Working with a GUNSMITH

Glen Zediker

There are few full truths LOCAL OR LONG-DISTANCE?

associated with competi- There is merit in the idea of finding a gunsmith within reasonable driving distance.
tive rifle shooting, but This idea should never, however, supersede the far greater importance of finding a
here is one: we all need gunsmith who can do the work right! Here is luck, pure and simple. If you happen to
gunsmith services. This live near a genuinely good gunsmith, you are lucky.
article probably won’t With the (often) good service provided by package carriers these days, there’s real-
offer any hard solutions, ly not a lot to get upset over if your gunsmith is five states away. Do invest in a very
but it will provide a few good shipping case (the aluminum ones are probably best) and invest in the shipping
ideas which, hopefully, itself. I don’t care what “they” say, carriers tend to treat an overnight or 2-day ship-
will help add confidence ment, especially one that’s insured to the hilt, to a little smaller gorilla when loading
to your decision. and unloading the truck. At any rate, never send a firearm without obtaining a track-
ing number. All that, I know, costs money, but so does gas and time to visit a nearby
gunsmith. Balance it out and you won’t pinch pennies.
SERVICE
No matter how much was
spent and how well it worked,
all rifles need service to keep
shooting well. Listen... That
soft sloshing noise you’re
hearing in the background is
all the M14 shooters nodding
their heads in unison.
I don’t know of any good
gunsmith who won’t fix a
problem straight away and
straight up: if he made a mis-
take he’ll be more upset over
it that you will. But after
time (and bullets) pass and the rifle loses its accuracy edge, don’t expect a free fix.
Most who have been through a few know what to expect, but for the newer shoot-
ers: be realistic about your gun’s performance lifespan. If you’re going racing don’t
expect your equipment to last as long. The rifle that shot so well last Spring is not
necessarily broken if it’s not shooting as well come football season.
[This article originally ran Gunsmiths do, sometimes deservedly and sometimes un-, get blamed for a poor
in a magainze some years performing rifle. Most test fire their handiwork but this is mostly to ensure function.
back, but this is the version We all know that a rifle won’t usually shoot establish itself until it’s had a few rounds
I first wrote. It’s a bit through it and a load has been prescribed. G. David Tubb offers wisdom when he says
more, well, honest!] that rifles are either shooting better or shooting worse...
All material contained herein is the exclusive property of Glen Zediker and Zediker Publishing. Any unauthorized reproduction is a crime. ®2000 Glen
Zediker and Zediker Publishing.
 Despite their best efforts, even a top notch builder occasionally gets a gun back. It
is, fortunately, usually handled as one would expect from an essentially cottage indus-
try association: each suppliers success, and existence, depends on the respective quali-
ty of workmanship exhibited along the chain. In other words, if it’s the gunsmith’s
fault, he’ll set it straight. If it’s traced to a barrel problem, the barrelmaker will st it
straight with the gunsmith, who will set it straight with you, and so on.
Take a gunsmith who decides to make his own barrels or parts. With a few excep-
tions (who aren’t involved in competitive rifle shooting) such commitment suggests
that we should have some respect for this fellow. What he’s turning out may not really
be any better than what he was previously getting elsewhere, but he thinks it is, and
that’s what we’re after. The gunsmiths who build their own triggers, sight mounts, bar-
rels, stocks, or what have you, are the ones who are genuinely concerned what what
they’re providing their customers. Often the decision to manufacture a component
comes from experiences with poor quality or availability of a particular part. It’s also
sometimes done to make more money, but money’s good. Point is that if a gunsmith
even has the capability, let alone the desire, to produce something like a barrel, you
really should take note.

THE FINER POINTS

Boy will I ever get the letters on this one, but I will still venture the following:
the better shooter you are the better shooter your gunsmith should be. Now, this is in
If the man didn’t test fire no way to state that a gunsmith has to be a national champion to build a good gun.
your rifle with ammuni- Nothing could be further from the truth. But also well removed from the truth is the
tion that’s at least similar assumption that a master machinist or renown builder of custom hunting rifles is in
to what you’ll be using, any way qualified to tune for an across-the-course competitor, and the same can be
call him names. I have said for many of the benchrest gunsmiths. If the gunsmith doesn’t have an understand-
gotten so many letters, ing of what his customer wants and needs, he’s not going to deliver it.
calls, and e-mails from If a gunsmith doesn’t have a respectably impressive tournament record shooting
people who have AR15s his own rifles, he should have names of customers who do. In other words, if he does-
that don’t work. Not n’t know what a good shooter wants from his own experience through being an equally
“don’t shoot well,” but good shooter, he should have experience with (successfully) communicating with the
flat don’t function. good shooters using his guns. In this respect a gunsmith is much like an auto racing
AR15s should work! crew chief: he can’t drive the car as fast as the hired gun behind the wheel, but he
If your’s doesn’t send it knows exactly how to interpret what the driver tells him about how the car is working.
back and don’t listen to Admittedly, this criteria hurts the service rifle builder because it’s plain not fair to put
all the reasons why. It’s competitive records against what the gumment can produce.
the gunsmith’s job to
make it work. I’ve never ALL OR SOME
had an auto mechanic There are specialists who, well, specialize in individual component work. There are
suggest that I fiddle with those who “just” do barreling, bedding, or action work. For instance, many of the bar-
my car after he’s supposed relmakers will turn and fit their barrel to your action, but that’s all they’ll do.
to have fixed it... This sort of “piecework” approach to rifle building has its goods and bads. One of

