Sweeney - Gunsmithing : pistols & revolvers

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First off, Id like to thank you, the readers, for sticking with me for what is it now, nearly two decades! In all modesty, I must be doing something right, or else youd have left me behind. That youre still reading my efforts is encouraging. That I have not burned myself out, as Ive done in so many hobbies, careers, and avocations before now is perhaps a clue that Ive figured out how to balance my life.

In the course of my working career, Ive not just had a bunch of jobs, but a string of careers. One of those was a stint in radio broadcasting, where in short order I had shuttled through stations big and small, top and bottom of the market, and efficient too. As I put it then, WKRP without Loni Anderson. (I kid you not. We had all the WKRP crew, and then some, but not her.) One thing we all knew back in the days of vinyl was that last years smash hit album would be followed by something less interesting. As one rock n roller put it; Youve got your whole life to do your first album, but you have to have the second done in eighteen months. The one being interviewed also got their first hit on the charts only after theyd had two albums worth of music to put on vinyl, so he/they were set.

A pair of brief asides, the poodle count is now up to three (yes, were those crazy poodle people on the corner) but the three are each different. Learning that dogs have different personalities has been an interesting experience, as it made me keep in mind that readers differ, also. Some just want the facts, some want a tale told, and some just want clear photos. I try to strike a balance. And I have discovered the hummingbirds actually visit our part of the country. When I need a break, I walk the dogs, and when the season is right, sit on the deck and see if I can catch a hummingbird in the act of sneaking a slurp from our fuchsia.

Regular readers will know that all of this is due to the efforts of Felicia, and her efforts at keeping me on-track, using proper English, and sitting down each day and producing text, rather than off to the range to experiment and tease out some abstruse detail of firearms functions or ammo habits.

So, if you can read this and keep it straight, thank your Grade-School English teacher. That it is in a format your teacher would recognize, you can thank Felicia. I do.

Visit www.gundigeststore.com for more great gunsmithing titles:

Gun Digest Guide to Maintaining and Accessorizing Firearms

Gun Digest Book of Exploded Gun Drawings

Gun Digest Book of Automatic Pistols Assembly/Disassembly

Gun Digest Book of Revolvers Assembly/Disassembly

Gun Digest Book of Tactical Weapons Assembly/Disassembly

To start down the path of pistolsmithing, you need more than just a collection of tricks, tools and skills. You must have knowledge, skills, tools, and a place to use them. Most of all, you need the desire.

Keep clear in your mind what you are setting out to do; are you undertaking pistolsmithing for fun, or as a route to a new career? It is entirely possible to start out just wanting to do a few things for myself and in due time find yourself with a new career anyway.

When considering gunsmithing for yourself, its important to keep the law in mind, too. A particular smithing task may be easy, but if the local ordinances or state law do not permit it, then its a no-go. Do not undertake any task the law does not permit.

There is no secret body of knowledge in pistolsmithing, no set of mysterious tricks handed down from one generation to the next. Much of what is done by professional pistolsmiths is done behind closed doors, but the intent is not mystery. The door is often closed to keep overzealous customers from jostling the pistolsmiths elbow or asking distracting questions when supreme concentration is required. Admittedly, sometimes its also to keep the customer from seeing how easy a particular task is.

You need patience. You need practice. You may have the option of practicing on scrap guns bought at a gun show for a pittance. If the laws where you live make acquisition and disposal too difficult, practice on rifles or shotguns or simply bars of steel. The key is to practice, practice, practice.

There are a lot of places you likely think dont allow guns, but youd be surprised. Even though their citizens can own them, not all countries allow home gunsmithing. Be glad you live here.

You need the right tools. Tools commonly found in the home workshop are not suited for pistolsmithing. What do the professionals use? Almost always, they use the best. The cost difference between the best and good enough is small. The best will last longer, cut cleaner, require less maintenance, and provide you lasting happiness.

This is not the way to treat your workspace. Keep it clean and neat, or else youll lose parts, trip and fall, or cut/burn/stain something stored below your bench or vise.

If you have the room, and only if you have the room, you might think about this level of organization. Unless you are a pro, this is overkill.

You need focus. If you are, for example, a football fan, do not try to do your gunsmithing at the same time as you are watching your favorite team. Pay attention to what you are doing if for no other reason than mistakes can be expensive.

Finally, you need this book. Many texts directed at professional pistolsmiths assume the reader already has a large base of knowledge and experience. Without such an education, random experimentation on your guns can be expensive, frustrating and painful. For the shooters and readers who want to get the job done right the first time this book is the beginning of your adventure.

Buy the correct screwdrivers for the job. Using one close enough is a sure way to mangle a screw slot. You have no one to blame but yourself.

If you want to see what a new arrangement of cocking serrations might look like, mill them into an otherwise scrapped slide.