1911 Grips

I've decided to try my hand at making grips. I enjoy working with my hands, and it passes the time. I had a few pieces of poplar lying around, so basically, I just used another set of grips to trace a pattern, and I cut them out with a jigsaw. After drilling the holes, I shaped them with a pocketknife, and sanded them smooth. I coated them with polyurethane, which gave them a slight amber color. After installing them, I realized that I forgot to put the bevel on the bottom edge of the grips, so they have flat bottoms.

I like them, though.


I was also going to make a set for my dad, using red oak, but when I was digging around, I came upon this great piece of deer horn, so what the hell, I decided. I mad my dad a set of stags for his Kimber. They are a little outside of spec, as I was working with an irregular section of horn, but they turned out ok... I just wish I would have flattened the back of the left grip just a tad more.
Ah, well. They still look nice.

1/2 M.O.A.

1.42 inches at 300 yards? I think so...

New Leather

I made a purse for my wife while she was away in Florida. Monogrammed, with a 'clutch' style handle, and a flat bottom, so you can stand it upright. I like how it turned out.

Father's Day

Yesterday was Father's Day. I made my dad a holster, and gave it to him last week, but I'll let him tell you about it.

My wife is leaving to visit family next week in Florida, and she's taking my car, because it's a gas-saver, so I'm picking up my dad's motorcycle tonight. it's a Honda Goldwing. Super-gas saver, and about as comfortable as you can get on two wheels.

And next Monday? Why the old man, my brothers and me are going to a 300 yard range.

Heh.

.308 Monday

Monday, my father and I traipsed off to our private range for a little trigger time. I recently updated my .308 with a Choate stock, and I wanted to see how it shot. Results were good, with my group average being around 8/10ths of an inch. Most groups were around 3/4 of an inch. I also brought a Handi-rifle in .308 of my father's that I will probably be hunting with this year. It shoots well, but I will probably take it out a few more times to make sure it's right.


Dad brought two hunting rifles as well, both in .308. He had a Savage and a Remington with him. both gave great cold barrel shots. both are capable of taking game.


It was a great day.

Meatstravangaza

Being that my friends Emily and Will werein town last week, we had a party last week. it involved lots of food, and we dubbed it the Meatstravangaza.

Here you see Brisket; Roast pork; Roasted potatoes and carrots; Potatoes smothered in ranch ,cheese, chive, and bacon; pit beans; and pistolettes.

Also there was beer. lots of beer.

Also, my friend Jess, and my brother Barrett decided to do shots of pork drippings.

No Crap.

New Shooter

So last week, my friends from Florida, Emily and Will came for a visit. They were great house guests... you know, the type you don't mind having around. Anyway, Will informed me that he had never shot a gun before, so I knew what I was going to be doing on Tuesday.

We started with .38 special loads from a 4 in. Taurus .357 magnum. Recoil was minimal, and he handled it easily, keeping 6 shots in about a 6 inch group at 7 yards. Not bad at all for a first timer!

We moved on to .357 magnum loads, and he handled those with ease as well, So I gave him my S&W snubbie with .38's. I think he only shot one cylinder... obviously not a recoil junkie.

I moved him to my 1911, and he truly enjoyed that, putting 30 or so rounds downrange. I think it was his favorite handgun.

Finally, I gave him a 20 ga. pump shotgun. He REALLY liked that!

Anyway, I didn't get any pictures, but he had a blast.

Count that as one more citizen that has been acquainted with guns.

Keychain Flair.

I was at my Dad's yesterday, and I was looking at his reloading bench. I became inspired.

That's the bullet I fire in my Savage. Well, it would be if I had put powder behind the bullet. And there was a primer in it. And if I hadn't drilled out the primer hole and hammered a cotter-pin into it...

But it makes a nice keychain, no?

Leatherworking+Guns=WIN

It's no secret that I like guns. It's also no secret that I enjoy leatherworking. I have recently combined the two. It's pure awesome.

The 'JD' in the welt? we in the family refer to that as the 'Rocking Jay, Dee'. It was my grandfather's and father's cattle brand. I've taken it as my maker's mark.

It rides very well, and I'm pleased with how it turned out. Now, I do live in Louisiana, and during the summer, condensation will form on the firearm because it is relatively cool, and my skin, which the holster rides next to, is relatively hot, so I only use this holster if pocket carry isn't an option due to the fit of my pants or the cut of the pocket. If I use this holster, I have to clean the weapon afterwards to remove moisture and re-lubricate it, but I LOVE the way it rides. During the winter, It will probably be my everyday carry holster.

Now, I'm left-handed, so it rides on my left hip, right above my wallet. I don't have to remove it to get in a car, and it will stay comfortably there all day.

It turned out.

Stock Finished (or 'Look, I Made a Gun!')

Ok, so I didn't actually make a gun, I just put a stock on one, but the Wife and I were at a friend's house eating barbecue the other week, and said friend commented that my blog had two types of posts :Look, I made something! , and Look, I have a gun!....

I responded by commenting that I also sometimes posted about food, but whatever. The parenthesised title is for her.

Anyway, I filled the right-handed bolt handle hole in my rifle stock, then I painted it. The paint isn't an exact match, but it's close. And, yeah, I'm no professional gunsmith, but I'm happy with the results.

After the bedding compound set up, I cleaned it up with a pocketknife and a file. I then put a light coat of ultra-flat camouflage green paint on the epoxied spot. After it dried a bit, I put it in it's case and left it alone for a week. It's hard to tell in the photos, but apparently the epoxy wasn't fully dry, and it reacted with the paint, giving the epoxy a slightly textured appearance that more closely matches the stock. Happy mistake. Here's a wider shot.

I know it's a bit amateur-ish, but hell, I'm an amateur. I'll let ya'll know how it shoots.