Where to start?

[wolfe28]

I am looking to start some kind of competition shooting, and I am on a tight budget. I also like to tinker and do things myself. So I was wondering if the collected intelegencia could point me in the right direction for getting started doing some gun smithing (books, reference material, that sort of thing)?

Here is where I would like to start. I have a Colt 1991-A1 45 that I would like to be able to bring up to snuff for Bullseye competition. I know that it will need a trigger job and some accurizing, so where should I begin. I also have a Ruger MK2 22/45 that will probably need a trigger job for the same type of shooting.

I'm not really worried about rifle work right now, but that will definitely be in the future. I'm fairly good with hand tools and files for making things, so fine work won't be a problem. Also, I know I will screw up a few parts here and there, and I'm okay with that. I would just rather be able to do things myself, and eventually for some friends. This will be an extension of my shooting hobbies, not a career move.

Thanks,
D

 

[wolfe28]

Is anyone out there?

 

[Jim K]

Well, I for one am a bit overwhelmed. It is rather like "I have a Ford sedan and I want to run in the Indy 500, what do I need to do to it, and I have a hammer and an adjustable wrench?"

Mostly it depends on what level of competition you are thinking of. With practice, you could probably compete in club matches without much of any thing in the way of pistol alterations.

There have been books written about trigger work alone, something that is not as easy as it seems.

For starters, put away the tools and get copies of Jerry Kuhnhausen's two volumes on the M1911 pistol. Volume 1 would be the most helpful, but get both volumes. Try Amazon or www.rayrilingarmsbooks.com for them.

Read and absorb the lessons. You won't need to have all the neat tools he has, but you will at least know what you don't have and why you may need it.

On the Ruger, you might be better off just ordering a Volquartsen drop-in accurizer kit from Brownells (www.brownells.com). They run around $90.

As to doing work for someone else, if you charge money, you will need a Federal Firearms License. Even if you work for free, you run certain risks, so you might want to think seriously before working for others without insurance, a corporate identity, etc. If you goof, and someone sues, you could be paying out most of your income for the rest of your life.

Jim

 

[wolfe28]

This wouldn't be the first time someone has called me over zellous.

Jim

Thanks a bunch for the insights. Like I said, I'm mechanically inclined, but I know that I don't know a lot about the direction I am going. Having read some of the "stickies" at the top of this page (along with several of the posts), I have realized (along with talking to and looking at things some "gun smiths" have done to friends guns) that it is very easy to screw something up. Except for adjusting sights and installing the occasional scope, I don't currently take any tools towards any of my firearms (except for cleaning). So, I just really wanted a reference for where to start to learn if this was something I could even do (probably, in time), and then how to go about it.

As for the competition side, I am considering getting into bullseye shooting, so, at least from what I'm told, my 45 would need some accurizing. Is this true? Is a stock 45 accurate enough to be at least competitive on the club level? I'm not planning on competiting on the national level, I just want to be able to shoot on at least some competitive level.

Also, thanks for the thoughts on doing work on others weapons. Like I said before, I'm new at this and I'm trying to figure out if, and to what extent I want to try my hand at this aspect of shooting sports.

D