buggering things up, and none of these require specialized tools like a receiver wrench, barrel vise, or chamber reamer.

[Hunter Customs]

I'm not going to bad mouth a Dremel tool, they have got me a lot of business.

Hey Wild, I liked that Dremel in one hand, gun in the other. I actually seen a guy do that one time, I ask him if he was planning on doing some engraving. Before I could say another word he did some engraving.
Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

[whitefish]

Like anything, its a matter of degrees. In my hands a dremel on even a $300 rifle is bad ju ju. But I learned that polishing a $50 savage 12 gauge, using a dremel . With the rust "canyons" in this shotgun, there was no way that dremel was going to make it worse.

On the subject of gunsmiths, I agree that some are good and some are horrible. On the good side, not only are they good at what they do, they are a wealth of knowledge. What may be an expensive fix to you, may be a simple inexpensive fix for them. I spent hours on this site trying to figure out what was wrong with my Marlin 336 30-30. It wouldn't fire because the lever would not close. I finally gave up and gave it to a local smith who thought what the problem might be. It was from a bent lever from over 50+ years of ejecting shells! Works good as new now!

On the bad side, there have been some truely spectacular F ups. I've had my A-bolt in twice to a smith to have the barrel free floated and I still don't think its been resolved (can't do the dollar bill trick). Whats worse, I got a nice set of ugly tool marks on my barrel from lord knows what! I had to use the $20.00 cold blue trick to touch up these spots.

[brickeyee]

"Whats worse, I got a nice set of ugly tool marks on my barrel from lord knows what!"

Pipe wrench?
Pump pliers (AKA 'channel locks')?

Slipped in the barrel clamp?

What is worse is when the action ends up twisted from trying to get the barrel off...

[James K]

Well, FWIW, here is a true "gunsmithing" story. A man brought in a Ruger MkI* with the long barrel. He had dropped it from a fairly good height and while the gun did not appear to be damaged, the bolt was frozen in place. The boss told him to leave it and we would see what could be done, then came back in the shop and handed me the gun. I asked if the owner had left, and the boss said he had. I picked up the gun, looked at it, slammed the side of the barrel down on the carpeted bench, worked the bolt a couple of times, then shot it to make sure the sights were still good. About a 3 second fix. I don't know what the boss charged the guy, maybe nothing, since the guy was a good customer.

Jim

*Contrary to Garry James' quiz in the Feb. G&A, the Mk I was not the Ruger standard model, it was the original target model with adjustable sights. He blew a couple of other answers too, and he made up the quiz.

JEk

[KEN K]

I've done `bit of Johnnysmithing on my old war surplus rifles with good results.
Cut down barrels
Re-crowned
Built new walnut stocks
Bedded and floated barrels
Fix the trigger pull on 7.7jap
Drilled and tapped scope mounts
By useing common sense and going slow and steady, a lot of us can do a good job without causing any damage or loss of life or limb. All my rifles shoot better now than when I got them.

[Mike_In_MD]

Has anyone used JB Weld to attach a scope mount instead of drilling and tapping?

[James K]

If you attach a scope with glue, do I get to keep the scope if I follow you around and pick it up?

Since No. 6 screws often shear off (I used to use 8x40 on high recoil rifles), I doubt any kind of glue/epoxy/"weld" will hold except maybe on a .22.

Jim

[Double J]

A gunsmith worth his salt knows his limitations. Knowing the work he can do and knowing who does the work that he doesn't do. Most people bring a gun in to have "fixed". If the smith doesn't do that particular repair, then he'll probably know where it can be done. Making the customer happy is what it's all about.
--The worst sin is to botch a job and trying to explain why a customer's favorite gun is now worthless!
--There are parts-changers and there are gunsmiths. There is a difference.

[Hawg]

I'm not a gunsmith but I can do most of my own work. If it's beyond me I don't try, just take it to someone who can. WD-40 is good in it's place as a cleaning agent or water displacement. It's not a lube.

[mballai]

I pretty much limit myself to working on Glocks, which are relatively easy to fix and adjust. I find the Dremel to be an indispensible tool for working on Glocks if you do any modification to the receiver.

[teeroux]

ive just done minor fitting and polishing.

and some stock work

7- WD40 and guns do not mix.

why not ive always used it, its safe on all finishes and really gets the crud out of guns rather well

however i do not use it as lube just cleaning

[Harry Bonar]

Hey! Guys!
An ex is a "has-been" and a spert is "a drip under pressure."
Yesterday I could hardly spell gunsmith and today I are one!
Harry B.

[James K]

There is a serious problem with WD-40 in humid areas. It itself can mildew and if there is any on blued steel or wood, the mildew will eat into that surface, causing permanent damage. I do use WD-40, though. I find it takes the squeak out of my garage doors. For guns, it is a no-no.

Jim

[jaysouth]

I am a gun smiff. I got a large rock in the back yard right under a shade tree. this rock is about three feet high four feet around and kind of flat on top. I also have a three foot section of railroad track layin on top of my smiffin rock for serious banging on.

Me and my half brother Luttie and our first cousin booger(he insists its a small b) gather out there on nice days and drink a little beer and do sum serious smiffin. My half brother Luttie is a devil with a hacksaw. You tell Luttie what you need and he goes out and comes back with a piece of metal just right for the project.

Our project at the moment is a custom smiffed Lorcin .380. We are waiting for a few more parts to come in and a nice day. Its going to have a custom trigger, a custom sear and striker, custom grips and a trigger and action job. All we need are the parts and a new grinding wheel for the bench grinder. Nah, we dont need no stinkin dremmels.

Did I tell you booger is a real demon with a cuttin torch. You should see that boy go!

Yr. friend
Jaybird, custom smiff

Anybody got a pressin need for a gold plated Lorcin(we aim to plate it too)?
.380 aint a bad caliber.

[Metaloy Industries]

A true professional gunsmith can, in the event the he DOES make a serious mistake, can fix it well enough to look exactly as he intended it to be in the first place.

[ActivShootr]

If you see sparks, you are no longer polishing.

[pax]

A true professional gunsmith can, in the event the he DOES make a serious mistake, can fix it well enough to look exactly as he intended it to be in the first place.

Oddly, that's a good description of a professional handyman contractor too.

pax
who spent last week being a carpenter's flunky

[paul salchow]

i worked with a smith that liked to use hammers alot, so much so that i once cut all of his handles off except for the last 2 inches.
That way he could not do much damage with the limited leverage he had.