All material contained herein is the exclusive property of Glen Zediker and Zediker Publishing. Any unauthorized reproduction is a crime. ®2000 Glen
Zediker and Zediker Publishing.
 I don’t recommend con- its advantages is to the self-smith who is competent, or equipped, in handling some
tractors either... rifle building chores, but not all. For instance, you might be able to stock a rifle and
add the bolt-ons but not have the machinery necessary to fit a barrel. Another advan-
Live and learn that some tage is that a specialist generally does very good work. That is, for many, the reason
folks just don’t get along they became specialists.
with other folks. Also that The disadvantages to working through specialists come mostly to the person who
some gunsmiths take a is looking to end up with a completed rifle. Working rifle components through a cycle
little longer than others, of specialists can take a lot of time, some shipping here to there, and, usually, costs a
and that can change little more money all totalled. Another point to consider is what happens if the darn
based on time of year and thing doesn’t shoot like it should? Who do you call back? Unless the reason for the
happenstance. I strongly problem is obvious, that might be tough to determine (although it’s not like a special-
suggest, however, getting ist won’t know about the other component areas; they just tend to avoid them). Plus,
what you’re after (if you such a component project is still likely to require the services of an “all around” gun-
know what that is), which smith to complete. Also, some gunsmiths prefer to handle a project from the ground
means going with who is up, and we can’t really blame them. A person who is prideful enough of his work to
producing whatever that qualify as a good gunsmith tends to believe in his ways and likes to avoid “redoing”
is, because until you do any areas that don’t suit those beliefs.
you’ll still want it.

[Scott Medesha AR10] DOING YOUR PART

My old buddy Charlie says that one thing he likes about America is that you’re free
to act and think as you choose, even if you look like a damn fool doing it. And gun-
smiths deal with that daily. Trust is an issue, and if he tells you not to do something,
you probably should listen. If you don’t trust his advice on technical matters, get
another gunsmith, but don’t force him to compromise his standards. Trust it: if the
gunsmith isn’t happy with it neither will you be.
On that idea, think through what you want and figure out how to say it. This
keeps both you and the gunsmith happy: you because you get what you want, and the
gunsmith because you get what you want, the first time. If there is a subjective ele-
ment to a request, such as rifle balance or a trigger characteristic, it’s as much up to
you to communicate it as it is for the gunsmith to deliver it. Obviously, though, there
needs to be some flexibility if such a request is to be satisfied. If, for instance, you’re

