Tag: Gunsmithing

MY KS-47 BROKE: Here’s How I Fixed It

Part of owning and shooting firearms is the process of troubleshooting and fixing issues that arise “along the way”. I recently had an issue with my Palmetto State Armory KS-47 Hybrid AR chambered in 7.62x39mm– but nothing that couldn’t be easily fixed! This is the story of how I got this rifle “back in action”. […]

6.5x47mm Build: Uintah Precision UPR-10 Hybrid AR

I’ve been curious about 6.5x47mm Lapua (the cartridge) for quite a while! This handloaders-oriented cartridge is similar to other cartridges like 6.5 Creedmoor, but offers some advantages that I’ll explore in this article, and future articles. I’ve also wanted to try Triebel Reamers (from Germany), and to build a barrel for Uintah Precision’s UPR-10 platform. […]

TESTED: 4D Reamer Rentals (Counterbore Lathe Job)

Have you ever had a one-off job that involved a special tool? How about when that tool can take months to get? That’s where tool rental RULES. And for gunsmithing tools (namely reamers) there’s a solution for that: it’s 4D Reamer Rentals at 4drentals.com! In this story, I used 4D Reamer Rentals for a one-off […]

True Bore Alignment System In-Depth

If you’re working as a gunsmith on rifle barrels, actions, or related parts, chances are that you spend a lot of time with critical alignment. Every time you go to machine these parts you’ll need precise alignment with your lathe spindle. And these alignment tasks can eat up a LOT of time. Nathan Dagley over […]

Gunsmithing Books from Fred Zeglin

If you are looking to learn more about gunsmithing, and want to learn from one of the best, you’ll want to check out the books and other resources from Fred Zeglin. In this article and video, we’ll look at four of Zeglin’s books that I have in the shop! Who is Fred Zeglin? Fred Zeglin […]

NEW: Lyman Borecam Pro Hands-On

This year Lyman released an all-new version of their digital borecam system, it’s called the Lyman Borecam Pro! This new borecam is wirelesss, and supports HD resolution- and that’s just what I’ve been looking for! In this article we’ll get hands on with this new instrument. About the Lyman Borecam Pro From the Lyman Product […]

Precision Matthews PM-949TV Milling Machine: Overview and Tour

Originally posted on our partner website Making with Metal. There are two pieces of machine shop equipment that are considered “essentials” for manual machine work: the metal lathe, and the milling machine. With these two machines, you can perform almost any common machining task. Here on Making with Metal, I’ve already posted a deep-dive on […]

Re-Barrel at 300? Diagnosing a HOWA 1500 6mm Creedmoor That Won’t Shoot

If you’ve been shooting rifles for a long time, no doubt you’ve said to yourself at one point: “I can’t figure out why this rifle won’t shoot!!!”. This story documents “one of those times” for me. I recently got a HOWA 1500 heavy barreled action in 6mm Creedmoor from Brownells, and built up a pretty […]

Converting Weaver Bases to Accept Picatinny Scope Rings

Why do we have standards that are “close but not quite compatible”? I ask myself that frequently when it comes to technology, tools, and firearms. I ran into this exact issue a few days ago when I went to install a scope on my TC Compass. The only scope rings I had that would work […]

Tested: Storm Lake 1911 Drop-In Barrel (Suppressor Ready)

As I look forward to getting possession of my SilencerCo Osprey 45- I’m particularly interested in shooting a BUNCH of 45 AP. 45 ACP is subsonic, and is therefore an ideal cartridge to shoot suppressed due to how quiet it can be. I do have a 1911 (Taurus PT-1911), but it came from the factory […]

TriggerTech Special Remington 700 Drop-In Trigger In-Depth Overview

I’m really liking the custom Remington 700 rifle I built chambered in 224 Valkyrie. One of my favorite things about this rifle is the trigger, a TriggerTech Special drop-in for the Remington 700. If you haven’t already, you’ll want to check out the post and video where I installed the TriggerTech Special, and the KRG […]

Quick Look: Lyman 68pc Master Gunsmith Took Kit

Gunsmithing is a lot of fun, but it’s a lot less fun when you don’t have the right tools (or can’t find your tools). Every professional or casual gunsmith therefore needs a good selection of tools, and a system of organization for those tools. So when I saw the new 68pc Master Gunsmith Tool Set […]

Winchester 70 Rebarrel Part 3: Tools of the Trade

Also published on our sister website http://makingwithmetal.com Complex gunsmithing jobs require a lot of specialized tooling, and some common shop tools as well. In this post, I’ll walk through the tools and supplies I used during the rebarelling of my Winchester Model 70. There are a lot of options when it comes to tooling setups, […]

Winchester 70 Rebarrel Part 2: Start to Finish Process

Also published on our sister website http://makingwithmetal.com Building a precision rifle is an exacting process. You need to have knowledge, skills, tools, and a LOT of patience. In my last post, I talked about the planning, preparation, and experiences involved in completing this rifle build. In this post, I’ll walk through the steps I performed […]

Winchester 70 Rebarrel Part 1: Overview

Also published on our sister website http://makingwithmetal.com Metalworking and shooting are both passions of mine, so it follows that gunsmithing would be a natural fit. For me, here’s a powerful draw towards gunsmithing projects that involve accurizing, enhancing, and re-building firearms. So when I discovered that my Winchester Model 70 Heavy Varmint 22-250 rifle needed a […]

224 Valkyrie: Project Planning Update July 2018

“It’s better to take your time and do something right than to rush”. That’s what I keep telling myself. And these words are well suited to describe my in-progress 224 Valkyrie project. After the 224 announcement and reveal last October, I felt an urgent need to get hands-on with this cartridge “right away”. In hind […]

TriggerScan TS-11 Trigger Profiling Tool: Overview and Pistol Trigger Scans

The trigger is one of the most important components for any handgun, rifle, or shotgun. Trigger dynamics will affect accuracy, high-speed shooting characteristics, gun safety, and more. So it stands to reason that a good understanding of complex trigger dynamics is imperative when making a firearm purchasing decision, evaluating an old firearm, or quantifying changes […]

Keep your AR-15 Running Smoothly: BCG Maintenance

If you own an AR-15 you may have had a similar thought process: “Hmmmmmmm…. why is my AR-15 jamming/malfunctioning all of a sudden?”. I recently had an AR-15 start misfiring (light strikes) and after considering the primers I had loaded with and other factors I decided to disassemble, clean and lubricate the Bolt Carrier Group […]

Grant Cunningham’s Blog – Great Reading

Do you like to learn when you read blogs? Do you like to read about guns, gunsmithing, gun care, and reloading? If you do, you may want to check out Grant Cunningham’s blog: http://grantcunningham.com/blog.html I’ve been reading his blog for years, and have also consulted him on revolver purchases (he’s a big revolver advocate) as […]