A Gun In The Works: How many of you have to have a project gun?

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SharpsDressedMan

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It seems that it isn't too long after I customize or have a project gun to work on, that I am on the lookout for another. It is not an excuse to hoard or buy another gun, but has more to do with my creative side. Something a little different; something unique to my tastes, etc. Anyone else have this quirk; this gun tinkering, creative thing?
 
Yeah, like most I go through project guns. Sometimes as simple as reconditioning some lumber or sometimes re barreling and creating a whole new rifle. Currently have Remington 700 action (with a screwed bolt) that was a custom 6mm PPC I built years ago. Eventually I'll get to that rifle and make something out of it. :)

Ron
 
Personally, the project guns just happen to find me – not the other way around. And even odder than that, the project guns I’m working on DIDN’T start out that way! There were perfectly fine the way they were, and I decided to go tinkering. Once that happens, there is NO going back. I find myself going down this path:

“Oh, I’ll just put some new springs in it. Well now that that’s done, I should probably get a new pair of grips – I mean, the old ones are already off, right? And I wonder if I could buy a shorter barrel for it so I can CCW it…or a LONGER barrel for bench-rest shooting! I should probably get it re-bored to a higher caliber in case I ever get a chance to hunt Cape Buffalo. I wonder how much a Fancy AAA stock would cost?” And, of course, it only continues to spiral out of control from there.

All that said, a work-in-progress is just one more reason to wake up in the morning. It may never be finished (especial when you through in all the side projects on other guns), but there’s something American about always making something better, and not being happy until it’s done juuuuuuust right.
 
Guilty (well, when I don't have five other projects going on, at least). I started by thoroughly cleaning a new-to-me CZ52, which led to a complete teardown, requiring me to upgrade and polish the internals, prompting me to polish the tooling marks off the exterior, making it too nice for the factory grips, and ultimately, the factory sights. Even better grips than the pair I made, a sight adjustment, and polishing the slap outta the trigger and I may be finished.

At that point I get to decide if I'd rather delve into the refinishing/modification of a Belgian clone of a S&W 44 Russian, or try my hand at rebarreling a Steyr M95 to a bigger-bore brush thumper (the latter is winning, since it seems way more feasible).

Some of us are always busy, probably something to due with extra nervous energy from sitting at a desk all day bored outta our gourds... I find the projects distract me from buying more guns or ammo, and tend to rack up expenses slower than gun/ammo purchases--so for me projects are a budgetary thing (yeah, that's it :rolleyes:)

TCB
 
I use to start project guns during those cold winter months when there was absolutely nothing worth venturing out of the house for, and little else on TV to watch. Over the years I did an M1911 build in .38 Super, then moved on to an AR-15 build, a CMP M1, fitted a walnut stock to an M1A, restored a Krag-Jorgensen M1898, and built a couple of black powder guns from unfinished kits. I also use to work on my friends guns if I was between projects.

When I do run out of projects to work on I like to try out different grips on various guns, change out optics, maybe add a laser/light combo, swap out barrels on my shotguns; just about anything to keep busy and to avoid the overwhelming boredom during that time of year.
 
I always have at least 6-8 project guns sitting around. The only problem I have is the cash flow to get parts or the machine time to make them. I restore a lot of old auto pistols and parts have to be researched and made. As to the polishing and re-finishing I have to get that farmed out so more funds are needed. I keep on trying to call an end to the projects. I need to glass several rifles and get my reloading bench set up again.
 
Always. Most recently, I traded into (among other things) a poorly maintained, bubbafied "tacticool" SKS. Way too far gone to be restored, and being a short stocked Yugo, wouldn't fit a man my size if it were. Fortunately, the previous owner still had a "junk box" full of original parts. I'm the process of "de-pimping" it. Lots of mechanical attention and cleaning at first, and now a bit of money spent or set aside each payday to turn it into something clean, accurate, reliable, useful, sensible, and tasteful.
When I'm done, I'll have an assortment of "tactical accessories" to sell or trade to the next Bubba that wants to "sporterize" his SKS. Nothing wrong with that, if it's done intelligently with a specific role in mind... just that what some people want is not what I'd want for myself, obviously.
 
heh...I've had a project gun or another constantly since I started messin' with them over 40 years ago. Currently have 3 projects, a couple stock refinishings and need to finish out 2-3 longbows...
 
Oh yeah I have several. I have a 18" Mossberg 500 that is getting a Blackhawk Spec Ops 2 stock and a repaint, a Maverick 88 18" getting the same stock and repaint , a Marlin 825 possibly getting a new stock and a 10/22 that will never be finished. A little work but a lot of fun!:evil:
 
Each of the last three winters has seen a project gun on the bench. If you can't get out to shoot, you might as well be building something.

Jim
 
I always have a project or 3 in various stages of work. Usually it's waiting for the right part or the extra cash to buy whatever is needed. I do start them in the winter when nothing else is going on. I find it relaxing as well as fun and the finished product is either kept or sold, depending if I want to sell it to start another project or keep it because it just turned out nice. It's therapy.
 
Seems like I can't leave anything alone; I just finished a 1022 build and installing threaded barrels on my Sig 226 and one of my 1911's.
I like tinkering with guns making them just the way I like them.
 
Still working on my VZ24 based scout rifle. I have it re-barreled in 7x57 19" but I still need iron sights, long eye relief scope mount, a better stock than the chopped up stock it came to me in & a good leather sling. Probably have it parkerized in the end too.

Once that's done, I hope to start working up a mauser based 9.3x62 rifle.
 
Just finished up my 1903-A4 clone and am very happy with the results. However, right now I've got nothing on my plate. Instead of buying some poor sporter to rescue I think I'll be rebuilding my FN Hi-Power. It's one of the Isreali trade-ins with the goopy grey parkerization on it.
 
I have a circa 1919 manufactured Winchester 1897 in 12ga. that is my current winter project.

It looks like something tried to scratch the bluing off it, the wood is a mess, and it was probably last cleaned in 1916.


Cant wait!
 
I like to tinker with rifles but decided to try my hand at a 1911 build. I have knicknamed it the "Kimber x3" because of the cost thus far :D
 
I've never had a project gun...probably because i have no skills with which to design or complete such a project.

For example...about 13 years ago we had a glass top coffee table in our living room. I thought it would be cool to refinish it so I took it apart and began sanding it. Then I got sidetracked...all of the parts are still sitting in my tool room...it's never gonna get finished...I should really throw them out tomorrow. I guess I'm just not a project kind of guy...I just shoot guns the way I bought them.
 
A project gun? I figure once I retire I'll be able to work on guns most of the time and it will still take years to get down to a project gun.
 
When I finished sporterizing my 91/30, I got the itch to do another. I'm only halfway done with it, and am already hot to get another, either an Arisaka or a SMLE. I can use the same bullets to load for all three...
 
Not yet... I keep getting tempted by a pistol that keeps getting re-listed on gunbroker thou. I may just buy it when I get stateside for Thanksgiving. Give me something to tinker with...
 
I've been slowly accumulating parts for a retro XM16E1 build I'm planning to do this winter unless Barry-O Gun Hysteria keeps me from being able to get an upper and lower receiver from NoDak Spud.
 
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