building a rifle from scratch
- Thread starter roguetek
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is this your first build? or have you built semi autos from scratch before?
does it have to be 7.62x54R?
what do you mean by: FROM SCRATCH?
if you can deasl with .308, it would open up a bigger variaty of choices. youd be able to get a FAL, or a CETME, G-3 so on so forth,
brian
does it have to be 7.62x54R?
what do you mean by: FROM SCRATCH?
if you can deasl with .308, it would open up a bigger variaty of choices. youd be able to get a FAL, or a CETME, G-3 so on so forth,
brian
Brian 923-
"is this your first build?"
This is my first -firearm- build, but I've built a number of tools and parts out of metal
" or have you built semi autos from scratch before?"
No I have not.
"does it have to be 7.62x54R?"
Ideally, yes. even on brand new ammo, I can buy 5 7.62X54R for every -1- .308, 30-30, or 30-06.
"what do you mean by: FROM SCRATCH?"
Other than the barrel, and the trigger group, the entire thing will be designed and fabricated by me.
"if you can deasl with .308, it would open up a bigger variaty of choices. youd be able to get a FAL, or a CETME, G-3 so on so forth,"
And that would take all the fun out of it. I would just be assembling a kit at that point.
Designing and building it from raw metal on the oher hand, is a challenge.
And yes, I know, I'm nuts. gonna do it anyhow.
"is this your first build?"
This is my first -firearm- build, but I've built a number of tools and parts out of metal
" or have you built semi autos from scratch before?"
No I have not.
"does it have to be 7.62x54R?"
Ideally, yes. even on brand new ammo, I can buy 5 7.62X54R for every -1- .308, 30-30, or 30-06.
"what do you mean by: FROM SCRATCH?"
Other than the barrel, and the trigger group, the entire thing will be designed and fabricated by me.
"if you can deasl with .308, it would open up a bigger variaty of choices. youd be able to get a FAL, or a CETME, G-3 so on so forth,"
And that would take all the fun out of it. I would just be assembling a kit at that point.
Designing and building it from raw metal on the oher hand, is a challenge.
And yes, I know, I'm nuts. gonna do it anyhow.
no, im with you on that. i just didnt know if you wanted to build from a kit or from "scratch" you just have to remember that if you are going to make the rifle from scratch, you are going to be spending lots and lots of money to rediscover what other firearm manufactures have already come up with. makes sence?
if you are to make your own reciever, anything you come up with is going to be a desing already built. but if you can come up with something new and better, who knows? you could be the new rich and famous.
do you have any gunsmithing background? this would help mucho. to know how things operate and work togeher. also, keep in mind that everything has to comply with atf standards.
again, i am not by any means trying to get your hopes down. i got a lot of that when i first started asking questions. the thing that helped me was a few good men spending time with me and hands on experiance. it may be good for you to build a cheap parts kit AK or FAL just to see how things work, then seel the parts kits rifles as a private party or under commision from a near by dealer and use the money from the projects to fund your new build.
if you are to make your own reciever, anything you come up with is going to be a desing already built. but if you can come up with something new and better, who knows? you could be the new rich and famous.
do you have any gunsmithing background? this would help mucho. to know how things operate and work togeher. also, keep in mind that everything has to comply with atf standards.
again, i am not by any means trying to get your hopes down. i got a lot of that when i first started asking questions. the thing that helped me was a few good men spending time with me and hands on experiance. it may be good for you to build a cheap parts kit AK or FAL just to see how things work, then seel the parts kits rifles as a private party or under commision from a near by dealer and use the money from the projects to fund your new build.
hmmm. not a bad idea.
not sure if it would pay off or not, parts kits have gotten pricy.
and as far as reinventing the wheel, I'm going to cheat.
I'm using the AK gas piston design, the AK trigger group, and a modifed AR style bolt.
So it's more of a case of taking ideas from different rifles I like, and putting them in one rifle.
Frankly I expect the first 3 prototypes to suck, horribly.
the MKIV or MKV prototype will most likely be -exactly- what I want.
not sure if it would pay off or not, parts kits have gotten pricy.
and as far as reinventing the wheel, I'm going to cheat.
I'm using the AK gas piston design, the AK trigger group, and a modifed AR style bolt.
So it's more of a case of taking ideas from different rifles I like, and putting them in one rifle.
Frankly I expect the first 3 prototypes to suck, horribly.
the MKIV or MKV prototype will most likely be -exactly- what I want.
sounds like something to try
that sounds good. are you going to be using an Ar-15 bolt, or building something like it? if you want to use the already exsisting bolt, i think youd have to use an ar-10 bolt. would be closer to the size you need to fit the rim. and the carrier, if used, would have a longer stroke. keep us posted on how it goes. just remember, when testing, use a rifle rest, and make sure to stand far enough away. have a good one, brian
that sounds good. are you going to be using an Ar-15 bolt, or building something like it? if you want to use the already exsisting bolt, i think youd have to use an ar-10 bolt. would be closer to the size you need to fit the rim. and the carrier, if used, would have a longer stroke. keep us posted on how it goes. just remember, when testing, use a rifle rest, and make sure to stand far enough away. have a good one, brian
gamachinist
Member
I think you are biting off to much for your first homemade gun. There are plans available for a falling block single shot rifle. You can make this in 7.62x54r. You will then get a much better idea of the difficulty of making a rifle. If you then want to go with a gas operated semi you will be able to reuse the chamber reamer and have gotten some relationships started with barrel and other suppliers.
I would like to do something like this but I am going to go the single shot route first. The issues of timing and gas pressure curves are a little out of my line at this point. You know you just can't dill a hole in the barrel and say this is your gas port. You have to know what the pressure will be of the gas when the bullet gets to that point. If you don't you will be ripping rims off of cases during extraction or you will have failure to extract. And the fun part of this is you won't know you have a problem until you are done and try to run the thing.
I would like to do something like this but I am going to go the single shot route first. The issues of timing and gas pressure curves are a little out of my line at this point. You know you just can't dill a hole in the barrel and say this is your gas port. You have to know what the pressure will be of the gas when the bullet gets to that point. If you don't you will be ripping rims off of cases during extraction or you will have failure to extract. And the fun part of this is you won't know you have a problem until you are done and try to run the thing.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
I would suggest a class or two in metallurgy & heat treatment before you blow yourself up.
You are dealing with 40,000 - 60,000 PSI white hot gas.
A receiver or case failure is not an option!
And if you just have too build a semi-auto center-fire rifle, forget about cheap surplus Russian ammo, and at least start with any rimless cartridge design.
It will make getting it to feed so much easier, you know!
rcmodel
You are dealing with 40,000 - 60,000 PSI white hot gas.
A receiver or case failure is not an option!
And if you just have too build a semi-auto center-fire rifle, forget about cheap surplus Russian ammo, and at least start with any rimless cartridge design.
It will make getting it to feed so much easier, you know!
rcmodel
rocinante
Member
If you really want a challenge built a VZ58 receiver chambered for 7.62 x 54 that will take draganov magazines. The parts kits are less than 100$ but the receivers are in the 300 to 600 range. That friend would be a unique and bad ass rifle.
Owen
Moderator Emeritus
You really really want to design the gun around an existing magazine.
Trust me...
Trust me...
Clark
Member
My little brother built beautiful flintlocks from scratch when he was in high school, but he bought factory barrels and used steel tubes for smooth bores. He is 48 now, and still has never rifled a barrel.
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