Gun-related Projects and Hacks for Quarantine

Attention @Rembrandt and @jmorris …...

I have seen some pretty awesome stuff that these two have made over the years. Im sure there are other members here who have also done some really neat stuff but these are the two I remember most.

What kind of tools do you have available? Hammer, screwdrivers, hand drill, crescent wrench, mill, lathe, stick/MIG/TIG welder, plasma, torch?

Last week I stippled my mauser stock because of the boredom, I only used a old broken needle file some tape and a pencil. I have a spring to make for a sxs but don't have the proper stuff or what it even looks like.

giggitygiggity said:

what are some gun related projects and hacks that are good for being holed up at home? Specifically, what are some things we can make at home that you can’t find in stores or that are far better and/or cheaper than stores? Please post instructions and pictures.

Click to expand...

Ammo, learn to reload if you don't already

Getting a lot of progress on a 1911 build kit.

Reloading, dry fire, reloading, reloading and ... reloading.

I think I'll come out of this shortage with more ammo in the box than I went in with.

Though I did see my outdoor range is remaining open, so I'm going to hit that up Tuesday hopefully to shoot a few hundred 9mms

Since my local gun club/outdoor range is NOT closed, I will be shooting every chance I get while the Missus works from home. No worrying about "social distancing", since each bay is isolated from the others by side berms - makes it great for shooting by yourself or with a buddy - no waiting for everyone to go cold, no worrying about others sweeping you etc........... I can set up my targets, my chorno and spend the time I need to do what I want

This should get you through the quarantine!
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...uilt-a-ferguson-flintlock-rifle.855573/page-2

SC45-70

Things I've done tend to be a response to seasonal needs, ie: hunting season comes along and that's where the focus is. Right now it's reloading and preparation for the summer.

Often look at products and things others have made wondering if it could be designed differently or improved. Trying to envision weaknesses that can be eliminated by using alternative designs or materials.

As mentioned by Mr Morris, tools and skills dictate what's possible. Many times I've purchased tools and equipment for a specific project not knowing how to use them, learning and practicing on projects. Most often it ended up costing much more than what it was worth.

This is an example of something not available but worked for my need. A bracket to hold a crossbow crank. Manufacturer stores it under the limbs, probably not the safest place when the bow is under tension. Moved it to the rear stock area making it more accessible. Machined from aluminum, labor cost making it....doesn't make sense. Could probably have done it with 3D printer,

I organized my safe, deep cleaned my rifles and am in the process of disassembling and cleaning all my mags. This no rangetime thing is killin me.

I seem to spend a lot of time here. Avoiding all the unpleasant stuff I could be doing around the house.

Organized and inventoried my ammo. Loaded up what was lacking.

peeplwtchr said:

I organized my safe, deep cleaned my rifles and am in the process of disassembling and cleaning all my mags. This no rangetime thing is killin me.

Click to expand...

I have also replaced the copper FMJ range ammo in all mags with hollow points.

I cleaned all my handguns. "Rig"ed them up, back in the socks and back in the Zrust bags.

Doing lots of reloading and case prep. Also making lots of cleaning patches each one hand made cut to size with an artistic flair. Yea no mass produced patches for me just custom made. Man I'm making them sound so good maybe I'll start selling them for a buck a peace. My range is closed so I am sneaking some shooting in the backyard and garage with the trusty ole Red Ryder.

I'm making a benchrest fore end for a G2 contender rifle. I glued up some red oak and walnut strips for this as it's what I had laying around. I normally use gorilla glue on oak as I had a failure using regular titebond on a kitchen cabinet project years ago. I had no gorilla glue on hand and used Elmer's advanced wood glue. A joint failed yesterday during milling. I re-glued using a different adhesive and clamped it yesterday afternoon. I'll see if it is going to hold a little later today. I also have a couple of sets of 1911 grips in the works and discovered I am out of 6" adhesive sanding discs for my bench sander and the local lumber yard does not stock them. again. I ordered some last night so the grips are on hold till next week.

