Working the M1A1 Springfield Rifle
With a service and competition reputation that proceeds it, this civilian make of the M14 is a good working rifle at a fair price.
Gunsmith Magazine
Article library
Full web articles from the American Gunsmith archive, organized for search and connected back to their original issue pages.
Troubleshooting The Colt Defender
Learning nuances of specific handgun types will help you diagnose problems. Colt’s Defender is a showcase for learning the 1911.
Reader Forum
Land and Groove Diameters I have a Winchester Model 43 rifle chambered in .22 Hornet and need to replace the barrel. What differences, if any, are there between the bore, land and groove diameters for the .22 rimfire compared to .22 Hornet?…
The Filter
The only effective filters are those found engaged in and promoting real world, “offline” activity. Pete Brownell talks about this in a recent Web Bench article. “Bob Brownell used to say, ‘Show me a town without a gunsmith, and I’ll show you…
Disassembly, Reassembly of the Savage Model 220
New to the firm’s line up of economical and accurate sporting guns, this one isn’t complicated but could be hiding a very large, problematical bear with an attitude.
Fitting A Webley Side-By-Side Outside Hammer Action
Resurrecting the stock of an old side-by-side action brings on a new set of challenges.
Reaming .45 Colt Revolver Cylinder Throats
Reaming .45 Colt revolver cylinder throats yields the best possible accuracy for using cast bullet loads.
Pillar Bedding The Savage Model 112 Long Action
While the Savage Model 12 single-shot short action has a rear bedding pillar, the former Model 112 long action single shot did not. The addition of two major pillars positioned at the two trigger guard screw holes vastly improves the overall bedding.
Marketing How-To
One of the many problems gunsmiths face is getting the word out to the broken gun crowd there is a competent gunsmith in the area. How best to do this depends on a great many factors.
Reader Forum
Lest you think me sexist or a dinosaur, my experience indicates I have a 95% win on thinking this way. If I was wrong we would all see more women customers, shooters and hunters, but we don’t. It is changing that way,…
Web Site Named Accessory of the Year
At the recent Shooting Industry Masters award ceremony, Brownells won the award for “Accessory of the Year.” This isn’t so surprising, except it wasn’t for anything available in their colossal catalog. Instead, Suzi Hun tington of FMG Publications presented the award for…
More Than You Thought You Needed to Know about the Model 1885
There were High Wall and Low Wall models but both were mechanically identical to this fine Uberti reproduction.
A Closer Look At Screw Torque In Gunsmithing Applications
Proper screw thread torque is an often overlooked and misused area of gun care. This is particularly true of the do-it-yourself gun owner with limited experience.
Tech Topics
In this feature we examine tools, tooling, tips, techniques and news of interest to the gunsmithing community.
Lathes, Mills, Drills
Part Two: Picking the right size and the import machinery market. by Richard Mac Lean There are gunsmiths in the faroff Land of Oz who have access to unlimited floor space, threephase power, high bay entranc es, and money to buy new…
Marlin .38 Standard 1878 Pocket Revolvers
The famed long gun company began life building revolvers. The 1878 was Marlin’s first centerfire model.
Reader Forum
Winchester 1400 I have an older model Winchester 1400 16 gauge in my shop that is missing the upper half of the magazine throat and I have not found anyone who sells or even lists that part. At one time the 1400…
$27,846,304,300.00
That is the total influence the Firearms and Ammunition Industry had within the United States in 2009 according to a report commissioned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation detailing the significant, positive economic impact we have on our nation. In the midst…
Disassembly/Reassembly of The EMP 9C1 Pistol
Importer EMF turns up a brand new, American-made polymer 9mm handgun that carries a strong message.
Timney Trigger Installation on the Savage M112
A Model 631 Timney allows a safe pull weight from 1 ¼ - 4 pounds along with adjustment for sear engagement (creep) and over travel.
Repairing Damaged Screw Heads on Used Firearms
When contemplating a used firearm purchase the first thing I look for is rust. The next thing is “boogeredup” or damaged screw heads. Nothing screams amateur and abuse like a messed-up screw. By using ill-fitting screwdrivers countless side-plate and stock screws have…
It’s All In The Springs
Spring function is critical in any self-loading firearm, especially 1911s.
Lathes, Mills, Drills
Part 1: Key Considerations and Used Equipment. Unless you have unlimited funds, buying new or used machinery can be a challenge. Here are some points to consider when making these big purchases.
Reader Forum
Spring ield XD I would like to know how to remove the front and rear sights from the XD 9mm pistol. Can they be drifted out with a brass punch and a hammer? The front sight of the XD has no tenon.…