Are there any gunsmiths or machinists or metalworkers out there? I'm asking again since my old thread got a bit too old, But I'm wondering how I might find someone to work on a few metal parts, and give me some pointers about machining too. I am mostly interested in 37mm flare guns and retro/vintage hand mortars & navy swivel blunderbusses.
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Any New England Machinists/Metalworkers/Gunsmiths?
- Thread starter Bunker Dog
- Start date
MisterHappy
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- Jul 28, 2009
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Due to ATF opinions, a machine shop can't do work on a gun, unless they're a "real" gunsmith.
![[rolleyes]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/042.gif "Roll Eyes [rolleyes]")
If it's non-fixed-cartridge stuff ( like a blunderbuss) then that might be different.
If it's non-fixed-cartridge stuff ( like a blunderbuss) then that might be different.
I see. But what about simply the basic parts other than the receiver, or working on a flare gun's parts?
warwickben
bubba Kalashnikov
Flare guns aren't guns . The canons etc aren't guns. Hence why you can go to Walmart and buy a flare gun or order mini canons on the net.
Heck I made a few lol .
The flare guns fall under nfa when you buy the inserts to shoot 12g rounds/9mm/45 ect etc . Those are dd's. Also after 37mm its a grenade launcher etc.
You can build a cannon as big as you want . As long as it's a muzzle loader style no breached loaded. In fuzzy in rifling since I never bothered lol .
I made a .45 and .50 cal cannon .
Take Oxygen tank (welding size) cut end off , drill hole for fuse. Add powder . Stick bowling ball down the tube.
What do you got in mind?
Flare guns etc I don't know tons about , could point you to a few sites. but I know more about canons etc.
I run the machine shop at my work. And got a small shop of my own .
Depending what you want made I can look up the rules etc. I'm not a company on the side. Just when you work in metal you buy your own tools and you make your own crap . I make stuff for my self and friends like tools etc for beer so I don't fall under tax law stuff it's just a shop me and my dad been buying tools for our own use and help friends out.
I just made back hoe teeth for a buddy.
Heck I can't sell a muzzle brake I made with out getting a FFl or so I been told.
Machine questions fire away.
There a bunch of builders here.
Truth be told a lot of black powder style parts are cheaper to buy from a supply place then pay a shop todo a one off. Most shops I know do 50$ setup fee, x amount per hour and cost of metal some up charge on supply's some you pay there cost just labor etc.
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mibro
NES Member
I have a firearms-related project in the works - I'm a mechanical engineer - and so I'd like to understand this. I had assumed that any shop could make an AR-15 upper receiver, for example, because an upper receiver is not a firearm.
What piece of paper makes a machine shop a "real" gunsmith? A FFL? Something else?
What ATF regs apply to the manufacturing of firearms components?
warwickben
bubba Kalashnikov
FFl .
The manufacturing of other parts are pretty controlled . I've been looking in to it. I'm not 100% sure you need a FFl for every thing but other parts you need to pay gun related taxes .
You every notice most company's won't ship out side of the states .
I've had ffl07 manufactures tell me that a 01 couldn't buy a stripped lower from say s&w and put a upper on it .
If you read all the rules and reg it gets pretty confusing.
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What I have in mind is a 37mm flare launcher/flare gun, based on the M79, with the original parts and receiver but without the 40mm barrel, without any 40mm OR (non-existent) 37mm anti-personnel rounds, and without any adapters for 12-guage anti-personnel rounds (you will notice a little ridge inside a 12-guage/18.5mm adapter that determines it only uses the short flare rounds made for things like the Orion/Olin flare gun, or short pepper (iffy), whistler, blank noise maker, smoke, or flare rounds made for a 12-guage shotgun.)
I'm a fan of the M79 made by the Springfield, MA Armory and used extensively by the US Army in the Vietnam conflict. I don't have any reason or need for destructive device stuff, and I am sure others who love the M79 would mostly be happy without it either. (those that do can get the DD license, upgrade it, and buy some chalk rounds)
I'd like to make the receivers and the parts, and also experiment with antique-vintage (not necessarily operational) Hand Mortars, which are darn beautiful things to anyone who loves how the M79 or the related pump-action China Lake model look. Even "Fantasy" models of hand mortars could come up with.
So the real question is, is it OK to make and own a receiver for the M79, if you don't posses a milled/functioning 40mm barrel or any personnel rounds. My understanding is that the receiver can be owned without a license this way, but I'm asking about whether it can be made without a license. If one were interested in selling it with an accompanying 37mm barrel.
