Gunsmithing book?

C

ciphery

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Location
Ottawa origanally Muskoka
I am looking for a book that shows how to MAKE a bolt action rifle,Wild cat cartridges,machining techniques,fundamentals of design,tool making(reamers)fitting/chambering a barrel etc.
A good comprehensive tome of knowledge.
What I want is a couple good tile recommendations and where I might find them for sale in Canada.
What I am not interested in a website link to a 1000000 books on the topic of guns in general were I'm left to weed through everything.
I can find that on my own, something the jokers on the media forum don't comprehend sadly.
 
Keep looking. Post when you find it.

What you are asking for does not exist. The information is scattered and sometimes poorly presented, and it will be up to the user to sift out the useful bits.

Try AbeBooks.com and Google. Punch the phrase "gun" or "firearm" in, and sift out what works for you. Then start on "Metalurgy" "Machining" "Stress analysis" "Heat treating" and about a thousand other keywords that may apply.

Have fun.

Really, you effectively asked a "How long is string?" question, with the expectation that someone somewhere would be able to just hand you the whole package in a couple titles. Not gonna happen.

Cheers
Trev
 
There is no one book. One isn't enough anyway. Most of the smithies I know literally have libraries.
Books have gotten horrendously expensive and some of the best smithing books are out of print. You can't learn to build a rifle out of a book. Not to mention the several thousand dollars the tools require to buy. Some necessary tools are only available Stateside and are pricey. A barrel vise, for example, starts at about $112US with no bushings. Plus you must use the correct action wrench for whatever rifle you're working on.
Buying a junker milsurp and rebuilding it is a good starter project.
However, you might find one or more of the NRA Gunsmithing Guides at a gun show or on Amazon.ca. They'd be a place to start. Gumsmith Kinks would be another. Forget who wrote it.
 
Thank you for the advice and doubt. I already have much of the necessary tools and know how in a general sense. Thread cutting metal lathe, small milling machine.....BTW with the appropriate fixtures I already have a barrel vice...my mill bed. Deep hole drilling is out of my capabilities but I can step it in anb bore the receiver in the lathe. The bolt head and locking lugs are my nemesis. I would like more information on specifics for the job at hand.
Ie. Lead angles for the lock lugs. How much chamber neck clearance.....
 
Books

I have found that Brownells and Midway Shooters Supply have an excellent library of reference books from remedial to complex. You will find several titles on action geometry, strength and manufacture. Also lots on machineing and metalurgy as well as finishing and heat treating. Wolfe Publishing is another one that comes to mind. David.
 
Get every gunsmithing book you can.

Read and digest them all. That's a START.

Making a gun is an art that requires a great deal of know-how and hands-on experience.

It's not like buying a book by Debbie Travis on decorating... ;)
 
Any books which are as comprehensive as what you describe are also quite dated. This is because modern day gunsmiths don't do many of the things which were, back in the day, considered commonplace.
One book which is of interest is "Advanced Gunsmithing" by Wayne Vickery. This is long out of print, of course. The two volume set, "The Modern Gunsmith" by James V. Howe is an incredible compilation of a real master's experience and knowledge. In both cases, these books give a real good picture of gunsmithing/gunmaking in the 1940's in North America. These books will, like Vickery's, be difficult to find.
My own book, tentatively titled, "Adventures in Gunsmithing", is intended to be a slightly more up-to date effort written from the viewpoint of one with considerably less ability than Mr. Howe. This is taking a lot longer than I had planned. Whether this is because I know more than I thought I did or am having more trouble remembering than I thought I would is open to conjecture. I'll keep at it and try for next summer for completion. Regards, Bill.
 
Leeper said:
Any books which are as comprehensive as what you describe are also quite dated. This is because modern day gunsmiths don't do many of the things which were, back in the day, considered commonplace.
One book which is of interest is "Advanced Gunsmithing" by Wayne Vickery. This is long out of print, of course. The two volume set, "The Modern Gunsmith" by James V. Howe is an incredible compilation of a real master's experience and knowledge. In both cases, these books give a real good picture of gunsmithing/gunmaking in the 1940's in North America. These books will, like Vickery's, be difficult to find.
My own book, tentatively titled, "Adventures in Gunsmithing", is intended to be a slightly more up-to date effort written from the viewpoint of one with considerably less ability than Mr. Howe. This is taking a lot longer than I had planned. Whether this is because I know more than I thought I did or am having more trouble remembering than I thought I would is open to conjecture. I'll keep at it and try for next summer for completion. Regards, Bill.
Click to expand...

