POOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol, 4 175 MODERN GUNSMITHING . A Manual of Firearms Design, Construction and Remodeling, for Amateurs and Professionals MODERN GUNSMITHING by CLYDE BAKER SECOND EDITION, 1933 SMALL-ARMS TECHNICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY Plantersville, South Carolina THE AMERICAN RIFLEMAN USA. JUNE, NINETEEN FORTY-THREE tirely, he enlisted and soon was assigned to > . . : Clyde Baker One of the most popular contributors to Rirteman pages, Clyde Baker, author of many home gunsmithing articles, died April 8, 1943, In ill health for some time he entered Oak Noll Naval Hospital on March 22 and passed away following an operation. Mr. Baker was born at Cowgill, Missouri, March 26, 1894, but received most of his schooling at Kansas City, Missouri, where his family moved. ‘At the outbreak of World War I he en- listed in the Marine Corps and had nine months service in France. Upon returning to the United States and his home he went in for the hobby he always loved—guns, gunsmithing and repairing. In 1922 he married Edna N. Mengel and then, in his own home, established a gun shop where he remodeled, rebuilt, re- paired and restocked guns of all types in his spare time. His occupation was advertising. Tt was during this time he wrote his book, “Modern Gunsmithing,” which became one of the most enthusiastically received writings of that subject. He was a lover of the out- doors and bunting came to him naturally. ‘That and his gunsmithing hobby provided the material for the many articles he wrote for THE AxeRtcan RIFLEMAN, Sports Afeld, Mechanix IMlustrated, Outdoor Life and other: After Pearl Harbor Mr, Baker answered the Navy's call for men with specialized trades, Then being in the gun business en- instruction on the subject of “Guns and Gun- nery” at San Diego. In July, 1942, he was assigned to special duty at the U. S. Naval Base at Oakland, Calif, where he worked in a small arms repair unit. Everywhere his fine work and gunsmithing ability was recor- nized and he was made Gunners Mate Ist Class last February. Clyde Baker will live long in the memories of those who loved the outdoors, fine firearms and expert worksmanship.FOOR MAN*S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 18, 19, 2. a. 2 23. a. 25, 26. 2. 28. 2. 30. 3 32. 33. 3H s seen discussed in Whelen’s “Amateur Gunamit |. Fausiinc aN Pousuma Stocks . CONTENTS Inrrcoverion Hone Guusarrixa . Tne Gus-Cuanx's Womestior TOOLING UP ssesssssessssesteeesceaesesenee Sraciat ano Hows Mant Toots ano Eautraent « Martniats ano Marais Necussany .. Finsr Sears ror BRoiNwans ...... Gewanat. Suor Paacrice ano Use or Toots Woon ror GUNSTOCKS ...++.e++2 Gonsroce Desion .. a Srocxaaxiwo: Lavina Our ann IMLErTNo StocrMaxiwa: SHAPING AND Firmio Curcxixe Axo Caxvinia Rapamuno ap RamopeLino Stocks, Ruri Baraxt Dision ano Frrmixo .. Cuampanxe ano Baxnsy Work Canramos Dastow ano MaNuractURE oc. eescee {re rowmienD wae Sruncnc np Poustina Baran, Ewanavino avo Onwamunrarion or Marat. . Buuxe axp Browse Anweaune, Haxpewine axp Tariana Case Haanentna see eee Sonpaare, Beazina awp Watnine ‘Mawvractune ox Susstirumion o7 SMaLt, PAsrt Haro Freviva ov SMaLt Panza Ctxawnce Bonus ano Rumovino Onstaucnons Laprnvo Banazts axp Borg Pouistitna ... Apyusine Talocer Putts anp Actions . Frrring Stouts axp TetesooPRs os. 00se0e Renooeuinc Mrurany axp Onsorrra RIFLES SworeuN Raratns Np ALTERATIONS «5.05. Pisrois AND REVOLVERS ..eseseees eee , Resronation ano Rgratr of Ou FIREARMS ..... Ewrnoancy arp Freto Rurains INTRODUCTION 176 MODERN GUNSMITHING ur ait 302 37 325 a 37 382 389 397 42 47 465 4a 307 sa OMETFING over a year ago, in writing to Dr. Paul B. Jen- Kins, then shooting editor of Outdoor Recreation, 1 made’ the statement that there were a number of points T should like to have covered thercin, Apparently Dr. Jenkin was impressed. wi hing” which were not e of features which I thought would be of value to the gun ‘crank as well as the professional cunsmith, for he seat my Ict iF Galore! Whelen sritheut more alo, yee Now the Colonel, being the most agreeable of men, frankly stated that "Arnatcur Gunsmithing” was not ax complete as he shoul like wo have male , being the first work on the subject, and requiring. crigiral investigation, ior which time was Ii ‘And in further jence of his devotion to a good cause, he cordially invited me 10 write the kind of gunsmithing bock T'was talking about, generously: offecing me any oF all of the original material in hit book, and his personal cooperation in the new enterprte as well, Te at fst I ele Nattered by the invitation, the feeling was quickly diopelled by the realization of what 2 big mouthful Thad bien off for myself I was prety much in the some situation of the tigger who clughe « wildcat by the taiH~"coulda't hang on, an’ daseent let Tose?” ut as all things must eventually have an ending, the last Tine was fnally writen, the last photograph made; and from the heart ‘of the continent there sounded one long drawn gh of relic. Tris evidene that t book of this character cannot in the natu ings be entirely the work of ene man. In the feld of gun ing, a clewhere, we uncoasclously lean toward specialisation, ding sore of won oe Tie er ew of he rte oe oat lersand so well, or for which we ate not ao well equipped. In “Modein Guosmithing,” thezelore, any work has been’ quite a3 amach ha: of come ar of an stor he meager oul fe sonal experience have been enlarged by adding the experience Knowledge of others, with a view to placing fo the hands of gun- smiths and gunowners the greatest amount of useful material and Information, regardless of its eure, “There seemed to be a definite desire on the pat of large num- ber of shooters for a textbook of gunemithing practice, and every effort has been made to iacorgorate in “Modern Gunemithing™ de- tad Ingracont covering thne Jobe owe often required by the suncerank. “There are some who will scoff at thia suggestion, pointing out that ths ch nes ‘of sacar by eer gunman mas ot a aqulred by reading a book, but through loug pprenticedip ‘0 trades and potnting out also the eabortte andlconly machine’y mecee sitated in the manutzcture of mdern firearms. All this is trves and it would benoe only futile, but silly to claim that this or any ether text bok would place the amateur workman or the guncrank on a pat ith the expert of long experience, or enable hist to perforan all the Jntsicate mechanical operations possible only inthe well equipped factory doe. It has been our purpose, therefore, to cover as thoroughly at sos: sible those Jo which cane comsidccd pracinble forthe aatcey workman, and for the gunsmith with «small shop and Timed cauinment, and to show not only the posits, bur also the Tn tions oF amateur guasnithing. And while tome of tie jobs de scribed may prove to be beyond the ability of some workinen, they will itis hoped, serve a useful purpose in bringing te the guncwner 4 greater appreciation of the guom he ovis ef the skill’ and.ma- feria which enter into their wakeup—at the ame vime shewing the fallacy, perhaps, of some of the things which shooters demand of the factories—things which ace clearly impossible or impracticable ‘once the subject's better understood. Tes hoped also that our work may serve another useful purpos, in the way of a warning sgaintt a type of punmaker who sneets at the work of our great arms factories and offers, in some mysterious ranner which he carefully concezls from the tresting customer, 7 do things which the factories, with all their expecience and costly equipment, do nor claim ro do. We arc tempted at times, of course, to take exception to the at- titude of our large factories, when they refuse to give us something which we think we wast—which fefusal is always necrstated by the fact that the factories are lined wp for regular production, and sannet, in the nature of things, fo into. custom work without in- volving more expense than the job would bring.” But before we start cusing them let us remember that the products of cur old cetablished fectorien, while they, may not always mut us in ceca ainor derail, are prety cermuit to be dependable, accurate, and to live up to the very modest claims of the makers. Which is a Samed dt more tha the produets of sme cum shone wil despite the gold dogs, the they are embellished. ‘A large portion of the credit for “Modery Gunsmithing” be- Tenge to Lt. Colonet Townsend Wrhelen, without whose untiring energy and splendid cooperation the work would not have. been posible, and would not have been attempted. In fact, though he modestly refuses to have his name attached as co-author, he wrote ‘the chapters on barrel work and cartridge design and construction. T wanted these chapters to be absslutely authoritative, and T Know of no man so well qualified as he lubdubs, an the furbelows wich sehichPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 L wish to acknowledge also the very valuable assistance rendered bby Major Julian 8, Hatcher, Mr, James V. Howe, Mr. Frank J. Mr. Lou Smith, Captain. Edward C. Crossman, the Lyman ation, the Marble Arms & Equipment Conpany, ton Azins Company, Hunter Anns Company, Parker Gun ‘Company, Fox Gun Company, Ithaca Gun Company, and other ai individuals who have been so generous in the matter af Wg needed data or illustrations; and T arm most grateful also several individual shooters, some of whom T have never met, ithe front with interesting illustrations of the ‘own handiwork, besides their many valuable suggestions ‘Last bat not Teast I ain indebted to the publishers for the mavy ‘coniteuctive erticiams, chapter by chapter, which have prevented the postible omission of much important data that might easily have been overlooked, and whose assistance. ia the matter of secur the cooperation ‘and sid of lealiag firearms manufacturers, has proven invaluable. “The preparation of this book has taught me that the best way 10 really learn someting about a given subject is w0 attempt to write a bock on it!—aad if the reader acquires half as snuch new informa tion from reading “Modern Gunsmithing” a8 the author acuiced i the ting of he wil Fd T hoe, thar is effort has oot been atively wasted. Kabrs, G Crvpe Maxen, 1 Crarrer 1 HOME GUNSMITHING se} ELLo, Bin” llth, Fraskt Cin “Belive the weathers coal’ aff a bi, ain it?—for what don’ thesia a gun An for ek ate, Aedes "Well cea. Just x aw ack fr one of my old once” "Ope uf ant How many yo gos, anyhow?* "Oh, not many, gee, Four sie my old Parker (2 shat 1 wwe for dicks and a 80° gauge Senth for birds, and. Tour or five Pakr-ace counting 8 capa vrget pals Tale out of ld “My Gawd! You figura’ on startin’ a revolution or someth Nepali shad fol with garm" Whac did wrth that other fle?"—and Hill rommages among the eds and ends tne bench ren watches hin a macenn, = sv “Say, st that some ick Shay, Lsare war glad to get do ‘Well this in’ an old army if, exactly, though iis & field barrel and acon. ‘This the ‘Sporter! mode sold by the ‘Foor of Cran Mavtsoarhip to embers ofthe Naval Bi inspects te gun with a knowing ar. “U-m baht Th Fe Bor hw far thing ot “ “Can't sas. Depends on how high you hold fe Tl sight it in fore hundrel yrds for huting en ae “Aw helt ‘bet that thing “ad carry clear over into the next county! "Whe'd'm want with a thing lite that around bere for fophow—can'e we icin thls country an you?™ By this time Bill is beeoming somewhet neitled. “You can it you're not crippled! I get out for a little thooting on che range most every Saturday ard Sunday. Don't have tmuch time through the week. ‘Now and then I get dowa along the river and throw a few athe drifewond, and such, as it Moats down. Great sport, that— food practice for game-shooting, too” “Game shooting—shucks—there ain't no game "round here.” “No, not right out fete in the yard. But I don't have to. go far to Gnd rabbits ahd squicels and usually get soy share of birds and ducks in teason. And last fall L got a prime eli and 2 nice bear ‘out in Wyoming—and this fall U'm going up in Idaho with & riend of mine whose brother owns a sanch there. ‘There's plenty cf shooting if you know where to find it—and besides there's no 177 MODERN GUNSMITHING closed season on targets, tin cans, chunks of driftwood. Yeah, 1 feekon Tl get myshare of shooting, as long as they make powder!” “Frank gages, open mouthed. “Dfy gotht dda’ know you. was saga Meter, "ates ethan lle, Wot The id tear right chrough an elephant an Keep on goin, woulda't iim ea jk wa ea Sm ill Eeeps right on fling, unimpressed. "No, I dou't reckon that would tear through many’ clephacta, Yeu set, Frank, that isnt “peel Jacket’ so You call ie, Tis jit a hard cast alloy buller for Senallgamethat caresidee in your hand-which you call ‘bul- Tet ita reduced lead fuse On sirrele, andthe like, Shoots cmly a litle harder than a twenty-two, Gives me a chance t2 get Sequainted swith my big game rife outside the bunting season.” “Heck, that'd be wo much gun for me—twenty-two's big enough igs anpingarynd ee Te am pach ofa tense i Sghtty-—“hnocks "ech cad fat a9 you ean ee ’eoe—hardest shootin’ tetmpct Lover sw. ‘Say, Bll, Gat reminds sm, they"s some rust fr aowethiog in thee barrel tld my Kid brother te clean fe up Inst summers but I''pose he forgoe it. f had i out on a fishin’ trip, but hada't dec fe more a dozen tines. Smokeles, too—T always Ase smotcles ceeidges. Til being "over an" you can clean it ur. “Thanks!” grunts Bill, “Move around just a litle, will you, Fogg Lo pr chow com sarnhea? “Sure! Sey what are You doing to that arock anyhow?" “Ten shaping ic up Fighy now.” “Wasnt the shape fright when you got ie?” “Dide'e gee fel made fe "Blade if Yo meen to re me yu made that stock youre” “Sure, why nat?” “"Whae'd ya make it out of "pleoe of walnut like thet blank over there in the core “You anean 1o tell me you carved that cut of a chunk of wood Tike thier” "Nothing diferent.” 3 “Well howd'ja get it that shape?—huh?. Howd'ja get that groovs cut in for the barrel?) Howd'ja get all cher other holes cut to Gt? Sty fF eo more sme ae han har ll Lays dows hs rsp ane turns from the bench. "Prank, you'se 1 prety good guy-in apots-emaybe. But you've a loc to lear Jere eing foe of tune Guess you're interested or you woulde't be aising so teany questions, Tl make you a. proposition. Our file and pistol club meets at the Armory tomorrow night. Come on Out ythoms—snect bunch of god sou leen to dont il ‘Poul ger just as much fun out of the game as 1 do—maybe mor ‘Nothin’ doin old timer-reot for me. Lessa to shoot bell! 1 hee Tear shoot better'n most of them now ian" be- Sides I gotta date. with a keep frail. ae the Pi nighe—boy, youghea see ber. Some it! Gos PIE SE jock fo do all that shootin don't it?” Wel ees few laters Say, Biliend one Sve, will youTMt pay you Sat Uday. ‘Thanks! Well, long!” , “A2a Bill earns back to the bench with a sigh of elie. ‘There's the picture—and it isn't exaggerated. In ety, rown, and country, there are legions of “Franks.” We find them every Where, Slowly, bt sutely, our qmale citizenry is becoming emes- ulated to the point of utter helplessness. Sliding slong, content Their weakness, glorying in their inability to do things. Proud of the face that iey've never been taught, fo use their hands—and blind ako, to the fact that they row mighty Hele abour using thie heads. Work—honest, decent labor, skill of fingers, accuracy of eye,— somehow it veers to be beneath the present generation. i Hes man in his office sticks out his chest, holds “conferences, Frowns and Looks wise, preening himself on that thing he calls “abil- “ten he sharpens hi pencil by sticking ft into alittle machine turning a erank—or more likely screws down the point of an {Iutomaffe gold one} hes hit finger nals clerned by the blonde in the Barber shop; calls a service man to chenge a tire on his car; wears a Tittle useless penienfe on ends dt.to a ie ing: shop to be wheteed'—yes, he does just chat. We've been ow to the point of helplessaess—and if we don’t watch Sar tep, well ind ourselves at the point of uscessnest.POOR MAN'S JANES BOND Vol. 4 L The average man who owns a gon—T said the average—takes it to the gunsmith co be cleaned—usually two or three weeks after using it. But the average man of today doesn't own a gun— Knows aothing dour a gun—and brags about his ignorance. -"Re- form" has dene wonders—in the way of making us 2 race of saps Not that lack of gun knowledge, of a liking for firearms consti: tutes roan a sap-—bur the eeneral trend ofthe times i doing this very thing, and the superelious attitude of the general public toward those chings ua which our forefachers builded the aatiom, i bue one of the viable evidences of it. Back in the hills, or on the farms, conditions ars better. Living close to nazice gives man a better viewpoint, « keener appreciation cof the iundamen‘als. Prople ate judged more by theit ability than bby their appearance or cheit social accomplishments. “The man ia tle far places is not easly fooled by honeyed words of so called "re~ formers who seek to rake aw hte; he promptly places him in his proper li ‘The pioneer of yesterdzy saw, thought, and acted clearly—with undesstanding. Havig n> one else to depend on, he learned to do things for himself He baile his eabia, fenced his fields, cultivated ighbor twaie equipment. ation, a5 we kiow it tolcy, was not essea- tial in his scheme of things. Since the inception of our mation, the love of firearms has been a snatuialinstine: of the American. Not as a macans of slaughter, ex ‘20e in defense of life and property, or to provide food for the table, “This erirage has beer passed down to ws, te be received by sume, and sete’ y many. Covlization has fa some unscourable mene, ‘The plneet Ioved ie Hong rifle, and gave ic all the cace and st tention piven by the teae gun-cranl lay—for the pioneer stinet is net entitely extinct. ‘Tharks to the eforts of the Notional Rife Avwciation of America, each year finds « gueater number who have Ieasned of the wholesome sport awaiting them on the range, sud in the woods; while the call of the bob-white and the honk of Incoming geese isa pecpewual inspiration co those who fave inherited a love for the snonth tubes. And try as they may, the sobsaster clement will probably never succeed in wholly depriving us of ou love for the sport of shooting —for what is bred in the Uoae is born inthe flesh. "The male American who scofl at the sport 8 eitler tn alien by nature, or else is deliberately perverting his natural ideas “The arms of the pionee« expresied his individuality—and each was, perforce, a custuin bute arm. For there were no great factories at here are today, equipped. to turn cut quantity production, “The fan who wanted a gun told the smith how he wanted ie built, and the smith buile it that way. Each gun embodied the pet ideas of tie owner—ideas evolved from the necessities of the day and of the Tocality. “As time went on, the private guomazer was gradually ze- by the factories—and firearms began to lose their individual ‘Living costs sdvanced, and. with them the cox of mate and labor. The wachine-made factory rifles were acceptable $s ‘cause they weve both good, and cheap in price—costing far Jess than the hand-made muzzle loader—and possessed the advantages of greater speed of fre, greater facility of loading, more compact con- Sruction, besides greater power and range, ‘Yet in his acceptance of this new arm, the shooter never entirely lost his desire for express of his personality in his weapons. ‘The evidence is found ia the several fancy grades of factory guns still supplied, and which usually are merely stock guns with added en- raving ‘snd othe: decoration. With the growing scarcity of our big game the need for mote gpwerll ute ann hs pow pac. ad how fave lead tae she military type of asm, being more highly developed, is now the bese adajted te their requirements: So Uhore has come into the feld, not s nev industry, ut the revival ot an old one—the building of svevial arts to the ideas of the individual, on modern actions adapted 78 MODERN GUNSMITHING te the load he desires to use. ‘This industry has been further aided bby those, cho while til clinging to the traditions currounding the old “standbys,” yet desired certain changes and tefiaements, Special stocks designed to fit, butyplates with trap for clesning materials, tol grips that serve, a definite purpose inatead of bang a mere weart under the shooter's elbow, sights adapted ta his eyes, barrely of gileedge accuracy, trigger pulls sweet and crisp, instead of remind: 1g one of opening a cash register—these are soeve of the many things the castom-gunmaker of today is called upon to supply, by shuoters who have learned what they want and who can afford to pay for it. ‘But for every shooter able to buy the gua of his dreams there are hundreds who must count their cash swore carefully. And they— like the pioneer who having plenty of time and little cash, mined and amelted his own iron, felled his rock-maple tree, and built his Aindock;—will retire to their improvised workshop, and with such tools as are available, produce the weapons they want. For failure isnot writier for the true gus-crank. Dees home gunsmiting pay? That all depends. {+ pays fill, but ie may not pay Frank ‘The man who har the skill. oF the pat tiene to astute the skill, neceary fo tsa out job of tern or remudcling n'a woskanlite thane, wil ie tae sore pioed his gun than Hf were the work of a hgh pried makers “Then there & the otter sxan located far fom factaries and guna the man to whom a reliable firearm isa daily neces. A Tle Enowledge of the more conmion repute say prove anactedy ata, ile o hr lisistag trtome werk of dehy withthe gap iene oo ihe fitory for pave dr alteration, or in saving the pce of eh job at's tine when delay are ew ‘Whe gunsmith, ior some reason or other, has always surrounded hime't with an aura of mystery; leading the shooter to believe that his craft was a gilt from the gods, nct to be encroached upon by ordinary mortals. True, gunsmthing is a highly specialized trade— but there's ae black magic about it. I: requires mechanical skill and an understanding of psincples, just like any other mechanical trade, Sawing olf the end of a stock lin't 0 very diflerent from sawing off a pisee of oak flooring—beth revuire a sharp sav, and ability :0 fol low the line. It’s ap harder to fle 4 spring or a hammer dan 1 is to file a door latch—end either cne may be ruined if you fail to top in time, ‘The jeweler makes a rng of silver, and oxidizes i¢— but he thinks the bluing of « gun is a decp dark secret. The deatist imaket a gold crown and puss ton 2 r2oth—why shoulin's be aiso make a gold bead sight and fit it to his rifle? ‘Many, if not most, of the so-called “tradescoceis” of fxcarms manufacturers are wide open secrets. ‘The trouble has been that the factories had no reason for telling their customers how to do own work, and the smali amount of éaca available has been in aiost tases the work of amateur gunsmiths who, mecting the accessty ast has arisen, have worked Gut fairly good methods, but net neces sauily the best methods by any means. ‘The man who prides himself on hi pencil may well gasp at the sight of another man—pesha fe not a mechanic by trade—making and fitting and checking and finishing a rifle or shotgun stock ; or spending long hous filing out ome emall part that “quantity production” methods would complete ina few minutes; or in bluing a barrel when there are factories better equipped to do it, "Does it pay?” he will ask. OF course nott—not #8 he would figure it. ‘The gunowner canact count his time at s0 muea per hour and come cut ahead on the job. But, in using his non-productive time ro do work that perhaps he could ‘cot Afford to buys he acquives beautiful, well fitted and finished ané smooth working arms that are 2 constant source of pride and satis faction, because products of his own handiwark—expressing his own individuality. So of course it pays him to do it, ing is not child's play. Ic is hard, slow, palastaking won, calling for reasonable skill, the proper tools [many of which may be home made), and a whole lot of patience and ateentian to small detail. Yet it is perhaps che most fascinasing pastime in Which a shooter can indulge, next 0 the actual use of his weapons in the woods or on the range. affording him the opporeanity of having exactly what he wants, at 2 price he can afford,POOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 ‘Yes—home guasmithing pays; i¢ pays in more ways than one. 1 Cartan 2 ‘THE GUN-CRANK'S WORKSHOP TT His chapeer 5 written mainly for the sportsman who is desirous of provi rae es eee eara pe screee rna ceten ymeren rot intended for the professional gunsmith. Tt is himself under a handicap right at the beginning; and while the “lif ates veldigg nity nseromente may be foreed to thus the ‘Bin ws hab of sce te spare in hit house wal Rod it gays Di ‘Rigen i satsection and converince to ie up a regula sop. ‘ur in coesideraton for those nt mo fortunate, we had better con- ser tide noes bra moments Beatie a man’ “bathes” in a § See bon or lire ina Eitherene a0 ean for depcving bi SL che plewure which the true gun-erank-davves fom Wo Sher be pete A few simple sls with a compact chest or drawer Sete en in wl eve nim seany an hoor of profable plese. Affe SPABLE" EAYOUT. rie Bes tol or piece of eau- ment to be considered in any case, is the vise. Without a good vise Den the best mechanic prety heipies The mica who muse do is Ser te Eichen catince or ibrar cable must ave avis that whe damped i gr removed a wil and it hou be 2 good one Sea Saate seed Jaos crone af the bros eat ren aatrs found Ir he leel deparemene sor, altha etter than Sose’ "Fe" Goolel Prate beach wee No. U6L tas 2 inch jaws, ‘opening 2 inches, and weighs 3 3/8 pounds, costing $2.60 list. Te imp Geey eo any (ale top by avsrong wing mut, The inal $uRoan Geter ot your favore al order howe ether has it or Meters onjou oa apecal order es 4 real vie made for nc oe ee fee hich wil be even snore acl ab mes Revie Wanker ntmabers ge with swivel bv, No, (852, The Jaws are 2 incher wide and 1 1/4 inches deep, opening 1 15/16 aches. The vise may be tuenel around t© any position or angle and firmly locked in position. ‘The jaws are straight, of hardened Steel, with excrs false jaws notched for holding round and irregu- larly shaped stock. ‘The base of this vise fastens to the table with ‘serews, Dut it may also be fastened to a small piece of haréwood which can be fastened to the table with band clamps. ‘This vise costs $7.50 and is worth it, A sinaller size may be had at $5.00. Tn additicn to the vise or vies, you should nave a good sized piece of, board that can be placed on che table to work on. Both house- ‘vives and landlords are averse to having the furniture marred up with tools "The Starrett No. 166-B pin vite is « handy thing for holding small rods and pia stock for filing. Tt has a small close fitting chuck, and fe heli in the hand while ia use. Te takes any size rod from 030 to 1062 inch, and costs seventy-fve cents. The No. 166-A is the same price, taking all sizes from 0 to O40 inch, ‘A hacksaw with 12 inch blades, and a few files, ewo or three pairs ‘of good Jong nosed pliers, stones for ligheening trigger pulls, and half a dozen serew-drivers will enable the table worker to doa lot of tinkering when the evenings are long and the story of the Tatest ‘murder i missing from the evening paper. Under such circum- stances heavy work such ss making stocks is of course out of the ‘question, bux there is nothing to stop one from refinishing his stocks. ‘A’man might even be able ro de 2 job of checking, by clamping the checking cradle to che table top. (See Chapter 12 for description of checking cradle.) ‘THE WORKSHOP. Now for the real home workshop, pos ble for the man who lives in a house, or in some cases for the apart ‘ment dweller who can arrange for little basement space. a it seems the natural thing to put the workshep in the basement—yer thie is the worst place for it, and should only be used in event m0 other space is available. Basements are seldom well lighted, and are fften damp. Constem: watchfulness is aecessary to prevent tools ‘punt and parts from rusting. Cement workers have preparations for ‘amp-proafing basements which are very effective, and it will usually pay to have this dene: or one can buy the material and apply i to 179 MODERN GUNSMITHING the walls hime. Select a spot having as euch daylight a5 possible. and with good ventilation. North light is best in any shop; but since much of the work will probably be dene at night. scod.artii~ cial light is also esential, Acetylene or one of the power‘ul gasoline lamps or lanterns provides an excellent light in the country where other means of lighting are not available. Tf one hae rlectrie Tight, {ene or two drops should be placed directiy over the beech in, posi: tion that will eliminate shadows on the wark, and 75 watt “day- light” mazda lamps should be used. These give a very briliant light that i easy on the eves. mA The attic often presents splendid possibilities for the home work shop, and its only drawhack ip that most attics ave insuflerably hot in summer. But for that mater niost of us prefer te spend our sam- mer evenings otherwise than working, ‘The long winter eveninzy afford the best times for tinkering. The garage o: woedshed or other outbuilding may often be converted into aa excellent work- shop. ‘The cracks should be well battened to keep out cold, and the roof put in good repaic. It doesn't pay to let rain drip on high grade tools. A dirt or cement floor is usually damp and uncom forteble—a substantial wood floor i che best of all. It should be solid, well supported undernesth, and without gaps and cracks to catch dirt, Be sure there is plenty of light and ventilation, and tome means of heating in cold weather. Kerosene or gasoline heat- fers ate inexpensive and may be