How much gunsmithing do you do

I know there are some legitimate gunsmiths on this forum. I'm just trying to get a feel for where I should stop as far as doing my own work. I'm proud of the trigger work I've done to a few Smith revolvers and 1911's but recently was deterred from detail stripping my M41 and now M52. I think it has a lot to do with the relative lack of info as to how to work on those.

Model 41s are easy to take apart. And my gunsmith had a good laugh when he put it back together.

Len (true story )

As Len said.  The disassembly is easy, it's the reassembly.  Many times there are sequences and tricks and maybe a special tool or two.  The devil is in the details.

I may not be as quick and good as Roddy.  But I can do a total R&R on High Standard, 1911, S&W revolver, Trailside, Ruger MKII, and not too bad on Sig P series.  Alterations are another story except I can do well on HS and S&W revolver triggers.  Machining, if I can't do it with a file and vice, I call Roddy.  He's 10 miles away.

OldMaster65 wrote:Model 41s are easy to take apart. And my gunsmith had a good laugh when he put it back together.

Len (true story )

My fear exactly. The first time I took apart my Ruger MkIII I was up till 3am getting it back together.....

orpheoet wrote:

OldMaster65 wrote:Model 41s are easy to take apart. And my gunsmith had a good laugh when he put it back together.

Len (true story )

My fear exactly. The first time I took apart my Ruger MkIII I was up till 3am getting it back together.....

Well, yeah .... but if it was a MkII you would have gotten to watch the nightly news!



Bruce

Mark III, 5 minutes tops, you just have to practice it 100 times first....
and, to know the secret tool.  (hint, it holds your bread bag closed)

Here's the true story. Our club had a few Ruger MkII/III and they all needed a good deep cleaning. So we all got together in the classroom with all our tools and cleaning supplies and before we started, I told them, "Folks, be careful when you disassemble the frame. The safety has a tiny spring-loaded detent plunger, and if you are not careful, it sends it flying across the room, never to be found again. The replacement one from Ruger is  $2, but the minimum order is $25. Ask me how I know - wink-wink." 2 minutes later I hear "AWWW, CRAP!!!!"....and we all got down to our knees and started looking for that plunger...and we found two of them!

I do quite a bit of my own work. You do have to be able to finance your learning curve though.

I built my 1911 from the ground up. I also assembled the volqaurtsen Scorpion I use for RF. The scorpion was more of an assemble than a build in that I didn't have much fitting to do.

kwixdraw wrote:I do quite a bit of my own work. You do have to be able to finance your learning curve though.

That's a good one! ^ 
Springs......they go everywhere. When I need one I buy 5.....

[quote="orpheoet"]

kwixdraw wrote:Springs......they go everywhere. When I need one I buy 5.....

If I have a spare they never go missing, unless it's 2 days before a match and you can bet I'll loose the spare too! LOL

- Dave

On my Ruger MK II I do a detailed disassembly and when it come to the safety plunger and spring, I do all that inside a large sip lock bag.  Yup, lost one of those $27 springs.  Learning curves are costly.  As for gunsmithing, I do everything on a Ruger MK II including honing the sear and making a shim to take out trigger slack.  For the 1911, I'll do everything except fit a barrel, roll trigger, and grip safety.  M41 and M52 I leave detailed stripping to a very qualified gunsmith.