I decided to move my bullet feeder off the case feeder and do a pole mount like the Mr. Bullet feeder pro. 1" gas pipe and a flange. I used the oem bracket for the bullet feeder. It took off alot of weight from the side of the case feeder. Back to loading..

I went through the proverbial "box 'o holsters" (two very large plastic crates) to sort out the jumble. Surprised myself at what I came up with. Now all holsters are in appropriately size zip-lock bags with the gun they fit written on the outside of the bag in magic marker. When I realized that of the 70-odd holsters I had a quite a few duplicates, boredom and OCD kicked in.

I'm ashamed to say I created an Excel spreadsheet with the brand name and fit for each of the holsters, then used to sort feature to group by gun so I could see at a glance how many holsters I had for the same gun.

Without embarrassing myself too much, Ill let on that I found 9 different holsters for full-sized 1911s, 7 for Glocks, 7 for Sig P320s and 5 for my Sig P365. And I refuse to reveal just how many cowboy holsters I have for various length SAAs!

But the good news is that I killed an entire afternoon that I couldn't go to the range, and I also know not to buy any more d**m Kydex holsters for Glocks or for Sigs!

I agree with those promoting learning to reload. It’s a great hobby, very satisfying in that you aren’t reliant on factory supply, and it has the side benefit of increasing your shooting skills, because you can afford to shoot more.

Day what ever this is I have counted all ammo, cleaned them three times, relocated my safe to an outside wall, made a couple bug bags for my kids, hydro dipping my daughters .22 tomorrow, currently thinking about racking my newish 590 a couple hundred times, and practicing dry firing. Man wish I still lived around the woods.

Since CDC has changed their mask recommendations, & faced with the fact that even toilet paper has been extinct from store shelves for two weeks, decided I’d cobble up something in event I am forced outside the cave for whatever reason.

Rounded up a spare camo face mask, coffee filter (which one Dr. suggested on TV was a decent makeshift mask), a stapler and a spool of heavy nylon fishing line.



Folded the facemask to accept the top drawstring and stapled in place. The drawstrings utilize a short “hangman’s noose”, through which the other end of drawstring is passed. In use, pull drawstring snug, then slipping the noose tight holds mask snugly.




Folded bottom of mask up to accept the lower drawstring and staple as above. Staple the “pocket”, also provided by this fold, to hold coffee filter in place and done. Coffee filter can be slipped out after use and replaced with new one w/ease.



Leave the coffee filter out and it still makes a great predator hunting mask.

Still bored, I had lots of time left to do a bit of “improved” dry firing w/the 1911.

Drew a ¼” “target” on sheet of paper, taped it to flat surface, cleared weapon of all live ammo & loaded the 1911 w/1 ea. #2 wooden pencil and fired for group. Amazing how accurate a #2, rubber eraser pencil is when bounced off a 1911 firing pin.

With one round, Lock & Load; ready on the firing line? ; Fire at will!



If you wish to try this at home, I recommend you find a harder surface than a hollow core door, unless you wish to save your group for posterity.

The two separate groups within the 5 shot group below reveals that I got on the trigger three times; guess I need to do this a bit more often, but looks like I’ll have plenty of time to do so.



Have fun, stay safe, and wash yer hands.

Regards,
hps

Finally getting around to making more hand sanitizer...after I cleaned all the guns, clean and shined all the gun cases, holsters, bandaleirs, safes, hunting boots, sandals....can you wax bullets? I got 3 more weeks of this stay at home

Added a couple of smaller dots below the original target and "fired" 10 shot groups on each (from right to left).

Aiming point same width as front sight made for better sight picture and worked on natural aim point a bit didn't hurt anything on the last two 10 shot strings. Sure beats watchin' TV.


The circles are .160"; shoulda been doing more dry firing all along.

Regards,
hps

Nothing major for guns right now. Gonna get a new scope for my Weatherby Vanguard, then put the Nikon P 308 on the 7mm Mauser, but that's it. Need to get back to the Jeep build.