purchased from the mail order houses 4 small cost. The Sunshine Lamp Company of Wichita, Karst, makes a splendid low-priced gazoline pressure heater which is eafs to tte, and economical in fuel consumption. An old wocd or coal stove is the best, provided there is room for it, but a discarded kitchen ange, if in ustble condition, is probably’the best of all, For in adfition to providing is alo excellent for melting bullet ‘metal if one happens to be a handloader, and by taking off the top Tids it can also be used for the biuing tank or the ritre pot. Tf one expects ta do mich bluing in the home shop, ic will often pay to in- fall a three or four burner oil ar gasoline range for heating the tank, in case city gas is not available. If oil or gas is used for heating, be sure to have good ventilation in event there it 90 flue connection in the shop, for these heaters wwe ‘up oxygen very rapidly making the air foul and unhealthy to breathe. Tf the shop has a gond fur, and you can afford the cost, by all means install a small portable forge and anvil. Ie will pay for itself many times over in the making of tools, bending of parts in making alter- ins, in brazing, welding, and’ countless other operations. | You need not be a blacksmith t0 use a forge to good advantage. Small portable forges and anvils, with necessary tools, can be purchased Frome the mail order houses all ready to set up. The forge should by all means have a metal hood over it to carry off gas and chemical Fumes. A cheap castiren anvil will answer for much of the work: ‘most of it, in fact—although of course @ good steel faced anvil is ber if you can afford it. ‘The very best shop of all, provided one desires to do bench work only, is the unvsed roe found in most large homes. Usually this {va small room not convenient of well adapted to other uses, and the purchese of a new drew or bat for friend wife will often effect, the rrangement without dificulty. ‘Here may be buile in, a gun cabinet, Sith shelves and cabinets for loading materials and supplies, and all the parapheroalin which he crank usually has kicking about. A room ght inthe hone Heep‘ be wel lighted and warm and comfortable, and if the shavings, etc., are religiously swept up and carried out aiter each seance at the bench, the likelihord of demestic storms 's reduced to 1 minicmum. Having evecvthing tle decided and arranced, the mort important consideration of al) comes net—THE WORK BENCH. It may be built, oF purchased ready made—but it must, first of all, be sub- ‘stantial. “A fimasy, webbly bench is as bed a5 no beach at all. The top should be at least 13/4 inches in thickness, and the legs heavy enough to support it firmly. The lege must be firmly braced under- rneath 0 prevent wobbling and the entire ench must be heavy enough so thar it wil rot shake under Beavy saying or dray-tife ‘From four and onethali to sie feet is the best length: eighteen to twenty-four inches is plenty of width, and the height may be from 30 co 36 inches, or even higher, depending on your build ard whetherPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. you use the bench mostly i Uuousually,high—39 inches: like to have the work up 4 ing oF standing. My own choice is dni Sri we bot roe of me ao I cat handle wihoat seria on neck and beck.” Eves with a tather igh veined on top of the bench I do nor find thi height too geet, Most of ny swore is nccemariy done standing: ant 30° ah sol provident comfoctable seat when the nature of the work permits, "Tf one is interested only in very simll work, sich ax making sight parts, or sci ator ery lw tench to 0 seth stall lng vse should beset 2 pool comforeric hate wih a bck, ard say you gos Such an eengement fully {ated in shoe where couch asembling of ball por An excellent home-made bench may be built from 2 lumber using the Hallowell Sect Hengh Levy sid for ci pure ‘A set of these lezs for a bench 33 1/2 inches high and 28 1/2 inches wide will weigh 30 pounds. and cost about $6.75, complete wi Bolts screw it teadr Jor acembling (othe home mse to,” Tire or thre doism worth of umber, st of thee’ aad tes or four hows work will rele in bench that ceanot be gpaned fot strength and rigidity. "There art a drayers for toks, bat thee con seine and ted by anyone handy wih enspenser tole eal additional cost. Steel brackets for attaching a backboard to be used a tol rack con he had for 25 coms exehe "Thee legs can be pu chased om the Elles Hardware and Machinist's Supply Com pany, Kanes Ciy, or from any larger eater or jobber, mest af “he efer cag there ary tem ps. imams taining benches Cased by Warmacher, Schlemmer & Company, New Vert Cy, ae ily bly wih tick mene op, and fired with a quick-scting cabinet maker’ vise. A good bench OF ths type with ‘drawers for tool and. supplies wil Contin ie Srightorhood of ty dollars, and Te wert the emf soe plan to seit a great deal, a ‘The fronispece shows a special bench which I ad baie in 2 ill atu cot of about Ay dallas. "The upper tool drawers have did i compartnees for Fn! tool, pats and supplier mide ie slop. IRE ack ontop places the cinel,Scewdrivers, and other tol sed most frequently, in convenient reach. When doing stock work it ‘eswential that the chisels are all within reach, a3 one is using frst one, the other, Each sae and shape sould tawe ts ew lation ni shold be put back ia the Tack when another is taken. Thus ie Sg mle so A ltr agzen fe is a backboard eight or ten inches high, Toops for the different vools. “Each should ‘particular place, and be kept in that place at all times when rot acrually in your hands, ‘STORAGE OF SUPPLIES. Back of the bench, or conv ently locared a one dide, there should be shelves or cabinet for sup- Is The important thing is to have a definite vou wse, and keep things in their places at all times. ‘Toole should be kept where they are readily accessible— tither on the tool rack, ia drawers or shelves, of hanging on the wall above the bench.” Don't “bury” things. ‘The old-feshined tool ‘abiner or chest in which the tools are packed and piled is = most infernal nuisance. Keep everything. in plain sight as far as posable. and what can't be kept in view should be in containers that are ‘or example, tcrews, ‘The usual plan is to keep them in boxes stored away in shelves or cabinets, and the worker generally has to pena dezen of 10 bores before nding what ie wants. 1 we the Spall screw-top last jera in which salad desing sold by grocers Dump an entire box of screws into the jar—one jar for each size and Kiod—sand the jary in rows on narrow shelres, and you can Dut your band on the right one instantly, A. small'sticker pasted bn,cach jar also pves the size and thread. “This stot i especially useful for special screws for sights. A few ‘extra sighe screws can be put into the jar, with 2 label showing the Sights the serews are intended ight in he when wanted=no hunting zit te hee gh 4 had as sprigs and. other sell parts abe be kepr in jars and plainly labeied to show what they are. Besides tcl whish wil be decuoed in che following Chanter, there are two oper exuntals to the well ordered home workhon. ‘These ate good bench brih and 2 broom. ‘Keep the place cleaned Uo) Alter of shavings and dust on bench top and oars not 180 Yor. The drills and caps for these i MODERN GUNSMITHING nly unbealthful, it i¢ conducive to accidental fires, and worst of Alls tren or other part cropped inte the liter ia almost sure to be let rong i es f lay’ whe ater. eure rom the factory. And if ir happene to be 2 part of an obsolete gun for which par ae no ngs senile saw! Tes a lor cheaper c 10 sweep out occasionally than to pay a machine shop $1.50 to make h— SHOP LAYOUT. Arrange things in the shop ia the most con venient manner pone, Saving of ep meant more and beter Wort nan Gane eThe cake makers Maes one g wo sould We bleed atthe extreme Tee end othe bunch. Mowe gunwork, Reveven geucies a repeer tachi’ or fron workers Sueand ‘the best place for ic is near the right end. By all means, if you are ‘right handed, have the left end of the bench in the clear. If necessary Taree tn atcogoen et te rahe Nao cod. be nestle rather than the lke TE you goin foe's aril pra lathe, forge osm ‘equipment, get them clear of the bencn—on the other side of the ei pelle. ive or i fst of for que fh Went of the bow THT be eeleh andthe save sreount atthe lie eae ‘Bling eutene shouldbe in a separte yoy aay fram the cast A Secibie"Bisg sn testing process and te steam and pert af hard on tole If war sop mn the busoea, et Be TERE and eels in one corr, wed he bling lapout mt faraway a8 possible—and always have pleaty of ventilation when bluing to carry off steam, fumes, and moisture. loli crinas to kery luce nay fom your shop and onl die a parte Shed er cuuadlog pus bas the indo and hod foc on both windows or dears, I! in a busent, wl ay Fea perion off he shop wid isming Covered wid heavy wre, Tod Pad edtcck ior toe dear, This ef cours wil no top eat aie bet wil perene the eng peghibo wh never at eyes eieloerenl eee See po the peseter man fron king up Your mcromtec,~and WB ee heady of the tly fom helping eel your Naigtee cats aos face or log Pour Favors Sind wp Tar Rinne, or diag nal to hang picture wih your pet Pope bullet mold. I happen to know how these things go! Her tre eelgren fn Ge mrsty im maemo keep cham sway tram tools und ett euipent dering your abxenc A unall boy GR sSecined ther wiv crn wren untold domape ia few mute ae vtne ols above the yard, or loving then about the nig hood" Mlororer fou keep eveder ond primers on hand, he ee ea pr eraas “All this work and fuss and equipment may sound like a large order ww-the thay wn never tebee the wauble (agen up a aRion screen door; but en investment in a small home shop, with food Sepenbase fk wil poy ie ividends in station td. pear tine ree 'gun crank, bende providing sure sea of epg wee aro the ares as they tow up and besa to tke an iter ‘est in the “old man’s” playthings. Cuarren 3 ‘TOOLING UP HAVING prepared a place to work, whether in bastoeat, atic for out-building, the next consideration of the gu-crank & tools and cauipment, It i posible for the amateur gunsmith to accum- late several hundred dollars worth of tools in a few years without realizing it, simply buying this or that item as needed to complete a job; and when expensive tools are bought, used once, then laid ‘way and forgotten, one's hobby can exily Fecome a grom extrava: nce. Unless you expect to use a tool frequently enough to make ¢ investment pay, better look for a way to do without it, and us cost for a more practical purpose—such as buying ammunition or Heading spl T de eo: mean by this that 4 man should bevtate about buying frst class tools whenever necded, and whenever they are of a type to serve 4 real need. Ie is poor ecenomy, for example, te pay $140 for a counterbote reamer to cut a hole for some par ticular screw head on an obsolete gun; the screw is probably a bas- tard size which will never be encountered again. Rather, adape an- ‘other screw, or if this cannot be done, spend a few mimutes making 2FOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 fap reamer which will cost you nothing but your work, and which wide one or even several Jobe msccestflly. "This economy may of course be carried to the opporte extreme. No man deserves cr for sponging or borrowing tools from his tee, or for sn ve aerywetew eke and coving Shhia job. Every jab should be tamed our in the most careful, Juitaking manne’ of orhch you ere eapable—and. most rien ace ‘capable of better work than they think they are, ‘The differsnce be- tween a goed job and a peor one atte often depends on Knowledee if some simple “kink” to obtain desired results. A man may scratch bis bead and study for hours on some simple mechanical problem. when che answer is right before ing Learn to do things right; learn + the tools needed for each job; and if the job is likely to recur fre- ‘uently, the purctase cf the tools will always prove a good invest- teed areer thore complete, and rans a job that would heve stumped you in the Kecinning” wil stem lke child's play, Because yoo ate tooled up trie FILES, If 1 were freed to start a shop with hut ane tool that tool wuld eettsialy bea fil provided I had my choice. considee the fle the rose fapertane of all mechanical implements: with ft many other fools car be manufaccured, and {9 a pinch ie could be inade co server after a fashion, i few af other took ‘Nene wo ator with whieh tg wrk, a method of hel is tna important™-se 2 frst clase viee become 43600 ation, Wit a good fle and-a good vie, a "halt Ghanic reed rat be afraid af many jobe.” So we Slorshoth wood and metal--and vies at some lenge, alter which we ‘wil discus other tools likely tobe needed by both the amateur and rofesonal gunsmith. "The fle one fy x another can be tal tack alas 1 the Haning of tne. While its development probably followed. that See oh gcter cope of wefan ene et x Mh pace in the hatory of eiilieation.. Abr centuries prior ° the work File in History,” published by Henry Disston , wvery mechanic should have and read, by the way—is tse having: a rough tonaue ohh whick ub oF m "The wa, ocd SE ee SES ashing oan oi tech abd ar ae doc chs Safe te form the paper with which ae bald aot Ge CP Se false seaman of sptitinn rithode pata SEE cee Oh eet ct Re cine? COLNE Splat am fo Pr i Stee te a a ‘Ther had a fle forthe mazochs, and forthe calers, and for 3 sg fo tb acy ad hago tae va ies are abo weatoned tu Homets Odysny. They mere doubiles veey rude in farm tad inliien ia opertion tr compared to pr St the face thar they mere mentioned aheye early rtings is rout tha ‘hy weve held tn igh escem by workuen of aocem nen And by workmen of today also, I might add. Your cca mechs prizes hie files, and giver them good care. He doesn’t throw them loose together ina drawer, to blunt ané break the teeth, but lays them carefully on the bottom of drawer so they cannot rub together. ‘Until comparatively recent times, files were made entirely by hand. ‘The werkman helé a chisel above the soft annealed blank at the proper angle and seruck it repeatedly with a mallee, cutting and 181 MODERN GUNSMITHING raising the veeth as required. On some of the old handmade files the spacing. is almore as even and perfects on the best modern machine ftude files. Even te-day there are Swiss fle makers who still use the old method of hand cutting, and thei files are world famous for theic quality and temper. "The three best brands of filer in this country today are the American Swiss, the Nicholson, and the Henry Disston. Every file turned out by either of these firms may be considered a good ‘ile; i uused for the purpote intended. OF the three, T find the American Swiss most useful in gun work—ngr thatthe gual is any ber perhaps, but because this firm produces a larger variety of speci shapes and sizes than either of the others, All threc makes can be procured through any Sratclass dealer or jobber, and it will pay the Ampiring, gunsmith to secure the factory catalogs of all three companies and study them —it is surprising how many shapes will be found that fone did not know existed. Filer—even the best of therm—are com: paratively cheap in price; it pays to have pleaty an hané—plenty of shapes, plenty of sizes, xnd plenty of cifferenc cuts. By “cut” we rea te sie and formar of he eth ace les are usually into three general classes—single cut, double cut, and rasp cut. The single cut has straight single teeth running 2t a slight angle across the blade. The files are called, ac- cording to the size of these teeth, “Rough,” ‘Middle and Bastard,” “Bastard,” "Second Cut ‘The double-cut file is cut in the same manner, but has another set of straighe tecth cut diagonally across the firs, resulting in short painted teeth. All doublecue files are usually referred ra in the shop rstard” files whereas the term really applies to the size of the teeth, whether of single, double, ar rasp cut. “The rasp tooth is cut in a different manner from the other tivo. | Each tooth is cut separately by a blow from a pointed chisel. The ccominercial names for the diferent size teeth are: “Horse, “Middle,” “Bastard,” “Second Cut,” and “Smooth.” Files and rasps are further subdivided and named sccocding to 16 heir shapes and usa, Figure 1 shows the mtional shapes of several of che most commonly use. ‘These are but 2 few of the many special shapes available for special clases of work In addition 0 files and taupe there ace Tiflers”—very ama ste} handles with spedally shaped and curved ends with tech only on the ends wed by diesinkers and silversmith, Snd also weod riers, called "wood carver'sraaps” but rade similar te the smaller rifle, except for the sive and teeth, I would con- ser the following a suffilent fle assortment for the amateur gun- truth te begin with—later, as he comes to appreciate the many ses Of fle, he will atudy che makers catalogs and aleve others ss eded ‘Rough,” | Gainer Wie” dealer Banta for anal ahaa id HRD bet GSS! ie ae i id eek i ie i ig | ie i Tes i ie i Hier i tS 2 Bi No Ea poping tne Sep Rirpmysbe sent coe toe carver rite Non. retry lunge order; yet the entire layout need aot be bought at one time, and even if it is, it will rot run into great many dollars; and every tool in the lot is extremely usefal— ‘many being absolutely necessary. Where several sizes of che samePOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 kind of file ave listed, it ig advisable to buy only the one size needed for the particular job in band, acding the others a2 needed. — With sech an sstortment, or even balé of if, a mian will be pretty well ‘equipped to turn aut any Kind of fling job required for the alterat for manufaccure of any gua part that can be made by band, ‘The rifles and wood carver's rasps cam be passed up if desicel—they are extremely useful, but not always essential. All of the larger files will be necded frequently, end most of the dicsinkers, “The finishing or Sipping file and che larg pillar fle willbe found indipenable for 1 siding barrels, and should be tied for no other purrose. Various bier ce meioned ium rime @ tne Tn coneeeon with apc jabs cecribed throughout this bo Jalon the fs; the nese thigg needed ig» file cards brash with shore hard ste! bristle with which to brush ue the flings that stick Jittie cet A clogged or "planed ile vecy quickly ened, and & fo'cepr cad will ahi monchs oe years to the ie ofall your ile “PHE VISE. comes nest, The most useful of al vies in the igen shop is the Prentiss {ronearkers Vise Ne. 19." “Thip.vise Sts abeut $15.00, und as che Best investment you can make if You plan to do. much work. Both the base and cn Enabling the worker to swing the vise to any postion or angle, and fo grp tapered stock, barvele, gunstocks, ete, Grimy. The jaws are SF inches wide and open 45% Snches, fitting together very accurately stem vel TF yoo not cae 0p ths ck my ia ie thea get a heavy, cheaper fron one of about the same size—they can be had as low de five or six dollars, and often can be picked up second hend for hall that amount. For » second sise itis well to consider one of the rapi-acting cab nt takers’ vites which ateach under the bench, the jaws coming fiush with the top. These open and close by a. quarter tain of the hundie, end ate fine for planing and draw-brife work, but are no gaol for heavy wore on metal They can be ad from any hard ‘rare oF mail order houre and cost areurd $5.00. For a third vise, consider the litle Yankee No. 1992 toolmaker's vise: mentioned in’ Chapter 2. Te is worth its weight in gold for Small jobs on sights, pring, pins, ere. and as che advantage of being 8 deachable from ite base, so that, with umall work in the jams, it tuay be clamped at any dered angle in the larger vie., Any of the GeodeliPrat hind vise, and 2 G-P or a Starrett Pin Vise will alse prove useful occaonally. SAWS AND PLANES. Now we need a few wood workin tools. Some of these wilor should becfound about every well dered househol, ap they geed not be charged against guncauthing Fire a np-sew and 3 cutoif saw, of etter Dinston or Alkins Silver Steel make--it pars t buy sothing but the bet saws. A ten or twelve inch back saw for ute in dhe mitre box for swing ef butt, fc other accurate work will prove valuable, but aay be dispensed Same with the mitre box. A ood Stanley or Langdon iran initre box is worth its weight in gold—hen you need it; you don't feed it often. A. coremon wood mitee box sich as every carpenter ruakes for himself in afew minutes, will aerve nearly ap well 182 MODERN GUNSMITHING ‘You should bave three good planes—jack, smooth and block. If you want to buy only. two, cut out the smooth. Stanley's Bailey pat- {ern iron planes are the best ever wid and well worth the diferece in their cot over cheaper ones. Such tools as planes saw ete will find many uses other than ia the gun shop, 10 there is economy in buy- jing good ones. For a jack plane the Bailey No, 5 1/4 at $4.50 wil ‘answer your purpose nicely; the Ne. 1 smooth plane ar $3.55 will algo be handy for smoothing up the sides of stock blanks but the jack ‘will answer nearly a3 well; for the block plane, give frse choice :o the Stanley No. 65 at $3.40, secoad choice the Stanley No. 65 1/2 at $2.80, and last, the Stanley No. 110 ae $1.25. ‘Many stockipakers use A DRAWKNIFE for the first shaping of 1 stuck, working ie down almost to size before using the rasp. have a drawnife which I seldom use; nor do 1 often recommend it to the amateur stocker, Mast of my stocks are made from curiey oF figured wood which will not shave worth a cent, and itis nearly as ak xe the round ide ol he bie cam, hic aks of che susp in 4 surpringly short ce. | Morenve, nobody ever pt 3 foie devine bagel a elgg pl fr Sughd * i fous. straighe itce for roughin off the corns, but I cou ges along aly without = ‘The same applie te THE SPORE-SHAVE or shske-shave. If the wood is perfectly straight grained, this is a mighty handy tool for shaping up following the drawknife. Yee a good rasp will do the ‘work quicker and easier, for me at Jeast, and my spotestave usually rests conufortably in the drawer with the drawksif. No objection ‘whatever to using one if you are familiar with it and like it—only, remember it eaves flats on the stock which must be removed later with the cabine file and sandpaper. ‘One, tool which I have sever used that might have saved me a lise time, ia a rabbet plane or a router plane. Such a tool i handy for roughing out the barrel channel in x stock, provided you keep at 19 A Pus at ‘with the piece. the job if you want to—but leave plenty with the chisels ax described in Chapeer 1 TE ote aH Sirsight mm Stor Bent pat Stmight ART Staite — Hat Straight X" os srini ¥" = tot Straight XS et Stine _— eo Nota Straight me semmie 3 ema Nota Straight 4° Nott Straight 4 Noi Straight te”POOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 chigels a» Packard ig ahead of 2 1913 flivrer. They ate thio springy, made of fine Shefield steel, forged entirely by hand—they Be ‘ground on one side, but got sharpened on a whetitone. This you must do yourself, and instruc- tions for sharpening will be found in Chapter 7. ‘For your first attempt at stocking a gun you can limit your purchase to ewo or three chisel, choosing the shapes that seem to ft the cate in the old stock best. Later, you will want to add to your chisel col- lection, " Never try to use’a hollow chisel chat isthe full size of the channel to be cut—the chisel should invariably be a size or two ‘Saws, planes, drawknife, chisels, raspa and fles—these are che ‘easentials ofthe stock maker. Many others will come handy at times, and can be added when and if required. Don't blow all your cash fon tools with which to make the gus, and have none left for “sbootia’ ‘oo. tbe very goad rosa ue We eelee guy vey weet be digtad very good reason thet the. mallet ‘with. Ute i if you like, but uve ie seldom Stocks are not inletted by hammering of driving in the chacln Wood carving chtels are hatd in te bande, and s aallet blew ia addom or never required. ‘The wools must be kept 0 sharp that they Will ct actow the grain of urd wana readily without hammering. “Au ooresonal ign bow ‘with mallet or side -of hammer may be‘excuscd when cutting the Iagazine mortisy, but nowhere eae.” erock maker tie out the ‘wood in shavings instead of gouging it out in chunks lke a carpenter Tmoricog is oor lock “Tens quite, iSerenc, “Caryn cliodh are “chins” and oot “gouge” whether they are curved ot fat, and teis sole purpose is cating. Select your eisls fy number and shape of edgs"-and do mat be led into buying vce” of carving tole pet up iu boa, Most of them will be sles for rus werk and ve box ie nuisance anyhow, "Get the shila Up 5° tol sack where you can get at the BRACES, BITS AND DRILLS« A good brace and « few bit will be required for boring hole. The priosial use of augur bite in roughing out wood in magazine eortces, and in boning out thelbut eter ander teste ap. Auge ce Det, and wil pay co invest in a ct of high grade ones gradu- sed from 14 inch ®'1 inch by scent. “An expantive bit mty needed cow and them, but thee i ie ned of buying f wotil the "Forme bi etl ik, Unlike augur bit owner bio are very useful in qua wo augur bis they have no spur in the center, being guided by a sharp outer Fan crag da and mang shoe wit etmoth Tee Boo, “Tha are very couvenicat or cutting down iow the enéa of lock reese: in side lock shotgun stocky and deewherty but since they Set so or thre thoes as much augur Dit, i€ ie adele ro porchie chem ome at atime a5 ceded These bits aze often ioe orrecty called “Foster” bra, to it i well to know both names {ave the hardware man does't know hat youre talking about A’Yankee pustdrill with an. towrtment of small bits in, the haatie fe handy wool around the howse—but about the ony thing ou will evet"we ie forts to del seow Boles in the bute of & atock, nd Yor sls purpoe a hand drill or breast dell beter. Though fereraly ued foe metal work, these ofsen come in bandy for woed- Sead well “Phey should be sclcted with care, sad the cheap Goa avoided, a ey ae pee accurately ligne, nov can the chucks Se acpended upon told the dill, “The hand rll duce should BS caput of faking drill shanks up co 3/16 inch in sin, while the Breas dal should take them up te 1/2 och. Any of che Yankee, Grolal Pratt, or Miler Fale deile are good—velect the mel Jou like hex ind you will sake no rastake. MEASURING TOOLS: A good boorood marking gauge will MODERN GUNSMITHING running the ctnter lise around stocks—provided the are planted perfectly straight. Otherwise the gauge v8 to be replaced by a pencl and long straightedge. A narrow dat hardened tool steel makes the best straightedge of all. cer measuring and marking tools you wil ceed ae: 2°12 sel scale, « folding wood or steel rule 3 feet or langer, sharp ividery, inside and outside calipers. A pair of hermaphro- ill pay dividends on many a jab. ‘These have one leg ‘adjustable for leagth; the other leg ia bent, and the has no stop so that the bent leg can be used’on inside ‘or outside measuring, while the pointed leg is used for marking. ‘Thus far [ have mentioned cio machinery. The average man does not care to go to the expense of it for a litle home tinkering, nor docs he have the amount of work co warrant such expenditure. ‘The only time any sort of machine is really esential to she home tinkerer, is when he has frred a recall pad to a stock. The only way the pad can be drewed down even with the stock is on a fat sandpaper wheel, For this purpose I use a Van Dorn metor grinder ‘Of 1/4 b. p. with the grinder wheel on one end of shaft replaced by 2 T-inch wood wheel 1/2 inch thick, on which is glued a theet of kgermet cloth. This motor rune at 3600 r, p. m. which is really faster than a sandpaper wheel should 300 would be 2 better speed and easier to handle. The high epeed is of value when using ‘coarse grinding wheel to rough off metal, instead of filing or illing ft off A amall woo! turning lathe, while not a liability, i seldom needed by the stocker. Now and then it would help on some small j such as taming up dowells, or something of that sorr—but don't 2 put your money in x woed turing Inthe until you have everything thse You ever expect ta aes. “rhe tools for metal work of the amateur or the profenional gun- spi ae uri mer han he wong a Ale: vise sore important are perhaps the - DRIVERS. “I doube if any sol ts more often ehune, or more ‘realy minundertood than the humble screwdriver. ‘The average fan tes 2 get tng with ane er cw when he oeali 4 dows ‘Gon screws ate often et in very Gehuy atthe factory and thle removal necamfares a driver hat excly.Ats the bead sot both ‘width and thickness. Unlew i doc 9 3, the eterpe 0 remove H anually yeuty ins badly tareed screw hiad—aaybe one hat emguved and colorhardened, and taunt be sear to the ‘actory for mplicament. “A poorly fing éxiver may even eli off buf the head—chen the fan beplont AS spon aa the a leas fe more tary to aril out the screw, which commonly ren in raining te tirtads ia the bale sls, He done't make ouch diference what make scremdsiver: you buyethey al bave to be shaged op afer you get dem T [ke Yankee drivers bet, bot probably this is just a habit, Select sizes ‘tile larger than the perow sota mist commonly encountered. Fil the end of blade off perfectly sure, thea thin down oo the uidey withort beveling, antl i jurt an exy ft fn the aloe "and round the sde edge alighy atthe point momnem nd” squnte and sharp, tale ou run sqm baving a aaled lt’ roveded. othe bottec Fom Se—dhen round the edge of deveralighly to Gt fe For retoving the tang screws ‘rem Springfield and other bolt action rifles, I have w screwdriver with a large heary bandle from ‘which the blade projeccs only two inches. “This litle devil gew Fight down to busines and takes "em out! “The handle is ick Siac er bt datge? of voping Aa tt lags log bade ll there ig no danger of # ‘Aa extra jc wl be needed for geting at the sock screw tet i put fe through hole ia the butt at in the "99 model Savage and Between these two you will require vari sive. chared or made required. “The mala ing Sev tor the torew in every cums, end doa't U7 tise do. “Either make + new one outright, or griad’ down int ia wall hardened, but >POOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 some of the best screwdrivers I have are made thusly—and this is 11 good remedy also for the cheap “store” ones that prove too soft. 2B The sides of most screwdriver Blader are tapered slightly toward the point, “This is O. K. provided the blade docs not have to reach se st fore sree in ht ce ed f the estat the blade is slighty wider a the extreae Spall jeweler esewarer is revolving beard shell be on hand or romving the snalet eke ew, ih Cale revolvers are also excelent, When raking very small screwdriver, use drill rod and a fs shown in Figure 4, taing 2 ratal ile for the purpose. ‘This E the strongest powible shape for small blade.” When cade of tool steel without heating of forging, it is weldom necestury to harden oF temper the point. BENCH DRILLS: Hand drills and breast drill have already teen mensioned, A small dill press is useful, but Bardly worth the cost in the home shop. ‘The gunsmith should have one, motor Thus Seven ting ds te ore ind in ie or are i ip work requires it. A good bench drill is exceedingly weful, and ie motel cat Uitetmore tun a high grade beast dr” The Goodall Prat No. 81/2 aril ees ap col/4 fch Suits in the chuck: iis hand driven and hand fed, aad ie equipeed with 2 special vie h can be used in place of the table for holding work. The 11.53 lst. The same drill without the special vise is @ and lina at $8.50. 