Category Archives: Gunsmithing
Completing an “80%” 1911 frame.
A sort of odd byproduct of bizarre firearms laws is the “80% kit”. Just to be on the smart side, you should understand that “80%” has no meaning beyond “some of the work has been done for you”. From a … Continue reading
Machining an AR-15 upper receiver forging – part III
Step 3, Drilling the lugs. We’re finally going to create the actual reference point – the pivot pin hole in the front lug. While this could be done in a vise, using a 1-2-3 block on the bottom of the … Continue reading
Machining an AR-15 upper receiver forging – part II
Setup 2, the deck Next we’ll machine the deck flat and cut the lugs to size. In doing so, we’ll establish a reference to the position of the upper along the line established in the first setup. The real reference … Continue reading
Machining AR-15 upper receiver forgings part I – redux
Machining the upper receiver of an AR-15 is an intermediate to advanced machining project. It is more difficult to make, on manual machines, than the lower receiver, and should only be undertaken by those who already possess a firm grasp … Continue reading
Machining AR-15 upper forgings
It takes so long to generate a meaningful post (complete project) that we’re going to try posting progress pics. Consider these a teaser. When the project is done, I’ll publish a complete tutorial, with dimensions. Until then, here’s what we’re … Continue reading