Ask the Gunsmith

So it seems that talking about guns isn't verboten, so...

I'm a gunsmith, and for several years I wrote for many of the popular gun magazines. So if you have a question, I'll give it my best shot. It's the least I can do, because I'm the guy always asking questions and everyone else is always helping me, this is how I can help back.

I'm mostly a pistolsmith, but I've worked on everything from machineguns, to flintlocks, to shotguns. And I'm a very experienced reloader and bullet caster.

So if you have a question, I'll give it a whirl and I won't BS about things I know nothing about...If I don't know the answer, I'll just say I don't know.

Kevin

I was just talking to a family member about a hour ago about finding a gunsmith and asking how hard it would be to work on the trigger in my Remington 7400. I like one to be less pull/lighter to pull.

The 7400 shares essentially the same trigger fire control group as the Remington 870/1100/7600, etc.

Many of the internal parts of that trigger group are stamped parts (the hammer is investment cast IIR), so while it can be cleaned up to be made more crisp, it really can't be made light and still remain safe. About 4lbs and crisp would be the best you can do.

yeah it just seems to be a longer pull then the 742 Woodmaster that my dad has had for years. But it could just be me as I have been shooting a Smith Corona 03-A3.

Han! Have a remington 710 30-06. It has acceptable accuracy at 100 yards but not much past that. Using plain remington ammo in it. Is the issue the gun or ammo or something else?

Shooter?

That doesn’t give me much to go on. If it’s doing its job at 100 yards then it will do its job at 200 yards; the questions is, are you doing the job?

First thing I would recommend is check your scope rings and mounts to ensure they are all tight.

Generally speaking (there are oodles of variables), but groups at 200 yards should be roughly twice the size at 100 yards. Your 710 should shoot under 2” at 100 yards from if you’re doing your job and shooting from a rest. If it’s not doing that, then either your bench technique is insufficient, or it could be gun, ammo, or both. Remington ammunition tends to be quite accurate, but you could try another brand/load. If it’s still bad, then there’s a quick easy way to see if the issue is related to barrel bedding. Slip a piece of cardboard/folded paper under the very tip of the forend of your stock, in-between your barrel and the forend. You want enough that it’s applying pressure. If groups tighten up, then your rifle has some bedding issues. If your groups begin to string vertically, then chances are your bedding is okay. If the groups do tighten up, you can build up a spot on the end of the forend to apply pressure for a more permanent fix. Skinny sporter barrels often like a little forend pressure to dampen wild vibrations. Everyone thinks all barrels ought to be free floated, and in a perfect world, that would be true. But not every barrel shoots best when free floated, some will have some metal fatigue from the rifling process, and when you cut the outside of that barrel down to a really skinny sporter barrel, then it doesn’t want to shoot well when free-floated. So give the forend tip thing a try.

Very difficult to diagnose a rifle’s accuracy problems over the internet with nothing more than “it doesn’t shoot well”.

Thanks Han. I'll try those tips. was not sure if the path should be try and work with it or get something else. My son has a Mossberg 30-06 that outshoots my 710, and cost about the same money new.

both guns seem to have a light barrel, only a few shots and it really heats up, have been waiting for it to cool back down, is that a good plan or un necessary?

Am using a Caldwell Lead Sled, and the Mossberg sends much smaller groups with the same remington ammo.

Looked into new scope and rings, that is exactly what the store i bought the gun from suggested. Only reason for hesitation on that is they suggested a leupold scope and conetrol rings, which cost more than the whole gun did. Pretty serious purchase.

Edit on rereading your reply, i see you said check scope rings for tightness, not necessarily replace, yes they are tight, torqued them down as tight as i dare and used lock tite.

Thanks for your time appreciate it.

neither one should ever need the attention of a gunsmith. have you looked at the other gun threads going on here? "tactical pistol" and "i love this gun."

if you shot the LC9 and fell in love with it, buy it. there a plenty of other reasons to go with the glock. it's a well tested and proven design. tons of holsters, magazines, and parts available everywhere.

the LC9 is subcompact, and the 19 is considered a compact, so i'm not sure what the intended use is.

Where did you learn your trade, Han?

I have a feeling this will be a very active thread.

Scopes failing on a .30-06 really isn't all that common, even with the cheap scopes. Sometimes when they fail it's very subtle. The thing that fails is the erector tube inside the scope. Eventually every scope will fail but modern scopes are pretty tough on up to .30-06. When you start getting larger guns that's when scopes start to fail. To truly check a scope you need a comparator (a bore sighting device) to check the reticle movement. So it's unlikely a new scope will give you any different results.

The use of a lead sled does help the bench technique, so you're probably doing the shooting job right. Try the cardboard/paper thing and see if it's the bedding; I'm betting that's what your problem is.

Both are excellent pistols, there are things I like about the Ruger and things I like about the Glock. On trigger cocking pistols (which are what all the Glock-ish pistols are), I do like an external thumb safety. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they're unsafe, just less safe. Anything gets inside that trigger guard during holstering and that gun will go off. There were times where I carried a Glock when I did bodyguard work and I was very happy with it.

