Starting to think I might be Bubba!

mikeystew

mikeystew

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I can't help myself but tinker with my guns, I enjoy it almost as much as shooting them. Though I usually only aim to fix what I deem as not good enough or broken. Usually improvements...

Anyone else have this obsession?

My latest "project" is making a new trigger guard for my mossberg. The plastic one just seems so... Wrong. It's such a nice gun it deserves a real one. I'll keep the old one safe and sound in case I decide to ever sell it though, I like to keep everything else original and return it to original if that time comes.

So far... Still more shaping and polishing to do, especially in the finger grips... and of course bluing. But I can already tell I'm gonna like it better. Sure is time consuming though, all I'm working with is an angle grinder, drill, welder, files and sandpaper...



 
Looking like a surprisingly good start.

Keep it up, this looks like you may be able to have a really nice finished product if you continue the shaping and contouring.
 
Kevin M. said:
Looking like a surprisingly good start.

Keep it up, this looks like you may be able to have a really nice finished product if you continue the shaping and contouring.
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Thanks! I expect this to take several days working in my spare time from this point. I won't blue until it's just right. But I'm going to have to get creative to finish the contouring of the grip. I'm thinking sandpaper wrapped 3/4 round bar... Fun fun fun!

Daver_II said:
I prefer the term... Amateur gunsmith.... lol. I do this too, but only on guns that are cheap and plentiful.
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Me too. I'm not touching this gun otherwise, just making a swappable part.

And I like to think of myself as a shade tree gunsmith! I haven't seriously buggered anything yet...
 
It coming along... A couple holes, a bit more sanding and then make it black!

It's nice to have a more open trigger guard.





Sorry, I don't mean to rub it in about the 11 degrees and sunny... Nothing I can do about that.



I can't decide if I want to order more solution to slow rust blue it, cold blue it, or just paint it...
 
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Yes, you are Bubba... The trick is not to "look like it."

I would paint it a flat black (not ultra flat)... Just a little sheen for show. Good job.
 
Couple more...

I'm leaning toward the semi gloss black too. So much easier than bluing, and I don't have any solution to blue so I'd have to order it. Also, I'm not 100% sure how the blue will take to the welds.

A couple more teasers...



 
That looks so nice that it would be a crime to NOT try blueing it first. Paint is OK but it would simply end up looking too much like the plastic that you're replacing when painted.

And hey, if the blue doesn't take and it looks like it's got measles, chicken pox and a bad hangover all at the same time THEN paint it.
 
Besides the countersunk spot welds down the back to secure the two piece grip plate, the only two spots of weld are at the front and rear of the trigger guard where I attached it to the grip plate... You have me leaning back to bluing...

Edit; I just ordered some bluing solution. Nothing ventured nothing gained right? And I'm always tinkering with something so it'll get used. And like you said if it don't work out, I'll paint it.
 
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mikeystew said:
Besides the countersunk spot welds down the back to secure the two piece grip plate, the only two spots of weld are at the front and rear of the trigger guard where I attached it to the grip plate... You have me leaning back to bluing...

Edit; I just ordered some bluing solution. Nothing ventured nothing gained right? And I'm always tinkering with something so it'll get used. And like you said if it don't work out, I'll paint it.
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Nice job..
 
Well...

I remembered I still had some oxpho blue left over from my less adventurous smithing days, and I figured what the heck. I plan to blast it before rust blue anyhow... May as well be "blue" until it's blued!

Turned out not bad... Keep in mind I'm still not done the final sanding. I want to do that before the rust bluing.









Not bad, about 6-8 hours of work from the first thought of making it to mounting it... Not counting the rust blue to come.

This is what happens when you live on an island and resort to making what you need on a regular basis. If I can't buy it, I figure out a way to make it.

And... I like this profile WAY better than the wired plastic one! Happy happy! Gotta love when a plan comes together. Steel and wood makes me smile :)
 
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First class work for sure. It looks fine with just the cold blue in a bottle. But I know all too well the drive to try out something new.

You fail as a Bubba by the way. Bubbas think their own stuff looks good while all the non Bubbas of the world run to gag and retch up their lunch! I don't see anyone here saying that you make then sick.... other than with envy :D

So while you found success you also failed at the same time.... :D
 
Lol thanks BCRider. This won't be my first rust blue though. I love rebluing as a hobby, there is something really satisfying about taking a raw piece of steel or a rusty old gun and making it look like it just came from the factory. This picture is of one of my first full re-blue jobs with slow rust blue. As im sure you can imagine, i've spent a lot of time sanding down guns and gun parts lol...





 
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Yes i agree your not "bubba", nice work. A gunsmith shop would charge you more than the gun is worth for that trigger guard, lots of full time smiths got started working at home and building skills then opened a shop. Keep up the nice work.
 
mikeystew said:
Couple more...

I'm leaning toward the semi gloss black too.
Click to expand...

I do a lot of stock work and have painted hundreds of parts..... Semi-gloss has looked crappy every time I tried it... If you want more sheen, satin has a nice refined look... I wouldn't go glossier than that. JMO.
 
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