5 drill of the same makers takes up 93/8 inch dlls and ‘adjunable for height. Te is alo hand operated, ard ‘at $1270 withoat the vise, and $16.00 with vise—the latter Locwn as he Ne 9 “eer b abo w mlendd ne of Yanks bench drills coilerbiy cher in price than the Goodell Pratt. They are, however, heavier in'contruction and sheuld stead up to more accurate work. Ther sre nupplied both in hand aad power drive “The ecioner may be tempted into the purchase of one of the portale cece Gils, often supplied with track on which tay be mounted to serve av t bench drill. I would strongly advise Spin ach an aengenent, "Thee dis are mig and have los play due to the gearing. They are fie to throw around under ‘ar in a carage, and will do a splendid job of deiling bolt holes for ataching cease places to the frver—bue they have a0 place in a gun shop where precsion is the order of the day. Let the forage mun follow his own methods # any. DRILL BITS AND GAUGES: It may be O. K. to buy sew: driver and chiels one at x tie a1 aseded, But when it comes dill (dail its) ie pays to buy the whole act. The dierent sizes sary poly af hound, and wet a ful oe oe at to Bnd the required see missing when badly needed. “Twist dis tre inexpensive in the wall size, and in additon to 4 complete we, Sere should be two or thre extras in the saza moat commonly ‘red then If one fs broken, the work ts not copped g, The Sinrett No, 185 Tine Seer Bland Wire Gee Chart avery necesary tol to have, Te will pay every gun owner to buy ‘ne of thee which ls at $240. Teint hardened ted ola. with 184 MODERN GUNSMITHING holes drilled init to St dil sizes Nos. 1 to 60 inclusive. In addition to being wed as a gauge it also gives exact diameter of érill and shown dels to be ued in driling for standard taps. ‘A coraplete att of these 60 drills will con in the neighboricod of eleven dollars, complete with a stand in which the dills are held vertically in plain view. The stand is also numbered with the size (of the drill opposite each bole. have found Cleveland regular farbon steel drila the bear for all round work. The Cleveland Gle-Forge High Speed drills or their Mezzo Supes-Carbon' drills ‘aannot be beaten for hard tough stecl, such aa high power sift receivers. In addition to the 1 to 6D wire gauge sees it is ad- visable to have another set from 1/4 to 1/2 inch by 6tths. Thea you {proud for ny job likely to come up which can be dor’ by “The next thing needed is a screw thresd gauge. The one needed by she gunsith, amateur oF profesional i he Stare No. 473, ving thread pitch oom 6 e 80 perch Te doce py to girs the pitch of a thread_some gunsmiths do this, whichis the reazon sean sights oxcasonally drop of Afr you have sxertined the enact thread woe a serew tap of the right size and rene other. ‘A few TAPS will be needed, but it noe nascuary to carry a ce ‘umber on"hand.."Theae found, most generally useful are 2 x 42, 10 x 32, 8 x32, 692, 43.46, 3 18 and 2x 86. Por benef of thote who do get undesaad how screw rape are rumbered, the fet gure refer either to che diameter of the screw in fractions of an inch, or to 4 numbered sizes the second Azure ‘fers to the number of threads per inch. Ths a 7/33 x 32 sce 17/62 inch Giamete, and has 92 threads yer iach; an 8 x 22 2'No 8 wet caching trey, with 32 theadt per tnchy a 236 6 4 number 2 screw with 56'threads per inch. Screw sees ae not the same wy wire guage sneo—hence ibe value of the Sarre gauge, ‘which in addition to showing the Gril zen, shows what screws Ene tape they should be weed for. Mow special sighs have accel sed screws mupplied for atach- lag pn, te rae Ser hiygsoudered aaa “8 tight oo Serene 1/8 x-18, and the gunamich ars Sut ey 40 Tent pe ch ing ote jo in neh tha ecrew i going to foewen and Come out, and "i Tn tis the blame! "Why did't they use standard terven, deca ther hides! Ne—why didn't the gunumita vse = Tyan tap, Baw hie memly eareaal” The finer thread i designed sh ‘ie ab he core could ea fare ben cured, ‘then ordering spits enclone an exten fifty cents Talal healer wand ger oe worect ep mad ds Tes Srthty fine plan also co spond afew coats move for some cxtrs rgwa, and ax additional tap or ma. "Thea if an accident happen, you're realy for i. Keep the special tap in a play jar with he Eien crown plsnly Inels,and there's no gue Sor. none ef ine impor nal branch of Sipndic cles ia commen, with weed wesking tbs fers in connection wi working tl ‘Sane ealgets will be wwchsl im working metal “Homewer, since ‘alipem cove ti, ie well to Bave at lest two pais of cach ste, Sits very often a big felp ce Be ale to leeve toe taper wt for some fiver dimensca, wile using another pair for general mesure ment ‘A good MICROMETER CALIPER i cxsential. Mikes can te purchased for ae low an four or five dollar, but there is no conomy in-a cheap tol of thiy sore. A miss wax good is a mile when cabing mensirements in omundthe of m loch or lew. By means sler ether a Brown & Sharye or a Sarrce micrometer ‘Tite it an diffrence in quality, were mechanie. preferring ae make, some the other. ‘The shape and size will tagely influence oar lke, "or gun won Id the Stnot No. 831 de at towreieent has « messing range of {inch by tho the sleore and thimble een, with a verier sale elo fom the dleeve by which you can take readings in ten-thoussndths of an iach. It also has a small thumbpiece on the ead, which is provided with » click, and by seting up the instrument by means and uniform tension. WhilePOOR MAN'S JAMBS BOND Vol. 4 be improved if ey would wei Avpok 1 inch’ mkxometer should coe: around ten or dleven delim Never borw a auzemete, snd sever lend one. ‘Have your ows, or do withoxt, Ic too" delat an betrmest fo he Tandled tome people wold handle the, end wes i scleey acute erly worthless ‘apes nerarng up er thet or fous inches an be ha, bor are not nected in gunamthing, A ronch mike might be Any ocr tt bee in ck eat ie traning tres [igh to two whee bi con ere 20 2 fecha. deme of tha have ao) ertemiea anal pens tmemurenent ir sero to 2 inches, bot are probaly led accurte ‘when the extecsion i ued than steghtssrto T ae eke "Few show wil ve oe for an iaide mise. hey are que experi apd cannot be taeda hol saw sie ore for Example Avmergmige, or the lend aig meted. dewrbed ee: ‘tere a tht book ithe proper teket fr tabog bore mean eat Aa imide’ ks might Se anefal for mesuriog shore Keres and choke, fu | now of none long enough for tat purpee wich reuires reaching to che bacrd severe. aches" Spec Tong legge eatipers cat be used for thi the mexrurement from ‘hee pant being sead by meine ofan cre mike "The Starete No. 269 TAPER GAUGE i com ing inside messitnaects at end of hokey and wll td groove diameter of a barrel atthe mustie by snp ine tac of the blade snd ekg the vending at the pint Peached Op the extreme edge of morse” It is gradtated only by thocinde bit a good pair of eyes find no dificlyy in reading ie pretty ac turds tt qvarterchourndth, ‘Tay gol let $950, ohh Bierce reading fom 1/10 to 1/2 inch by towns A pair of hardened and ground V-BLOCKS WITH CLAMPS rong the salar blding tavelt She Ating soe ‘Ulett rook the de a vere lig wp apt and cmp wer wee’ The Stare Nor 278 and the Brow & Sharpe No. 750 ar amore Went fn sce and dey gd tot i a $0.75 per set of ro Blocks and twa camps Ee Starre Nov 211 dil Blocks are somenine for dig spe ok screw bole in bares alos” These Wows are mantel ty de on Sind, wih a camp on ane block ho the bac or other round ode List price fr wt complete, $2.80. "Unlow you fave tn a Crate dell fem the dsl blocs are lagely talon If Jou have {© tril with Rand or Breet drill ine tp by ee the tet ou ‘omvlih about at goods way at sop after you have the bubs Proper leat. SCALES! “Two or three high grade see mestering. sale a should be in every shop. For meat work Gicch scala are long tnough: of course there should be a long folding rule for measuring barrels, stocks, ete. One scale graduated to G4tht and another to 100th will take care of your jobs in good shape, SQUARES: Besides a good carpenter's iron try-square, you shosld have fo or three small one Ths parler wlnater ses a sanall square for testing at are used on the workand the "wandard’ ever ‘ued on the work foe ‘These small squares, ha iground to absolute 90_de angi, are very expendves he Serfee Ne. 20, with 2 loch Bade and 17/8 inch beam is well worth the $3.90 it conte. For general work of Kning up sights, leveling barrels, in, V-blocks, ete my chs i he Here Nov 60 with # inch ade end 75/16 inch ‘beam, costing $1.50. ‘Two of these squares is a. good investment in any shop, The Brown & Sharpe Adjustable Square No. 554 4 well worth having around alge, This tool has three cemovable biader—ne for right angles which is graduated; one gives 30 and 45 degree angles, and is not graduated: the third Blade is narrow— alse praduared—and is adjusted to any angle within a lieited range. ‘This blade is weful in oquaring off the end of « besrel ‘that has been cut of and similar work. “A centering square is almsoet a secesiry in the gum shop, and is jun as necenary to the amateur ey to the profesional. With it ‘one can lay out an exact center line across the end of any reund dock, ruch a2 a barrel, piece of tubing, etc, It it impossible te take an accurate layout for a barrel band with eight base, without a eentering square. ‘The Searrete No. 33 combination juare has ‘two heads, interchangeable. One gives x ight angle and 45 degre, 185 MODERN GUNSMITHING according is used. The other is» centering head. ‘The Blade slides to any desired postion, and is held tight in the Tread by a knurled fager screw." Tn the square head 2 small spire level, oo that a barrel or other work can be placed absolutely vertical in the vse if necessary. ‘This square, with 6 inch blade, and both heads, st a $9.90 complete "A ve: of THICKNESS OR “FEELER GAUGES” reading from 004 t» .025 inch will ocasionally prove useful; but Since the ‘at i $2.50, would not recommend its purchase until needed. ‘The Starrett No! 72 and the Brown & Sharpe No. 640 are caually satisfactory. Several small CLAMPS, both parties and C trpe, should be on hand at all times for use in lining up apd holding scope blocks, fe, while fiting, “C clamps are lao wed for holdiag. on rams tnd other pares while soldering or brazing. They amust be of best fon, of they wil break under the heat. “The shop should slso have several PLIERS with difcreat shaped jam, und.a camber of wrenches Get them as needed. ‘At least two pairs of sharp pointed, accurate DIVIDERS with 28 screw adjustment, should be oa hand; also 2 seriber, with hardened poi aera CENTER PUNCHES, PRICK PUNCHES AND DRIFT PUNCHES: By all means inchade with your shop equipment # Starrett No. 1BA automatic adjustable stroke center pench. List, $240, and worth tem times that. Looks like any other ceater Bunch, but the handle is litte larger, ard the upper end is a sliding sleeve, with 1 coiled spring and crip inside, adjustable for tention.” Place this punch on the mark, push down on sleeve, and it trips, sriking a quick sharp blow and driving the poine in for 4 perfece impression for starting the drill. No hemmer ip needed. far should ‘one be, wed The gunch sever amps of dhe mer, and che point is hard enough to make a clean impression even on fair bard steel, meee * ‘You will also nsed several common center punches from 1/8. to 3/8 inch in size. Be sure they are HARD. Nothing i more dis- Eusting than 2 soft punch that turns or flattens its point on the ‘work. Buy the highest priced punch you can find, and hope for the best. Tf they prove soft, try to harden the points. If common tempering methods donot get results, harden them in cyanide. Keep the points ground very sharp at alt eimes ‘Three or four small prick punches should also be on hand. These cont bur fiteen or twenty cent each, and even the best standard rakes may prove soft. Harden them also, and keep them ground sharp—some with slender points, some with poin's more blunt. ‘You will need all kinds now and then. For forty cents you can get a sez of three small drift punches— 1/16, 3/32, and 36 inch. ‘Keep hese in your apren pocket at afl times—they will probably be lose anywhere else." Otter sizes both larger and smaller, from 1/3Z or less, up to 3 inch. If you can't buy the sizes needed, get the nearest size and have # machinist turn them down on the lathe with « file. They should be ennealed firs, then reshardened. Drift punches nced not be x8 hard a center and pyc punches, oF they will break Draw the temper a Ble ‘A oplindid drift for very small sight pins ia an old de capping punch. The point és a small piece of drill rod set into a large’ Dlece of steel with « setscrew. Points of various sizes may be cut ind set in the tool as required. The point should not be longer than ecesary, f© aveid inch is unually Tong enough. Secure a mumber of ten cent ad sets of diferent sere, Thece Take ar rn be poet cif for eng of shout ne eh Polishour the cupped end. with crocat cloth, and there will be Iie ff any rearing on ends-of daft ins. ‘Phe punch abould ft the la cay, vo Heche made at nerd, we erreur Finally, keep a small pin vise such as the Starrett No. 162A, and special sizes of drill rod up to 040 inch diameter can be cut and placed in the chuck aa needed, making a small wniversal diift punch of it. ‘A. good accurate hardened steel BENCH BLOCK, while vot 2 ‘A mighty convenient little tol. Ie provides a conveni-POOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 ent test for parts while punching out pim, while drilling, and for seo he pug in we ele a Tiveting. ‘The Starrett No. 129 block is hardened and ground, lapped and polished; it hes a. groove across the top, and Joles of various sizes through which pins may be punched without damage, or through which the drill may pass at the end of a cut. Lists tt s200 REAMERS: Under this head come straight and tapered reamers, rose countersinks, taper pin reamers, spiral reamers, both straight ind cred cgending ners coastal sad etinertors ak Sw apertae rametand pouty ‘oer Vou" seeer koe toe you aceite te jo: what ene wil be reted and te One you ceed u urvliy the ene you Go not havea hued Bey ea only as oveded, at least the larger ones They quickly run Boos Sooner or later you will need taper-pin reamers from 3/0 to 5 innit, The Cletdand plandard’ fae are econ, bar Sah in rice ling fram $.S0to 92,00 ech fs abe sce ee pearl ia pales weet for a dime each, Uilng the mike fo piling thn ou gota ted os 1h Standard des fot « wong The Bee walksr pats ms Socal di ico and T fad ele Maced at de huefare cougte er toe tvay with ray rer before he elled The eopa A tall tap ‘Stench with four ju chek wil be neaied fo eld Ge Teamcey TSE Tolling snl esp A rose countersink will come handy for lightly roughing out a anezle efoe lapping o cegwn—and hots bau all You il we it for. A better tool for thie purpose is the Cleveland bit stock courtersine No. 115C, size 5/8 iach 82 degree point, Ist 73 cents. ‘Straight reamers, and reamers with very slight taper will often be wanted for sizing barrel bands, sight base bands, etc. Barrel tapers vary and it will usually be found that many of the tapered reamers have tso much taper while straight reamers do not’ give any taper. Hence, few if any tapered reamers will be suitable for ‘this work, the best plan being to ream the hole in block or tubing Strnght, then shape the Band roughly and peen io ae nd Yapel forthe baron baters‘on nna bared baieg the tame Set tnd ter Bor ti work 2 few Cetcley exandlog nares il ‘et you right up in business. I use the 6 blade reamers which have less tendency to chatter than those having 5 blades. These blades Sie ie by esr of gered Yeting muro sn, fn which he blades rest, being held at each end by a screw coll Screwing the collars back on the shank sets the blades on a higher point on their bearing surface, enlarging the cut. ‘The reamers Rave no taper except for a short distance at the point, for rie! in raring into the hole. “The fellowing table gives catalog numbers, iizen, and Te prices an thove likely to be needed: poset ay £83 | yge seme and ena ert Bech fors— By wemmecerteast wee mee EO rae nme pitt tircres iS es WOW! Yep. it costs money for = gunsmith to tool up—and how some folks do kick when he charges them a little profit om the Job, trying to get back some of his investment. Counterbores for flat head and filister head serews will be needed ‘occasionally, as, for example, when the position of a tang Serew in a sie, or when putting on fae tne. The have round shanks, for use in breast drill or drill press. A counter- bore is really a small end mill with a pilot to ft the screw hole. Tn ninety-nine cases out of a hundred—and maybe more than that— it wil be found there ‘ano sandard counterbore it to fe the par= tiles sccew: Ta Gat cue you sro dicard. the bastard soew rsinally red, or else urn the head down to size to St the eounter- bore—or else take a flat drill with a pilot, as described in the next hoster, hick aril wavally atand up all right one or two Jobe Consdering thar eaall ws, counterbores are expenetve—berer buy them only as needed. Dies AND DIE HOLDER: Uwlly che gunsmith will be 186 MODERN GUNSMITHING able co use standard machine screws to a great extent or else screws brainable from the factoricn When a serew has to be made ft ‘lathe job, and the thread can be cut tare sccurasely on the than ia a thread die. Te is coubeful therefore, Ha st of di vay dividends even in the profesanal’s shop. Uf you decide tet for use st home, consult your hardware dealer, and from his wholeale catalogs those tie that you are going to CHISELS: Depending on the work you fo in toooer or later require cold’ chiles, cape, chic, point” chisels. Start out with a. good 54. inch teh inh: add her ar when and ede a points may prove soughing of stock where ‘there ia considerable to cut away? an ‘t rose chines. Sizes from 36 0 34 31 fron and steel is bard to beat, and most good dealers ar can get them from jebbess.. Mest gunsmitha Keep Of Bexagon tool sel and make chiselsof the size and HACKSAW FRAME AND BLADES: Get a “pial. erp hacksaw by all means—for what sawing you do wi to take the place of some milling or planer operation, which means lots of sawing. A Disston, Atkins, Starrett o: other standard muke cont but litle more than’ some “off” brand, and ie stronger and more rigid. You will want fine tooth blades for thin stock and thin tubing, and conser ones for heavier work, roughing off stock, ste. After using all kinds of Slades, I have concluded there iz but one kind for me—the Universal all hard Tungsten Steel blades. ‘The 12 inch length is most exnvenient. A shorter blade than this ia a nuisance, while a longer one is a litle too springy for work. Use 18 teath tothe iach for roughing cuts and heary stock 24 teeth for smoother, more accurate cute and lighter jobs; and 32 teeth for thin tubing. HAMMERS: Ie pays to get good onts, even though you do fot use thems a great deal in gun work. My own choice is & May- dole. ball peen ‘machinists hammer of 36 ‘ounces; anather of 24 founccs; and another of 3 ounces; also a Maydole 6 ounce riveting Nammer. The ‘mancfacturers numbers on these ars, respectively, 121, 123, 129, and 265. Also, a Goodell-Pratt brass hammer, No. 93, weighing 8 ounces, and a solid copper hammer of 134 pounds weight. Lead hammers can be cast as needed using a hallow wood ‘plinder for a mould, with « hole im one side through which = plug BF iowerted wo form the ole for bandle. “A rawhide aller i sice but [ have a plain wooden ore which | seldom or never find use for. ‘Some means of heating SOLDERING IRON will be neces. sary, also the iron, or “copper” as it is more correctly called, Buy the best soldering’ cepper you can find, weighing fom 1}4 wo 2 pounds. A small one from the five and ‘tem cent store will come fn handy also for ‘inning the inside of rainps and bands, or one ‘an be made from a pisor of round copper rod. A goed bloweerch will cost from $3.50 to seven or eight or ten dollars, and ir seems aa e indispensable work. ‘The Swedish steel berch knives sold by Hammacher, Schlexiner & Company, New York, cost only 35 or 40 cents, and beat any nie coating two ot re tics thir orice. Tt pare we two of these fnives, Kesping one very Keen'and the otver for rougher work, ecraping, ec. SHARPENING STONES: Sever of these will be needed. ‘The fit should be 1 Carborundum combination stone, 8x 2 x1 inch in size, coarse on one side, amoath an the ather. ‘This will be ‘weed for drewing edges and fiw wbctting of chocls, plane bit, te. Specify stone No. 108. Next, « Lily White Washita, about 62x 1 inch for final whecting of wocd cutting wels, “Thea a No, 186 Carhorundum alip stone, 4 inches long and’ 1 inch wide, ‘White Washita for finishing, Carborundum and sloxite sticks may be hed in square, triangular, half round and round crow section, and in fine, medium and coursePOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 pias robo 60 om 1 51.50 ch, They re hl oe resting up and reshaping hardened parts thar cannot. be filed, find should be bought a» needed. Pike India Oil Stoacs can be hhad in many odd sizes and stapes, and should be bought as required, the purchaser selecting them from illustrations, in ‘wool hawe catalog. “The No. 27 g section, 3 inches long, 5/16 inch diameter, and tapering to m very star poi I a indapentable for geting “ago small corer and reove, wen a file will not cut, ‘The No, 58 i larger, boing 4 {aches long, 1/5 inch diameter at one end and 14 inch at the orner. ‘A very util stone in reshaping part of scars, triggers, etc, when the fle will nor cut. Last bur pot least, the snes for” casing tigger pulla. “There are two kinds of Arkansas stone, known a3 “Hffrd “Arkansas” and. "Soft Arkansas.” Specify the hard and refuse the soit. Slip stones for trigger work should: be about two inches long, 3/16 inch thick at one edge and tapering to a knife sfge on opposite sige. This material i alto svailable in sound, square and ta ticke” the last two shapes being most useful. ‘Bay them only a5 the need arises. T feacate wo bring this chapter to a close. Already ic has taken sore than its rightful share of space, and has named so many toals, fie. that the reader may have gained the impresion that even a Sal unkering shen is Beyond is fancal watemest. Tie ater time I have checked over say own tool equipment, in an effort t0 ‘iss nothing eascerial, nor to include nothing that might not be definitely useful or necessary. My own work has covered a wider field, perhaps, chan the average amateur will cover in a few years ‘of tinkering his guns; and he should therefore discard at once the lea thae ie is necessary for him to have everything mentioned oF t be mentioned later before he can restock his pet rifle ar put 00 Some Sd fom il Sta wi he ewe ool duor twals—gou'll be surpri ri ‘will accumulate, a your hobby grows and develope ‘= Cuarren 4 SPECIAL AND HOME-MADE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT HAVING sigged up a place to work, and assembled a few of the mest essential tools, the amateur gunsmith will next con- ‘sider certain other equipment, some of which is necessary to certain Jobs, while other items may be dispensed with, but will nevertheless add both to the pleasure, spred and convenience of the work. For ‘the gunsmithing trade calls at times for tools got regularly listed o manufacture, and which if anlered specially from a tol maker, ‘would cost a great tunately, most of them can be easly Bion ging in dale of thee 1 tmng into details of theae special tools let's consider a few of the agrressential but worth while ones, ‘The firs 9 « high grade MOTOR GRINDER. When I first started tinkering with guns I had no grinder—and now I wouldn't iinow how to gee along without one. Many, long hours of fing Ihave been reduced t» a pleasant few minutes work; to sty nothing of the advantage of beiag able to buff and polish parts quickly and more perfectly than by hand. ‘There are three well known makes of grinders of the type 1 am soing to recommend—the Black de Decker, the U. §, Electric Cam- any, and the Van Dora, Possibly there are ocbers I have nor seer. GF the three named, [ believe one to be about at good 2s another. ‘The frst to are somewhat heavier, and might stand up better under Jong hard usage. ‘They cost about $60 and $50 respectively, while the Van Dorn, x trifle lighter machine, coats about $40. All are ball bearing, with de bulivin starting rheosrat, Covered connection eable, and socket plug, operating lighting circuit. The grinder is small and compact, ‘venienty om the bench, or may be had with « cat ion foot pedestal sean additional cost.” ‘The shafe is 172 inch # L f ing these dimensions may be added at needed. movable guarcs and tool rests adjustable for height and carting angle, With the wheels removed, you can use wi fers, wheels faced with abradve cloth, sandpape 187 MODERN GUNSMLTHING down burt pads—new uses will be continaslly occurring to the owner fof one of these splendid machines. By using Avozite whee's with thin, rounded or beveled edge you can get into places in shaping u ‘hat would ordinary call for a milling! machine or ‘shape i of fling ean be seved when making barrel bands, sighe bases, ‘srilar jobs. Tools can be sharpened—although these cls are too bard and fae (3000 to 3600 P.M.) for are best ground on wire buffers are splendid for carding off the cust during and, with light pressure, for burnishing = barrel ‘Alepaate wlre baer shuld be Et for carding ‘must be boiled in lye or sal soda to remove in clean boiling water. Lf the bristles should i pb rdece tat there is ware orl ca two, or tice cloth bufing wheels 4 inches ip or three 6 inch ones. These are oot much good ‘until wom down to an even surface on the edge. Start the motor land hold a sharp chisel against the sloth until all Tove edge, threads, ‘te, are worn of and the surfac> is smooth and compact. ‘one cloth wheel clean and dry, for final polishing; beep an- other for we with Tripoli rouge; another, for fine jewel- e's rouge. Others may be surfaced with a litte fine emery or car- orundum in heavy grease for preliminary polishing of parts. "Wood wheels can be made as necded. Scribe a circle the required size with eividers on a piece of clear soft pine; bore a half inch thole through the center for the shaft, and saw and file the wheel to tilpclon the sete Ser k'on te hate cihten up the ae to bold ithe art the mpi and su the whee! ve by heldng 3 ihe on ‘sharp chise] against it, then finish with sandpaper. the edges of these wheels lightly with glue or very chick ie thick feke weatherstripping to che edge, Testing the ends of felt mect evenly. “The felt may be wsed dry for fina pling, oc ray be conte ther dry or with heary re, ‘with various abrasives. ‘Make, or have made, some hardwood (preferably maple) spindles ‘which wil screw onto the end of motor shaft instead of the mut, and projecting from two to four inches beyond the end of shaft. “The Brojecting ends may De shaped ak Gsred, co exch through tiger tarde and other ples for inside polishing, Coat ther with glue End wrap oa felt chad the abrasives " Specal wheels of compresed felt are fine for polishing, but very exprisive. "Hi you tar aford a fow of them they will make 4 hard SSbeuy.” They are ued both dry, an with abraxive paste. "Very Gne polishing wheels ar€ made by coment together se rd ‘ickneses of heavy lather—sole lester or saddle string Sore'the that bole and saw them round with s coping or scroll fy hes frst owe a «Els ma be male square, round, V-chaped or beveled a» neeied. fb valre ‘rladiog compound on sare and Keep others for ue dry in ‘nal Poihing. "You San get advil grinding attachaent for wie with your grinder for about $1200. Many mechanics scoff at these attachments, eaidering iy hold the drill thelr Aegers Sad ind Te trun,” Grinding dull is about the ost particular job Jou Wal'Epd, and one ofthe hardest to len. ‘The attachment wil Zon pay for foot in dlls saved or reclaimed for be ft known tier 2 dull del or one ground ff center i sels | OFF cntcr Giidieg of he pot canes s dhil to cat a Hole larger than iaell— Sibios maney when a certain stew i be tapped into the bole Accurate grinding of very small drills is almoct impossible without oe pera may be usd fo town slightly, or for polish ae my se eutting down slightly, for polishing Finally, 2 pully may be placed on one end of the motor shaft, and Reed ote bend dv onl teach Ine, del prey or to anther grinder, in case you want one slower running than the motor itself,POOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 1 ‘The best substitute for « small motor grindes, is a GRINDING HEAD which can be purchased from the mail erder houses for four to ten dollars. ‘This can be belted up to a 1/4 hp. moter, a faa imetor, gat engine, or even the old fliwer.. The lad on the farm, ‘where electricity 1S not available, will connect up his grinder to the ‘sxcor, piling machin. log stw or wuhing machine i ‘te him—hell get power grinding ted for a speed ‘of 1500 te 2500 R-PIM. is betrer for some wark than the high speed iinder—but the latter is supreme when routing of «let of war plus metal in making parte from rough stock. ‘The amatear gunsmith should manage if to have some kind of motor, even if nothing better than a fan motor is available. ‘Small cloth and steel wire buffers are almost indispensable at times, Any favetnent yu make i this dgeton will quicly gay for inl THE DENTAL ENGINE. Now for another suggestion, for which T se deeply indebted to the dental fraternity. ‘This’ wi for be new ro some people, but will be ro many. When you sit in the dentis’s chair inwardly cursing the fend as he drills into the old raolars with such keer delight, probably you paid little attention to the makeup of the principal tools he was using. Yet if you had that “dental engine” of his in your shop, you would fird 2 million and one uses for it on every job, big and little. ‘Dentistry and gunsrnithing are wo widely separated professions but the profesional gunsmith will do. well to investigate this piece of dental apparatus and Jecen of its daly application to his business. The old time dentist used a us arrangement on a tall stand, with wheels and string. belts, operated by a treadle which he worked with his foet. From this saa. a flexible or jointed shaft te the drill hhetd with which he die the dirty work. ‘The medern dental engine HER DENTAL ESGDVE consists of a small and compact motor all sickled and shin about six feet of rubber covered exible shaft; the business end the shaft is attached te 2 nicksled wool about een inches long whi serves at t handle, In the end of this is a small chuck in which Doc holds his burrs, dsill, carborundum wheels, and other implements of torture designed for proselyting Christian Scientists from the true ‘arranged 69 that the bt femovable, ard ia its place may be inserted another chuck with a head which converts the rotary motion to a hammer, motion—in other words, converts che gadget into a miniature riveting machine. Alter ths brief explanation, consider the following suggestion: [Next time you call on your dentisr, control your feelings and temper if you canz but if he tortures you ‘human endurance, then slay bisa with the jawbone of an ase or whatever it handy—and den't leave the place empty handed. Steal his dental engine and as ‘many of his sools as you can stuff in your pockets. Also lact the body of any spare charge you may find, (Rather than bothering about a den- tist’s drill, go to any hobby shop, @ well-stocked hardware store, Sears etc. and buy a Dremel Moto-tool or its equivalent. All or most of © burrs, wheels, etc., are stocked). 