Reader Forum

Yes, I have sheet brass jaws that I hammered in place but they always seem to get beat up. Aluminum angle is much less expensive than heavy brass or copper. Note you’ll need to mill the inside radius so the inserts fit the original vise jaws and sit flat. I made wooden vise inserts for my Versa-Vise and glued 9-10 oz. leather on them to hold wood using Barge Cement. I don’t know if there is away to get the leather to stick to aluminum as I haven’t tried that.

I use 1/2 x 1/8 neodymium magnets in the four-inch Kurt vise on my milling machine. They just fit over the cap screws holding the jaw inserts in place. My parallels just snap into place and stay there. I have yet to find chips adhering to the magnets to be a problem. Ever need to get chips out of a small hole, such as one that has been threaded? I got 1 1/2 x /1/16" neodymium magnets and put them in pieces of 3/8" aluminum round, making getting chips out of a small hole quite simple.

Spiral flute taps are the only way to go, at least in my opinion. They are easier to start, require less torque, and there is less chance of breaking a small tap. As with any small tap, be careful and reverse every eighth or quarter turn so chips come out of the hole, not into the hole. This makes a big difference when threading blind holes. Yes, you can get them in plug and bottoming. I was given a bunch of hand taps years ago but don’t use them as they are too hard to start and tap, particularly the big ones.

I also don’t use "gun taps" (spiral point taps) as most of my holes are blind. Just spend a little bit more for spiral flute taps as most of this type of work is going to be with blind holes anyway. I tried using neodymium magnet donuts to hold thread measuring triangles on my micrometer rather than those useless rubber thingies. Don’t bother, as it didn’t work as I had hoped. I get neodymium magnets from K&J Magnetics kjmagnetics.com) and highly recommend them.

There are many uses for neodymium magnets that I have yet to explore. Just be aware that these magnets are somewhat fragile, so don’t crash and bang them together. Ask me how I know that. Author Norman Johnson responds. Your comments on my article demonstrates there is no end to the innovative ways in making vise jaws. A good deal of thinking and effort went into your inventions. In my case, I saw away to make a quick-change pair at very low cost while spending just over an hour on the whole project.

Additionally, I have a pair of noscratch, no-slip universal barrel jaws used in the same vise. These powerful, padded jaws enable me to remove and install difficult gun barrels with no damage to their finish. I wrote about these back in March 2003. I also have a set of jaws that enable me to hold and align a rifle scope within the vise and are used to test the internal adjustments of scopes. I use a number of soft and firm pads made of various materials for a range of applications. I like your ideas, Bill.

Thanks for taking the time to tell about it! Stevens 67F I need information on the size of the magazine plug screw for a Stevens Model 67F 20 gauge shotgun. The schematic at Numrich lists this as part #28. The only information I’ve found in print or online so far is that the size is a 0.217 thread diameter. My screw gauges show it as a 6mm x 100 fine thread. I’m doing some custom work on this shotgun and need a longer screw. Cliff Salsbury Yucaipa, Go with your gauges.

Either turn/ thread to the length needed or hire a machine shop to do it. We advise you also secure a set of screw head files from Brownells. FEG P9R Thanks for Dick Maheu’s "FEG P9R" in the June 2016 issue. I’m a great fan of FEG firearms as they are well made, finished, and function extremely well. I have both the P9R and the GKK-45, preferring DA/SA automatics pistols. I also have a FEG APK in .380, also a DA/SA automatic, which was part of a South African Police overrun.

Bill The only problem I’ve had with these was an extremely hard double action pull. Apparently, the contract called for a heavy hammer spring to prevent panicked first shots. I solved the problem by replacing it with a standard APK spring. Any interest in an article on the APK? Pete Richiuso Merritt Island, Author Dick Maheu responds. Thanks for your nice comments. I have never had my hands on a FEG APK, either to shoot or work on. Evidently, they were imported in small numbers.

Should I get my hands on one in the future, I will do an article on it. Marlin 39A I would like to add a tip about taking down a Marlin 39A, as asked by R. L. Murdak in the June 2016 issue. Although purchased new in 1963, my 39A is no doubt not much different from his. It is important to remember that when the two halves separate, the breech block remains with the front half and the hammer remains with the rear half. The action must

be closed before loosening the takedown screw and before bumping the two halves apart. When the hammer is down with the action closed, the hammer enters a slot at the rear of the breech bolt. The rifle will sort of fold to the right before the two halves separate. When trying to bump the two halves apart, the hammer must be at the full cock position in order to prevent it from pulling the breech bolt out to the right as the two rifle halves come apart.

A hammer down condition also causes an ugly burr to appear on the rear corner of the breech bolt slot as the rifle folds before separating. Clearly, it goes without saying that an empty chamber condition must be triple checked before starting the take down procedure. It might be of interest to mention that I learned the above by trial and error with my rifle some years ago and now have an ugly, damaged bolt as a reminder. Thanks for the tip, John.

We always welcome constructive ones, particularly when they contribute to preventing damage. Submit a question or letter to the Reader Forum column by addressing an email or posting a letter to American Gunsmith, 14439 NW Military Hwy, STE#108 PMB#410, San Antonio, TX 78231. Send subscription questions to Walther PPK I have a Walther PPK in .32 ACP with a bulged barrel about 1 1/2" back from the muzzle. The bullet has been removed and the slide is still on the pistol.

How can I salvage this wonderful pistol and make it usable again? We see no alternative to replacing the barrel. A bulged tube is not an ideal candidate for relining. Bulges can be eliminated with a glimpse through the barrel prior to firing a bullet through it. When handloading ammunition, be certain the case contains powder, not just a primer. Author Dick Maheu adds. Obviously, this is a dilemma of grand proportion. As you know, the pistol cannot be field stripped in the usual manner.

I would recommend sending the pistol back to the Walther factory through an authorized dealer. The slide would have to be drilled at the precise position of the barrel retaining pin and the pin pressed out. These pins are in extremely tight. With the barrel completely loose, the slide and barrel could then be removed from the John frame. I would classify this as a job for the factory only. LLama Especial 9mm I have a customer’s LLama Especial that usually jams on the second round when using hollow points.

The bottom of the nose stubs against the bottom of the chamber. It doesn’t do this with FMJ. Should I polish the feed ramp and chamber very carefully without changing any angles or shapes? Is "jump" a factor here along with magazine issues? Or should I let it be and tell the customer only run FMJ bullets? Samuel G. Circle G Many personal defense pistols demonstrate distinct distaste for hollow point bullets, more often with .380 and .25 calibers, less so with 9mm.

Your problem might be related to the nose of the bullet drooping upon being released from the magazine and becoming trapped against the upper chamber when the slide returns forward. This could be corrected by using smooth jaw pliers to very carefully move the magazine’s upper lips closer together. Do this one lip at a time, use a light touch, and employ dummy rounds while cycling the slide after completing each adjustment.

Just remember that manual cycling is no certain substitute for test firing prior to returning the pistol to its owner. Harold L. Pierce Louisville, KY If the bullet was being jammed against the upper chamber the possible correction would be to widen the gap between magazine lips. That operation should take place with the same care and consideration as narrowing it. All this assumes the owner is using commercial ammo and not loading his own.

If the latter is true the hollow points may not be seated properly. "Properly" means they are seated neither too deeply or not deeply enough. Both these factors can be checked against the overall cartridge length of a factory loaded 9mm cartridge. AG