How comfortable are you working on your guns?

[Ranger Roberts]

Like a lot of the other posters, I'm between a 3 & 4. Mainly because of lack of tools.

 

[mdauben]

Basic cleaning and field stripping only. When I was younger I fancied myself mechanically inclined, but after proving again and again that I most certainly was not, I now leave anything complicated to the professionals.

 

[GBExpat]

I selected 3 but I am probably closer to a 3½.

I do bluing & phosphating, replace/cutdown/rechamber/recrown barrels, replace sights, built-up many different "kits" (e.g., FAL, AK, AR), (re)drill gas ports, create steel replacement parts, craft specialized tools to make working on certain firearms simpler, etc.

For a few years I have been resisting the urge to buy one of the Mill/Lathe combo machines so that i could increase my ability to craft replacement parts. I have one barrel on my bench that I would like to turndown and further mod, but ...

I cannot talk myself into the required expendture of time/effort/money ... so far.

But even considering all of that, I do not think that I am anywhere close to being a gunsmith because all of the above I do to a very small cross-section of available firearms ... and I only do such work when the spirit moves me, y'know?

 

[berettaboy]

Can clean and field strip all,,,,,,but don't consider any altercations. That is for those much more competent than me.

 

[captain awesome]

caught somewhere between option 2 and 3. don't know enough about ar's to say but I have done plenty of other stuff. a solid 2 at least

 

[gunsandreligion]

You need a #5, able to dissasemble/reassemble a nylon 66.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

"How much"? I'd go with a solid #4 but wouldn't use the term "gunsmith" for myself.

"how comfortable are you working on your guns?" Well, between the bunny slippers, vintage Ford technician's lab coat and custom stool cushions... I'd say very, very comfortable.

 

[wally]

I drill, tap, file, machine, etc. but don't consider myself a gunsmith because I only address functional issues, never cosmetic ones.

 

[1911 guy]

I fall somewhere between number three and number four. While I'm not actually a gunsmith, I've gotten some good deals buying "broken" guns cheap and bringing them back to life. In fact, I just fixed a Bersa .380 for a friend who stopped by this evening. Long story, but the frame and slide rails were scored and galled. Some polishing got them back down to normal thickness and able to be reassembled. After I had to nearly hammer it apart.

 

[2DREZQ]

A little above 3. Maybe 3.2? Mostly limited by equipment. I can figure out WHAT to do, but if the HOW involves expensive tools? Nope.

 

[gym]

If you show me how to do something once, I can usually pick it up from there. That's how I learned every field I was ever employed in.

 

[orionengnr]

I voted #2, although I'm pretty sure I could build an AR--I have no need, money or time to do so.

I have a machinist's apprentice background in my distant past (30 years ago) and am pretty sure that if I had a lathe and a Bridgeport I could do some serious damage to some metal before I got back in the groove. I can say the same about welding.

 

[pockets]

I didn't vote.....#4 needs to be 2 separate choices.
Over the past 6 decades, I've never taken any gun to a gunsmith. That doesn't make me a 'gunsmith', it just means I repair/modify/build my own.

#4 is not quite accurate as; "I drill, tap, file, checker, machine / I'm a gunsmith".
A lot of us can; "drill, tap, file, checker, machine", yet do not consider ourselves to be gunsmiths (another ex-machinist/current-engineer here)

.

 

[mokin]

Somewhere a little above a three. I've mounted a scope on one rifle and built an M-4'gery plus replaced broken parts and installed aftermarket parts on other guns but I consider myself well below the profiency of a gunsmith.

 

[C5rider]

I'm much more comfortable working on my OWN guns, rather than someone elses!

I'm happy being a 1-1.3 on someone else's guns but a 2.5 on my own.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I just looked at your poll and saw some great disparity. I think to "build" an AR, you need a monkey wrench, a hammer, beer and perhaps an axe.
And then you leap to checkering and whatall..

 

[Mauser lover]

I would put my firearms aptitude somewhere close to 3.6 or so... I don't have a lathe or a mill, yet, but I use a drill press/hand drill with cutting bit to freehand "mill" some round things, but everything else I do by hand with a file. I can do checkering, but pretty much it is too much of a pain...

I would call myself a gun "mechanic", but not a smith... yet.

Just for gunsandreligion, I don't do nylon 66s if at all possible... But I can replace a broken bolt handle on one