88 Drama MODERN GUNSMITHING }O7D-TOOL MODEL 270 . If you hesitate to pursue such a course, then your best bet is to make your peace with your local tooth puller and tell him yout troubles. If he happens co be a gun-crark,—and a lot of them are, for some reason —he'll understand at ance. Tf he hasn't an old abso Tete engine that you can talk him out of for a song, he will be glad ro help jou select the eype you need, and will provably order it for ‘yor from his supply house, And his expericace with the various tools fang attachments wil ‘him to offer many helpful suggestions— ‘moreover, he will likely make you a present of « double handful of ld burn, too worn for we en teeth, But fine for metal. -And you S&S &@ © © BP & ww & & fy | a ee oe go can buy others as you need them, for the cost, barring the cost of 2 Sea a erty Arik when Pom Toaltr Actes WR eal baie’ Ca ee post oe Betees Ee Sate SUS Utleg de mob feast Bie chee autbet ef dene bore Gey se doe ale rae Sooo fate ills”) useful to the guremith. These come in Sete Natt ae Ny 1g toe ame Gastenk dame Se mT er eer rear sight apertures, or for straight drilling where a very small hole is wanted—the pin hole in a front sight blade, for example, A num- BIT SEE Te bore makers knit cease pence Fasee $POOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 1 Te wil not sip and slide off the mack even on hard surfaces. The hole may be started vith a small burs, and enlarged to exactly fit the dil to be used Later. ‘Spor annealing iv unnecosary, for thee Ibures aze made to cut the hardest mater “Another advantage of using burrs ix that they will cut onthe side as realy a Se pont, hence need nat be held perpendiculacly, “Hold ‘hem at an angle ss you bald pen in writiag™ the tool never hides the work and jou always see what you are doing. “The Wheel burs, Figure 6, is really small milling cutr—excel- lent for gerting into diicult'corners and uneven spots, Uses num ben. 11 172 t0-22. ‘The Inverted Core, Figure 7, is used asa straight drill for small hokecute very fat io all sues "Use number 38 1/2 to they snake exellent mailing caters in all sine, even an old discarded one Citing though came hardening cal. "The Fiore bure. Figure 8 is one ofthe handiest of the lot. “A” ieaplain burr, while "Hi comm Flare, ‘The dine mose com telnet il Be Non fw 3, Une tf cml mtn ft “mewetit” Gle for curing che half round groove in & Spring fed barrel chrough which the fied sud pins inserted- Caring ave lea on the end a5 well as on the side, chs type of burr is especially valua- ble in small “tight” jobs. Figure 9, shows a cross-cut Cherry. This is similar to the round burr in Figure 4, but cuts faster. Figure 10, shows a tapered Gisure burr known 2s an “inlay fe- sure”™—not particulerly weful to the gunsmith, but might be used i. Figure 11 i an end cuting fsure, used for bottoming ont « hole cor sloe without cutting the sdes. Bett than an end mill oF any ‘ther machine rol for cuting square botecm holes in barrels for trope Bleck sews. “Twist drills eamers and extea large diamond point drills may be dad for the handpiece of the dental engize, from dental, spl fouscr: bus the discarded dels of the dental practitioner's ofbce will Keep the amateur or profesional gunsmith supplied for years and save him sany hours of time. ‘Velesaite burrs (similar to those alveady desribed, but made for drilling and cutting. vslcante) are very handy. for ‘use om woods Slt large size surgtal burrs. What 4 convenience for some snall early inaccesible cut when inletting + sock, or fitting small inlay! ‘Besides the burca, there aze the mandzele and mounted carborun- ‘dum stones and whecls—all extremely useful. The various carborun- ‘dum mounted pointe and wheels are shown in Figure 12. No azed whesis; new uses willbe found on every job. ‘The Maxficld Mandrel, Figure 13, is a quick acting bolder for pape ing of mented chrom nese wich ae cree 0 oe Stiff paper with sandpaper, garnet, carborundum "hae can’ be taed for polish MODERN GUNSMITHING By ‘Arkansas stones of all sizes, wheels afe fine foc sharpening equipment; bue the amateur gunsmith can use these wheels to srpen his reamers several times before a trip to the grinding shop fe necessary. Being under full hand control at all times they can be wed right up to the cutting oe ‘This mandrel also holds both circular and cup shaped stiff brushes which ued with a litle pumice or other fine abrasive will quickly polish any odd shaped piece, getting into comers and grooves not Feached otherwise. “These are but a few of the meny uses to which the gunsmith can aS a a - SO SE Sos a SO SE ae a Oe SS SS ae —= =: 4+ oe Kone ee —c-- vig. a2 put dental instruments. How often have you woiidered about the shape and fnish of the locking lug shoulders in a rifle receives 2—a ‘magnifying mouth mirzor costing about a dollar would have showed ito you instantly, ar well as many other undercuts and “out of sight” places! A pair of cotton pliers (what the proletariat call “‘tweezen”) {i favaluable for picking up small screws, pins, and springs. A head mirror with a hole ia the center will enable you t0 Took into por- tions of a gun's internal economy you never expected to seo—you can Took down the barrel from the muzzle with the breech closed 28d roe with "Ger he igh im fone of you reflecting it down the barrel with the mirror as you peek through the hole. Drill a hole in any stall mirror and try this "A small carborundum stone or a cherry barr will forever liPOOR MAN*S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 1 rate spot annealing—you're ready for the drill ia about thisty sex- nds.” Figure 15 iluatrates cutting. a screwdriver slot in a broken off srew—takes only a minute to do and the sevew is then turned out “easy ax pic” Figure 16 shows 2 22 calibre barrel being terowned with bud-shaped carborundum and Arkansas mounted Pee hammer motion of the wpecal head before mentioned is weful in zy wrayer ligt set of in ein ee wed i te fil up holes in barrels, ete, and a thousand snd one others. One of its mort iopporeant uses is that of producing a beaurifully acted surface oa sight ramp, top of barrel, or even on receiver. This is Aeseribed in a later chapter. Tr would be possible to go on almost indefinitely naming ihe uses of deatal instruments in gunsmiching—bue one must stop sometime. For a good while T used the dental engine principally for matting, z Fg Fg Figi6 sand for dsilng small holes nd 1am indebted to Dr. EW. of Watertowa, S. D, for introducing me to its greater poultice, Dentistry is one of the highest branches of acentife mechanics, and the man at the berch may, by using his bead, learn much from the ‘man in the laboratory. SPECIAL HOME MADE TOOLS: The feel aoe reulciy ale sad sldycaly be what Be nels forthe job at hand. There are, moreover, eumerous tele used al: ‘ost constantly that he will have to. make oc do without. Among ‘ese may be mentioned split serewdtivers| Make thas ay shown in Figure 17. Eight inches is a convenient length, and handles are not necestary, neither need they be hardened and tempered, 25 they are ‘wied only for holding the screw while starting it into a hole that mot be reached by the fingers; Make chem up in several see co moat screws used ia i ‘sro which type to select and lear to use. Fer be none of them will do even passing good work for the rank, raw be- jinner. Check sculpture, or rolling Bull Dur- ‘of running over pedestrians. It has to be learned. Given finest checking tools ever mace the amateur will find thes at awk- ‘ward as his first pair of skates, and will swear to high heaven the tools are worthless. factory that wouldn't hit somewhere in the neighborhood of where “There is a type of individual who temperament, and sho cannot be sited. T have pistol and revolver fan. Neither Colt nor Sauith & Wesson ever made a gun that was exactly right, for him. One time the gun will be shooting low ; another time highs agin ignition is poor. | Always there iss perfect alibi in the gun, to account for the poor shooting. Antes may take the sane, gum apd make good scores with ft ‘makes no difference—the damn gun is no good. ‘Trapshonters are also prone tarblame it On the gun. Either the stock MODERN GUNSMITHING is too straight oF 100 crooked, or it has t00 much pitch or not enough. ‘wear out their guns with continual alteration-—“raising the ‘and similar superstitions; they bankrupt themselves buying and inmediiely sling them at a brary lows yt ther ‘The man who practits constantly sith « tran will be afar beter shot than the one who thes ont and di 4 dosen oro a year, though the Iter ay burn mere powder. ‘The fact nt man bas © handle and shoot « gure good mile before he con rally my whether fn. or aot—aod sbeut nineeycloe per fmt. of the birds who bellycke about their guns dent use thems IE cel foe Ruel wih cee god br ad pos iets with checking tool, of any ether tols requiring reasonable Ail to tee ‘The amount of tae you spend learning fo tee Gham aes alot more difference than the type of tole you have. Chap- ter Boot th bok intended sa crete cour ia the emt ‘Hofiman stockmaker, or a more prinstaking workman than John, T never ex- pect to find. Theve tools have given. the beat results of any in my hands, Maybe they won't in yours. But as T have tried about every Bind T have ever heard of my bet advice i chat you make up this type of fool and reaxx To USE r—theo, if you find better toole, there's nothing on earth to stop you from changing. Your skill ‘won't leave you on that accouat. Figure 18, shows three tools and 2 bent excapement file. “A a the Line spacer; “B” is the V-tool or derpening tool with which the i i “Cis a border cutter—seldom necessary is the file for finishing up the dia- monds. ‘All these tools bur the file may be made of 5/32 inch drill red. ‘Tie V-tool may be made of 3/16 inch od if prefered, Gua pes 3 rad ou 8 nce ong bet Ee ad heey rd an forge it fat, them bend to the angle shown. Shape ie up carefully E files rab fe of He i f 3 a . wide, slightly until the cut is narrowed sufficiently and re-aharpen iPOOR MAN*S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 the teeth before tempering. The size cuts best adapted for various rade of wood is dieuwed in Chapter 12 ‘The size of the teeth of a cutter may yary from 16 w 26 per inch Hard wood without large open pares is easier to check, and 220 or 22 point cutting edge is very sat 16 t0 18 poinss seems to work best on more open grain re is no convea- fem way to accurately space the "a few on scrap stock for proce sod roca tem ten vase then by ere, oeerabiy under a jeweler’ niagnifying glass. ‘T've beard a lor aboue three and four row spacers, and while the idea sounds splendid, T have yet to see any such thar would work, for me. OF couree'in auch @ spacer the teeth must be cut crost- ways, while the side teeth can be cur only on the two row tool. And the side teeth are the ones I will continue to we until someone shows me the error of my ways. "The V-tool ir forged our to the shape shown, and fled to about 1/8 inch thick oF less, then the edge beveled back about, 1/4 inch, 'V. This edge should have an angle of about 26 ‘3 square fle. “Cut the on a £8 Hea with an Avkznsas slip stone, to to work better and be more easily coatrall ‘dulled a trife. ler cutter cuts a sort of reverse bead: ine, and another thin V line. Personally I lem on checking and seldom use this tool. tool maust be toothed across the bottom, ss ‘of forming teeth on the middle section ; but Hiagonally, vather than straight across, at about the an ‘eth ona mill file—and their shape should follow the teeth fcrose-cut saw, rather than those of a ripsaw. Teeth should also ston the sides, similar tothe line spacer, these teeth corresponding ‘Cut across the bottom. i I # i i ill ily ih i eras, a= t i, 2 ing to = drive on 4 common fle handle of a size that fits your hand Tength of tool, from ferrale to point, should be from five i Ht a i file is made from an escaptamet file, oF & 6-inch diesint- era Saquare aredle file. ‘The excapement file is beat. To bend file‘without blunting the teeth you will need small quantity the flebardening compound described in Chapter 21. Coat thr ‘of the files with this mixture and let it dry dowly for a day. ‘very auickly and rovo heats will probably, cool, and again coat with the hardening compound 45 ‘Then harden by heating the point bright red and cold water, ‘The compound may thea be brused out wwith a file card. This leaves the file very hard and brittle, so we it carefully co prevent breaking, The compound is used merely to revent the heat from forming “scale” on the edges of the teeth. ‘Figure 18-E shows an ingenious checking tool designed and made by Mr, John Croweof St. Joseph, Missouri, while Figure 18-F # tmodification of the sume tool which [ made after seci L 2 diamonds, and does a good job. I found Mr. Crowe's device a litte rhward of coune is ae fam arustomed to sing bgt bol This ‘nly a matter of habit, and what we are wed to. The MODERN GUNSMITHING Fig OF bene blades of various sizes and shapes are very handy in trienming up dificult places in stock mortices, 46 BOTTOMING TOOLS. Ordinary chisels and carving chisels soon as the ene of tap hits the bottom of hole, contiaue with ilar tap with ees taper, Snihing with one having no taper at all, ‘When tapping thick, tough stock, or whea using rather small ‘taps, the chips of metal cause the tap to stick at frequent iotervals. Use plenty of oil, and when the tap sticks, never try to foree it. Back it up a turn or two, then go forward again—lowly and gently. ‘A tap brokea off short in a hole is the best thing know of to cuss about. “Semetimes if can be dled out with x dental bore, but likely a8 not it will prove necessary to heat the spot red-hot with an tcarlene torch to anneal the ap-and this is ot guing to do te fun any od. Alter annealing, the broken tp can willy be Tied cut vpfeemtes tae toe a wr far, on ens cy ben yon ied ing ever 30 little, without Turning ia the toie—esee up! Scmething ia wrong, ani’ it may snap off in stint. Back’ up s bit, apoly more Be cs w RE eral hase ofeea the unexpected cause of breaking beth Gils and olin. cr ending af of Ue apes euros may Inve i fonds Stace nary bards i¢ wan before; and eben the vl hit this Esti rtae'sn going though t may aap Ike 4 turplee, Slow Spite dell whed ney thug an we plenty of ‘Solita the tap, ony toce sa." Take your dime when sing stall taps, and femember is better to wase ten minutes doing, the job than fo break of the tap and ware a couple hour getting it out 'AHEW SHOP KINKS: Te increate the de ofa wotn eater, buriah the fare of each af the tcth wins a arootily pled burn: ither made from a chrevaquare fe. "An increase of from two to ten thousandths is possible after which the reamer may be carta onal to ae with evi booe “To make a tap or teamer cut larger thin ia, pack cwine ar ett ae othe fats to iond over gun he pee ie ge snes, put @ erp of in on one side, and le it the'ap of reamer blade aroun. ‘All the or other machine work calling for water cuts will be improved by ising streng sal tode of soap water rsrad’of plain wae Bibbitiog bearing: Pat a lamp of ronn the size of « walout in the bebbit, which will make i low beter and improve its quality. Resin elo prevencs “Slowing” win the bearing boxes ate damp. cp Rirce te bat ‘catgIobaeat for furaing oy dalag "Preventing rast on wocls or gone in rage: Use vaseline o @ teary acid fee rows with a emall quuny of owderol umn por ada he pent ad apr toguhes er a we ‘Preventing rost on polished steel srock, rill rod, ere. Polish the stock diy with very fine emery cloth, thon wash with 4 solu tian of 1 pound copper selphate in 3 pounds rainwater. This forms 4 rust proof copper coating on the Beale is eusly removed trem steel after welding or forging, alse ‘oa castings, by piling ia wates, 9 pats; sulphuaie adh Tp 202 ‘The same ening MODERN GUNSMITHING Removing old Ulving: Wash with pare hydroch en satin kt aca his greeny te ph pre i eats fore rebluing, but this will oman reduce the polishing a steel parte without heat: Coat with pure nitric acid; weve off ac with clean rag, ely lined ily hen burnish lighly ‘cova wire buffer, To distinguish between ron and siee, file the surface bright and apply a drop of pure ‘Alter a minute or to, wash off with water. On wrought ion the spot will be a pale ash gray: {on steal 4 brownish black, and on easton a deep blac. (Cesehardening with Lerosene: A quick and easy method for snail burry-up jobs. After polishing, rub the pare thickly. with ordinary lnuaery soup, then beat in charcoal fire to cherry red, and immediacely plunge into Kerosene. ‘The parm are left white ané ‘dean by this method and free from scale. ‘Always maintain uniform speed wien using twist drills; to make « Gril cut faster, increae the feed but noe the speed. For a quick seiting rust joint: I pare powdered salarmoniac, 2 parts sulphor, 80 pares fine icon flings, warer to make a thin paste, Useful “or setting screws to fill up ald screw holes, ek, Particularly when serew is loose in hole, fetal to expand when cooling: Lend, 9 parts; antimony, 2 pares; bismuth, | part. Moisture resting lus: White fake Jue, 1. pound; ik 1 cunt} ral over ihe en nuk seme ts ent sed ho, sadog sla aeded toa ap Cuarrex 8 WOOD FOR GUNSTOCKS wood penis ducugh the Msdoet ual wel iat. fe persian pose. "Altough maple pexenes many advatage fer pan sci ‘esimen) of carly American fire arms now renting wih es and The excslent agpesrance of dur emcta aftr a hundred years or mote Siu2 of service would indicate the good judgment of their makers selstion of the wood, ‘From the limited faformation svallable on the subjec it appears Sawa wat sed for atc a Bugpe ala from the be of fre arms, and. walnut, beth Bur ‘Asean foday fo almost uniteral tse, Stocks have beea made from ‘woode-—becch, birch and. oak socks are not uncomman—but Er becoming the standard, and while its we may be in 2 dive to custor and sentiment, yet its qualities are 00 MAPLE (cer Saccharinam, alm tnown a» HARD MAPLE, ROCK MAPLE sol SUGAR MAPLE)" Ths werd is a neve of Easteon United States and Canads sod its many desirable qual See Fly eh by toe wo pe wal iia ner eae, wes ens Bawa i ola ca 2, alo in Whea fist cat th a hanes wals en toes ne EU Hu tar'vey apd be ee och barb emcee a rapidly. Te ro ‘reise tas way we cr of cour ecainer Ge ‘use of stains in finishing, but when properly applied to the right kind ‘mole wey attri ce Soe 7 haven Cea at eal ees ramered, bere and ee, the at ot be surpased by the Snes inpored walnut "ABLE (Eras Males) Glcasenli one of te td hoe ake takers would employ this wood fer a stock, with splendid results, “ishoved the outer wood le nearly pure white when Ca, the Beare sich reddh-bowa vty herd a desue—he pores nor being vibe {othe naked ye." S» durable i Apple wood that i has ben sucres ‘fully used tor cog-wheels in light machinery, and is largely wed for ‘tool handles, being nearly as as ligum vitae for this purpose. It has also been suggested as a suitable wood for the heads SF lt tuba "ie shad SeRaweacd for scresd peo wal fs waePOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 requires sharp tools, Although T never made a stock from Apple ‘rood, I would expect it to take the finest of checking, and would ‘eqploy ail for finishing, same being thinned with turpeatins to assure penefration. CHERRY (Prana: deium): A well known wood, and one coo sidecably used ia earlier tits, particularly by the backwoodsman Building bis owa rifle. Tt was not the choice of the gunsmith as rule, who preferred curly maple, Cherry, when first cut, is of a light Jed or pink, but darkens somewhat on exposure. ‘The annular rings are very distinct, the pores very fine, but mumerous, ind medullary ‘ay prcrlyarked.” Due fo i gener dems of ean, greet ‘weight, and greater strength, I consider Cherry superior to mahogany for mocls. fearurt be thoroughly seasoned, and only the heart wood should be used, as the sap is almost certain to become worm eaten ina few yeare By using « little filer, a very fine oil nish can be sbtained on Cherry. ‘The weight ranges from 33 t2 49 pounds per ieee ROSEWOOD (Daibergia nigra), Brazil: This wood is quite well known throughout America and Europe, but is kess popular ee ee be See eee Senin apen nee aea ee eee ‘a light red which, before finishing, fades on prolonged exposure to light. There are irregular belts of dark lines following the con- ‘centric growth, and the medullary rays are fine and numerous, often ‘crowed at right angles by fine whitish lines, forming a beautiful and intricate network parterm. Quarter-sawing oftea brings out a beau- ar a Tie oy Gt oo a seas Saranac a Gt et Should be oil finished, using light colored oil. Takes fine checking ee ee ao ee a of ita density and hardness. ROSEWOOD (Dalbergia latifolia), Kast Indian: Although well Ew ae ‘ 5 rable furniture wood, it sc rosewood stock is found bard. Check “America, Wert Indies, Cubs, Corta Rica, Headares and many ‘ther para of the world, and the different species vary 0 greatly parece and carcies tha ary of hem, would ot be cme fverage penion, “Spanish” mahogany a? esis in the West Indies, and 10%, ‘acieies best known in this country are the Central Ameri- Wee Aisi, and Henduras. "Cherry" Mahogany is term ‘variety tht i salar fn calor ro eur Cherry wom net adie ede wep mit "The eolor varies from a light cherry vo a deep reddish, brown, rmiture 1 deepened. with ‘s ernght grained, the ras being ln fn aleernate layer a all doch to an tach wide, ch Wenning ie dightly diferen: ivesions, “This mates m vr Tieule te work—roughens one etek while smoothing another. ‘Mor mahogany has ether open grain, in wfter than wal, and ue generally less desirable for “The man who has & “haaker- fie” for a fine mahogany sock may, f located near a dealer so that he can cuke his selection f several varieties on from «large mucsred in finding a piece that will be the everlasting envy of all bis shooting friends. “For there is nothing in ature more beautiful fhe geely after felling. MODERN GUNSMITHING bit doting much eae, jure happen to run acrese auch a piece, for the sraighe grained mabopuay faccurers would make a mighty cheap lol ‘Persoually T believe that mahogany, if con the semple fun, or one intended for prevntatio, rather than for wou work. ‘The wood is more brite, and has not nearly 96 the strength of walnut. It is anuch Kebeer 531 poundo per cubic foct—ao that anes te Shik, de gun will be decidedly muzale heavy. fot adape ie for checking except by an caper ape’ to ol chen “Piller a an alsclate ihr o Srl ror oul be eye wal SEYRTLE. Ar leat one frm in che United States sdrertioan Miyrle wood stock blank, but Tam of the opinion that the word ie Beinomee Bealger, in “Wood (London, 1902), says a mare foe tplied vo any wofal wood in the Northern Hemiaphere.” ‘The Siyede of es county i call bush or dub, although the sare Mirele sometimes incorrtly applied to some varies of Bech. MIVRILE, BLACK (Cortila pentamera). ‘This wood, a rative of northeast Avstalin, alo known at "Grey Pham,” and it, of fome of the other varctie ofthat dtrice should prove desirable for ook wood, and may be the wood offered in this ewustry under the oe ona Myce Bae My re In el. coe Ersec! and tough strong and. Surale, taking's WAWTLE DROOLING. (Bugeotr Postman) hig comes from Nordea Australis, where fe knows as "Brash Giese te i hearer tam walayt—¥7 10 87 pounds pec cable foots iis igh reddah or yellowish, not very atractve 28t0 Era, bar Song and slat, stands sewoting witnout chosing or crack. ing, wooks well ad ‘alts 4 good poldh- In Australia els wed {oF boomerang sees om beat bulding, and tol bundles. MYRTLE SCRUM (Hecbhewie myles). Another north cater Australia variety, Known also’ an Native Myrti, Grey Mapes, aad Lancewood, Ligh yellow, often beautify marked sri dca broway walnut colored stain, very bard ad core grained, Tough aad durable Seuons and works well In comin tse in ‘his country for bowsy aso extendvsly wed for tol Mandles, mal- let er Should take checking well, and ‘BEECH (Fegse sylvia) This wood f & & ood finish is light reddish brown ia color, fine grain, small pores, with annular sings and medullary rays Strongly marked, J¢ should be sawn into boares ot planks immedi- ‘Beech has beea used in gunstocks because of its Close grain and rich color, which darkens with oil rubbing, but ite lisbiity to attack by worms makes it somewhat undesirable, "Te takes ‘well, and te very strong and elastc. ‘This wood ia found in Great Bctaig, Norway, and thcoughowe central Europe to Spain; fio in Asis Minor anf Japan. The Asiatic varieties ae lighter in olor than the European, with more uniform color; are also some- ‘whae softer and raore easly worked. ‘BEECH, TASMANIAN, or EVERGREEN BEECH (Fagus Cunningham), Als called Myrtle and Nigger‘head Berch, Ne tire of Tasmania and Victoria, “A rich brownish satiny wood, vary- 38 ing fom eeyih, brown 20 enwmpink. Cats fo. owt sures ‘wears smoot Very grong and close grened, with greater strength than the European beech. Alezander L, Howard, in "Tim- bere of the World” recommends it for felloes staves, saddle trees and gunatocks. Quite pomibly this is the Myrtle” sold for stocks, ‘tthe description would indicate its desirability for that purpox, alchough T have never seen wed. ‘BEECH, AMERICAN (Fagus jerrurinea). A heavy, hard, wery tovgh and strong wood, rather coursely grained, warpe in drring, but takes a very smooch beautiful polish. Calor ranges from wl to light brown, Used for plane-stecks, shoe lasts, to handles and famiture. Should take checking well, and make a strong, durable sock, but would likely require etining, WALNUT (Juglant regis). Bouiger states that the European walnut was originally native of Northern Chins and Persis, hav- Ing been introduced fate. Greece and Tealy in the exrly times’ from erwin and from thence into other parts of Burope. The trees arePOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 similar in size to out American walnut but the wood is considerably ‘more varied in color and grain than that grown on this continent. European walnut includes several varieticy, namely English, French, Cicamin, Italian, Spanish, ‘Turkish and perhaps some others. ‘The ‘general characteristics of al are quite similar w it i dificult ro draw any definite ditinction between thom. difference of soil and climate ‘Mort of the socalled Clrcasdian walnut imported into this country {in the form of gun stocks probably never saw the Circassian district. Temakes litle difference, however, as Circamian walnut it aot nec. sarily better than any other walnut. This fact, however, is out- sanding that a really fine piece of Circamian walnut will probably be of a higher grade than could be obtained in any ocher variety. Needless to say, the European gun makers have the availabe supp)? at their disporal and it is but natural that litle of the free grade ‘wood should be permitted to leave the country. ‘Tree Circesian walnut i characterized not by curly grain as many suppose bat by sweeping dark lines deepening into black when finished and these lines may and often do assume fantastic patterns. Carly Circassian walnut is cot from butts or crotches, the same 33 say other curly wood. ‘That taken from the bocy of the tice i vsuslly straight grained. When cut on the quarter, Circasian wal. not, in fact almost al! varieties of walnut, will show “watered” alo, called. “Fiddie-buck” and “Tiger-eail™ (pained stock of “fiddle-back” walaut of any variety is just about 43 beautiful « thing ag one may expect to see. The fact that a number of very fine guns have been built with Cizcassian walast stocks is ‘ding tthe mther common belief that Cicamian walt ene ‘dal to fige gun. Nothing could be farther from the truth, 204 A. straight MODERN GUNSMITHING ‘One thing I have noted ia the pas is that mach of the Circasion walaut imported into the United States i very light colored expwocd with little figure and some of it is suffering badly from dry ret The oly way to assure quality ia the purchase of foreign walnut is to go to the European dealer and inspect the wood at first hand before buying. There are a dew dealers who have advertised. gun she Mack in hs eupiy pho have mole very tig wont, bt "buying a pig aa poke" iz ways an uncertain proposition, ENGLISH WALNUT, High grde Engh env fea x le finer grained and somewhat harder than most America waleur alto somewhat lighter in color. With proper selection, it makes very beautiful stocks and i, together with French walt, the pre- ferred material of some of the best English gun makers.’ Cansider= able quantities of English walaur are aso imported into this coum. ‘ry for cabinet and interior panel work. FRENCH WALNUT f sally rained and lighter in color thar” English walnut. ‘The French walnct { have scen is p- Parenly somewhat softer than the Ears although the two woos are very similar ITALIAN WALNUT is supposed to be dark in color and well T have never had the epportanity of studyiog ary that 1 ‘knew posiively to be Italian so am mot in portion to make any user tions but many gun stocks I have examined hich were sold by the sakes as Tlan walnut hae ben vay ihm cor and of vexy 3008 grain, with scarcely more figure than white pine, SPANISH WALNUT. England imports‘ ‘moderate quantity of walnut from Spain and che general characteristics of fe are 50 Similar to French walour that one aken for the other ‘TURKISH WALNUT. This is also quite siular to French algae but is ually darker with 2 Teter proportion of Sgured AFRICAN WALNUT (Loves Klaineana). ‘This wood more neury resembles African mahogany in grain, nish and weight than ix resembles walnut and is not s true walnut at all although wel audapted co gun etocks and the ether usea to which walnut is put. In color itis similar to mouch of the European walnut but je somewhat lighter in weight—about 30 pounds to the cubic foot. Occasionally ellowish brown golden tints are foued which give qulte @ unique Hier, ‘This wood is not avaiable in the American market 19 ty knowiedge. BLACK WALNUT (Jesi igre). This woed, which ‘s the only real American walnut, is much ‘better dian mort people realize, From it is manufactured mos of the to-called French, Italian, English and Circasian walnut furniture sold in our stores ‘One who knows American walnut can give the lie to most claims the average furniture salesman who glibly calls x pane. "Circaisa fie shows « it happens to deal of burl and Freach and Italian walnut light in color. “The same salesman ‘will also tell fee rply diced, Yar gfe yer ws wane fal ah ing rapidly decreased. Year after year we rfid for our we despite a common belief that the supply i nearing an ‘The increasing scarcity af the better gradcs, however, is evi 1d by one fact which I have noted. Rife stocks made by the govermment some fiften years ago arc much harder and dover ‘Mruved wood than those turned out more recently. This i partic ularly noticeable on the Springield Sporters sold by the Director of Civilan Mf “Every one of these I have inapected and bandied has been of very soft wood and s0 very porous that the Li seed oil in which they ate dipped has turned them almest black. AP- parently, however, they are suficieatly strong. and are straight rained ; but their general character seems to indicate a shortage of the fine old herd wood used in the Krags and even the Springields before the war. for mountainous country where the sil is the: porous wood comes from the low oF swampy district and f realy anfit for gun socks. " T believe fei cafe to asert tat there law greater properton of rood Sgured American oralut avaiable than thee is of acy of thePOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND vol. 4 European varieties, ‘The color is generally darker and richer and by careful selection the most beautiful stocks can be procured at @ fraction of the cost of imported wond of equal grade. Tn rome of the southern states, particularly Texas, che walaut produced is very close grained with fine pores and is marked with Jong dark streaks not unlike Circassizn walnut. I have known of ‘his wood being sold as Circassian ia more than one instance. Tt has, however, more of a reddish cast and is softer, yee it ranks high 26 a wood for stocks by reason of its density and the splendid finish ‘which ie takes. ‘One of the larzest manufacturers of walnut veneer telly me that ‘curly walaut in North and Indians, in the order named ; ipoint of density, figure and ftreagth, comes {rom Iowa. Some very finely figured wood also ‘comes from the xemi-mountainous discricts in southeastern Oklahoma, ‘well as from many eastern states, ‘American walnut will average between 37 and 38 pounds, which ‘weight produces stock which balances about right with eur modern 52 fre arms, particularly cfs. ‘The Southern wood is pew lighter than that grow in the Northern stat Almost all American al ‘aut will bow "Adaledback” when quarter sewed with the exertion Of the ‘Tenan walout previouly refered te. In atecting wood ‘or S'tigh grade stack there fy'a satura tendency vo choowe a quarter faved lank in oye a i eet, Trl ha ithe srrone ‘hing to do if_maximim strength is soughe. Figure 38A Brora setonl vew of a walawe og Seiad ae quarea, “Ewe ppc quarters ary quarter sawed wine the lower hall i *bond™ Sivel. "Note that the quarter sawed planks have the edge grain prevented on the At susface while the others ave edge gria on the 205 MODERN GUNSMITHING fege with the layer caused by the annual ring formation showing on the Bat sides, Edge grain as presented in the quarter sawed plank is stronger if the straia is brought to bear against the fat sides.” Hlow- ver, sce the strain on a sock umually comes in the direction of the bend at the grip, it is feuad that the “board” sawed lumber fs beer adaped wo rest such strap. (See igure 33.) Bot fone ia carta in his election he may chonse seartr awed walnet for Ei sted ith sot pleasing taal and witout aay danger of Piaking, for wd’ waist pomence an ample margin of emg partly ithe stick paiesn propery aid eur on the wood in te gard for direction of gree igure 30 shows th ideal sect of a pise of walnie for sooet "bank andthe proper tcthod of laying ont the pattem. It root tl unvsel tat a pe can br found only at one en, thegale ale sighting oot bu win sah Se woh fan Be worked nto che pip portion santo get se straight grin {Mike remy gran curving withthe grip and wich sleny of Bare be in favor of a pec of quater waned in the butt where wanted. ‘wood with the grain running practically straight. In such case it is ‘Your cheice, however, rt we ‘ i beter to lay out the pattern aa inciated in. the grain ninging up towed the frend which bo itrenders quite egy the infeting of the batrel, permitting chisel eure 42 shows the right and 4 laying our a butt ure 42 shows the right and wrong way of laying out a stock for sborgun or tworniese rile vocks ‘When the prin pralls erin and bottom Line of stock rather than the top line, the grip fn‘greatly wrengthenee, and the danger of splitting off the toe (e very common accident) i elininated. “The unl olf treasmeat provided fr high grade stocks nvkens thePOOR MAN*S JAMES BOND Vol. wood considerably and in urskillfal hands may result in hiding such of the beauty of the grain. “For this reason it is well to selest wood that is not extremely dask in color with due care to avoid sapwood. Another thing to be avoided is that variety of walnut sonnets termed gray walnut by the trade, which usually rune to the grasish purple tints and which in very sft with large open pore. TE Ar for rank ths wd often ee nove aueet? ta the lighter colers but it sake such # quantity of ofl that it Decomes alnort Hack and the fishing proces is ecilemly prolonged. More ver tha wood does not wark well under cherking tools fuz2ing UD bradly under the cutters to that it tt almost impomible co sharpen tnd sooth up the diamonds in the proper manner and this is Tn- 4 creed by the repeated application of cil necessary to finally secure finish. Often the lightsst of American walnut (providing it fot sapweod) will finish up suficiently dark to make a truly beau fal sec. ‘From the foregoing remarks the reader will probably gather chit 1 am sonewhst partial t American walaut at compared to, the eget sande ‘and int brlily rated” see of strongest, 03 ‘most teautfully grain oi ‘whether fc grew in che Catskills or the Himalayas. This ding of spec- Tying foreign walnut because itis foreign and. not because iia & fell oak "Some of the ort beau tay ever produced bore been made of American walnut and some of the Gir end apptornce hae ben ot European lace Toa ig oot a gentral condemaation of the latter, bowever, but refers prey forthe lack of Erowledge of what one ia getting, when he orders fern reduce, T hve a Giceolay ones Soek Hank hat i on tially dark in color and the mon beautllly Sgired ple af wood T have ever seen anywhere. I have been offered $80 for this piece jn the rough blank and was not in the eat tempted: T have another Dice of American walnut of equally fine fish and which from my wa view po.ot s equally valuable although it would aot being as Auch if offered for tale.” The main object in. deciding in favor of ‘American walnut is that sf it cannot be inspected personally when svhom can be returned if unsatisfactory. 9 ‘The succesr oF failure of any stock depends quite as much on’the seasoning of the wood spon, other qualities “The derand for walnut today is auch that dealers cannot aford to keep theit sock in the log for fve or six years us required for best results, Green walout contains a sap which if not thoroughly removed will cemuse excessive warping and cracking. Prolonged air seasoaing 95 under ahelter destroys the effect of this sap. Some authorities claim thar the loge sould de soaked ip warer for the Rise fow weeks HOM ‘after cutting, to mak out a much of the sap as possible, At all pei ‘vents the wood shoul be seaoned for at least one year and prefer ably two years in the log and from two to four years after the Plaka sone and te exes sold en Below by ‘steaming i steam kiln and drying in the dry kiln, Einanig Une 30 a ele taaeen Peceema ‘of the atock blank 1 send the wood through the kiln a fra taal of 60 days. A pecaliaity of walnut which particularly valusble for gun stocky thet otce proverly ‘it is virtually immune from any warping, cither from immersion in ‘water ar by exposure to dampness or rain, All over this country there are small patches of walnut timber ‘as well as others aot so small; and fortunate indeed is the dellow who has a few fine old walnut trees on his place if he happens to be a dyed in the wool gua-crank, EieTaoedKacx} proseyubonel ene, teil for the sock he hopes fo make wone dap—or Eurype never produced finer wood then the best of our American walnut. “The man who plans abesd to ger out sce catve walnut for stocks should cut bis tre i posible five yearn before he expects to tat 206 it car, at least be purchased from a firm ia this country to 4. MODERN GUNSMITHING them, Cot with a shore stump, or better yet, grub them out well down into the roots Cut off the branche ani let the log lay in the weather for two years or possibly three, ‘Then cut off the oot at about the ground level and store the log in the oper air ‘but under shelter for another year. ft should thea be quarterawed and cur into planks three inches thick, to allow for further shrink- age. Stack these planks ia the weather for three months, thea under cover for the balance of the year, when they may be” planed and Steed up ino smi Blanks, which should thee be kiloedstey or ele Store them inside in a warm dry plice—close up under the roof of barn during a hot summer will bake out any remaining moisture. you have an entire log to select from, there's always vo cut your stock from the extreme butt, where the nual out lo bes you pe te ane wredestal Ryue pod coloring, Bye DON'T: "Too much, of « god thin. ix abet: ble—and this wood wil oever get through wapiog this way and a fe will never ecm to Beobme shoroughly diy amd there ie Hee flows de porno of eg ito hich rhe sundex and cages ‘wood may be obtained. "With the rupply disiiahing and she demand increasing, it would eemn chat a vigorous program for the planting of walnut trees in localities where they will produce the finest wood, should be in- cluded in a National plan of reforestation. ” Cuarran 9 STOCK DESIGN "THe gait gun stock was merely « handle by which the piece could be held, alter a fashion. Later, as i¢ wes learned that the best way to fire a gun was from the shoulder, the burt stock was developed somewhat along the lines seen todey. On early mates- locks and wheel locks the stock was very thick—sometimes two of to and one half inches, and was usually fluted and heavily carved on, the sides, Guns of ‘this type were exceedingly heavy and_un- tainly, and litte adapted to the use of early American huntery Sonscucdy, when the Penasyvaniacunsnith, i mrct the toque tents of the new country, developed that most famous of all arms, the Kentucky Rife, they Went to the other extreme, aking their stocks very small and very thin, often—in face, usually—writh what is now considered excestive drop. In appearance alone, the lines of the Kentucky Rifle left litte 10 desced; they were very graceful, with smooth, Tine, and posed a "snap! wholly in kerping with the spirit of the pioneers Who used them. ‘Their small sie, however, was just as tach a Miptake then as it would be today. ‘True, the very heavy barrel abvarbed most of what little recoil there was from the relatively light powder charge; yet the stocks, particularly the grip, had not suficent strength to withstand the 1 af which we have the face that in es mecrly everyone thotrs w crack fa side just back of I stews of by winding with wit while others were recited seal caresly fractures were caused by the recoil—imore likely they were the result of drop- Cteoeors fle should of it may be putin its regular line of Mont of the Kent very thia combs. The £0 Tighe recoil, but the thin comb Ap. parently the early rifleman Tiked 0 shoot aad tail over the dashboard” and a diet of corm ‘must hhave made them a heap fuller in the face today. i size, plage Gre ic is ‘hat the heavier European smoothbores of period, using Inge balls and cremendous powder charge wide, heavy butt, the plete nearly or quite straght—-aore itPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 2 the lines of ove presene shotgun but. Following the Kentuckys came the army muskets and carbines wvth larger, more. comfortable, more senble srock>—developed <3 T'renlt of the heavier caarged ey wed. The onder ge of the frock, whish was ually wqare in the Keneuckys, was now rounded Bete platy Became Ie and sehr, with the she corer "The Hencp, Winchestory, and other factory made arms then came ut with socks somewhat of a compromive between che twa. The grip was larger; the stock was considerably thicker, but, instead of the more sensible military butt plate, they used a crescent shape Sila to the early marie loaders. At thie point farms made theie first great mistake, in the development of the two-piece stock; yet it was not so great a mistake as it is today, by reason of ‘the rather light loads to which the early repeaters were adapted. Marksmanship training, as the term is known today, was then un- agen Shot dob ba ie et f hu fen were iy capable in the way of accuracy—thcy gauged it by the Phe omens! lucky sho fsterd of on a bass of wtady perforamance, St ts nome shooters wil do. Sommlow, I aor table to enthose very much atthe recital by some ali timer of whst wonderful shonting he used to do with his old| file "Tam reminded of an incident rested by one of our Toc firs, concerning s sot Re made when 2 mere tad (What & pc Be) was permited fo outgrow such proficency1), Tt seme that his Sod “Kept wore" in a amallsedement in one of the northern sets, ding a considerable trading business withthe henter and tappers of the district, As he tli the ary “One eld filer kind 0 took 4 ‘ikin’ to me—1 was just a Kid hangin’ sound the sfore—an’ Twas aluz beggin hime to lente 7 his rifle. One day he was in an’ he pointed t'ward sump'n shiny, ‘ettin’ on a stump off a pitce, and sez t’ me, ‘Son, kin you set that P- fS'Caet Yen Jor ia fer heres lion apap bucket! Wel fez, he, "EF you hin biter im ches shots the eee yourm—pervidin® her it? Well sin, I picked up thet ol rifle 8 re paver TigeeP eV yar-eould jet barely heft isan’ drawed down oa that Ter an le dee -OANGed of I dilate knock "er of che Bat pont Wel sir, You sw that ol boy's yee suck ot! He paced BPs jee a quae of 2 tale caaly from were T stad 1b toe frump!an’ be game te sie, foo, an’ I had her fer jearst Aw, Try alls © geod shot ogame pater to me—ary datdy be was neo he byt hors the coutty io hs day™an’ his caddy Dore Ein.” Why. sen fim wand off sy pace ax” ‘At this point L impolitely interrupted to inquire ss to the make, solar alte ofthe site wih which the aprup bucket wan aot ‘He didn't remember, but his studied answers t leading questions Food a alice 2°78 toled Winchatery and he nas sure f-was SiN dette | waumed Wt wan 4 840, lack powder cee idee, Noe ae 600 yards the 1730 iach Bade of a Spsngseld eat'tbou covers 2 20" tne bull; aad I couldnt help wondering ow ich ofan sight inch sprup bucket the big como unin ihe Of het '73' Widener woud bide st 440 yards, suming the ove cn we the bckee A alla hat distanctTwendered ho few tn unegored lad of his ens sould have earacd enougs of the eaery of tne rubpw lad to holdover sulicenty fr a Bi Sige rlage and how ke would Hnow wherein tine de cher was Tae valde over, Ht we the very Bree queron he evn me off thw, ely srany—you young bucks foley dono wht shot Fee owed oto Sot item day t3s whe boc we were on the subset of stack design, or at least approath- ing te “Appoveny the ‘astoriey unl very fw years ago, thot (Bh Sne aly purpore of te com wa tht t proved & tof Fading the Sock fo tip, Slamtcr at hat pont. Comin were SRST Soen ane’ ety eerved yo! usc purpoe whatever, and Tbe beter have beam futtcd—in fac he comb i emied On Se Brtsh ge Eafe and on our own Motel of 1917—ard wight just as well be on our Springfield service stock, ‘A few rears back the pistol grip was practically unknown on a wiGe bu So avarbly {bend gy ll American sborguns™cven the Snipe of hese and ye” Gradally. however we have lared 07 MODERN GUNSMITHING wart located midway between che trigger and the toe of buttplate. Many of our best hand made double guns, and practically all our ‘zapguns are today made with straight gripe; while itis the almost invariable rule that the properly made rifle stock shall have a full, starply curved grip Incsted close behind the trigger musré, "The modern, properly designed rifle stock is a thing of beauty and ‘grace and symmetry of lines: and ity beauty is only equalled by the ive and comfort with whi i, particularly if baile to 9 order, to fit the shocter. Yetmvand here's where I get scalped— ‘tock hast yet been built which really conforms 20 the physical characteristics of the human hand; and probably it never will be tule—ar least not unless and url our firearms are completly re: designed, which seers doubiful. ‘The reason for this may be under- soot from Figure 43. By claing the handy ain grasping the grip fa rifle seek, i will be chserved that the lower joint oF the fere- re BB er is in prolongation of the forearm (a, Fig, $3), and oot at a forty-five degree angle with same, whi to fasume in grasping ang stock (b, Fig. 43). ‘The exception to this is the grip of almest any auteratic istol, Here the hand is in a rnstursl, comfortable position, the forefinger in the same horizontal So Fig. 44 plane as the trigger—not reaching down to it from above as when shooting a rife, shotgun o: revelver. ‘From a strictly wtlitarien standpoint, then, our ideal stock should sume something like the shape shown at Figure #4, giving 2 cu ilar to that of the automatic pistel. With present actions this is noe pansible; and if ir were, we should soon tire of it, by reason of the angracefal lines of such a stock. A gun—any gin—hould appeal 10 the eye quite ss much as eo the hands that hold it—else why do we spend aur smoney for fine finish and decaration? Evidently, then, we must elfect « hippy compromise so thet cur stock, while following to a degree the conventianal lines we have Some! to accept as standard, yet is so dimensioned as 0 provide maximum quickness of nim, and comort ip holding ‘that a pistol grip is a highly desirable thing on a rife, and not 90 (——— teeential on the ecatter-gun—perticularly the type that’ is merely WEPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 Figure 45 shows 2 stock illustrated a year or so ago ia the Amesi- can Rifleman—the werk of a man trying to attain his ideal of prac- ticability. T have no doube this stock wes far more caraforcable and more easily held than any of our ole stand-bys; yet, without know- ing tie owner, Id ke wiling to be my dr: be law belore now die carded the ides in favor of a more conservative design. For deeply rooted in the heaet of every shooter there is a secret admiration, 1a real affection, for a gun that JooAs like a gun: the familiar lines fof old favorites thar have been our companions ia field’ and forest seill not easily be supplanted by ew and unfamiliar shapes, albeit they might prove thoraughly practiea', ‘And, happy to relate, itis wholly possible to design our stock along conventional lines, jet modify dimensions in a marner to im- prove the handling and the beauty of the arm many fold. It is Surprising whae 2 cifference little things make. An cighth of an inch in thickness or height oi soma bit of eaoff atthe butt a dight change ia piteh—a different curve in the grip—these aye Sasso tbe nts (ie ke r'tny esueke” Ooetngy have re stocks that to all appearances are identical in size and shape: yet slight differences not readily discernible will cause one to handle perfecely while the other feels slow and clumsy. STOCK NOMENCLATURE: Before going further into 2 discussion of these points, study Figure 46 if not already familiar ‘with the nomenclature of a medern po “AY is the i sock, i forend, or forestock; "FT" is the forend tip; "G" is the grip, or a4 the English stockers call it, the “hands” “PG is the pistol grip: "CO" is the comb—and the low upper surface of, grip just ahead of comb is sometimes spcken of as the "hand hole;” "C” ig the chee Bees FB the butt: "HI" isthe ee, and “T” the ee af but, =>. Ce) 208 MODERN GUNSMITHING 102 The line "S-S" represents the line of sights when set for the range ‘used mott—anually 100 yards; fom this line all drop measure: ‘meats ate made while all leagth measurements of butt stock and forend are made from center of trigger, “e.” ‘Thus, the length of sock usually refers to distance from center of forward surtace of trigger to center of outer surface of buttplate, “cs,” although this ‘ay differ from the measurements t9 heel and toe, “CH” and “eT.” Length of pistol gcip is usually measured from center of froat sur face of trigger to forward edge of grip cap “e-,” and is of far lew ‘ppoeacs, thn i eer swoon th curve of the ep i Thickness, its eros-section, and last and most important, its height ‘with relation to the bot-om line of stock, have far more to do with fhe deel and handling of the gua thaa ‘this distance from tigger ‘This will be further explained later an in chis chapter, PITCH: The line H-PI is at right sagler to the line of sight, and the distance from Pl to the toe of butt, T, determines the ‘pitch” of the stock, if any. Pitch means the distanc: of the froar sight frem the perpendicular, when both heel and toe of butt ace in a horizontal plane, ic., resting om the oor. Tf a stock has to such pitch, or as eome tay, jf the tor ie to0 short, the heel may scrike under the shoulder as the gua is brought to the fring position, delaying quick dot "14 i hat to litle itch, nang a all (a ‘when the buetplate forms a right angle with line of sight) there is 4a tendency of the butt to slip dowa on the shoulder, expecially when suooting prone. Morcover, shotgun shooters and some rifle shooters also, claim thet lack of pitch, or lengthening the toe, makes a gun shoot higher: and by this they mean that the bullet or shot charge scuallyTeaves the gun at « higher angle with relation to the Tne T cannot concur in this belieé. I see no reason why the angle fof departure would be altered the least bit regardless of how t ‘bute might be staped. This leaves us facing the alternative thecry ‘that with 2 long toe on our stock the recoil throws the muzzle high, ‘catsing ws co shoot higher—I can't believe this either, for the simple reason that eleciric spark photographs of bullets and shot charges in fight invariably prove dhat suid bullet or shoe charge is well oat cof the muszle and on its way before the muxele has rtarted to rive from.the recoil. in oeting ‘the cause, therefore, of (hia alas universally ary es that the long toe actually does cause ove to sheot higher, Thave come to thie corchaion that bard preemie of such ¢ tock agtinst the shoulder causes it to sip down, just as the beveled latch (of docr slides in when the door is pushed shut; gnd that, since 99 Per cent. of shooter "buck” their shots, ie, increase the pressure of the shoulder while pulling the trigaer, this bucking causes a alight, and entirely unnoticed elevation of the muzzle a fraction of an instant before the discharge takes place—and naturally the shot fies 103 high. I may be right or I may be wrong—am plumb wiling to be the error of my ways; but ie will take a lor of argument, and alot of provi, to cenvines me that changing the pitch of any suck ‘cvses the least change in the relation of the bere to the line of Sight—and that is what determines where the gun ix shooting, T have suid chat 99 per cent. of thooters buck their shot. Of the ther one per cent. who don't, those who are iflemen know endvgh abour stocks at 1 rule to have a pitch that Keeps the stock in place fon the shoulder and those who aye shotgun users are usually able {0 do pretty good shooting with anything that burns powder! But this argumert is heside the question, Shooters have varying opin: a to the right pitch for rife stocks, and many shotgun wers prefer ‘0 pitch, oF at lewe very Lice "The thing’ for a men to Use is ‘what he can use best—what he believes da for confidence plays 2 righty big part in the shooting game. Townsend: Whelen refers about a 3 tach pitch om hie ele and this isthe rice nf many other expert target shooters and hunters E. C. Crorsman allows he wants from 4 005 incheo, nd for offhand shooting with a hunting usa! tii amount of pitch handles better for me. But om several rifles of my fawn that I have stocked for offtand shooting, I have no idea what the plch is, having never measured it. My owa rule & ra cut the boty so shat i form a right angle with a line drawn from cencee of batt 20 a point in the forend tip level with the botiom of the barrel ctannel; in othe: words, making the batt, (b-», Figure 47) a right angie with the Center of form of the entire stock. ThisPOOR MAN*S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 gives me a definite rule to apply on my own stocks, as on batt action Files I want the forend tip about 18 inches ‘rom the trigger: others prefer ashorter forend, However, so the rule canar be made unk ‘When a man specifies the amount of pitch he wants om a stock, ‘make ita he wants it. When he lerves it up to me to ft him, { usualy follow my own rule, carrying a line from center of butt to point on Bottom of barre! 