How often do gunsmiths make small parts from scratch?
- Thread starter Silverado
- Start date
I'd say it's fairly common but depends on the skill of the smith and the part being requested. I've had firing pins, springs, etc. custom made whether one could make an extractor claw is something I don't know.
Without a doubt. I'm hoping to find a 'smith who will give me at least an accurate estimate, rather than "It depends", and a bill for $1000 months later.
I wonder if this could be imaged, 3D printed, hand finished and hardened?
Northern Amateur
CGN frequent flyer
Are there any extractors that are 'close' to what you need that can be re-worked to fit? Also, if you have the original part, (broken or worn) and you know of a machinist, try them. However to answer your question, it is not at all uncommon for a good gunsmith to make parts from scratch.
Phat Eagle
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Fraser Valley, BC
^^This.
If you could get a good enough 3D model of the part you could print it, but would it last very long? I'm not sure what variety of steel they use in the gun parts, but I'm sure that a 3D printed version would be much more brittle and soft. I'd go with traditional technique.
The problem you run into is the gunsmith having to remake the parts when they dont work. 1 offs arent always the easiest to get on the first try.most wont charge for all the time they worked on them. But they cant do it all for free.
depending on what you define as extreme precision, I would suspect there is some leeway in dimensions. For those suggesting metal printing, the metal would have to be a heat treatable steel and I am suspicious that the printable metal would not be heat treatable. While I do it only for myself, I have made a number of small parts for my guns and even something as simple as an extractor could easily take 3 - 4 hours to fabricate from scratch, assuming you had one to copy. If you do have the original, you could try silver soldering (45% Ag type) a new tip on the old base while using a heat sink to protect the body of the extractor; that would save a lot of time
cheers mooncoon
Blastattack
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Winnipeg MB
Anything is possible with a million dollar metal printing machine and and a $20,000+ per year CAD/CAM package. Are you goin to find anyone id the world who will make your part for less than $1000? I doubt it.
Lots make parts, it's just whether it'll be easy to do or cheap. A gunsmith will do practically anything if he wants to and the money is right. Some gunsmiths make guns from solid stock and hand cut and file every part, others just turn screws and swap parts, it all comes down to the individual. Guns were, and still are, made by hand to a very high degree of precision all around the world. The Khyber pass is almost entirely a cottage industry, as are the phillipines illegal producers. Many can produce guns that're impossible to differentiate, and quality can be on par if the smith making them has sufficient time, knowledge and resources to do it. Both crank out tons of low quality guns because those are what are desired, but also do some very high quality guns as well. Belgium did the same in the late 1800's.
What I'm thinking of is an extractor for a Sako 85 bolt. An Australian fellow on another forum completely solved his ejection issues by making an extractor with much less clearance between the claw and the rim of the case. In his case, he spec'd his new part with .002" clearance to one particular brand of brass. The OEM part had (IIRC) about .050" clearance.
I've amplified my problem of course, by mounting a scope with a 30mm tube in extra-low rings, but that's the combo I want.
I imagine this would take several hours of making, fitting and testing. 5, 6, 8 hours? IDK.
I've amplified my problem of course, by mounting a scope with a 30mm tube in extra-low rings, but that's the combo I want.
I imagine this would take several hours of making, fitting and testing. 5, 6, 8 hours? IDK.
On the plus side, you didn't pick the worst extractor to have hand made. You're probably in the right zone if you're factoring start to finish and maybe some live fire testing. Can't remember if you had contacted a gunsmith, but worth calling and explaining your problem - one might be interested or have a simple solution for you.
