SHOT Show 2012

SHOT Show set attendance records with 61,000 people, 36,383 buyers 1,600 exhibitors and 2,466 media. Of course, that includes goods for gunsmiths. Epilog Laser Imagine a computer printer that puts intricate engraving on metal, checkering on wood and is capable of working with nearly any other material. That’s what Epilog Laser’s line of computercontrolled CO2 lasers does. After creating a graphic or pattern in a manner similar to printing to paper, you send the job to an Epilog unit.

Instead of ink, a laser vaporizes controlled bits of material. Engraving materials include wood, acrylic, plastic, glass, leather, corian, fabric, coated metals, annodized aluminum, ceramics, mylar, pressboard and more. The laser can cut wood, acrylic, plastic, delrin, cloth, leather, melamine, paper, rubber, veneer, cork, among others. Useful for a host of gunsmith projects and a variety of other custom work.

Contact: epiloglaser.com, Defiance Machine Makers of high end custom bolt actions that are becoming popular among top long range competition shooters. Their base action, the Rebel, features a Remington 700 footprint for ease of stock selection and available in Medium, X-Medium, Long, and X-Long lengths to accommodate a large variety of factory chamberings and extended length handloads.

The Titan and Renegade actions are for the .50 BMG and .408 Chey-Tac and the Mutant action was purpose-built for the Eliseo Chassis System "tube gun" (competitionshootingstuff. com). Defiance Machine is also the manufacturer of the new Butler Arms USA XX12 competition shotgun (butlerarmsusa.com). Contact: defiancemachine.com Secure Firearm Products SFP offered two new products this year for gunsmiths. For 1911 builders is the All In One, a universal tool that combines a bushing wrench with a firing pin stop tool.

This allows safely depressing the firing pin while removing or installing the firing pin stop. Available in aluminum or high density nylon. The Recoil Spring Tes- Its CO2 laser can engrave nearly any surface, including wood, metal, leather, and works like a printer. ter and scale quickly and easily tests the actual weight of a recoil spring.

Contact: securefirearmproducts.com Swift-Blackburn Gun Metal Noted for their famed Scirocco and A-Frame bullets, Swift Bullets moved into gunsmithing parts by acquiring the Blackburn Bottom Metal Company from Ted Blackburn. Mr. Blackburn continues to serve as a consultant for Swift and has been noted by custom rifle makers for his signature bottom metal and custom trigger parts for the Mauser 98 since 1964.

Swift purchased all rights, manufacturing equipment and parts to make Blackburn products turn-key and will maintain sufficient inventory to have items on hand for immediate shipment. Contact: swiftbullets.com/blackburn-gunmetal Dave Manson Precision Reamers Manson and company have two new releases for 2012. The first is their

The included scale pulls on the rod and shows the actual weight of the spring. The All In One (bottom) is a firing pin stop and bushing wrench tool for the 1911 available in nylon or aluminum. new Gritters-type Indicating Rods, for those who prefer the Gordy Gritters (gordysgunsmithshop.com) approach to indicating a barrel. Available in five spindle sizes for caliber ranges of .17-.20, .22-6mm, .25-7mm, .30-.470 and .50-.510. The second is anew line of torque drivers for gunsmiths.

The Shop Use Torque Driver offers a 10-80 inch-lbs. range and has been tested for actual conformance to ensure high consistency in use, unlike cheaper models. The Multi Torque Driver is intended for field use. Developed in joint with BORKA Enterprises this unit measures 12 different torque outputs from 15-72 inch lbs. with an accuracy of +/- four percent, not as precise as the Shop Use model but still accurate and for almost half the price. Both torque drivers include a selection of bits useful for gun work.

Dave Manson is interested in working with gunsmiths and writers. Used tools from published writing projects are available at a discount. Call for details. If you publish an article featuring the use and mention of a Dave Mason tool the company will refund your purchase price, so send that article to American Gunsmith!

Contact: mansonreamers.com Powder River Precision Makers of custom parts Springfield XD pistols, PRP offers trigger kits And includes a selection of bits useful for gun work. with re-engineered components that offer improved trigger pull and a shorter reset. The parts are legal for the Stock and Production divisions of IDPA and USPSA competition. PRP also offers a set of punches purpose-built for XD work.

While at PRP’s booth Rob Leatham visited, saying this is what he runs in all his XDs and fully endorsed the company with, "If you work on XDs you need these parts." Contact: powderriverprecision.com

The three surrounding punches are purpose built for XD work. Nowlin, Inc. Nowlin helped pioneer Cathode Electrode Discharge Machined (ECM) rifling in pistol barrels and has been a maker of high-end 1911 parts. The second-generation company under ownership of John Nowlin Sr.’s oldest daughter, Angela-Nowlin Reagan, announced that their big 2012 item will be a commemorative 1911 to honor company founder and American Pistolsmith’s Guild honoree, John Nowlin Sr.

Contact: nowlinguns.com JGS Precision JGS’s newest tool, the Tapered Shank Bore Reamer, allows installation of the reamer by tapered shank mount. After reaming it is press fitted within 0.15-0.20 short of the shoulder, giving a 0.0015-0.0020 press fit. Press fitting cuts down on tail whipping and more versatility to use with your current tooling. No silver solder prevents premature breakage and warping. Contact: jgstools.com MDS, Inc.

MDS, maker of optical and video equipment for gunsmiths, announced their SV-100 USB Borescope Camera. Compatible with both MDS and Hawkeye bore scopes, the SV-100 is a camera that captures and records video taken while inspecting a bore via USB. This can feed to a computer monitor in real time to show a customer or recorded to a video file and saved for later viewing. MDS bore scopes are at an attractive price point compared to Hawkeye as well. Contact: mdsincorporated.com AG