8 inches ahead of the trigger and futing the butt at right angles to ity and he crually remarks that the pitch seeme to be jurt right. A stock 20 made will deliver the recoil very nearly through its center of form, and will cling the shoulder in any of the shoceing positions like a poor relative during a hard winter. . CAST OFF: Geing back ro Figure’ 46, the sll “head-on” ‘lew of the buts illustrates what is meant by “cast stock ‘The line eg is in prolongation with the ceater of the bore—in other shifted wm the right a trifle so that its center comes on the line Ff. ‘The stock is therefore cast off, or bent to the right a distance equal to that besween these cv lines slight bend is of course un- noticeable when the stock is viewed from the side; and ent must Took elosely to see it from a top view. Bur it is there just the same. 104 and while some deny the value of caxroff and will have none of it, find, in common with many others, that it speeds up my aim con- siderably. CantofE is not necessitated by either a thick or a thin ‘comb—in fact, comb thicknes has nothing to do with it, and neither has a cheek piece, contrary to common ‘belief. But take a stock Uouer i itil Se iS ha yon ly wel rpc Yu ance gully through the aperture of he rear ighe? and you he {ute ely wo cbserve that the front sight in off to the left of where it ought to be, as much 2s a half inch or so, and a perceptable frac tion of tine ia required to give the slight twist fo the neck that Bangs i ino lies “Therefore, moving the bute a trifle (ay 1/4 inch) to che right, amounts to’ moving the front dghe about twice tine divance to the right 3 that aa 9 look through fhe aperture it's prectaly centered fast. All ths explanation prenppos the shooter is right handed—a left handed shooter would naturally revere proceedings, making fis stock bead to the Let-—"cast Oo”, tots cually called. atoll may be from 1/8 to 1/2 inch acording to the shote's build snd method of mime, Unally ib wel tn have alte more Stet at oe tha br ne the bliin the souder wher the butt sbould rest slopsy oubrand a tide on most people.” My gen call dimenions are 1/4 fach at hel and 3/8" inch at foe The bend sould sare just back of the trigger and run in a stage line to the batt, Figure 48 shows the stock blank laid out for a cast off stock, the line a-a-a being the original center line, and b-b-b the few cone to which te aetler wil wor in ghapiog up the bute GHBEK PIECES! "Nexe we come to the check pce, if one fs so be wel I prefer, and have wed for yarea chetk pice of te petten designed ane’ secommended by "Wirlen, excep hae {1 it set a trifle higher on the stock, its upper outline blending into very nearly the upper edge of the stock. Figure 49 shows the two ‘pes A elog the chee pice prefered by Whelen and B, the ene on 2 lve ore Te Scion ay ety ad tie hele queton iw prety mich a mater of pettonal preference Te det pce ‘pete thane at ora end tha 3 he rea (Se Figure 30) otterwie you wil take severe punisiment Fam Soci “When ropes dered forward, homever the rece tires the presure sighly any frm the faon, skin the stack ‘both safe and comfortable to shoot, and permitting a slightly thicker and more mugly fing comb. Figure 51 is a cross section of Sam stock with well designed check pisco—aote that it forms a straight Tine from top to bottom elge, and is not hollowed or rounded. Tt ‘may alto be perfectly straigh: from its frost to ie rear end, although| T prefer it very slightly hollowed in this direction. ‘Thus shaped, the face finds exactly the same postion every time, while with « ‘conver check piece you will find yourselé shifting abour somewhat from shot to shot. 105 Referring agsin to Figure 51 aote that the check piece dors nor add any thicknest to the comb or upper edge of stock the thicknest warts increasing, of course, immediately below this edge, and con- tinues to the botcom edge of cheek piece. ‘The cheek piece is not 20 8 MODERN GUNSMITHING Set ld Akt twat i ea eer aS eee SS ieee Rae aie eae rane ema gun without cheek piece, and with a comb that fits you perfeetly, ee es ne eget ern pret, You Nw yes wll find tht you can sip Your freGnwss brome the stock tnd Tower part of the jaw—in shore the face fs ruppored by vie sock atone point eniy sigly below the cheekbones” Now Saree gn pd rng Ip apy a le Of face aia the stacks Now the eye's nt loakicg Wroush Hah nn bat ll ach rw othe eof Shonen to shooting a stock without a check piece have developed an instinc: tive habit of cocking, the head slightly to the right—and they do this irrespective of the thicknerr of the comb, The cheek pisce merely, provides a positive and controlled method of cant hhead, thereby lessening the time required t line up the eye sights, and providing a firmer hold, ‘The forward end of ¢ cheek piece as described should fall at a he h the Mig £0, Upper Whelen—Lawer Baker ckeck plese Point from 11/4 to 2 inches back of the comb—assurming that the ‘comb is set well forward as it should be, There ie a sype of shocter, hhowerer, who “cravla” his stock, shoving his head forward almest touching the cocking piece or hammer—and for him 2 cheek piece like Figure 52 is of more value, A similar cheek piece is shown inPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 Figure 53, ths being an old Stevens Schuteen stack, on which the chetk piece i extra full and rounded out to what shoal have been the thicknes of the stock Felli they hadn't made thei bute plates se blamed narrow in those days! ‘The type shown in Figure 52 shonld have the same ctow-section formation a8 the ones previously Aserbed, it being merely extried forward. ‘A friend of mige recenly made the stcck shown in Figure 54 for 2 M. 22 Springfield, and sce it wich the keene delight. He i “stock ecuwler” in every seme of the word-—virwally wrapping his right eyebrow around the sight disk and resting hiz cheeBbone where the grip ought to be! He made this stock out of one of the ‘most beautiful picecs of burl walow: T ever hope tu see, and T'd have given a leg, almor, for the privilege of working it into one ‘of a more Christan shape; neverthelem, if this mock ‘ts him and Hanes igh lor hi, Yen Baa hie «bi for ing COMBS: Passing the cheek piece in our forward journey on the stock, we come to the comb,—and here is where the cranks yell their views the loudest, and where, in my opinion, stock makers most often fall dowe. A comb muy serve its purpose very well, and stil look like 4 lase year's bird nese. Or it may be 1s grace: fully modeled as a fapper's ankle—yet serve no more useful purpose Probably the first comb ever shaped on a scock was a happen-s0— the result of cutting aseay the wood to form « plac: to wrap the thumb round—so it was cur back plenty far encugh so that there would be no danger of interferens with the hand gtas 1 sid Hany far. Eventually, no doubt, some enterprising shooter discovered that when he slipped his hand back an inch or so, permitting. the base of the thumb to be supported by she comb, his hold was much firmer and tore steady. The properly designed stock has the comb so placed that when the grip is grasped for shooting, with the finger position on trigger, the base of thumb is sa supported. Just where ‘lace it to pet such support is the problem. Some tell us the point of the comb should be over the eeater of the pistol tay over the tear half of grip. But since the pesition of the grip may be variable, the rule jsn't a good one, Moreover, some shooters fap the slck with shumb slonz the ight side, while ethers place ir across the grip, grasping it as they would a pit andle. "The former can use 1 comb fully a half inch further forward than can the latter. ‘The type of rear sight has something ro do with the location of the coh alm. Cackingrpicce and bole sleeye sichts often extend oo far back as to interfere with the erosegrip unless the oomb i cur back a bit ‘eis dificul: to lay down a hard and fast rule for the position and thickness of the commb—the “cut and try” method being of course the most reliable when it is poeeitle, The movt reliable method L have found when a try-on of the stock is aot possible, is ro mensure src tip of forefinger to crotch of zhumb, then, project this measure- sent fem center of trigger to upper edge, (igure 35). On ay hhand this measurement is just 41/2 inches, which is the exact dit- tance from center of trigger ro point of comb on the D. C. M. Sporter—and this comb is correct for may hand. ‘Numerous fittings by this method by mail have worked out very satsfacterly Formerly, combs were made much too thin, but in recent years both shooters and stock makers have rwakened to the advantage of a good thick comb. Here again there is no set rule, and the cut and-try method is best if it eaa be followed. Tit cannot be, then the best judgment of the stocker should be aided by @ photograph of the jowner of the gun. ‘The thinne: the face the thicker the cemb should be, and vice versa, A man with 2 very thin face can use a comb 210 MODERN GUNSMITHING vp to an inch in chicknes, while the very full face will require one Dor more than 4/8 inchs Derhapa the ben average i 1/2 inch, whieh ‘rll fe almore anybody fuicly well provided the beight i right Tis acaatabe fo nuke a comb to tick, or fo highs tole actions i i slmowt impossible to make it roo bah, comb barely clearing the cocking piece of a Springfield, i will wand Hom 1'378 co 17/4 inch below the line of sae depending on of sirhte used, “The higher com ‘a preferable when ican 9¢ wor oe Parcathetially, I know a, cunsmith of forty years exzerence who, Because he cocsider 15/8 tnes too much comb drop. aces The problem to hi own eatiacton by mablog the comb, higher land cutting fe back « couple of inches 99 the belt can be withdrewat He invariably docs thin, regards of the cmtomer's specications, and all remensrancs fs in Fan. Forsy year bas eght him: how fo make a wock, a0 be supp and he ules them allo the same Sinensions throughout! "The cmb may be UNDERCUT or not,» you prefer. But wnles you or yout stockmaker are adept in shaping am artis under- cut bate take fe without. A nest, plain comb, well rounded, and Teper alge hen gesioll sling othe full wines oF Be Upper edge then qradvally swelling to the fall shsknes of the fin, le ery attractive and 10 pet cont. practical, If undercut, Sie’ overtang should ran eazy, but por gute parallel with upper elec of comb not drop downward a: sharp angle, asf doen even covrny high pred west An Gear toon nf the andre should Hod lato the surface of the stack with no perceptible angle, Tnntad of being a hart, fat cut that locks ike fe was done ith & Docker knife. "Figure 58 shows the sight and wrong way of ep- Ing up an uacereut combs Figure $7 shows the Tighe and wrong svar, fn my opinion, of shaping the drop tothe rio. Hlere, oy ce- Shere on the dea stock, sresm lines should prevail. ‘There ino fem, eth say fom rm an ne, or sold ‘top, however gradealcary tothe wallet grip diameter PISTOL GRIP: “The teller diameter of the grip should be jut ek of the tre, and Se efower nd where He paPOOR MAN?S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 ai. MODERN GUNSMITHING 10 om eo fitted, if one in used. We speak of the circumference of grip umference at all points, The specified diameter should be given ° i abou 1/2 inch back of rang, (om he ne, Fgite 37), wile f 4 the circumference juse forwar ‘comb will be slightly greater, Utne 99). The reumfernce at Sttom end. where ey fed “~~ advieely, since in the well shaped stock it cannet be the same ci An insportan: point isthe angle of bottom of grip and its ward edge. When thee surfaces form an acwe- angle like "a", Figure 60, the grip looks like something hail heen forgotten; and 4 Widely obtuse ange like "bis equally undesirable, indicating either 4 grip carried tco far back, or a tock that is too shallow fromm op of a om C8 gle behind the grips” nigh ang a aoe" eves 2 propenly shaped rip of apes vane and_ permits a should be about the same as at aca. The sides of grip should be tized grpeap. end about the rpat depth at comb about paraliel along the line c-c, except that ight swell on the =| —————_ w pat ede to fil the hollow ofthe pela b quite pecmisible, and then deiabk, Thi vara sarin of Colwig. Wusdharcne Stocks ehich pleased many shooters» tmuch. “This swell iy quire toricerble on the Springitid sporter sock of which a botiom view Shown ia Figure 38. Now we compe to the length of the siol rip, Len the ditance from conte of wieger to nearest pei of ap cap Recent de Silo fom Keadguter ere to he efet at thir distance chald So rom 31/4 to) 9/8 inches 4 inches being the extreme for the large hands. Now {ll probably rai a storm of prove with Gitcneat Chet this dimension down mean a tamed that and itn pane to ry to prove my auerton with Figure 39. Here are shown a aomber of ferent giips drawn to exact bale, and each ooo measering exactly 3 1/2 joches from eeoter of wigger “Tot item te cut with & pait of dividers, The curve Of the er, trhether an are or parabola, and the vertical ditnce of the point TE"low the cence ef tozges inte reltion wh the dit from ees ight dermis the grip fincy or ack of In Figure'S5, "Gm the grip of the B,C. M. Sporter stock as ed: while “Hi the sume crip slightly altered, bet with the ds fence, from trigget ner tncreteed. TRE curve ta oupally an Sreof acide} fb cot back in “Hl” toe parabola ey the curve in Ereaing toward he end. Ta thee the “an tried” grip Tonka bet= ter, and teem like a cleser grips Bat handling the two shows that the one at THD” aires the fine hold-—the shaper Curve ar lower tnd ging "hoot effec, while there sa algnt bur decidedly tec tndrcy fo te fan Sip dn ad ba te Fe tox wip T kuow of is one having v sight parol curye sowed the teat, wth plenty of Ranger rey jure nck of gaged the Teh fm enter of (art ee of irc t be ayn de jurtael 14 shaped _by © C, Sckan sired from 3 1/4 to 4 incies; and the vertical distance from edge 4 of grip cap to center of trigger, about 1 1/2 inches. g Foeor ia mth wi exene fie ike ome of tht. in 64 Figure 59 projecting straight downward, which form a projection ay from the stock at their coer edges The’ mont graceful gin the a ‘onc whose bottom edge just meets and forms an angle with the bot- 23) tom Tine of tock. Tf a grip cap io word it will project comething By like 1/4 inch, which is sufficient for appcarance’s sake. wh —‘ —_ & TLE ~~ L wy : ~~ —~ This depih, oF vertical distance from comb to point just back of Bp is siotherpoine where nny atcbmakcs “al dongs Top Shllow a'sock a es pont alas ent ia pep se fr bak fod viruly aces nal ch 4 Sook if at ood asia strength, at least ives the impression of flimsiness. Again, too. Great 2 depth at this point ruins the lines and makes any stock look Lie bot rhe ssp of tne of te eee eet sect wih pt gip wel fervard ms calcd ro ea aR 1 Pious wen met Mn So Sng’ a te hide 20 smh boter nha ees Pe Th ‘Ther feeb tr efor einem F ep, but pecanPOOR 4 MAN*S JAMES BOND Vol. ~~ e_ Ne Nf ne shown that it should be from 4.3/4 to 5 1/4 inches in ci My prelerence is 5 inches in American walout, ard 4 7/8 inches in hhigh grade European which usually is 2 litle’stronger and harder. In cross section I favor 4 grip of very full cval—net round, bur much ‘more nearly round than many stockers make them. The oval aut- line, Figure 61, is 5 1/2 inches in circumferenes, and an oval in these proportions seems to be about right. The grip can be roughed jour to this curling, then reduced in finishing to the desired diameter ‘withour changing the preporticns. RUTTSTOCK:. ‘The stock iromedierly back of the grip should be the same thickness as the grip. A grip bulging out {rom sides of stock looks like the devi—o wouse. ‘The bottour edge just buck ‘of grip should be full and rounded to about a half circle, and nar- rowing in a straight taper toward the toe te conform to shape of batt- plate. ‘This is just the reverse of the upper edge of stock, which is thick and full rounded at but: end, narrowing in a scraight taper toward the comb. ‘The thickness and shape of butt is controlled by the shape of the buttplate, the shape and dimensions shower in Figure 2 beng about ea i our bala, do oot coon to your i what you want, ie should ‘a fore frting, then the stock worked down co ic. The top and bottam Tines of stock should be abiolutely straight. There is no excuse ia rhyme ‘nor reason for the shadbelly curve often seen on old stocks, but now, thank the Lord, disappearing. A. very slight fullness may be per~ imimible on the sides when it is desired to guia weight, but the side surfaces should run a¢ early stralghe a» pouitle from bucrplate to grip. I may add also that thick, bulging sides on a stock do not ‘enough weight to materially reduce receil. If a buttplate of 14 the desired size and shape in not available, thickening the stock ahead 212 MODERN CUNSMITHTNG ‘of bute will add only an ounce or 30. It is area of burtplate, no: stock thickness at sides, that distributes the recoil over am area which sakes it les noviceable. Reenil in a rifle of 3006 or lene caliber Slut noe, fn my opinion, hather any ean physically capahle nf earry- ing a gun in the woodsparticularly if the stock is preperiy designed and shaped: Bue if lamer is seve wo eal ard uu be rotected from it he should use a rubber recoil pad, especially i ‘cannot get a butiplate of the proper size and dimensions us ACTION SIDES: Beginoirg at a point slightly back of he tang, the steck of a holt astion cle commences ¢ swell to accom ate the action mortices. Many leading stockers apparen‘ly try thin and flimsy they can make the stock at chs point. Tr a rifle is more easily caried if not woo thick where the han maturaly araspa ity at the poine of balance. But strength is even tooee in foreint, and right here where the magazine anc rece'ver are Ter in In the thinnest point on the stock, Tf the grain happens 0 take x slight Side turn about this paint, you can expect the steck 70 split or break almost ccttainly, swoner or later, 2am convinced hint the sexe should be at least 17/8 inches throvgin at the thickest pcint, which fas T thage them, comes 1/2 iach ahead of rear end of magazine— tay ewn are 2 inches at this point, and oval in croes section, not slab Sided.” This. applies to all bole’ actions in i feock by + famour maker whieh is point, and the sides are at as che proverbial pancake. An additional 1/8 inch of wood at exnter would hrave made x more pleating stock, wih far greater strength, andthe increase in weight would fave been tiling. "Phere i another big advantage in having a stock extra full over soe actin lines can be carted forward ins atrsighe ape, ery near straight ip of fore, andthe frend thas Sormed il TPLSinrnle Haniel instead sf the dls sliver found’ on = many FORENDS: (am tach believer inthe comperatiely ful forends yet 1 do net want iat te eapene of hanJoome lines in the balance of the ste, nor fs fe secemary to gain it thi way. ‘Thewtck store mentioned which i inhe tht oer the ragezng tapect co Th inl a focond tp and thickas a pont wets hand nme Igy te an ics 3 tw a [= Fie @ inch endorsed by Captain, Crosman and thi extra sistenth of an Eich Gould be added without apprecsbly changing the omtosr of the stock, sich, ap wil be noted from Pigure 63, 's no extreme st any poi, unl ‘esi the length ofthe frend. Tike fone foerdy Tike them longer yan jesh or c.thas rot atckers recomend che aml Length bing nine tte faces Ne fez receiver, while this one it TL 1/2 ichen. Sach a frend adds abit of weight out toward the uuzzle where itis needed to balance, the rife Laing «light barrel with comparatively eck Butte Fe'permiy the shotet to gram the forend wall forward, for beter contol of the pace Ad i evi beter lw in the ene Steck nd fealiy eliminates to a large degvee the sinay 3 Srereahy tan elt, te een x's len elev the ote Seu wae ath elev the ur thes, can carry and we a rife wrighing 8 1/4 pounds. 1 weigh 160 pouuds and am 5 fect 7 1/2 inches tall—wlich means Faarring fom yuri of ts tae Laodtin hve ane woul far; if able vo mend more time Feld wring ty ng lated of in the shop working en them. Neverthe T prefer tis‘ « Iigher‘oae—ita weight i a seal bel alter a pufing chm up ill i hoe preeots tell. Te blancs ike a spun, is Terr atid bending, and scaly fel igter and evince fae fot ‘Be han some others weighing nec pound fe ‘aiked slay down s general tle for forearm length, 1 thinkPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 213 MODERN GUNSMITHING T would make it read this way: Lee che distance from zeoeiver to / extreme tip of forend equal approximately half the barrels length, tht not in excess of a 12 1/2 inch forendprovided this dimension rermit placing the ‘ron sling swivel from 15 ey 18 faches abead of trigger" If the swivel i attached to barrel abead of forend, this potrt can of course be ignored. If it goes through the forend it wil te mecesary to have it of such a length as to permit the desired dit tance. The ewivel will look bercr it placed 2 or 2 172 inches back from tip of forend. T often wonder ff some of the gunsmiths who insist on giv very thort forends are not thinking of the extra tre Teuired 0 inlet a burrel into the longer one, and of the extra cave which must be exercised to bed the Farrel with even pressure at all pints. does greatly increase the labor, ‘and the dificulty of i and the be- fionet may well be exced for making his fread the tinanim agi whic be an han co vantage ‘cross section the forend may be any shape that rests com- fortably in the hand with a minimum tendency toward | canting, Whelen prefen a forend neatly cylindrical in of ben techies shape them sear Bt om the adn, sary | tat rounded on the borom.” My own edified pear shape ike Figure 64A—nearly fat on bottom, alight bulge on sides, and drawing. io toward barrel at" upper edger This shape should | tend gradually into lines of stock over action, and should alo taper off forward to the tp. Figure 65 shows Springfield stock which is one of the best ex- | samples T ever anw of how 4 stock abould not be designed, ‘The SIO “The grip has the “hook” | effec previouly advocated, but too much of iy and it is tao thick-— tix inches in circumference, Buerplare ia too narrow, barely 1 1/2 inch wide, and the stock sel’ ont into a gular Molly Fullbosar in the middle. ‘The side panels have no place ow a moder rife; The last point for consic A BUR The may be dane ina very of ware a shows in F ‘illustrates the shape commonly used on ingfield Sporters—practical roars cabines ane D, Me C5 scarcely ornamental; "bis the English iden of a plain forend; shows one of the several, types of snobble that Crossman haughtily refers to asa “chair leg”, and which is seen at its worst on the Savage bolt sctions and’ Model, 30 Remington at stocked by the “at is a tp of carabao (Astare buffalo) hor, ebony, ivory, or other material, and is usually shaped like the plain tip shown ac "b", although some makers shape it into a sobble i desired ‘The properly designed snobble is not so unattractive—in fact, some of the older ones seem to me particularly graceful, but it must , be adnited thet those seen in rece years merit all the critics Fig.64 Dey have tercived, “The average shooter may wonder just why such designs were made and wonder if the designe are proud gf Sem thik fe hieiy hey arene." Doubtew he reason they seve co weful purpose, spoil the line, and make the gua very for such abortions les in the mndem idea of cheap, rapid: machine Sen ihe parcel ace 6 2 Fonclsk production, "It ip reasonable to suppose that mtuch more hand crite the farted where left hand. gape fe bue 1 2/16 loch thick shaping and finishing was done on stocks formerly than is done today. Tele Videos! ot bots edges ‘Note abo; that tis coterpcsing Such graceful, well praporiened forend as dat found oe the ununith har teved Kinealfs few hours'ywork by making the upper old Winchester Single Shor rifles, for example, ceuld not have age of foread coincide with the been shaped by machinery. ‘The snobble on this forend, by the way, ejected, instead of bedding the barrel to half it dept, as it should is ideal, and can be copied on almost any stock without detracting be, ad the in Sree dee ot tee eSB aad Pure Facey wicks ne shaped in what is town as 2 copying lathe, BE same tes can 7 eee which operater onthe mae brindle a ee machine Toca o ae teat ntPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 use to cut duplicate keys. The stock blank is mounted between centers, in Tine with 2 cast iron pattern stock, and both are revolyed slowly. “A cutter wheel running at high speed is brought against bei the stock blank, and this is guided by a guide wheel bearing against the iron pattem stock. About one minute ar Tese is required to rough four a stock to shape. “The cutesr whee, being sbout six inches diameter and an iach in thickness, zhe Knives set around its periphery taking a cut at least 1/4 inch wide, ic is evident that minute det of ofock formation cannot be followed yrith such a device; hence the sock, must ere is ll formation by hand, Haring socks being cough turned, an ion of many factory models vr convince anyenc that quick Grdshing, with wininuma hand labor, has played an important part in the shage selected by the makers, rather than any thought of beauty or ublity, “Which is one more reason for making, ot having your stock made by hand. ‘TWO PIECE STOCKS: ‘Thus far our attention has been principally orntered on the more or lee conventions] porter type of Fille sock. We must now consider others designed for a special Daron, oF whote design I inited by the typeof ation tied. ‘The one piece bolt action stock was chosen for discussion first, heogum embrace prints found in ther etc and some of ides. "Two piece stocks, as required on various Tingle shot rifts, should follow prety amach the same lines lideal one piece stock. There are certain features of the actions, however, that may necesitte modifications. For example, the long nipper tang may force the stocker ro cut the comb back further thin it should be. “A straight lower tang may preclude the posibiity of using 4 pistol giip. On most single shot actions this lower tank may be bent to form a fairly good rip, but on sonic repeater imposible, due to action parts extending back into the stock, figét Fig 68 Figure 67 shows a Single Shot Winchester remodeled ior a curcomer to his own Derails job are described fully fn Chagter 30, A comparison of this with the original factory design shawn very clearly the increased beauty and improved han gles pie pl of wae and hand, workab farquahrioa falling block 8. , made in Englasd ete eng wall shaped for full pao geip. (Figure 68) American’ gunsmiths have ewakened ro the possibilities of this splendid action, and a good many of them arc being imported and fitted with American made barrels and stocks. igure 69 illustrates 2 caliber tage nie on Martini action fret designed by Mfr. Roseel Wiles. “This is an unusual stock, ard an unusual forend, but well adapted to che particular use for ‘which the gua was designed. ‘The sights, both front and reat, are emovable, and the stock is made so straighe and with comb so high tz to give the same drop dimensions when wsing telescope, es when the scope is removed and iron sights attached. The beaver-ti forend is unusally heavy and stif, with its forward section to. whic the ling b attached, forming an abutment sguins: which the crotch of the hand rents in fixing. This permits a very rigid hold ‘with righr aling, and eliminates the discomforr of the front swivel ‘nto the back of the hand. andy, beavertal forced is preferred by many trast shooters, While pomewhat shiney in appearance ie permite of wey steady hold. [a its umual “form the cross section is about like 11 Figure 70, fat on the bottom and flaring very full on the sides. Gite often such t forend is made wider at the aed cod ta the normal hand grip. =U think the forend, regardless of fe type, shoul oa hs tp TS Bethe ree tat i lle 214 NODERN GUNSMITHING variably exert some backward pull on the forend; and the firmer teddy posible when the and has an increased thine of weod it 10 pull aguiost. Sec also Figure 64D. ie. ‘Most of the light 22 calther repeaters ave very poorly stocked; snd While their actions place a good many Iimitations in the way of the stock designer, itis neverthelew possible to greatly improve their handling qualities: A longer stock with lacger buttplate; les drop at heel; a higher and thicker comb; a pistol grip ifthe action ermits: ands thicker, better shaped. and powibly longer forend. srl fen make uch a arm handle Tk ea gon ited of ‘The 99 model Seyage ts another that may be restocked to gpd advanage ""Figre TH stn x seca job enone of these Hey which resulted in at lease 1009 improvement in ies handling. A higher comb i the thing most needed on thi rife es tumed oat by the thy factory, with «hiker gp larger butte, and larger fred mextin order of iarperam SHOTGUN STOCKS: Thos far I have sid litle about saoteun sons, Fitting in the ok acton of a double gon. Sher ices isa job beyond the seh of snp amateur workman os bal Cede experions end opeed few ste Yat sone owileraton of the cuenta pants shotzon ft wil toffee am hangs gn ted 9 oder or whe fra ‘Size wn ppereiny l enaly ao hs lays ng cafes f baa an exert ore fhe horgon Toe ihe hy Hake deat ered Hee sine Seeping, othe wat oy Ms progress far more soy th te wo Micstock and become itsone, I Bare my ova Mews en the sje ocho ork del and ehh Tel he fr starrer thy tay be worth andy rads steed othe more omprenesive views of Chere Asking Pacl H. Jesing EC. Grommany and others as exrened in thelr vaiowe Beaks and fe surre marae wiles yoy ‘The shotgun stock should invariably be longer and straighter than the rifle stock; and the gun intended for use at the taps both longer and straighter than for feld use. Shorgun shooters are as a rule, somewhat superstitions in their beliefs as to the way their guns perform. A straight stock with «high coinb will not make the gun itself shoot onc bit higher} but {x will mate the owner shoot if higher, by forcing his eye higher above ‘the rib, which. arscunts to eh same Pine oe rain Tea sabe Moa ah edo sor staal mathe charge ie out of Se Bene ‘usualy causes the shooter to believe itis responsible for wild shots. ‘uo ts eviggers placed an nich ox more anare, the double gum ‘gust always, be stocked ong compromise, T thoroughly concur in Charles. Askins! beef thar the left bervel should be the more open bored of the two, 10, that the rear trigger will be fired frst 90 per cent. of one's shooting will be sinalcs, the stock which is dimensioned from the rear trigger ax a stucting yoint can be given ‘4 more comfortable shape for 90 per cent. of one’s shooting. When the front trigger is ured for the first shot—which is to say, for most fof the shots taken, the sloping rear portion of the guard often punishes the sccond finger severely, and & habit of flinching develope. ‘Despite the usual practice of stocker, there is no goed reason for making