Bill, put me down for one of the first copies... that is going to be a great read.
Dennis
 
Leeper said:
Any books which are as comprehensive as what you describe are also quite dated. This is because modern day gunsmiths don't do many of the things which were, back in the day, considered commonplace.
One book which is of interest is "Advanced Gunsmithing" by Wayne Vickery. This is long out of print, of course. The two volume set, "The Modern Gunsmith" by James V. Howe is an incredible compilation of a real master's experience and knowledge. In both cases, these books give a real good picture of gunsmithing/gunmaking in the 1940's in North America. These books will, like Vickery's, be difficult to find.
My own book, tentatively titled, "Adventures in Gunsmithing", is intended to be a slightly more up-to date effort written from the viewpoint of one with considerably less ability than Mr. Howe. This is taking a lot longer than I had planned. Whether this is because I know more than I thought I did or am having more trouble remembering than I thought I would is open to conjecture. I'll keep at it and try for next summer for completion. Regards, Bill.
Click to expand...

I found the 2 Howe volumes as .pdf files, and also another called The Amatuer Guncrafter, aslo by James Virgil Howe.

Another book to search for in .pdf is Mr Singleshot Rifle by Frank and Mark DeHaas.
Info on ballistics and lots more from Hatchers Notebook by Julian Hatcher.

I haven't seen Advanced Gunsmithing by Vickery yet. One more to look for!
Now all I need is the time to read them all!
 
BUILDING FIREARMS by H&P Publishing has a lot of the info you've asked for, heat treating, wax patterning, barrel turning,furnace,polishing,blueing, etc. Not a LOT of depth but good basic info. GUNSMITHING TIPS and PROJECTS (Wolf Publishing) is excellent and ACCURIZING the FACTORY RIFLE is a 10/10, expensive and worth every $. For good info on repairs it's hard to beat the Gunsmithing Kinks from Brownells(4 volumes all excellent). The nice thing about the Kinks books is you can pick one up, turn to any page and have a good read. As mentioned above, Hatchers Notebook is one of the most interesting books for a good read on general firearms. I read that one a lot.
 
Leeper said:
Any books which are as comprehensive as what you describe are also quite dated. This is because modern day gunsmiths don't do many of the things which were, back in the day, considered commonplace.
One book which is of interest is "Advanced Gunsmithing" by Wayne Vickery. This is long out of print, of course. The two volume set, "The Modern Gunsmith" by James V. Howe is an incredible compilation of a real master's experience and knowledge. In both cases, these books give a real good picture of gunsmithing/gunmaking in the 1940's in North America. These books will, like Vickery's, be difficult to find.
My own book, tentatively titled, "Adventures in Gunsmithing", is intended to be a slightly more up-to date effort written from the viewpoint of one with considerably less ability than Mr. Howe. This is taking a lot longer than I had planned. Whether this is because I know more than I thought I did or am having more trouble remembering than I thought I would is open to conjecture. I'll keep at it and try for next summer for completion. Regards, Bill.
Click to expand...

Thought that some of you might be interested in this link to a free .pdf of "Advanced Gunsmithing" by W. F. Vickery.

http://www.machinistblog.com/download-advanced-gunsmithing-book-pdf/
 
I have serious plans for .50 rifles, both conventional bolt action, and with shellholder bolt.
I've never seen comprehensive plans for a smaller more conventional bolt action. There have been detailed descriptions of amateur made bolt actions in Precision Shooting magazine.
For bolt action design ideas, nothing beats Otteson's two volumes with benchrest action supplement.
There are some design features which facilitate amateur construction. Use of a full diameter bolt body is one, as is the use of a separate barrel extension/locking collar.
 
Roy Dunlap - Gunsmithing is useful but dated in many ways, he never was a wood worker of note so the coverage of stock work is without art
Gunsmithing Tips and Projects by Wolfe Publishing (magazine articles collected) has the best, rigorous treatment of barrel fitting that I know, lots of useful Muzzle Loader building info too
NRA Gunsmithing Guide is dated and not particularly rigorous in machining instructions, has some specific firearm references that are useful
Advanced Gunsmithing by Vickery isn't, and is beyond dated - don't bother
Howe's two volume Modern Gunsmith has good information drawn from long experience at Springfield Arsenal before going to private gunsmithing work - dated relating to barrel making but very specific
Ron Toews - Contemporary American Stockmakers is excellent but rare and expensive
Stephen Dodd Hughes writes with authority on modern stockmaking
Kennedy's Gunstock Checkering has many dated styles but is worth it for the top rank stockmakers like Jerry Fisher
 
Also located pdf of both volumes of Modern Gunsmithing. For anyone interested they can be found on the Milsurp site under library. Very interesting old books.
 
tootall said:
I found the 2 Howe volumes as .pdf files, and also another called The Amatuer Guncrafter, aslo by James Virgil Howe.

Another book to search for in .pdf is Mr Singleshot Rifle by Frank and Mark DeHaas.
Info on ballistics and lots more from Hatchers Notebook by Julian Hatcher.

I haven't seen Advanced Gunsmithing by Vickery yet. One more to look for!
Now all I need is the time to read them all!
Click to expand...

commonman said:
Thought that some of you might be interested in this link to a free .pdf of "Advanced Gunsmithing" by W. F. Vickery.

http://www.machinistblog.com/download-advanced-gunsmithing-book-pdf/
Click to expand...

Got it! Thanks :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom