Chris Mace

With everyone stuck at home, and the supply channels short of ammunition, a lot of folks are turning to reloading.

Some of you out there reading articles on building firearms are thinking “This is all well and good, but I don’t have a machine shop in my garage.” If that’s the case, I had you in mind when I decided on this build.

The Romanian PSL is a rather unique rifle. Beyond just being a piece of Cold War history, they’re still in widespread usage today. If you like the idea of a “long-range” AK and building it yourself, take a look at building a PSL.

Prior to this project, I lacked any real experience in leatherworking. So I’m fairly confident when I say that this project is well within the skill set of almost anyone. So, if you’re looking for an inexpensive, weekend, firearm project, take a look at the holster kits from Tandy Leather.

To parkerize a gun at home, strip it down to bare carbon steel parts, blast them with 80 grit aluminum oxide, degrease them in a hot bath, then hang them in a stainless tank of zinc or manganese phosphate solution held at about 170 to 175 degrees F until the bubbling stops, 15 minutes at [...]

The Phantom Jig really makes it possible for the “garage builder” or “kitchen table gunsmith” to build a 1911. You need a drill press, a sturdy vise, and some elbow grease.

If you’re new to building or gunsmithing, this project will get you some good experience fitting and polishing parts. So I’d say finishing the 1851 revolver kit isn’t a bad way to spend a weekend.

There aren’t many events where you can get an idea for a build (or builds), find & purchase all of your parts to complete it, and get the specialized tools you need for the job, all in one day.

Building an AK is a very fun and satisfying experience. It is often the only way to obtain an example of a particular model. I encountered a lot of interesting variants of Kalashnikov in my time overseas. I have really enjoyed cloning different models that I encountered.