the grip of 2 shotgun so thin and fragile thae it is emily brotea. ‘The shotgun grip should be comfortably handfili ume 49.4 rifle grip, and it should be a full oval in cross section, not diamond shaped, 18 many foreign stockers make it. “The comb is set much further back on mort shotguns than is necer- sary—no reason that I know of why it should not be of some we ‘at in supporting the thumb, the same as on a rifle stock. True. the shotgun fs handled more suickly, 29 2 rule, than is the rife;—all the ‘more reason why it should be fitted #0 perfectly that the same hold would become automatic.POOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 Shooters argue a lot over the value of a pistol ip on a shotgun. What most makers call a pistol grip fs nothing more than = pi about the ceater of the stocks bottom edge. As to provide a rteadier ISTE seri dos es Bu i re dan fall ol ese toour ideal rifle grip. it ia the proper relation to one of the triggers it will be largely useless when we are using the other trigger- For this reason itis penerally conceded that the straight grin ie pref= ‘erable on double cun: while giving more racy lines to the stock, also permits 2 cuick shift from one trigger to the other, without altering the feel of she grip “When using a gua fitted with single trigger, or a sincle barrel trap gun, pump gun, oF automatic, the pistol grip can, if desired, be ‘worked out 40 28 %0 be of eeal use—and my personel preference Ie for much a grip. + peore postion, Uopers Fig. 71. A model a a i 2 3 14 ‘The shotgun stock may well be provided with 1 check piece—it is quite a8 useful at it is on a rifle; and the same applies co castol. ‘With a shocgua the pointing is almost entirely instinctive, many shooters claiming they never see the front sight when shacting 2 fame! and x reaoable amount of cateff i almost invaiably a bie Ip. In face, tore catteff is usually permissible than on rift A light 16 bore of mine with a 14 inch stock has 1/2 inch cestoff, fand ia the best pointer [ ever had in my hands "Many shotgun stocks are made with "knife-edge” combs—alwars ‘a serious mistake. ‘The comb need not be so thick as tm make the stock appear clumsy, but x comfortable thickness not only reduces the punishment from recoil, but encourages speedier, more accurate aim. Often the shotgun stock will be mad: with the sare drop for sexely the same drop, at heel and comb—this is a feature pre- 215 MODERN GUNSMITHING ie @ ferred by a number of shooters after years of experimenting with stocks, ‘dlaiea that auch nes speed up the aim and prevent ver or undershooting, since the aiming eye is held at the same rela- tive height above the rib, no causter where the stock may be checked. “The man with a long neck or very sloping shoulders, however, finds that such a stock Brings the butt too high on his shoulder 10 the solution for him is a Mont: Carlo comb, a5 shown in Figure 72. This gives all the advantage of a high, level comb, yer permits the necessary heel drop to bring the butt smugly into the hollow of the shoulder. "We hear so much about the high comb and its desirability on both rife and shotgun, that the man designing his first stock may well heed 4 word of wwaming on this point. Theoretically the periect comb is one which when the cheek is preseed quite hard ageinst i ‘with the cheekbone resting snugly on the top edge, the right eye 125OR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 be looking though the Line of sights. I once stocked rifle in this ‘manner and took it to the range for testing After half a dozen shots T was quite ready to sacrifice some of this ultra perfect stock fit for 2 bit of comfort—the punishment my cheek bone took from that comb was equivalent to a first clase slugging, and the spot te- ‘mained sore and bruised for a week afterward. Such a ft may well 126 the sought an the very light caliber rifler—but not on a big game rifle or a shotgun, FREAK STOCKS. Numerouy “freak” stocks have been built foc shooters having seine physical deformity or impairment, and serve their intended purpose admirably. igure 73 shows a few such gun "A" isan Tehaca stock designed for a right handed shooter ‘who, through impairment of vision, rust shoot with the left eye; the comb is cut away to permit of laying the face well acrove the stock, "B" i the Holland ard Holland. “Crost Eyed” gun to fll the same need. A job of this sort is necessarily more expensive thin the cut-away stock of the Ithaca. since the stock wood must be selected with a natural bend to give it suficient strength, end the ‘Eee: Ze crar porion of the action it bute with a bend to the right. “C shows the Rigby One-Arm Gun, developed. prinally ay 4_reult af the World. War. As one han has to-do all te Wark, it wan necesary to ive a arp at the best point of balance. Tit necen {ated carsying the rigger mechani well forward) of the breech, rvith corsequent shortening uf the stock beciwse of ce longer arm track ile Cigger ln ental andy connected tothe te fon by means of steel rads, while 2 thumb operated safety i placed om the right co lef side of grin, acerding wo whether the ight ot lete hand remeies. Since but ne hand i avaible to Fold Oe tan gunst seco, shock springs have been inserted in the bute stk, and being held in ine with light metal pistons the reco is cea shri wh scimum duane af Shotgun sheorery are graduellycaraing” from the small forend to the larger, hand/illis = Sail peelereed on the favorite type being shown in Figure 74. This forend not only protects the hand from the heat of the barrels, but also gives better control of the arm, and at the sume time protects the fish of the Ee barrels irom wear’ where the hand grasps them in shooting, The large round forend which is standard on pump guns ix very good, but is too short for many shooters, necessitating. an uncomfortably long reach with the leit arm. ‘To overcome this objection a type own the “trap-gur Trend hasbeen designed, and can be had an Remington, and peshaps other pump guns at's nominal addi tioaal charge. ' This forend is illustrated in Figure 75, As 4 closing injunction to the beginner in the field of gunsmithing, —and perhaps t others who are not beginners, I wish to. quote ex: cerpts from an article discovered ia a printers’ book of type speci rent; while refesring originally ro typography, the advice ie gives ‘may'so aptly apply to the feld of gun design also, chat I have theught i womh reproducing, deleting only (oe telereces to the eriginal subject: ‘Phe best kind of ovigloalay fe thar which comes after a sound ay peentcehip; that wich tball prove to be the blending of em coocepiea 216 MODERN GUNSMITHING of ll wefal precedent and the progremive tetdencicy of an able mind. For, let'n man be as able aod original a be tay, he cannot aford 0 cecard nowiedge of what han gone before or what it now going ea in bin own trade oc profenion. * * °° “All those concerned in what are accepted 4 the Sine arty, the learaed sciences, and professions, urtound shemmelves wih the history the Ti fed concrete examples uf the work with wie diey may be parcaleely pases "Act does not Rourish in hldéen places, nor under reseral gmornsce of what talect and genio bave stcompliahed and are cow ac arughooe the ld to follow precedent wisely doot ome great exerplar, but 10 sey all the imauers faldfully, leeing their great achievement sik mind io order shat we may patieally derive from the riches of our ae ‘uired tnowledge and organised ater. a stitude of our owe rightly minded young maa, wha wih his Brat basinew bresth prox Jc the new and suaing, Inevcaly become tiresome, and is driven (© an ‘arly deappearancn; while the slower, mors solidly exdeyred student jog mistakes ay fa evelving to dazsle bis contemporario.” ‘complishi Lh hap 1 re ei Se mile, it ora wt te et et lt ce Sy lire al SL Pe aca, and smut be determined by trying out guns until the right fit i found. The following tables give dimensions which will handle Pa om A tg hae i svemcn sore eter nasnoneee congo tages oe ote et eee Pecan ip gas i Hee al Sr Sah as ih: iS ie ah aoe Gk Be bupelancg dca orcad a: is of tute plete es neat a sas Bech i Pye anode wie Nore: Thee aie eocrege di ooiers ideal A sieve arched vil Bt anes. sny sons fry wel, md teat of tear ets fee, for ether ofhaed or prone shcocng. {a he ideal sock beth the ‘Mlcktes and width of butlate rowld be iserensd-Sighthy—oe formet we finches andthe Incr fo 3/4 sothen Fr olbead Wecting salcely the eel dog might be increased tod ot 4 2/3 inchen and for prone seotng euiely eight be decreased to 2 4/4 oF 3 t/a facie AVERAGE BUTT STOCK DIMENSIONS—SHOTGUN Laney tof to gg emo a pesos : ty aa " wn a kare point af exp cap as Drop io frome edge of grip ray below cece Pe pth of bu plate of recll pad Me * Wide of oa a tikes niis * Bich of ant ve ahs These also are average dimensions, out will come very close to fitsing the grearese majority for all round shooting. Stock thickness and grip circumference should be reduced somewhat on light, small Bore'guns, and increased a tide gn Reavy trap and wildfow! guns Charren 10 STOCKMAKING: LAYING OUT AND INLETTING |AVING selected and procured a piece of wood suitable for a Fra col died aS ory decree gt fo ren tog fat the nbc of nenaly Sekng 3 Heo weesPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 By reason of the many types of stock necessitated by various ac- tions ir plainly fimpoasble to give in one, or even several chapters, detailed instructions for stocking every gun in existence. Our efforts therefore, must be confined to general instructions applying to the principal types commonly used, namely, the one-piece bolt action Elork, the two-piece stock in which buttstock and forend are Separated by the aetion, and the shorgun stock, whict is also in two pieces. Examples of the firse amed are found in. the Springfield, the Biausers, the 54 Winchester, 52, 56 and 57, Winchester, Model 40 Remingeon, the Newton, the Ress, Model ‘17 Enfield, ‘Bfodels 19 and 23 Savage, the Russian, the Kiag, and in fact most military arms. The ancient and honorable 45-70 Springfield comes in this lass although not a Bolt action, a5 do many old arms including all the muzzle loaders, bath rifle and shotgu Tr the second class we find all of the lever action ifle—the Winchesters, Marling, Savages, Remingtons—the trombone ot pump ctiens in all standard giakes, and the Winchester, Remington and Browning autu-loaders. ‘Shotjuns, whether single or double barceled, or of the purr, lever, of eutomatic persuasion, invariably have the stock and forend fe with the single exception of the muzzle loaders, which have one-piece stocks. ONE PIECE STOCKS: Since the greatest majority of amateurs are interested ia making a sporting stock for a military bolt sction ‘ve wll sare with this types and we will ilustrat= on the Springfield, since that is, and with good Teaoa, the most popular of all bole actions a Figure 76 shows the complete barrel, restive and action ly ofa Springfield withou: the stock. Study it. Set it up om the bench jn front of you and familiarize ourself w im the receiver, formation, Note carefully the concave and convex sur faces—semembering that wherever 2 portion of the metal has been hellowed, the wood of the stock at that point will be rounded out to fil it. In inlerting the stock you are simply carving out a reverse atsembl Me 10 impression of the metal parts of she gun, The barre! and receiver Ste grid ath te, wile the wk oe seve oh Now sud, cry corfully, Figures 77 and 78, In Figure 77, A thows the sction euros on 2 Springfield service stock, cut out n'a routing euchine in afew aint B stows a suck blank Itleted for the same ection by hand, requiring severel Bours earful ilbor Nete particularly che dfference in the two from end of tang {0 ear of magarive mortee. In the machinemade stock contours ae Tinted tothe scope of caitten, while nthe hand Sate oh he ee mating "Sal te word uly the sted moved thereby greatly incressing the stcegth, Tad abe Helping to abot vieationg when the gun i Bred. Note articuarlp thevexten wood left st "2" ta B. Figure 77. Thin fl {p the hollows cat undemesth the targ’on either side. Nowe also the cuts "band “'c" in B, Figure 77. These fr ico the portion Under rear of receiver which holds the trigger mechanism. Note the Uferencr in method of bedding the rear ef tang in the two socks the hard-fted ob supporting the metal at all pines, while only ewe or three ewetial point are tapparted by wood in the service stk. 217 | icing, | Now mote that there i clearance back | Shove 1/16 inch—this to make sure that there is qothing to prevent She recil shoulder on receiver from seting back ight againa the Jrapered portion of the tang. MODERN GUNSMITHING BI At the point "din B, Figure 77, note how the wood extends further forward to bear hard against the recoil lug on under side of the Thus, in the hand inletted stock, the receiver has firm the wood at points J" while inthe rnachi ing is at the recoil [ug and tear of tang—two pointe of suppor: against recoll compered with seven Now stacy Eiguee 78. This shows a sectional view of the rwo stocks, one inlettel by land, the o:her en a routing machine. “The fierce inthe aunt of wood ein de ck a ke weak points shows very clearly, indicating the extra margin of strength fo be expecred of 2 hand made stock. Now set your barrel and receiver in the machine made stock. Probably you will ‘ind tat you can move it backward and forward from 1/32 t0 1/16 inch. This tolerance is necessary by reason of the inaccuracy of machine ‘and the slight variations which occur both in stocks and ac~ tion: for in quantity production, any action must fit into any stock. ‘See the magazine into position and cighten up the guard screws, ‘of the tear end of tang of ‘wood, [n our hand fitted stock—aseuming that the : done, this Gap behind the tang is pot necessary. For it will be readily 132 understood that the thrust of the blunt, round end of the tang against the wood has litte if any tendency to split the grip. The rraion trip splits under recoil is usvally due to incorrect fitting, of the there is reasonable clearance lundementh, the tang acts a8 a wedge, and being unsupporred a its Tear, it comes right on back. At its upper edge the tang may be ‘reed quite clove te the wood—the clearance should be down insi¢e where it doen't show. With the wedging effect thus eliminated, the tang supported against rear thrust at the end, and albo at the points “a.” "oy" and “c,” in Figure 77, there can'be no movement Of the action in the stock to star: a split. It's the same principle fs driving a mail in a board. ‘Try to pres the sil in with the ‘hammer, using all your weight and strength, and you will make ro headway; but when you fring the hammer on it, i is quickly driven in with moderately light blows. ‘The amount of wood routed out on the inside of «, mechine made stock necessitates the use of stock screws to give added strength. In ‘2 band made stock of normal dimensions these are never needed, ex: Cept for omagnum cartridges having very heavy recoil—asuming of course that the stock {sof sound, hard wood, in A, Figure 77, agains: which the lug is 2 trifle wider than the front end of the magazine mortice, consequently, ar its extreme fouter edges this lug is well supported by solid wood extending clear Back along the sides. Certainly the wood is not going zo give way ‘at thete points. But in the center of this shoulder id Svood for only about an inch, reaching to the magazine oo: ‘Look again at the point recoil lug dears. ‘The recess for thiPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 Evidently, then, heavy pressure againse the recoil lug recess in the center will break out this wood. So, if we ft the lug into perfect ‘contac: clear across its surface, then relieve the center by taking ‘off a Tight cut, the back thrust is taken up by the solid wood at the sides apd esi no enue athe center to enue a break. "Thus wwe can well eliminate the unsightly stock screw at this point, and itis not even necessary to insert a piece of metal on the inside. More often than not the cutting required to ft such a recoil ‘weakens the stock, w! lief chat ir has serengzhened it. Recoil plates and stock screws can- not tate the place of perfect hand fitting, with the removal of 3s little wood as possible, Note the point “f." at the rear end of the recess whi medates the projection on right side of receiver, Hi often overlooked which may easily develop into a “spl be fitted quite close on the side, but where it curves in at the rear, there must be a little clearance,” Not much is needed—the thickness fg alert ot paper is saficent. but prewure hese ue be relieved Now take your service stock and turn it over, studying the maga: ‘tine and guard mortices from the under side. “The magazine, being Geel Ch Scenes Geis ist wider at its rear end has no tendency to split the stock under recoil 4m the fitting may be quite close at the sides. But, the rounded Somers of the sear of auagazine, and the inner corners where the guard joins it, ("a" and "D,” Figure 79) can develop decided split: fing tendencies unless the woud is relieved at these points. ‘We have dwelt at some length on this analysis of the Springfield 218 MODERN GUNSMITHING sock mortice, to show the reader how co stuly the requiremenss of an action, the danger points, and where stock relief must occu A similar analysis of other stocks will not be necessary; sti¢y your accion carefully and locate every point to be supported and every: point to be relieved. ‘They will be atlf eviden: once the principles ‘ie understood. LAYING OUT: Now we are seady to start actual work. To provide an accurats outline of the magazine and guerd you. will require a templet, which is made az follows: ‘Take the orginal stock and rub 2 mixture of lampblack and oil around the edges of the mortice; then press a sheet of stiff white paper firmly over :t snd rub the paper down smoothly with the fingers, Remove it and you -vill have a fairly clesr outline of the cuts. Carefully trim this out tnd paste the paper teraplet on a strip cf brass or tin, then file it te shape. Locate the censet of the guard screw bules at each and drill very small hole at these points—just large endu 0 that a small brad can be imerted, Now try this templet in criginal stock, note the inaccuracies, and carefully file where accessary is will enter the mortice easily. Taen go round the edges an! fully fle templet about 1/6¢ inch smaller all round. Clamp the stock blank upside down in the vise, and with the rrarkiog gauge mark a center line along its entire lower edge, thea ‘arry this line round both ends and continue slong the eative top cele. top edge should of course have bien prcviously planed to a straight line, aad if the blank happens to be warped, it should be straightened in planer or jointer, otherwise the center line will not be straight, Tf you expect to provide the stack with a cheek piece, the line may be run off center to the right, to allow the maximum thickness of swood for check piece. Ir should not, however, be lest than inch fro ight ie Now, with the stock held as in Figure 80, place your magezine templet in position, 90 that the center line of stock shows through the amall hole in each end of templet. Fasten in place with a brad driven through each hele, and mark carefully round templet with ‘sharp awl or scriber. Before removing templet, retrace the scribed Ting with 2 sharp peinted pencil to show it more clearly. ‘The rear fend of temple: should be located in relation to the pistol ip 30 that grip is about 1/4 inch forward of where you want it in the finished stock—this to give you a Kittle working leeway. Remove the templet, and ‘up until the nexe job. Wich toy muare mark line acronthe stack at each cf the brad Hole Eontinue the forward line up bath sides of the stock, squaring trom top edge. Lay the blank along side the original stock, aad with try square ane sharp pencil mark cross Tinea where each shoulder appears ia the original. Now set the blank straight up ia the vie and with a 7/8 inch augur bit bore a string of holes through. the portion where the magazine is to be let in If this is your first Jab, better use 2 3/4 inch it te play sufe—it just means 2 bit more chisel work, but ie is safer, in case the bit shculd run a trife side ways. Bore vntil only the point of bit comes through the woes,POOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 and then finish from the other side. If the point is missing the Geng line you can center i fom the other sit, and poss avid INLETTING: Ar the forward end, where the brad hol the templet was driven in, dill clear through with a 1/2 inch augur bit, centering the spur in'the brad hole. Now take a steel straight cege or suler, ands very sharp, thin bladed knife, and cut down Aeeply along all che straight lines, turning the point of knife a trifle toward the enter, and using care not to enlarge your outline. Use 21/8 inch Number 9 or 10 Addis chisel fer cutting the round corners of the magazine mortice, and 4 3/8 inch Number 8, 9, or 10 for cutting around the extreme ends. (See Chapter 3). Make these cuts of the outline about 1/8 inch deep thea remove the wood by croesuting witha vey fallow gouge, ech as 8 1/16 inch 136 Numbe: $ of 6 Addis Chisel. Figure 81 shows the method of eros cutting from center toward each side, to avoid any splitting or tear— ing, mo matter how curly or crose-grained the wood, All is ccuts are much more easly made across the gral must be kepe very sharp, so as to really cut, and not merely rouge” oF Meat.” This cos evting Laven a ridge in the center hich & removed with 21/2 inch fat chisel at first, and later, as the cuts are deepened, the bottoming tools described in Chapter 4 ‘will come into wee, ‘They are especially necessary in the end next the grip, wiiere the chisels cannot be held at the proper angle. Having remeved the wood t0 x depth of 1/8 inch or s0 inside the outline, the next sep fs to let in the magezine. Use a wide, very Slightly curved chive! for thie, A 7/8 inch or i inch Number 3 oF - v 219 MODERN GUNSMITHING 4 Addie Chisel is almost indispensable for this work. If you have nothing bur'a plain earpentsrs chisel, che, cating edge should be ground and whetted to a slight curve. Push the chisel seraight ‘through nel the sides are straightened up and the magazine will start to enter. "Now ctat the entire surface of magazine and under fide of guard with Iampblack and oil, using a stifi bristle brash tnd applying the thinnest possible coat, Try the guard, forcing it in as far a8 possible without driving it. The black smudges will show ‘you the high spots which must be taken off. ‘Trim them slowly and Carefully, always acrose the gvain, and always with a very slightlv ‘curved chisel rather than a perfecty fat one. Reclacken the maya- tine and try it after every few cuts, and as it approaches its fl Seat, take the lightest posible cuts to avoid Ieaving gaps. When fully seated the outer surface of guard will be pethaps 1/8 inch below the surie of the woad-— the blank soe be sficenly TMPORTANT: When firing the portions must be tight sgaiast the wood. This he wood ench time ie is tried. So long as it can be seated with rmndette pressure, do net Heep cutting avay the wood 2t te sil for wide, unsightly gape will rs femove enly the wood where ie actially prevents the parts entering. it proceeds with the machine cuty in the original stock. Many paints will be noted where you can leave in extra wood, providing additional support to the sel, Work slowly fand fe as closely a8 possible at all points, particularly where the ‘Wood and steel join at the outer edges, where gaps will be mest Umsightly, “Be sure the, maguzine gees in s ther side, Tf the thickness of the blank fad uch iow she ease, he sure word holds eine the outside. Use a wide, slightly hollow chisel for this, Rest ion the sara of guard tn anu tovac, te ie snot bri ‘until ready to shape up the stock. 138 All of this work with the chisels bax been done by merely pushing the teol with the hands. The only place where a hammer or mallet tray be needed is for cutting straight down through the wood at cither end. ‘The commonly accepted method of “‘chiseling"—strik- fing the chiel with blows of a hammer or mallet—has no, place in stock making, Hold handle of chisel in right hand and push it ‘with a firm, steady motion, making short, light cuts, Rese the left ‘west or fefearm on the work, and use the first and second fingers of leit hand to guide the chisel point, resting the fingers firmly on blade, but without heavy pressure. "The guard and magazine should be fitted sufciently tight that a soart blow with heel of hand i nended to seat it t> its depth, To remove it, hook the forefinger in the guard and tap the wood around it with 2 hammer. Eventually you will fre: it up a it to a lightly looser ft—ut leave it tight for the present. Having inlezted the guard and magazine, the barrel and receiver come next, The easiest way, and the most practical way in large Shope, is to have the barrel oar of the receiver, and fit the receiver ‘alone fist. However, since the majority of seaderg will desire ro Ft the two together, we shall consider that method fist It will be remembered that when fitting in the guard we bored 1/2 inch hele clear through the blenk at front end of guard— this to accommicdate the projection through which the front guard screw pasess, Probably this bole had 0 be trimmed out a bit with the chisel as the guard was bedded. ‘Secure 2 piece of izon or mild steel rod just large enough to slip through front guard screw hole, and thread ont end for a half inch ap that ie may be serowed into guard srt ole in forward ‘Clamp the blank in the vise right side up, and with magazine and guard fitted in snugly. Insert this red, previously screwed into feceiver, from the top down through guard screw hole in guard. ‘Thus the pares are held in theie proper relation to each other, while the guard’ and barrel rest upon the top edge of stock blank, with only the recoil lug and the rearward projections on undemide of rectiver touching the wood. Mark around these with a pencil, and rough out the wood beneath them with a hollow chisel or gouPOOR MAN*S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 slways Keeping the outlines smaller than the parts being fitted. Again ough out some wood, until the barrel and receiver are setled, = lee way into the blagk, making sure that both barrel and receiver tang are centered on center line of stock. Now remove barrel and receiver, and coat underside a all points with the lampblack and il. Settle back into place in the Seock—always leaving the red ‘crewed into receiver to guide it to exact location; press down firmly, sinters whee Bick sot ae lee Chr evar he ‘wood thee pine, selecting the chisel thet fin best, and eutting scrom fhe erie whecver pole. Ore 9 9/16 inc, Nunber Ais h out the barrel chennel—this will of course ave fo be cut wit the gra, Cae Tight ap to the outlier until the barrel is resting down tightly against the ed Keep working out the receiver mortce atthe same time, so tha sembly is kepe level az it settles. When the barrel bedded shout 1/8 inch leer than half of ie diameter, you nmy outline i Carefully—end the teciver slao—with a very sharp eeriber or point Of a knife. Be sure to turn the point alighely award, keeping the ‘nlines a bie narrower than the parts, Now remove barrel and fecever, and work out the barrel channel the full width of the autlie, carefully cutting to the exact center of the knife or scrber Tine, Study the grain of the wood constantly, so 3 not to cut apni it, posibly splintering or tearing beyord the lines, Use a ‘Beall ste teyaquart, or any pioce of ated having a right angle comer, t0 gauge the depth of he channel. Figure 82 dlustrates the method of depth-gauging half sound grooves known to all pattern makers. With the biade and ead vesting om the edge, the comer ‘vil just touch the bottom ef groove when the right depth is reached moreover, when the groove is troe snd round, the corner of equate swil touch at any poine on the inner surface (",” Figure 82) ‘Avtemplet like Figure 268. (Chapter 4) may be conveniently sed for gauging the depth of receiver cut at iis extreme. fromt cel, Th eate gf she tram beng one all gf's FT toch i clear down at once st you have a “ar many of the other cats Now, having cut the barrel channel out to a true half circle, you are ready for the final fitting. ‘The chanael will be slightly narrower than the barrel, due to the scriber point having been turned slightly inward when the outliae was marked, ‘Thus the barrel i resting no: quite half its depth in the channel, Work away the edges with exreme care, taking off the thinnest shaving imaginable, at the same time working oot wood as needed in the receiver mortice ly, the barrel will be resting on, che bottom of channel, fs not tented to quite half its depth, because cur original outlines swere a bit narrower than the barrel. ‘The wide, nensly fat chisel ‘bow comes into play—and for this use it is worth its weight in 40 gold, ‘This may be a 7/8 of 1 inch Number 3 or 4 Addis, or it may be 1 common | inch socket firmer chisel uch #9 carpenters se, with the end ground to a very slight curve. Hold ie as shown in Figure 83, and searzing at the extreme edge, cut toward and slightly past the center of bottom of channel, meanthile zocking the handle outward as indicated by dotted arrow. ‘The cuts thus made should bbe very shallow, overlapping each other slightly, and scarcely more than scraping off the surface, ‘The chisel must be honed and stropped ‘unr se will shave the hair from the back of your hard. (See 10 strugtions for sharpening and care of chisels ia Chapter 7) Come the baurel wich lampblack and ry ig frequently. When the channel is opened up #2 that you get black smudges on bottom and both edges, remove no more wood from the ed tight against the barrel from now