Share Your Latest Firearm Related Project, Chore You've Completed Or Worked On.

[Rem700..300]

Rescoped and stocked my Ruger m77 mkii stainless hunting rifles. Love the walnut stainless look. Went with gloss Nikon Monarchs on all of them including the blued ones also. They are getting hard to find. Just need to get out shooting and get them dialed in. Have high hopes for hunting season this year.
Old picture. Still missing the scope on the 300wm.

 

[salmon creek gary]

Well, just yesterday I spent all afternoon watching videos about refinishing S&W wooden revolver stocks. Nearly worn out by that arduous research, I expended my last bit of effort ordering a new set of replacement grips.

 

[arakboss]

The resurrection of #00137!

The pictures tell the story as well. My thoughts on completing this project were that you don't have to strip an old gun of its originality because it is the easy way. There is another way to tackle rusted metal if you want to give it a try. And NO! The bluing has not been touched up or enhanced. This is the original finish that was under all the rust!

How it started,

A few years ago at a local gun show I attended I found an interesting piece of history which was a Remington Rangemaster model 37 serial number 00137. The vendor carried it in a laid it on his table while I was about 50 feet away. The massive stock is what made me start walking that way but I had no idea what was residing in it. It was the sling it was wearing that really caught my eye and I started to get somewhat excited the closer I got. I asked if I could take a look at it and realized that yes it was a model 37 that was in terrible condition. The vendor looked at me and said it was found in a barn and had been sitting in the open for 50 years. After some negotiating I paid him and placed it in my rig for the travel home. The rifle appeared to be all original with the exception of the stock which after I looked it over had been completed with some thought in mind. All of the metal was covered with a thick scale of rust with the bolt not wanting to open. After 30 years of dealing with estate guns that were in similar condition, I have developed my own way with dealing with this dilemma. I nicknamed it the "BEAST" because of the large piece of lumber it sits in!

My thoughts were to restore it the best I could, not refinish it. It turned out to have the original and very rare "Carney Sling" marked sling that came with the model 37 rifles. The main reason I bought the BEAST! It has been sitting a week in saddle soap and is in very good condition considering the neglect it has seen.

To start the project is used CRC Knock'er Loose which I have been using for some time now. This will loosen and dissolve rust. It is the first step in this project with multiple applications on heavy areas. Bronze wool (coarse grade) and EEZOX were the next steps. Once the Knock'er loose had done its part I hit the areas hard with the bronze wool. It will not hurt the remaining bluing and removes the scale and any other rust particles. This is done with Eezox which helps dislodge rust particulates. This step can be take one time or several depending on what you are dealing with.

The next step I call "Bronzing". This is when the metal is dry and I've polished it with fine bronze wool until it has a bronze tint to it. This will show you any areas that still need some elbow grease or if it is as clean as it is going to be. It also shows you the pitting damage that has occurred. Then I clean the metal area with Eezox and move to the next.

I was able to remove the action from the stock and take the bolt out. I started cleaning the receiver and first few inches of the barrel. Turns out the date code is EF, October 1937.

The bore it turns out is in very fine condition per my bore scope. There is some light surface rust at the very end near the muzzle. The chamber and the rest was rust free which was nice to see.

The metal work is restored to the best of my ability and I believe is a very fine condition. Especially when you look back at the pictures that show the rust scaling at the start of the project. Yes there is pitting that will be seen but that is part of the condition of the metal.

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Wow, awesome stuff, I have a few guns that will benefit from this type of treatment.

 

[trevi]

Currently, i am pricing up a new 1911 long slide in 10mm, 40SW, and maybe 357 SIG. dropped the idea long ago and now it is back. Love the idea of a multi-calibre pistol!!

Hoping to soon send a rifle to JES for reboring.

 

[P7M13]

Hmmm, projects.... Except for plugging away at the kitchen rebuild, my gun projects are getting all the attention and numerous home improvement tasks are languishing.