I'm a fan of the M79 made by the Springfield, MA Armory and used extensively by the US Army in the Vietnam conflict. I don't have any reason or need for destructive device stuff, and I am sure others who love the M79 would mostly be happy without it either. (those that do can get the DD license, upgrade it, and buy some chalk rounds)
I'd like to make the receivers and the parts, and also experiment with antique-vintage (not necessarily operational) Hand Mortars, which are darn beautiful things to anyone who loves how the M79 or the related pump-action China Lake model look. Even "Fantasy" models of hand mortars could come up with.
So the real question is, is it OK to make and own a receiver for the M79, if you don't posses a milled/functioning 40mm barrel or any personnel rounds. My understanding is that the receiver can be owned without a license this way, but I'm asking about whether it can be made without a license. If one were interested in selling it with an accompanying 37mm barrel.
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warwickben
bubba Kalashnikov
You can do what you want .
Not sure how you found the parts I looked. .but as long as it only can shoot 37mm flares your good to go.
You can get inserts for smaller ones btw.
I forget what's it called but it's the belt fed grenade launcher .
A site I'm on some guys got parts kits and made them into full auto 37 flare guns I'll try to find the video but the sites search sucks .
I'm gonna send you a link pm in bound .
Not sure how you found the parts I looked. .but as long as it only can shoot 37mm flares your good to go.
You can get inserts for smaller ones btw.
I forget what's it called but it's the belt fed grenade launcher .
A site I'm on some guys got parts kits and made them into full auto 37 flare guns I'll try to find the video but the sites search sucks .
I'm gonna send you a link pm in bound .
I'm a huge nerd and spent a lot of time finding the parts, I can help you get them and any that can't be gotten I'd like to make or have made. The sellers tell me there's no market for the M79 and I just think it's because people aren't aware of it or they see one for $8000+ dollars and just can't afford it, or can't get the DD license (they could buy it without the barrel to solve the problem if the seller is willing). You can get all the parts if you take your time and have fun along the way. The fact that it (and any 40mm combat ammo) is expensive helps keep it from being in the hands of idiots, but more so, flare guns (which is what these things have to be due to costs and the law) just aren't practical for much dumb or criminal stuff. Flare guns sit with peoples first aid packs on boats and that's about it. I think they would make nice fireworks launchers in states where fireworks are legal.
Anyone can get a nice 37mm gas gun (police riot control tool) for $300. Most of these look pretty ugly to me, but some models are extremely nice, and are well sought after. I have wondered what it would be like to make an Orion/Olin launcher out of metal, with a built in thinned barrel so it couldn't ever chamber a normal shotgun round. The plastic ones seem pretty flimsy.
Anyone can get a nice 37mm gas gun (police riot control tool) for $300. Most of these look pretty ugly to me, but some models are extremely nice, and are well sought after. I have wondered what it would be like to make an Orion/Olin launcher out of metal, with a built in thinned barrel so it couldn't ever chamber a normal shotgun round. The plastic ones seem pretty flimsy.
warwickben
bubba Kalashnikov
I thought about getting one of the spikes 37 launches that mount to a ar just for giggles lol .
Not really looking to build one like you thin$$$ lol I got some other stuff I want to make first .
Not really looking to build one like you thin$$$ lol I got some other stuff I want to make first .
Here are some images...
M79:
China Lake Variant:
37mm M79 Barrel:
Receiver:
Smith & Wesson Model 276 37mm Gas/Riot Gun:
Fabrique Nationale d'Herstal (French for "National Factory of Herstal") 40mm Launcher issued in Belgium, as seen in the German publication, "Illustrierte Enzyklopadie der Schutzenwaffen aus Aller Welt" ("Illustrated Encyclopedia of Contractor Weapons of the World") ("1945-1985"):
(Has anyone EVER seen one of these for real? This is a nice looking alternative to the M79 from another country.)
Hand Mortars (1st & last images are fantasy variant modern kits I believe):
Swivel Blunderbuss ["Thunder Gun"] (both are from circa 1775/1776):
Was mounted on American Navy ship, USS Constitution:
Was mounted on a British Navy ship:
M79:
China Lake Variant:
37mm M79 Barrel:
Receiver:
Smith & Wesson Model 276 37mm Gas/Riot Gun:
Fabrique Nationale d'Herstal (French for "National Factory of Herstal") 40mm Launcher issued in Belgium, as seen in the German publication, "Illustrierte Enzyklopadie der Schutzenwaffen aus Aller Welt" ("Illustrated Encyclopedia of Contractor Weapons of the World") ("1945-1985"):
(Has anyone EVER seen one of these for real? This is a nice looking alternative to the M79 from another country.)
Hand Mortars (1st & last images are fantasy variant modern kits I believe):
Swivel Blunderbuss ["Thunder Gun"] (both are from circa 1775/1776):
Was mounted on American Navy ship, USS Constitution:
Was mounted on a British Navy ship:
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