Can you make a gun?

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  • Scatterplot
    Senior Member
    • Mar 2005
    • 393

    Can you make a gun?

    I saw another post in another thread about making rifles or guns by yourself with machine tools. I have a friend who severely needs a lesson in what you can do with a machine shop, especially in regards to weaponry, and a simple, homemade gun would be perfect. The only problem is, I don't know where to start. I have only basic knowledge of the "innards" of firearms, and while I think I could figure it out on my own I don't think it would turn out very good. I'm thinking something small and simple, like a .22 or something. Have any of you guys attempted this, and did you have plans, websites, guidelines, etc. to help you along? Thanks for any info in advance!
    You never learn anything by doing it right.
  • HTRN
    Senior Member
    • Jul 2004
    • 950

    #2
    Brownell's sells a book on how to make a falling block action


    HTRN

    ------------------
    This Old Shed
    EGO partum , proinde EGO sum

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    • hoffman
      Senior Member
      • Oct 2004
      • 1356

      #3
      Here ya go. Make a submachine gun with a file and hacksaw.

      In these days of increasingly oppressive anti-gun policies and almost police state politics ... it has never been more important for the aware citizen to know how a working firearm is constructed.


      ------------------
      Deep Sea Tool Salvage
      Techno-Anarchist

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      • LoneGunman
        Junior Member
        • May 2005
        • 8

        #4
        Don't know if Hoffman was kidding or not but making a machinegun in the US without the proper licensing will buy you 10 in club fed.




        Lots of info in the above link

        Comment

        • Evan
          Senior Member
          • May 2003
          • 41977

          #5
          Simplest one I made was a couple of feet of black iron pipe the right size with a pipe cap on one end. Drill a small hole in the center of the cap. Screw cap over shotgun shell. Place nail in hole and bang with rock. It works amazingly well. I think I was about 12 or so.
          Free software for calculating bolt circles and similar: Click Here

          Comment

          • sauer38h
            Senior Member
            • Aug 2004
            • 479

            #6
            Seriously un-cool.

            You can joke and horse around about anything except safety issues.

            I consider dicking with Federal firearms law to be a safety issue. So nix the cutsie stuff about machine guns. You can't make a legal one, no matter what licensing you have, unless it's an order for a government agency. See the Firearms Owner's Protection Act of 1986. And if you make an illegal one, anybody who is dumb enough to give you advice about it on a public forum is too dumb to be giving advice.

            The book cited above is most probably -

            Mueller, Walter. Building a Single Shot Falling Block Rifle. Village Press, 1998.

            $14 from http://www.okdpm.com/Metalworking%20Books/

            I haven't examined it myself, but I haven't heard that it's a particularly simple project. I am not aware of any available plans or instructions for a very simple gun. Even backyard SMGs aren't all that simple, not if you're the one making the setup for every single cut. The late Frank de Haas had a book on making various single shot rifles, but none were really specified to plan level, and none were all that simple.

            Scratchbuilding an entire gun (even if you buy the barrel) is not a trivial task. I don't think a pipe zip gun is what you want to use to impress your friend with the capabilities of the machine shop.

            There are kits for muzzleloaders which are pretty neat-o, but they don't usually involve a lot of machine work, just detail fitting and finishing.

            Then there are 80 percenters. There are several sites and at least one forum devoted to guns built around receivers which have had 80% of the machining already done by the vendor. 0% receivers are available too. AR-15s and 1911s seem to be the most popular.


            [This message has been edited by sauer38h (edited 05-28-2005).]

            Comment

            • R. Johnson
              Junior Member
              • May 2005
              • 13

              #7
              Why not take a firearm, such as a rifle of known guality, and remodel it. Such as fitting a new barrel of better quality, and possibly change the sights.That would keep you from getting into serios safety issues, or Federal laws, as long is it is for your own use.This would give you the machine practice involving precision set-upsand you would have something worth while when you are done.

              Comment


              • #8
                DO A Search this topic ( horse) has been beat to death.

                Comment

                • JCHannum
                  Senior Member
                  • Nov 2001
                  • 10091

                  #9
                  The Mueller book is an excellent reference, and worth having if building a single shot rifle is being considered.

                  It is far from a simple project though. It is fairly complex, but will result in an excellent rifle.

                  The deHaas book has simpler plans. They lack in dimensions in most areas, but the dimensions are not as important as the fit of one part to another. They are simpler, and can be built with basic shop equipment. DeHaas includes instructions that are easily followed.
                  Jim H.

                  Comment

                  • bob308
                    Senior Member
                    • Feb 2005
                    • 933

                    #10
                    gunsmith tips and projects has the plans for a bilinghurst underhammer. i also have plans on converting a 51 navy colt to .38 s&w

                    Comment

                    • SGW
                      Senior Member
                      • Apr 2001
                      • 7010

                      #11
                      Before you build anything, be SURE you know the laws. It is possible to do it legally, if you jump through the proper hoops. An inquiry to the BATF would be a good idea. In the end, their opinion is the only one that maters.

                      Personally, I'd be inclined to build a blackpowder muzzleloader. The restrictions on those are less.
                      ----------
                      Try to make a living, not a killing. -- Utah Phillips
                      Don't believe everything you know. -- Bumper sticker
                      Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects. -- Will Rogers
                      There are lots of people who mistake their imagination for their memory. - Josh Billings
                      Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
                      Don't own anything you have to feed or paint. - Hood River Blackie

                      Comment

                      • LoneGunman
                        Junior Member
                        • May 2005
                        • 8

                        #12
                        "You can't make a legal one, no matter what licensing you have, unless it's an order for a government agency."

                        Not true, with a type 07 ffl and a paid SOT I can build all the machineguns I want. I just cannot transfer them unless it is to a govt agency or to another FFL/SOT who has a demo letter.

                        [This message has been edited by LoneGunman (edited 05-28-2005).]

                        [This message has been edited by LoneGunman (edited 05-28-2005).]

                        Comment

                        • sauer38h
                          Senior Member
                          • Aug 2004
                          • 479

                          #13
                          "I can build all the machineguns I want."

                          Since when?

                          There is a suit on that very question in the 9th circuit, but knowing the 9th circuit, I'm not about to start stockpiling parts in anticipation of a favorable outcome.

                          Or are you talking about "salesman's samples"? If that little dodge is how you figure to do it, you're a brave man indeed.


                          p.s. On reflection, I think the 9th circuit case involves adding "for personal use" to the very tiny list of exemptions to the FOPA 86, a special though potentially important case.

                          [This message has been edited by sauer38h (edited 05-28-2005).]

                          Comment

                          • hoffman
                            Senior Member
                            • Oct 2004
                            • 1356

                            #14
                            I've built 1045 homemade machine guns and I'm working on cloning my neighbors kid so I'll have an army to conquer the world.

                            Laugh if you want to.

                            Gotta mow the grass first...

                            ------------------
                            Deep Sea Tool Salvage
                            Techno-Anarchist

                            Comment

                            • Carl
                              Senior Member
                              • Apr 2003
                              • 1360

                              #15
                              FOPA 86...the only actual gun ban ever signed into law...by a much beloved Republican President.
                              THAT OLD GANG 'O MINE

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