GunLab (KnownHost) » Review

Library Thursday

Chuck — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 02:27:27 +0000

This will be a quick post today. I just received my October firearms catalog from the James D. Julia auction site. All I can say is WOW. What an auction this will be.

Here is the link for the first lots auction.

http://jamesdjulia.com/auction/369-october-2014-firearms-auction/?session=1&utm_source=emailsub&utm_medium=email&utm_content=catonline&utm_campaign=gun_14_fall

Some of the items that I would love to have but is way beyond my means are:

Lot 1241 The Walther Volkspistol http://jamesdjulia.com/item/1241-369/

Lot 1267 The Mauser 1906-08 flapper locked pistol http://jamesdjulia.com/item/1267-369/

And one that I that is actually the top of my list is: Lot 1268 the 1917 Mauser trench carbine http://jamesdjulia.com/item/1268-369/

So if anyone has any extra money that they don’t need I would really like the Mauser trench carbine.

Check out the catalog and look at the great stuff coming up.

Changes to Gun Lab

Chuck — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 17:51:20 +0000

I have decided to make a few changes to the way gun lab works. I personally can watch machining videos and look at solid models and guns all day. I guess that is because it is what I enjoy. I mean I take my vacations to go to factories to watch things being made Plastic factories, pottery factories, machine shops, museums to look at weapons and my wife goes along with me. However, I understand that most people want to see other things as well. So here are a list of the changes that I would like to make to the site.

Weekend followup Monday

Monday will be for an update of what went on during the weekend. A basic run down of everything that happen in or around the shop. This is to give an idea of everything that has to go on to keep things running.

Shop Tuesday

Tuesday will be for showing the part that has been made. The solid model that was worked on or the program that was written. Anything that went into making the parts that we make.

Random info Wednesday

Wednesday will be for information that we have come across that would help. Where we buy material, people and companies who have helped us, new products, videos that we find dealing with gun or parts making. I want to do a segment on people that are in the industry. Anything that I feel like taking about. Classes that we are taking, talking about the shop equipment that we have and use. Talking about firearms that we are interested in making in the future, general discussions on manufacturing or weapons, interviews when possible.

Book review Thursday.

There a large number of books in the reference library here at gun lab. Machining books, gun books, manufacturing books, information that is helpful in every aspect of what we do. I want to do a basic run down of the book and where to obtain it. In some cases a sales commission is give if you buy the book through our link. All money from this will be donated to the wounded warrior project. Having served in the military and coming from a family of military people I feel strongly toward this cause. I hope that you do too.

Video Friday

This will be the day that I post videos of the parts or equipment that we have made.

Guess this part Saturday

I have a 40′ container of misc parts. Saturday will be for taking pictures of parts so you can test your knowledge of small arms.

Answer Sunday

This will be the follow up day that answers Saturday’s question.

I want to add a library to the site dealing with information pertaining to gun lab.

Please feel free to comment about the changes and any recommendations that you have. We are looking to involve our viewers to improve gun lab to become the best site possible.

This week update.

Chuck — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 15:50:31 +0000

Once again time has gotten away from me. We are in the shop 7 days a week working on the projects and stuff actually gets accomplished. The updates this week will show the good and the bad that we have had in the last couple of weeks.

First will be the really bad and that is stamping the Japanese type 99 magazine. Our biggest mistake was trying to accomplish to much with a single die. It did not work. Instead of pressing the sheet metal it sheared it instead.

So this lead to redesigning the dies and the process that we are going to use. We have gone to a multiply step process. The first set of dies will just stamp the groves, the second set will bend the sides and the third will set the angle and do the base plate edge. this is a picture of the new first set of dies.

I hope to be back at the press with the new dies this week.

Now a completed project that was fun and interesting. We had a UZi that was brought in for repair. It is a dealer sample converted weapon that would just not work. The first thing we needed to do was machine out the bolt to fit properly.

However with this type of boring bar the chatter and movement was just to great. We changed to a stiffer bar and all was good.

With the bolt problem corrected we still had problems. It would fire one time and then run away. The problem was the excessive movement of the pistol grip. The original grip is set for an 8mm pin and the converted weapon uses a 9mm pin. Once we open the hole in the grip and installed a new proper size pin everything worked like a dream.

We are also working on the VG1-5. A great deal of work was accomplished on the upper receiver. The first 5 which are the test rifles are just about completed. we set up the fixture to all us to cut the majority of the upper receiver.

This allowed us to machine the bottom hole and the slot for the guide slot.

All the guide slots have already been machined.

This how they fit on the receiver.

The cocking handle holes have been drilled.

The rear sight dove tail slots have been cut.In addition to this we also finished the FG-42 butt plate stamping die and started stamping them. That will be the next post and I have to get back into the shop and get to work.

The Gerat 06

Chuck — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 13:20:02 +0000

Now that I have spilled the beans concerning the Gerat 06 here is the progress so far on the rifle. All the receiver half’s have been pressed.

Here are a couple of close up pictures of the receiver.

The sight bases have also been pressed.

The end caps for the butt stocks are completed.

The triggers are completed.

The inner mag housings are completed.

And the barrel end caps are completed as well.

We are currently keeping the cnc machining centers busy with the VG1-5 parts, however as soon as we have completed those parts the 06 will be next.

The other projects at Gun Lab

Chuck — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 13:50:13 +0000

I did a little slipping in the machine gun shot video about one of the projects that we are also working on. That is the Gerat 06. There was only 4 of these weapons ever made before the Germans shifted to the STg45 instead. We are planning on doing 14 of them.

The other rifle that is also on the production line is the Gerat 05. This was a concept rifle only as no were ever made. This rifle is the only copy of one and I like it so much that I decided to do a run of 60 of them.

This is a picture of me shooting it.And a close up of it.

Both of these rifles are gas operated roller lock design. the little wood stocked one is pattern after the Gerat 03 that was made in 7.92x57mm. Both of these rifles are in 7.92×33 kurtz. Both rifles take the standard stg magazine as well as the 10 round ones that we make.

So as we are finishing up the VG1-5 I will also start posting about both of these weapons. Until next time.

Looking at 1911 Castings

Ian — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:40:47 +0000

We have a friend in full-scale firearms manufacturing who was looking at making a large run of 1911 pistols. In order to reduce his machining costs, he bought a sample batch of frame and slide castings from Coast Metal Casting – and they turned out to be next to worthless. So we borrowed a set from him to take a look at. What makes a casting good or bad, anyway? Well, let’s see:

If you are interested in seeing how 1911s were mass-produced before the advent of CNC machines, you’re in luck! We have a copy of an article from Machinery magazine printed in 1942, which discusses the process in some depth:

Making a World-Famous Automatic Pistol, by E.P. Herrick, Colt Production Engineer (Machinerymagazine, December 1942)

What Not to Do: Vulcan V15

Ian — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 23:09:42 +0000

We just got this Vulcan V15 AR15/AR18 hybrid in, and boy should you see it. Good idea; horrible execution.

We’ll do another video in a little while looking at the AR-18, the Leader T2, and this Vulcan POS to discuss how we can get the best out of the lot of ‘em.