As pointed out, the G19 is a compact and the LC9 is a sub-compact so they're really not in the same category. I don't have much use for sub-compact 9mm pistols because most will still require the use of a holster. In my world I consider holster guns, and pocket guns. So if it is too big to be a pocket gun (and it depends on the size of your pocket) then it needs to go into a hip holster. And when it goes to a hip holster, if you choose world class gunleather, it's just as easy to conceal a full sized pistol as it is to conceal a sub-compact (I'm talking inside the waistband holsters here, very much my preference). If you're going to wear a gun outside the waistband then the sub-compact does have some merit. But here's the thing, if you just take the time to get used to an IWB holster, then you can have the comforting feeling of having a full sized pistol when things go bad. And let's not forget why we carry a pistol, not because they're comfortable, but because they're comforting.

So FOR ME, if I had a choice between those two pistols, I'd take the Glock 19 and stuff it in a Milt Sparks Nexus or Versa Max II holster and consider that my concealed carry needs are met.

THE HARD WAY. I was an apprentice in my late teens and early 20's until I got moderately self sufficient. Then I learned everything else working on my own guns; that was expensive because you DO make mistakes.

My first job was working for a large small arms importer (similar to Century Arms, but bigger). We imported surplus arms from all over the world, including machineguns. So I had some incredible opportunities there. Then in the late '80's & early '90's I worked for a gentleman who was famous in the world of building PPC revolvers and custom tuning Colt's DA revolvers.

Over the past 10 years I've made friends with a gentleman who spent 8 years at Purdey's of London. So I've learned double guns from him and some other guys who are just as talented. Working on doubles is a lot of fun.

These days I primarily build custom pistols, 1911's and my specialty; Browning Hi Powers. But I'm pretty versatile, there's very little I can't do; but there's a good deal I don't necessarily want to do.

So if it's just hunting, then any of the common bullet mold makers will have a sufficient bullet mold. Me personally, I really like the 170 grain flat points as a hunting bullet because that flat meplat gives you more cross section for better tissue destruction. If you're an experienced bullet caster, you can even make the bullet out of two different alloys which allows the nose to expand and the shank to remain nice and solid...that takes some figuring out, but once you get it, it's a dynamite bullet. Used a 170 grain two metal flat point out of a Lee mold from a .30-30 to kill a black bear once, bullet performance was really good; I was quite happy. So now you just choose the bullet that floats your boat. I've had luck with bullet molds made of everything (bronze, cast iron, aluminum, etc.). Each has their own little idiosyncrasies that you have to learn, and once you get used to the mold, they'll produce good bullets.

I'd recommend sizing only 1 thou over the bore size to start and don't go over 4 thou.

A lot of people will tell you to start using the harder lubes when you go to rifle bullets, but personally may favorite lube works best at rifle velocities. (Moly-Lube either from Lyman, or make your own from 50% moly grease and 50% wax...initially I used bee's wax, but found parafin works just as well and is much cheaper)

Find a Lyman cast bullet book and you will find several very suitable loads.

As for use in your rifle. If your alloy is right then you really shouldn't experience any difficulties to the gas system. Lead can build up in the gas port, but if you follow the guidelines in the Lyman book, you shouldn't have that problem. In rare occasions you may have to take your gas piston out and clean the port, but do things right and you won't even have to do that.

The Lyman book is excellent and there's a LOT of good information in there. Read it, re-read it and then get to work.

Ok, I have a question.

I want a cheap take-down .22 rifle for target and squirrel. I thought of taking a Cricket, taking off the stock with the single bolt that holds it on, and making a simple mount that screws into the same hole for a folding wire-stock, so I can shove the whole thing into a smaller pack for hiking.

My reading of the laws surrounding "assault rifle" definitions have me scratching my head over whether this would be allowed, since the folded dimensions would be shorter than the 26 inches overall.

Any advice?

OP, thanks for starting this indeed!!
No questions now, but I'm subscribing!

Smithy, check on the Ruger 10/22 take down, I don't think there is a .22 more customizeable than the 10/22.

$$

I'm staying cheap, and for my purposes, prefer bolt-action.

It's not an "assault rifle" thing, it's an 1934 NFA thing, the definition of rifle vs. pistol. Yeah you'll be in trouble if the folded dimension is under 26". So just limit how much the stock folds or just use the existing stock and take it out of the stock for transport.

Have you considered the Stevens Favorite model 30? Savage started making them again around 2003 but I think they have discontinued them again. They are about 4.5 lbs and the barrel comes right off and the two halves go into a two pocket "case" that comes with the rifle. These are really nice little rifles.

If it has to be bolt action, then pretty much any bolt action can be re-made into what you're looking for.

For me personally my squirrel gun is a handgun; I like the challenge. I can head shot all the way out to 35 yards if I'm in the zone. My favorite squirrel gun is my S&W K22 Model 617 4". Or my Kimber .22lr conversion unit on one of my 1911's. Either will shoot minute of squirrel noggin out to 50 yards.