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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

What Is Your Best 'secret' For Working On Guns?


fyrd

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Just for fun, please share what you consider your best 'secret' idea or technique for working on guns. Something that you do that you don't hear much about.

 

For me, it is bedding a rifle. Years ago I worked for a place that had a diamond wheel grinder. I got a quart of the very fine steel filings, basically fine steel dust. I mix this with Acraglas gel when bedding an action into a stock. I can't say how much, if any, it improves the quality of the bedding, but it makes me feel like it works better. :)

 

Fyrd

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"Question about using the steel filings, does it attract rust?"

 

It hasn't yet and I have one gun that I bedded over 30 years ago. The filings were taken from a machine with that white coolant and are coated with that in the glass jar I keep them in. Once mixed with the Acraglas gel, they are also covered.

 

Fyrd

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Here is a "secret" for you: Minwax Wipe On Poly is an astoundingly good stock finish. I use the "Clear Satin."

 

Bill Jacobs

 

I've used the wipe on poly on two. Not sure if it is Miniwax brand but it worked well using it the same as Tru-Oil. I steel wooled down a few overnight dried coats and wiped on another.

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  • 2 weeks later...

That's a great tip. I also learned from my gun repair training that you can re-coat polyurethane as soon as it gets tacky. Thin coats usually get tacky in 15-30 minutes. I have applied as many as 7 coats of poly to gun stocks in 2 hrs. This way you don't have to sand between coats; just sand and polish the last coat after curing. Once the cure starts the coat will cure hard regardless of whether it is covered by another coat.

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About 30 or more years ago I used what was (or still is) named Lin-Speed wipe on finish. I didn't do a rifle stock but did some handgun grips. Over the years the finish has got a cloudy look to it but the stuff is rock hard and stayed put. I haven't noticed any chips or peeling.

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Projects hardly ever go as planned, especially time wise. That 2 hour job usually turns into 3-4 hours. I've found over the years when I start a job and am hell bent on getting it finished in one setting...I usually mess something up. If you find yourself in this dilemma just stop where you are and quit for the night. Go drink a beer, take a hot shower and get some rest. The problem will still be there in the morning and you'll be able to diagnose your mess-up much better and finish the job. I don't know how many times I've tried to muscle on thru and messed something up instead of walking away from the job at hand and facing it with a clear mind and a fresh set of eyes the next day. Remember, when you feel things are going south...stop, put it down and wait till tomorrow. powdr

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I find that regardless of what I'm working on, cars, bikes, boom sticks, whatever, when I get tired and start making mistakes, that's time to quit for the day. Oh, and everything takes 2x my initial already inflated time estimate.

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  • 2 weeks later...

GOOD GRIEF!! Morgan where you been?? You've been missed. Got any shotgun projects on going??

 

Just a little Crescent 44XL I've been messing with off and on. Purchased a box lot of "assorted 410 parts" from an estate sale. Turned out to be some odds and ends, two frames about 75 to 80% complete and one set of barrels for one of them. The barrels are solid and ring like a church bell. Then I discovered instead of .410, they're 44XL. It's the 20-25% of parts that are missing that's been the challenge. :rolleyes:

I'm not adverse to benchmade parts, but it can get interesting when there's not at least a pattern or picture to guide you. Don't recall if I've shown it here or not, but a few years ago I screwed together another sort of unique firearm on an old Stevens 20ga. frame acquired under similar circumstances. Steven's aren't particularly known for strength of lock-up and the old gun's history was totally unknown. A 22LR double seemed the obvious way to go! Just the rifle to have when you're stalking through the darkness behind the chicken coop, subject to being charged by a possum at close quarter. :D

.22%20Double%20006%202_zpsrhtpmbz3.jpg

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