All material contained herein is the exclusive property of Glen Zediker and Zediker Publishing. Any unauthorized reproduction is a crime. ®2000 Glen
Zediker and Zediker Publishing.
Most “gunsmith” problems having a match rifle built and that package includes a custom stock, suggest that the
are communication prob- gunsmith send you the gun sans stock finish so you can feel and fiddle with what’s
lems. I don’t want to hear there before it’s “too late.” Here, obviously, a face-to-face meeting is ideal. If you’re
anyone telling me that “picky” about fine points, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that (it is what
their gunsmith did some- fuels a majority of self-smiths), you might be happiest finding a local who can do the
thing wrong in chamber- work you want.
ing, for instance, and
then learn that the com- PIECES PARTS
plaining customer didn’t Building a rifle is not strictly up to the gunsmith. You generally will have to sup-
tell them what he or she ply parts. Some want more or less from their customers, but chances are that you’ll
wanted. “I don’t like the have to get at least the basics together.
way you didn’t do what I Keep in mind quality. Most things manufactured for use on match rifles are of pret-
didn’t say anything ty high quality, but it’s the service rifle shooter who really has to gamble. There are
about...” I go back and some hideous examples out there, and that counts the same for “issue” and aftermar-
forth between sticking up ket parts. I like to purchase my smoke pole parts at a gun show so I can see what they
for gunsmiths and stick- look like, but mail order often is necessary to get the needed components.
ing it to them, but gun- It might cost more money to deal with a company that leans more toward compet-
smiths need to be good itive shooting supplies, but it’s usually less of a gamble if you do. It still, make no
listeners, and good cus- mistake, is a gamble. Make sure the folks on the phone promise to take back or swap
tomers need to know what out the parts you order if you don’t like them. One tip: “built by military contractors”
to say. is not the same quality of claim as is “genuine GI parts.” Some of those contractors
sell their seconds (those which were not up to true mil-spec) to you and me. After
watching some of the locals suffer through it, suffice to say that I’m really glad I
bought a Colt® Sporter to serve for my AR15 base.
A good service gunsmith will be critical of poor parts and will not use them in
your rifle. Hopefully, he’ll have a bin to sort through to replace a small part, but pre-
pare to do a little more shopping if he says your op rod or gas cylinder is bad. M14
owners tend to collect a bag full of spares anyhow, and there’s merit to purchasing
“optional” parts if you shoot one of these rifles.
On the subject of choosing a service rifle gunsmith, here’s a tough one. This work
is a specialty, regardless of whether or not the gunsmith returns a completed rifle or
not. There are no doubt many people in the country who can deliver a top notch gas
gun, but there sure are pretenders in the majority. Ideally, you’ll know your prospective
builder’s reputation (preferably first hand via an associate’s experience).
Many service rifle builders have had experience as military armorers; that’s a pretty
fair pick as a full or part time occupation on return to civilian life. But, and pay atten-
tion to this, do not assume that military rifle building experience is automatically wor-
thy of your investment. For instance, what’s the technological frame of reference? A
retired USMC gunsmith setting up shop in 1990 builds ’em differently than did his pre-
decessor starting out in 1970. Things do change.
More letters will pour in after this one, but here goes anyhow: some military
armorers find it, ahem, challenging to adapt to producing top flight work for hire for

All material contained herein is the exclusive property of Glen Zediker and Zediker Publishing. Any unauthorized reproduction is a crime. ®2000 Glen
Zediker and Zediker Publishing.
 There’s another booger bill-wielding civilians. They had a lot more parts to choose from back at Ft. Benning.
out there and that’s the And none of the hard guns they ’smithed for relied exclusively on one gun. If this bar-
man who builds a fine rel won’t shoot, get another one. Part of the challenge to building one good service
gun for his High-Master rifle for a paying customer is making it work 100-percent using what that customer
pals but falls asleep for sends him. As mentioned, that’s not always the gunsmith’s fault, but a gunsmith in
the “undeserving.” If civilian practice does not have the luxury of following procedure on a gaggle of rifles
you’re not sure about this and picking the best for the big team.
aspect of the man you’re One thing big in the favor of a military man is the volume of his experience. He’s
considering, if asked why seen more M14s than most civilians could dream about (or have nightmares over,
you’re sending in a gun, whichever the case) and he has, therefore, seen just about every problem they can
say something like you have.
want “more Xs.” Don’t say I don’t think there’s much question that a service rifle builder with a military
anything like: “Well, I’m background is a good choice, just as long as he meets the other criteria set forth.
not really very good but I Aside, of course, from being really good gunsmiths, the best service rifle builders
want to get a better gun I’ve had experience with have been either really good shooters or really experienced
anyhow...” That’s a per- “late model” military armorers, or both.
fect invitation to the
unscrupulous to finally THE END
get shed of a bent barrel So, what really counts in finding a gunsmith? “Experience,” the trump card, leaves
he set back for just such little left in second place, but experience should be valued only in its application.
an occasion. You folks There are a few gunsmiths floating around out there who used to be real good...
know who you are, so if Experience should also be something furthered rather than possessed. A good gun-
the cloak fits watch out smith, like a good shooter, should have some new experience, and some which he’s
for the dagger... hopefully learned from, most every time he completes a job.
It’s really no secret to making a rifle that shoots well, and the aforementioned
innovations and tricks are generally “borrowed” forthwith. When it’s all said and done,
there’s really only one thing that separates gunsmiths. Integrity. Not in the sense of
whether he’s honest or not, but in the sense of whether or not he’ll deliver the best
work he can and genuinely cares whether or not your rifle is working for you.

All material contained herein is the exclusive property of Glen Zediker and Zediker Publishing. Any unauthorized reproduction is a crime. ®2000 Glen
Zediker and Zediker Publishing.