In the last six months:

• Built and dialed in an AR10/LR308. Granted it's still a tinker toy, but this was not your typical, "buy an upper here, a lower there..." Each part separately sourced and painstakingly assembled.
• Collected all the parts from other shooters and my own cast-offs, built a 260 Rem. I'm *really* liking that rifle.
• Bedded one rifle
• Changed out and sighted in scopes on three rifles.
• Had two more barrels machined, now have everything for a 2nd switch-barrel rifle. Still tinkering with the stock design.
• Finished my silencer design for my Form 1.
• Running power out to my inductive casting machine which I will use to make silencer parts based on my design.
• Picked up a 3D printer to make the first mock-ups. Still have to set it up.
• Added four more tool heads and caliber sets to my 650.
• Catalogued, organized and re stacked my powder supply for easy access (finally!)
• Carved up some LED lights I had laying around and installed dimmable LED lighting on the 650. Wow - I can see !
• Converted 200 7.62x51 brass over to 300 Savage, loaded and shot them all once already. They work great.
• Annealed and trimed ~400 7.62x51 for my AR10. Developed a M80 load using 147gr FMJ and Power Pro 2000MR. Really happy with it for plinking ammo. Easily have another 400 casings to anneal and trim. (Had a lot of 7.62 brass. )
• Pulled down the 12 gauge P-W Size-O-Matic shotgun press and am in the process of tuning it up. Need to find a press for 16 gauge.

On deck:

• Get the 3D printer going.
• Get the melter powered up.
• Finish the first switch barrel rifle.
• Last time I went to do casting, my RCBS bottom pour pot popped the GFI. Need to debug it and then cast a bunch more bullets.
• I'm all out of most of my ammo that I shoot. Need to spend a lot of time reloading. At least the brass is all prepped and waiting.
• Bought an inductive cooktop to convert it to an induction annealer. Already have all the parts. When I'm done, it will cost less than $100. A torch works great, but it's too friggin' slow.

 

[arakboss]

Hmmm, projects.... Except for plugging away at the kitchen rebuild, my gun projects are getting all the attention and numerous ones around the house are languishing.

In the last six months:

• Built and dialed in an AR10/LR308. Granted it's still a tinker toy, but this was not your typical, "buy an upper here, a lower there..." Each part separately sourced and painstakingly assembled.
• Collected all the parts from other shooters and my own cast-offs, built a 260 Rem. I'm *really* liking that rifle.
• Bedded one rifle
• Changed out and sighted in scopes on three rifles.
• Had two more barrels machined, now have everything for a 2nd switch-barrel rifle. Still tinkering with the stock design.
• Finished my silencer design for my Form 1.
• Running power out to my inductive casting machine which I will use to make silencer parts based on my design.
• Picked up a 3D printer to make the first mock-ups. Still have to set it up.
• Added four more tool heads and caliber sets to my 650.
• Catalogued, organized and re stacked my powder supply for easy access (finally!)
• Carved up some LED lights I had laying around and installed dimmable LED lighting on the 650. Wow - I can see !
• Converted 200 7.62x51 brass over to 300 Savage, loaded and shot them all once already. They work great.
• Annealed and trimed ~400 7.62x51 for my AR10. Developed a M80 load using 147gr FMJ and Power Pro 2000MR. Really happy with it for plinking ammo. Easily have another 400 casings to anneal and trim. (Had a lot of 7.62 brass. )
• Pulled down the 12 gauge P-W Size-O-Matic shotgun press and am in the process of tuning it up. Need to find a press for 16 gauge.

On deck:

• Get the 3D printer going.
• Get the melter powered up.
• Finish the first switch barrel rifle.
• Last time I went to do casting, my RCBS bottom pour pot popped the GFI. Need to debug it and then cast a bunch more bullets.
• I'm all out of most of my ammo that I shoot. Need to spend a lot of time reloading. At least the brass is all prepped and waiting.
• Bought an inductive cooktop to convert it to an induction annealer. Already have all the parts. When I'm done, it will cost less than $100. A torch works great, but it's too friggin' slow.

You're a busy man. I would love to see pics of your homemade induction annealer when it's done.

 

[bionic knees]

just got an ar carbine "kit" from ups today. assembled upper and 80% lower and all the parts needed to finish. going to try my hand at finishing the lower and putting it together. finally got bit by the ar bug. I will let you know how it turns out, probably going to be a week or so.

 

[arakboss]

just got an ar carbine "kit" from ups today. assembled upper and 80% lower and all the parts needed to finish. going to try my hand at finishing the lower and putting it together. finally got bit by the ar bug. I will let you know how it turns out, probably going to be a week or so.

Do you have a router?

 

[bionic knees]

Do you have a router?

yup, a buddy has all the tools and jigs and has done a couple.

 

[Knobgoblin]

At least you are working on it. I have this mess to tackle (again).


