c/gunsmiths

Thinking back to filing sights by hand in my early days

We didn't have digital readouts, just eyes and feel. It took longer, but the fit was perfect. How do you balance old skills with new tech?

My coffee spill taught me to ALWAYS degrease before bluing.

Clean metal is KEY for a perfect finish.

Fitting a new stock to a vintage rifle took ages, and it's still off by a hair.

Just bedded my first rifle and saw a big accuracy boost, but now I'm caught in the pillar versus full bedding debate.

In my experience, the full bedding method worked well for this small win, but some folks swear by pillars for better stress handling, so what's your take?

My tool pegboard setup failed when a heavy vise fell off.

The anchors pulled out of the drywall. Any tips for securing heavy gear to walls?

Driving cross-country for a rare part was a whole trip back then.

You'd stop at every small town shop and hear stories from old timers. Now I just order it online and wait for the mail.

Vent: My mentor's old barrel crowning method left me covered in grease...

Now I just use a lathe and save the mess.

Struggled with rust removal but a buddy's offhand comment saved the day

Had this antique shotgun covered in surface rust, and nothing I tried was working. My friend who does woodworking mentioned using vinegar for rust on tools. Gave it a shot on a small spot, and it came right off. Now I use it all the time for light rust jobs. Saved me hours of scrubbing and cash on special products.