Thread: DIY Gunsmithing mistakes

Well I will kick it off

Recently I had the bit between my teeth and wanted to form a 38-303 case from some old CAC 303 sporting ammo
Well I didn't know that the powder in that old junk goes sticky
So I pull the bullet in my kinetic pull and get the powder out
Tap the neck to make sure its properly empty
Set it up on a bench to quickly anneal the neck with a gas blow torch so that I can form it up a few calibers

Huge Bang and the case flies a couple of meters in the air
Big burn mark on the bench top and a primer sized crater about 5mm into the wood !

So now I know that sticky powder in CAC cases is still pretty keen and able to kill something

And here's the one I just did

I'm just re barreling a vintage Winchester 1885 action
Dialed in the barrel and trueing things up
Made the rebate for the breech block front right ridge
Then tidy up the barrel breech face and smoke and check it all

All sorted with my very smallest feeler gauge as a close fit when the block is fully closed

Decided to check the feeler gauge for in one of my other 1885s
It's a very closely fitted 1moa rifle so it would be a good reference point for breech block tolerance

The point of this gunsmithing mistake is
Early production 1885s go directly to full cock when you cycle the action and if you accidentally pull the trigger when the feeler gauge is stuck in there you get a lasting reminder of your stupidity

Everybody makes mistakes, but a tradesman is really good at hiding them!

Originally Posted by akaroa1

Well I will kick it off

Recently I had the bit between my teeth and wanted to form a 38-303 case from some old CAC 303 sporting ammo
Well I didn't know that the powder in that old junk goes sticky
So I pull the bullet in my kinetic pull and get the powder out
Tap the neck to make sure its properly empty
Set it up on a bench to quickly anneal the neck with a gas blow torch so that I can form it up a few calibers

Huge Bang and the case flies a couple of meters in the air
Big burn mark on the bench top and a primer sized crater about 5mm into the wood !

So now I know that sticky powder in CAC cases is still pretty keen and able to kill something

That needs a 'HOLY SHIT' button, as 'Like' seems somewhat inappropriate!!!

thats a tricky way to check fireing pin indent....... wouldnt have thought of using that method myself.....

good on you for letting others know of pitfalls to avoid.

Originally Posted by gundoc

Everybody makes mistakes, but a tradesman is really good at hiding them!

i wont tell anyone about your wiring skills then ................................

Originally Posted by gonetropo

i wont tell anyone about your wiring skills then ................................

It is amazing what you can hide with insulation tape (and other things I learnt from you)!

Originally Posted by gundoc

Everybody makes mistakes, but a tradesman is really good at hiding them!

Or fixing them @gundoc. Was out at your old padawan Zacs work the other day and talking about shit like that
Anyone can do good work, but sometimes it is experience gained by mistakes and shitty jobs, conditions, and materials that makes you a tradesman.
We all make mistakes sometimes, as long as we learn from them it's not a complete waste
Let's not go there on some of the very well intentioned stuff I did back in the day or even newer stuff like extremely rushed (and unfinished) checkering done with very basic and home made tools, like the end of a triangle file sharpened up.
And no, I'm not putting a picture up of it as it would undo any admiration for the rest of that job lol

To me the WWW isn't the world wide web
It's always been what went wrong

The forum member I was talking to about this a couple of days ago hasn't chipped in with any of has ones yet

Originally Posted by gonetropo

i wont tell anyone about your wiring skills then ................................

People are usually shocked when they find out what a terrible electrician I am.

I uhhh removed the back of my bolt by not creating a bulge in the neck of a 270 case when converting it to 280
definitely removed a bit of confidence in my loading ability at the same time

Originally Posted by Bill999

I uhhh removed the back of my bolt by not creating a bulge in the neck of a 270 case when converting it to 280
definitely removed a bit of confidence in my loading ability at the same time

please explain. Didnt quite pick up what you put down there. Did you wreck your rifles bolt and have a code brown?

When bedding a rifle, its quite important to make sure you get release agent onto all the metalwork and if there are little cutouts and things in the reciever to fill them flush with plasticine or similar before bedding, or so im told.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

or so im told.

Told by @Marty Henry ?