A friend wants to become a gunsmith.

[olegvolk]

Originally published at VolkStudio Blog. You can comment here or there.




My friend Scott signed up for the Yavapai school of professional gunsmithing. The first challenge was the list of required materials for the first semester, which is beyond his current resources. Part of the list is the expected tools, the other is the unexpected, varied firearms. We are trying to figure out if anyone, organizations or individuals, would be able to sponsor his education or advise on other ways of making this happen. I would appreciate any advice or assistance extended to Scott.

Machine Shop Tools
 Roll away tool chest 18” Deep x 30” Wide x 34” Tall max.
 Dial Calipers
 0-1 Micrometer
 115 pc. Drill Set (The cheap imports won’t work)
 Center Drill Set
 Tap Set (Brownell’s gunsmithing set)
 Tap Wrench,
 60 degree thread pitch gage,
 60 degree center gage
 55 degree center gage
 6” flexible steel rule 16R
 Carbide Scribe
 Dial Test Indicator .0005
 Magnetic indicator base (mighty mag) w/1” indicator
 Indicol or equivalent
 Combination Square,
 Edge Finder
 Gunsmith Screwdriver Set (Brownell’s or Midway)
 Assorted 20 pc. end mill set
 Three 5/16 or 3/8 High Speed Square Tool Bits
 10-12” Bastard Cut File
 File Chalk,
 Ball Hex Wrenches,
 Nylon/Brass Punch,
 Pin Punch Set,
 Nylon Hammer,
 Small Ballpein Hammer (4-8oz.)
 Hacksaw w/24 or 32TPI blade
 12” Cresent wrench
 Tapping Fluid for Steel
 Tapping Fluid for Alum.
 Dykem Layout Fluid, (Blue)
 One padlock 1/4 dia
 Safety Glasses
 Notebooks, Pen/Pencils
Shotgun
 Browning A5 or Remington 11
 Win.12
 Ithaca 37
 Rem. 870 or 1100 series
 Mossberg 500 (aluminum receiver cannot blue but OK for shotgun class)
 Recoil Pad to fit your shotgun Brownells Approx. 20.00
Rifle
 Rem 700
 Win 70
 Savage 110, 112, 116 etc.
 Marlin 336 or 94 Win. (some 94’s will not hot blue)
 M1 Garand or M1A type rifle
 AR-15 type rifle (hard anodized cannot refinish at school)
 One Mauser 98 Bolt Action Rifle the metal should be complete.
Metal Refinishing
Four weapons made of steel (no stainless or
aluminum). Any number combination of rifles, shotguns or handguns.
 Your rifle from the rifle list will work if it is steel & needs refinishing.
 Your shotgun from shotgun class will work if it is steel & needs refinishing.
 Any blued steel pistol or revolver in need of refinishing.
 Rubber Boots
 Heavy Rubber Gloves
 Long Sleeved Shirt (Sweatshirt)
 Particulate Respirator (Suitable for grinding dust & wood dust)
 One bottle of slow rust bluing solution. Brownells
 One gal. WD40 with spray bottle
 One package each of 120, 240, 320, 600 grit wet and dry sand paper.
Note: It is not necessary to purchase all of the above guns for the above classes. They
may be borrowed from friend or family.
General needs
 A personal lap top or a tablet. The facility is wireless.
 3 feet of 1 ¼” mild steel round stock (hot or cold rolled)
 1 foot of ¼” x 4” cold rolled flat stock
 A couple, nasty old used screw drivers for regrinding.
 Also plan on about $100.00 for other misc. project materials.