View attachment 1185837

I used my wife's treadmill for ammo once.

It's back to holding clothes and purses now.

 

[Will_White]

Welded the grip onto Clyde, still need to make a peice so I can drill the safety selector detent hole and figure out a way to hold the upper centered on the lower in the rear.

Then it's on to making a steel handguard, and if I can figure out a way maybe even a full steel upper.

 

[arakboss]

View attachment 1186337
Welded the grip onto Clyde, still need to make a peice so I can drill the safety selector detent hole and figure out a way to hold the upper centered on the lower in the rear.

That's awesome, do you have a thread started for Clyde project?

 

[Will_White]

I don't think I do. I started it a few years ago and lost it in a move until I found it this weekend.

 

[arakboss]

I don't think I do. I started it a few years ago and lost it in a move until I found it this weekend.

Will you be using standard uppers or a custom one? What is the weight so far, it looks heavy?

 

[Will_White]

Will you be using standard uppers or a custom one? What is the weight so far, it looks heavy?

For now a standard upper, in the future, when I get a lathe maybe, I have plans to make an upper from steel tube. Essentially WSWD: What Stoner Wouldn't Do.

Edit: it's about 6 lbs as much as my complete WWSD-ish rifle.

 

[PDXbiker]

Resurrecting a 1950 serial numbered second year production Ruger "Red Eagle (grip medallion)" Standard pistol. Original grips and magazine. This was a well worn shooter with holster wear and some rust speckling. FTE, FTF, bolt not going into battery, trigger not resetting and firing when safety let off. Exterior cleaned up nicely. Good bore. Stripped down and cleaned then all new springs, firing pin, extractor, sear and fitting a new safety. Not a single malfunction after 200 rounds.

Grips had a name and 12-25-1950 etched inside one. I contacted the FFL I purchased this from and he confirmed it was the name of the deceased original owner, the pistol being part of his son's estate consignment being sold. So I got me a Ruger that was almost certainly that individual's prized Christmas present 71+ years ago.

 

[LDmax]

Can't imagine being limited by motivation and not money and space when it comes to gun projects...

Would some negative reinforcement help you take the trash out? I hope there aren't any piss jars in there.

 

[Ura-Ki]

This past year? Welp, got another Colt M-1855 MK-4 project, was a complete rifle but had been altered at some point, so I was able to resto-mod it to my favorite configuration, Frontiers Carbine, installed a new barrel with the faster twist, still in .50 Cal, new sights using a modified rear, and ramped and banded front. Re did all the internals and custom made all new springs, including the nearly impossible clock work wound hammer spring! Lots of T.I.G. welding to the receiver, and a complete re cut of the spindle for true cylinder timing, and a new hardened hand with lock pawl! Still carving up some new stocks and sourcing parts for the loading ram handle and retainer!
Second is a complete re build of a Winchester 1895 I got from a member here, was mechanically in great shape, and perfect condition for a used rifle of it's age, just needed a complete dissembly and freshing up! Next is a trip to see Tim for a mag issue, the shell lifter is hung up and no matter what I have tried, I can't get it to run free, that and I want to ditch the Redfield sight and replace it with a Lyman #11 for that old school historically correct sight! Other then that, she looks and shoots awesome!
Picked up another Colt Snake, this one a brand new Anaconda, it's near perfect, just needs a little lovin in the trigger and I want to change the front sight to a trit orb! This one will match the Old School Anaconda custom I just picked up last Friday so I can swap between the two for carry duty when I want/need!
Also picked up another FAL kit to play with, will be doing up a PARA folder carbine for a truck gun, and a few Daumoline Mausers to finish, having Finally finished my 7mm Mag build!

 

[titsonritz]

I'm almost done setting up my 1301 the way I like it. Waiting on an end cap for the light.

 

[oldcorpgunny]

Today I found my old (1958) Model 94 Winchester in one of my out buildings. I thought that I had sold it to someone a number of years ago. It was still in it's old hard case. I took it out and man did it look terrible. The barrel seems OK but I had to use a lot of solvent to finally get the action open. Lots of rusty solvent. The stock had been refinished by me when I was a kid and looks like it too. Somewhere along the line I attempted to re-blue it. I'm debating whether or not to strip it all down and restore it to it's former deer hunting glory or just sell it to someone with some money and ambition. I haven't hunted deer in years and mostly shoot holes in paper targets. What would you do? It's really terrible looking but I think that it will still shoot.