Gunsmithing Fixtures out of production

[urbanrifleman]

My friend and I are looking to make gunsmithing fixtures. We figure there are probably a lot of these tools that used to be made but are no longer made, as that seems to be a trend along a lot of precision industries these days.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Labounty bolt fixture

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Labounty bolt fixture

I was thinking the same thing. That's pretty scary for both of us!. Lol!

 

[savagedasher]

So many of tools that was used are no longer needed with all the custom actions
And many could have patent rights

 

[tobnpr]

Labounty bolt fixture

http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/lathe-jigs-kits/8973-labounty-bolt-fixture.html

 

[Dusty Stevens]

http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/lathe-jigs-kits/8973-labounty-bolt-fixture.html

You can always find many designs made by ptg.

 

[shortgrass]

You can always find many designs made by ptg.

Don't you mean designs PT&G is willing to make for you,,, if you are willing to wait 6-8 weeks for them to make it. All these guys that 'need' a lathe and mill so they can do their own work? What's wrong with making the tools you need yourself?! For the hobbyist, the time to make something is irrelevant,, isn't it? Besides, look at the 'experience' to be gained.

 

[Bogusname]

Brownells has them in stock for $244

 

[msinc]

Off the top of my head I would add a Ruger American barrel nut tool....and how about the tooling to remove the barrel from Remington 742/7400 and the one for the 760/7600.
You also might consider the tooling to remove and reinstall barrels on Smith and Wesson revolvers...probably make a few dollars on those because Christ knows the factory absolutely cannot install a barrel clocked right to save their sorry tail!!!!

 

[riflewoman]

There’s probably more $ to be made in making fixtures for pistol work more than rifle work. You can get from Caspian (I think) 1911 frames with undersize rails for custom fitting to your slide, from EGW custom fit 1911 barrel bushings, etc. but it’s difficult to fit correctly unless you have a way of holding it in your lathe that’s accurate. Etc. Few gunsmiths today are taught enough machine work to be comfortable making their own tooling. There’s also the time element. If I have to spend hours making a tool, or even worse, hours mapmaking a tool to make a tool, the profit in a job goes out the door pretty quick,

 

[Ggmac]

If a smith can't make the tools he needs he should just ....
....work on savages

I do agree with Riflwoman , more changing design in pistols today .
Agree with Shortgrass , most would make tooling or copy and improve existing tooling and learn along the way

 

[shortgrass]

Few gunsmiths today are taught enough machine work to be comfortable making their own tooling.

Then, they are not much of a gunsmith, are they? Whatever happened to 'creativity'? Creative minds want to know!

 

[urbanrifleman]

I am sure there used to be farmers that said everyone who doesn't grow his own food should starve.

 

[X Ring Accuracy]

If a smith can't make the tools he needs he should just ....
....work on savages

Classic : )

 

[ebb]

I know it's not a tool but if you could make a good trigger for a savage. Like Jewell or Bix and Andy good.

 

[shortgrass]

I'm not saying that to be a gunsmith you have to be willing and able to make every tool you might need. But you should be able to make some of what you'll need. If you're not willing and able to, you will have a rude awakening as time in the business progresses. I'm using the same barrel vise and an action wrench I made 26yrs ago. Better than anything I've seen offered 'for sale'. If'n you want to make tools for the wanna-bes, have at it. Most of the tools I would have bought, had I'd forseen the 'need', have gone out of production and are no more, like the extension for the Forester Sight Mount Drilling Jig or the Billy Best Jig.

 

[butchlambert]

I make a few of my own tools, but wouldn't want to try to make a living making tools.

 

[tobnpr]

Time is $$, and adding time to an already long backlog of work- to machine a jig or fixture that might take an hour or two on a manual machine- when I can spend a few bucks and get a commercial CNC'd one for less than my time would cost is a no-brainer for me.

It ain't about whether I can- or even whether I'd like to- it's about using available time doing what makes $$...

 

[riflewoman]

Then, they are not much of a gunsmith, are they? Whatever happened to 'creativity'? Creative minds want to know!

As a design engineer for 30+ years, that’s a hell of a good question. Few today truly understand creativity in the “engineering” sense.

 

[savagedasher]

One off of a special tool is a hard way to mak money
Good luck