on—and deepen channe! onl the center until the entire surface of channel from edge shows the impression of the lamptlack. ‘Toward the lacr the final deepening may be done, and the tool 220 cep them shops MODERN GUNSMITHING marks removed with No, 1/2 sand or garnet paper wrapped about A road ik, Ena cae mn be ered ett i te md paper against the a stroke or twe will leave uply gaps ll the while you bave bem thus bedding che Barc, you. fare abo been cutting sway wood in the receiver mortice as indicated ‘at the same tine. When the barrel is down early, hall eter, you can remove the red rich sree ite the rege, and tut ter dhe sort ward und sre Bet thio vey op anual each time ou £7 the barrel for fit, using the serew to draw the reediver and magazine together. A litte later, when alimost, bur not quite the fall depth tas been reached, drill the hole for the rear guard screw. Th cat be ery ety fobs or avy lille, sessing to the way you go about i The recelver tang, being “blind” on the upper side, the first thing i to locate the center of the hole Gear dere of tang ther icky with ley and pres ie hard againse the wood, leasing the screw hole outlined thereon fn black." Center this carefully with di neh the center. If you have « lathe, put a 60° center chuck a drill the same size asthe guard-screw bushing in the hea stock; on under side of stock blank mart the position of rear guard screw hole with awl or serber, and center it with dividers. Now hold! the blank between the Tathe center and drill poet, 0 th the center in talbstack of lathe is presing into the punch «ark top of stock, and the dril) point into mark ia under side. Run the lithe slowly, using, the handfeed on tail-sack to force the ‘wood sexinst thr drill until you feel drill mest the point of the dead enter. “Remove, and Gish the hole with handdvil. , Thus, che tole is absolutely lined up to ‘wth sew Hole in guard and tang. This i particularly difieule when using a brace or ML sill on the “b'zves and blgosh" system, aa the screw takes a very slight angle forward, which is hard to control. If necessary to dri} ie By hand without guides, dell from both sides using a drill smaller than te sequited hole, and finishing it out to size with a small rat tail fle. If the shop maies a good mary stocks, the drilling jig. described ine Chapter 4 will be found indipenenble, for drilling for guard- strews, stock-screws, snd many other purposes. ‘With bre guard cre inplaceard et up igh, you ca oe jut how much more cutting, muse be done in Imagine and ure aed recves are uly excl, toe oper edges of magazine shoulé just touch the bottom of receiver, with lip at rear of magazice seated smoothly in place against rear end of magezine cut in receiver, Usually it will be found necessary t9 inlet the magazine a trie deeper to bring it to final position, but ths shoul ot be done nil Lael and sive are satel to fall depth,—half the diameter of the barrel, The projecting inf of reever where cutoff located mvt be carefaly Atted— iis recess being considerably deeper than it la i the service eock. ‘Keep the upper edge of stock on left side in a straight Tine from ‘but forend tip m extreme cear of cutofi—this looks much better than to slope it off at front end of receiver, as many factory stocks are made.” Erea up she bearing surfaces in receiver mortce, 20 there is no rock or wobble at any point. Now, when you think everything i fully sented, set the mused screws up tightly, and look at the tip of forend, Quite likely there will be a gup of a sixteenth inch under the barrel at this point. Sandpaper Tight'y the entire inside of barrel channel and recciver arty to clean i un hen cat paral nd reer agin lamb ‘seat carefully, drawing vp the tcrews again. Note the points near breach of barrel and-froot end. of receiver which must be cat down a trifle more. Work theme down until pressure there is very light, and quite firm at tip of forend as indicated by the black smudges. The inside work on the stock i then fivshed cxcent for a very light drewing out along the alls and at rear oP ugaing cree prewar, . re 84 shows a stripped reesiver being inleted without che barr u's mc eit fed ae tin he rover sos and ‘doing a considerable amount of stocking on any one model ‘of gun should have a spare receiver kept for this purpose. Whea the receiver is fully inleted, then the barrel and receiver together are put in place, the forward end of zeceiver being taised and the bare resting on the wood. The barrel ir gradually bedded byPCOR MAN*S JAMES BOND Vol, 4 cutting out the wood from receiver forward, all work in barrel channel being done in the same manner as already described. ‘This method of fest inletting the receiver without the barrel can be adopted bythe ran who i having a special bare eed to receiver, After the receiver is inletted it is sent to the bartel maker, then, when returned with the new barrel Fitted, the latter is bedded in the stock a3 deseribed. ‘The foregoing ingeructions apply to what may be termed fully bedded barrels. This method is usually followed on high grade cvstom buile hunting rifles ‘The point of greatest preseure between bertel and forend should be at the bottom of ferend tip, but light pressure should be maintained at all points. The upper edges should be tight against the barrel, with equal presnure on both sices, ‘This method js quite satisfactory unless the condition of the wood makes it likely that the forend may sometime warp and develop undue pressure against one side of barrel—and if the barrel is of the pipe em variety, the point of ieapace will be changed thereby. “This may unvally be guarded against in very light barrels by the A ering, ‘The barrel is bedded tight 3s above described, then the wood. is shaved out all round except at the upper cages ara she ip of fore, co chat there about 1/16 inch clearance at all points bur these. ‘These points are then relieved by lightly sandpapering until they are just clear of the that a sheer of thin paper may be slipped between barrel and forend. ‘This much clearance is scarcely noticeable, cod allows for slight warping of the wood due to atmorpherie conditions, dampnem, et “Examples of the full floating barrel are found ia many military rifles—the Springlield service rifle, the Lee Enfield, Ross, and per 13 hays others. Here the barrel is left entitely free from the wood, touching nowhere. ‘The handguard and forend are bound together by ewo of more bands, and the barrel has clearance of at least, 1/32 ach all round at the quscle, I believe Captain Crossmaa’s old favorite target ‘Springield by Wandhammer is stocked in, this manner—the band encircling toth forend and handguard, and the tareel entirely free from contact with the wood. ‘Having successfully inletted one or more Springfield stocks, the beginner will have acquired experience enabling him to do a good job fon any bolt action ‘The essentials are the same in any case, wish a few minor differences which will be briedy discussed. ‘On the Mauser, the rear guard screw usvally sets in from the top of the receiver tang, and is at right angles to the bore, making i nomewhat easler fo bore the hole for this screw than. the Spx eld. ‘The Mauser, moreover, has fewer projections and izregul ties on the receiver than almost any other, and is somewhat more tasily inleteed for that reason. The receiver teng is narrower and more capecing, moreover its rear end does not enter the wood 4: 0 deeply, which increases the danger of ics aplitting the etack. When stocking any Mauser having more recoil than the .30-06, or weighing less than 7 3/4 pounds, its advisable eo use at least one stock sezew, placing it in such posit that the recoil lug of receiver bears 221 MODERN GUNSMITHING directly against the serew. The ends of stock screws may be cor- cesled, if desired, by she methods dexsibed elsewhere. (Page 143)- “The S$ Winchester is quite similar to the Springfield, bur the receiver is simpler in outline, The square portion on under side Fung in a straight line from tang to barrel ving, making very simple mortice. The magazine is separate from the guard, fing tightly into the receiver. It shoulé be driven cut and the barrel and receiver may if desired be inleted before the magazine cutis mide, ‘The guard and floor plate being sparate from magazine, may be used as a templet for itelf, Afeer receiver is inletted, bose tnd cut out the magazine mortice from the top aide, chen the maga ge may be driven back into recive. "The Model 30° Remington, sloag with it daddy, the Model 17 Enfield is considerably more complicated. than either the Spring- Feld, Mauser or Winchester, when it comes to inletting. ‘There are 0 special instructions, however —simply etedy the original stock ‘Bortion carefully, and follow the rule to remove as lite wood as posable, giving maximum suppore wherever you can. "The various 22 calter bolt actions, such as the 52, 56 and S7 Winchester, and the Sevage Models 1919 and "23. sporter sevies, age all quite simple, sioce the receiver is practically cylindrical the Savage receiver being merely a contincation of the barrel, the whole sembly being bedded in a half round groovs in top of stock. ‘On thee rifles the barel and receiver may also be inlested fist, then the gard sere holes and smapesine well are focated and ext from the top, after which the guard is ficed. On che Winchester there isle in the side of sack oves the gazing, though which ‘the magazine catch operates. This hale should be located by carc- fully measuring the distance from bottom edge of stock to ite center, and the distance back from front end of receiver. Bore this ole Undersize, then work it our carefully with sharp ramtail fle and hollow chisel until the magazine catch bushing nut will just it snugly. The Model 5 Ross also has a receiver nearly cylindrical, and is very easy to inlet, the barrel and receiver being inletted firsc, then the guard, after the magazine has been removed ftom it, will form a self-templet like that of the 34 Winchester. “The guard screws cused to draw the parts together as the inletting procesds. “Phe peculiar construction of the Krag necessitates certain changes in the usual procedure, The first cut to make before doing anv- thing dae is the rectangular stoess for the magezine. Tay your blank. with the left side up on the bench; lay the original steck on top of it, and outline thie recess with a sharp pencil. Saw and chip out the wood, Keeping about 1/4 inch inside this outline, then with hisels carefully enlarge the recess until che magazine will start in Spetting frequcntly with lampblack as previously described, gradually srerk cat ences ood and le the snagaine in deeper, ane. eo dnd barrel ate reting on upper surface of stock: Now mark your ‘outlines all round, tuming the pencil point well in rough out sur plus wood, then continue sporting and fitting slowly and carefull {nal all parts are fully seated, studying the shape in the origina ly. "The Krag has vo recoil Tag, the square rear end of magazine acting in tht capacity. It is important therefor, eo keep the aod Sarg fall here ane At ie up tightly agsint the back of magazine. Fac guarbacrew holes ere Ieested. from the ineide by coating under ade cf recover thickly with lampblack, and éeiling in th ‘imter of the fampresions thus eft. Lay the guard in posiuon ov e'hoten urline with 2 Enile point, cut the outliner and remove exces wood, and craw in the guard as hiting proceeds by tightening ‘tp the guard screws. athe G2 mmm, Ruin is one ofthe meanest of alto fale, The Jocge narow guard and. magusine is very easily thrown, out of iB gdh sane ofthe nis itil co ate woes Make a templet fos it by taking a paper impresion of the Ba ecch, as deserted for the Springied, These templew should te ade forall jobs where che magazine and guard are in one piece, fice the Springteld, Mauser, srey but ate not necosary on gun having the guard and magacine separate, As a general rule, all ators of the Mauter type should have the magazine inltted Hirst, Sal'on others, with guard and teagazine separate, the barvel and fecviver should come Fart. 1s CONCEALING STOCK SCREWS: ‘When it is necessary toPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 ‘use stock screws as a safeguard against splitting from recoil, or when petting in bare in tiring’ broken atic or fr Any Other fasony te sere may be consaled oy inayig, pe of ood, Irony bakes, acme toonpy or ether asteral Tie inlay fit Cut tnd fled fo the shape desires danond, cil, cty and fa edges slightly beveled on the under side. If the inlay is used to cover stock screws, the screws should be cut short enough so both Se sre show 1/8 inch belo the surface ofthe wood. “Tbe ilsy then bed over the ole and ts cui sacked out with sha cle" Gur che sulincsdeper wit thin bladed, very try chad, and carcfully trim our the wood. Press the inlay into place, noting where the edges must be trimmed to fit. When finally fitted, ce- ‘ment in place with Du Pont Cement, and hold in place for 48 hours Sr clamping in'a vise Use a pee of felt er act leather to prevent breaking, and be sure the inlays are held flat against bottom of reseacey These ‘nays should by made thicker oan revel, then Find snd ofa hen tect cr way of Maing ectewhesdy wich iy known 10 exert cabinn makes ists follows: Before dling the oon hele, ke a thin and very sharp fat ‘1/2 inch wide, and after ‘the surface of wood to soften it, cut a shaving about 1/16 inch thick tr 3/¢ inch log, ening one end atacied. Wer oe stam ie having sot may be tarped back oat ‘f the way thoet breaking off thes. bre he hile ind set the acre atthe deed pois Hot tlie or cement fs now applied and the having gid atk fn lace with a piece of blotting paper over it, and firmly clamped. en ‘Belgie i har, sand the opt stooth'and clean, andthe cat wat made with a sharp tool which did not bruise the edges, it will te ana brought them together to the proper ff, take 2 sharp penell and tart oor the tigger cu trom the epeeog in botcee #f river Ball throogh witha smal dil or augur iy making severe bole: a requted, then eat out the space Between them with « 1/4 iach ‘disc lllowing, the Wines of the cus athe original stock, ut ietving in wood’ wherever you think you can-"Now Gt dhe elgzer, sect oer all an he ee andy hee sa the trigger mechanism wits Iampblack and ol, and the spots ‘where more weod must be cut out will be deady indiated, Ree place he cute or bolt release, 1 i was previouly stepped from Fl hl fo ct be dee ae wnt fe. en jou are eatisied that the job of aleting i complete—that cach part is fed aa perfecly as aay be, and when the bole and ‘techs nares work fet he rie ready for ka fret aboot ia.” “SHOOTIN: IN" THE STOCK: "Tighten up the guard screws. Tf your Siting is rghe hey should se up very ghly die 46 to pressure of the wood, before stopped by the bottom of holes in the receiver. Wick a litte practice one can learn to tell when the screws are in their Full depth. If being stopped by the points rouch- ing the botrom of the bole, ie is well to grind off abour one thread, Wipreve litle mow ckeep br efit Havog au ed Shy lee ef ut tid ae, fn le ere the nei or won't abject, twenty or thirty af tt Toads you ‘ever use through it, holding the butt against ‘solid such as a tree or stump. If the stock is ever going tool hom weiner sc you wint (tty fo v0 ow, lot any more precious hours have been expended on it—so give it the works. Split it if you can. "Fie stick vice fed, guceflly through shi orddl, amd yu tnaions gang Lora alcoerd a erlcsts ef faly Eig, you are now ready to shape it up. This is ane of the bright spots Te uociers aevkar ordid cdtesce Now you can ae Jour ‘work begin to take shape under the toole—you really feel thar same- of ing accomplished, and your dreams of « stock “ust for stock that fis you,t9a frog bar is about to be realized. (Cuarran 11 STOCKMAKING: SHAPING AND FINISHING JN sharing up 2 stock A tke to start at the fread and_ work Wiehe on bag. ‘Tha & a good & play a2 say to describe te method of ATEACHING A POREND TIP, so well begin with 222 MODERN GUNSMITHING that, Figure 85 shows the blank with tip of buflalo horn, ivory, ebony or what have you, clamped into place with the homemade Clamp described in Chapter 4, while Figure §6 shows how the tip was pre pared elore fitting. “Make the dowel of a piece of 3/8 inch hardwood dowel rod cut about 2 1/4 inches long. This plug sandal 10 2 smooth, soug, but not tight ft in the hole ia bbe drilled with a rwist drill to a depth of depending, on the length of the born.” ‘The fon about slightly to rab the Eltck span the ond, then remove and note the spot of contact fully with a medium cut Gile, again coat the susie. Continue unl thee ie periecy Coatact ofthe no atiface—horn and Woodall pestn Ex'gone forms of glued Joram: ire permisable To have peri coo: tact only at the outer edges.” Not wo in this caxe—‘or the reavon thas edge Kany eft wher the oer rice oor end wll be: “Absolutely perecs contact over the entire surface is what wre recuire bere, and nothing cle will do. ‘Wie the wood and howh are Sted together thee it 00 gap anywhere, wipe off the lnmpblack and serape the hora co remove very bit of al or greme, Also scrape the end of the woed clean. Dall bans ladlested hich wil bea gic B for ve no pony tala Keap the holes in fairy clot to the dowel, 9 there wil be mo pombiliyef cating into the milf dresung down the tps Drive the al into the horn, cut of the herds and sharpen the projecting ends with 2 fle. ‘Thee sold be about 1/2 to 378 inca long. Fe the Up into place on forend and mark where the poins of nails etike the wned, and Gal ewo Boles mo they will ener ead. "Now male tp come white flake glue and let i simmer at just below Bolling ‘Remove tae dowel fom the bora ead apply glu inte Se and in the dowel hele en co of dowel with the Now for THE SHAPING. | The only tcol you will use for a awhile will be the halfround cabinee_rasp, which should be 12 inches long for convenience in handling. Clear the bench of all other toolsPOOR MAN*S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 sither oval or fat—using the round side of the ra to rough off she surplus wood, then the fet side for the final shaping. Allow about 1/16 inch extra thickness all over for fniahing. Now turn the ‘tock top edge up, and with a sharp black penell draw a line from the upper edge you have established over the magazine, forward 10 the edge established at the forend tip, using a straightedge. (Seo Figure 87) Clamp the stock sideways in the vise again, and rasp the forend down to this Tine, working across the grain always, and sain he ware upper eda, to avon alivesing. For the present regardles of ita final shape, Ieave the bottom of forend very much ‘wider than the top. Werk down both sides of forend in this man- ner, thea turn stock bottom edge up in vise, clamping it about the vip portion, ‘The criginal center Line you marked on the stock blank stil shows. Blacken it with a lead pencil to bring it out clearly. ‘Draw lines in the same direction bus cleser together at the tip of forgnd, ‘the taper, then rough of the wood fo these lines, ‘The forené may now be rounded up and shaped Tine of the points, and when ie does aot do 50, you may know that someone har ertee in He calcalatons, There’ are exceptions, of ‘ourse, ss when a design aint be worked out to conform en some pecalar tock formation, when it i permisble to cue a border at En angle different from that Of the checking lines. ‘The very best English shotguns all have the points of the deaign formed by the checking lines themselves, nd a perfect peint design shus formed is the most expensive of all to prodvee. A 7W GHRCEING PATTERNS 7 Nevertheless we have come to consider the various curved border in lempblack, to which a very little turpentine bas been added, trams designs as the most ornate and representing the highest quality; so ferring the dotted outline onto the wood. there is no objection to the beginner selecting such a design, as he Before laying out any pattern on the forend, first draw a center ‘wil’ do mich better wih it, and be prouéer of his reals than if lie in pencl, and take all measurements from tis live. Then Wevattempted diamond-polnt ard failed to do it correctly. And lay on the ead patern if one in wied, and casser the ouline. if successful it is not necessary that he explain all this. ele the = Tee fiesta] ‘carefully, mearuring, at all points ‘the center line with dividers 0 on bath siden. itt pes and ling deine, sow ete should prove bey ek ep he dice & fotend to aide Let or 4 ul in choosing » design, or at leat in giving the ampiring checker ext ianible 2 desi ‘starting point from which to work out aa origieal dedgn for hier plied] pemmetele ret eee tell. Fail sie oudine paterro should be vacles, as the varying Shen ands of grin tnd frend donot lend heels a standard size or shape. Some of the end curves, fleurdels, and each side, and if artistically worked. cur they are very attractive. eae eS eae e a eT es ec ay aaa aerate Sign worked out from them. To transfer a denen, first trace it litle thinking that the citbon was worked in to separate the omher- from the page on fair'y heavy tracing paper; then with a sign wise loag lines, thus making the job much eisicr, and helping to paar “pouae wheel” (snr 9» dremmaber' “tracing whe!” revnt misc, Ie a we guramith who recogni the lit ‘much smaller) the outline on the paper is periorated. This is Of his ability! then called the “pounce pattern." Fo ute, lay it on the wood in 1 would strongly recommend that the beginner's frst forend job ‘correct position, and rub it over with a small wad of cotton dipped should have the checking thus separated up the center. Cutting a perfect line from one side clear acros t0 the other tasks one’s sbi 176 Sw the west ad whe you may ane had lag of i or of practice on the scrap piecrs, remember this is a stock you're aboutPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. 4 1» work on, and you can't aford co spi it. Keeping. perfectly Fight even spacing ffm one side of 4 dew rounded forend © the other is nota jobto be undertaken facttiowly, nor without uh prger and mediation Flaving the design marked out cacefuly on che forendy which wrangle wl pla gh et, ind eo aver thn gine very xray eutog & very Mtl tas the wood’ Now deve on te shape damon: fou want Tt you decide on "5 tr Ior weny, proeelw flloys! Blensure off 1172 \nskes from the cad of dexph snd sake a mark on enter line, Now ‘Bake # maréeneach ie of cote ine at end, ad one afc aay from fe Conact these pnts with two lines which wil cross each ofr Sie coet sagt ie dimende 3 tine meng ao Set NNow devise on the width of your spacing, making use of the experince guned onthe wrap pect Berer not undertake to make top anal diamonds on th fe Job,_The practice work ay have ted Jou to have confidence in jours, bv fee bea to cr po haces “Good 18 point cheking is peterabe wy poor 2 pat diamonds, CHECKING THE FOREND: Select che line spacer prot wing, and sare aff cxaaly a4 you did om the sevpm Bet Cutting the two guide lines you have ruled off, then going back 10 Se fic on ad linge ene ‘sxt with paral ee run ‘ing in one direction. Again—do not try to cut there lines deeply Just a fant scratch the firs: time over: then, the other side of spac Tunning in this scratch as a guide will deepen is, while scratching acother Lne; again, the second line will be deepened while the third one io scratched, so that when the space i filled each line has received two light cits—and this is enough. Brush off the dust alter each line is cut, and always use a lite linseed ofl on the brush. ‘When all the lies are cut one way, start in at the second guide ‘and cat them all the other way. Should you find the spacer filing out and “wide spacing” or “narrow spacing” at anytime, frp iomediacely.” With « fine file carefully work off che lines at this poiat; rub smooth with fine sandpaper, and go over and correct the spacing. Nothing so mars a job of checking as extra or “duteh- ‘man’ rows running part way scrass the design, and tapering off Jota nothingness. "They. are absolutely inexcustble, and_ ao elt- respecting stocker would turn out a job with them, evea if he had to make 4 cew stock. Hers is another reason for making the spacing lines very light—mistakes may be corrected without materially af fecting the shape of stock. ‘Start the lines as close t0 the border Tine 23 posible without actually touching it with heel of tool. ‘The finish ends can be brougit Lup close to the opposite border line-—acrunily ouching it, if one it careful, withoue running over it. ‘Thea go back from the other ‘ide and nish the frst end up aginst its Korder line. “The lines having been evenly spaced in both directions, they are then deepened with the Vetool, working carefully up against the border lie, or rather the outline, at each end of cut. Use the V-tool ‘with light pressure, just 28 you did in retracing the old chec design. Do not try to fish the lines to full depth in one di ‘cst you will simply obliterate the cre Lines, ad itis imposible space thm corey ser the Bt lines are cut deeply. Keep going over the lines, frst one set, then the other, gradually deepening both sets until the diamends’ are nearly sharp. Then Finish with the bent file as already desciibed, ‘Gerting into very small corners, short curves and angles is dificult with the spacer as well 5 with the V-tool. Do not try to work too Tar into rach spaces, or you will run over the outlines and spoil the Wark in as close as you can conveniently by tipping the tool Slightly rowacd its point, then, make the rest of lines with the fle, at there will be only four or five suck Lines and they will be very short Iris often best fo omit this comer work until the diamonds have ‘been entirely completed. Then take care of them with the file when touching up. an ; ‘Having checked the entire design, g9 round the entire outline with the spacer, the inside of tool ridiag ia the light outline fist made, find the outer teeth cutting a second line. Use the cutter thus 00 SV srtght sections and you haze ie well pou can Use it on the wider curves. Do not try to run it around very short curves, how- cevez, bur use the point of the bent file, and space it carefully by 232 MODERN GUNSMITHING ‘ge Now deepen both these outlines with the V-tool along straight ‘eetions and wide curves. On narrow curves, se the small veining ‘hiel mentioned in Chapter 3. This double border line should be about the same depth asthe diamonds, and spaced the came. Fancy triple border lines are out of placs on curved designs, 2s the three-cat border tool will not fellow the curees, A single cutline in til beter tas, bur should net be ettempted until you have had consider- able experitace. The double lie f recommended as being neat and iss help in hiding any small marks where the tool has run’ over the firse outline, Tnapect the checking carefully, couching up the lines at ends ‘with the fle, and deepening slightly where necessary. Finally give the checking’ good scouring, with stif brush and plenty of laseed ‘il Then wipe off sll the oi brash vith a clean brush, polish up found the cdges with the handoand there you are CHECKING THE GRIP. Now for the grip. Select a design to harmonize with the forend design, and if posible make pounce pattern for the end shape. ‘Te mune pattern Can be sed on both Aesot gn by farming the patern over Fie, raw ener le AWB, Figure 95, following the curve of the grip. Lay our the proper divtance vo form the dessed taped ciamonds on this ine, Just at you did on centerline of forend, Cat the ewe guidelines i the ate ‘aking the outline of design and cuvting it he : aos ea spacing lines an before, working on both de Tines until the space & filled, then’ deepen these lines in layne ose pene te chctng shod ‘ ‘out a erp design, the checking should not run too far under bottom of grip, for bere you get into dificult: You are cutting on an inside curve here—a mighty difficult thing to de,— tnd the les you have off, the beter you wil get along. ‘Draw a ‘zmter line oo bottom of grip, from rear of guard to grip cap, and. foriyour int job, beter et he checking step 3/8 iach from ths centerline, enving a 3/4 ick stip unchecked. When the second tine i et hi wil be reduced in width to nearly 1/2 ine, which Sm Gin she eckng roo te ch ream." Oe ny ave a ernie checking all over bottom of grip—but try and dott There no objection to crow scoring the pa this Doing but it really not necewary. Good sharp and attractive ing on sides is enough for mont uf un afte one atempe the ‘Some of the best and mose expensive stocks now have the checking txtend across the top of grip back of the tang, This is an excellent idea for the shooter who places bis thumb across the grip, but is aot necessary fer those who shoot with thumb along the aide. If the tip isco be checked clear across, plan yous design with this in mind. ‘There are very dew cases where one eat 30 plan to cut angles on each side 0 that the lines can be continued clear across. Uf you start from tne side and run on over te the other, the diamonds on that side are almost sure te point in a cifferent dizection, Quite likely they will run at right angles co the grip instead of the loag way. The safe plac is to score a very light line from center of tang, back toward center of comb, and work the checking fram each ede stopping at this Line. Or, the design of each side may stop short of the upper surface, on which a small separate design is used. This methed tliminates the break in he line of diamonds at center of grip POINT DESIGNS. ‘If you do aot favor the curved outline pat- terns, and decide to tackle a diamond-point design, frse lay out your center line as described, then locate the desired position for the first ‘two points on one end; space them at such a distance from each side of the center line thar when connected with it they will give you the Aesired shaped diamonds. Now starting at these points, cut the fest