Gunsmithing The Modern Age

[LRI]

5, 10 years ago it was a rare day to see or even hear of folks using CAD software and automated equipment for custom gun work. Its been prevalent in manufacturing for some time now, but it was quite "underground" in our little game. The sacred cows would scoff at it claiming it was impossible to build guns that were truly custom with modern tools.

It's a process that I've aggressively campaigned and committed to since opening my doors 3-1/2 short years ago.

With more and more frequency I'm seeing it and I think its a good thing as it improves the industry and the hobby. Just this morning a guy ginned up a solid model for an action wrench. Think back 5 years. There was less than 10 people in the entire US doing this.

Pretty cool stuff. Its good to see more and more guys trading in the Dremel tools for a mouse and keyboard.

Keep up the good work!


C.

 

[EXSOCAL]

Re: The Modern Age

You the man Chad! Just got all my ducks in a row to light up that new Bartlien you put on my 591 last week. Fluting came out great and I really like the "broken charcoal" color cerakote you guys came up with. Great work as always and a big "thanks" for the quick turn around time and awesome service!

-Shawn

 

[jrm850]

Re: The Modern Age

I've been sitting behind solidworks everyday for about a decade now and would never look back. I was trained so old school that we had to carve stocks comletely by hand other than drilling the pilot holes for the action alignment rods and cutting the basic outline on a band saw. I had inletting black on everything I owned.

Dang, I sound like my Dad! "I had to walk 4 miles to school uphill both ways"

I think for my first cnc gun project I am going to make an extra cool chassis for an old MAS45 action I've had laying around. I have a 12 year old boy who needs a tacticool .22.

 

[6.81star]

Re: The Modern Age

I like to build lots of things from Flashlights, to guns, to knives. I do a lot of forum reading for gathtering knowledge. Being a machinist and working for a really nice shop that has everything from Okuma lathes, Horizontal Milling machines, to Multuses, Solidworks, Cam programs along with Hiamer heat shrink holders, tool balancers and tool presetters one tends to be spoiled and forget what others don't have access to. I was surpised to see you using the CAD/CAM software on builds and I understand exactly why you would use them. But the thing that shocked me was when I saw Les George and Rich Hinderer (to name a few) using Solidworks in designing their knives. I am all for software.