.375 H&H Swage die update

Core uniform swage die is finished, I choose to have it make .312" cores so I could use it for other calibers like 35 and such. The cores actually come out .314" however but they will work either way....I'm not actually sure why they come out slightly over sized from what I reamed the die body to but it wont hurt anything since these will be seated into the jackets then squished again.

Once I get going I don't wanna mess with pictures, Here is the finished product with a sample swagged core. Note excess being squished from the side of the die. Also got 2 of the 3 pieces done for the core seat die done today....Should have a finished die set in the next week or so. The reamer for the point form die must be heat treated and ground so that will take some time.

Slings for the working gun

Rifle and shotgun slings are accessory items that should be seriously considered on working long arms, that is long arms that are going to go into the field with you, hunting or checking on the buildings and livestock when you know there have been coyotes in that back pasture or ground hogs in between the buildings and we all know what it feels like when we come across a job for a rifle that is back at the house...... "the things you see when you haven't got your gun...". The same argument could be made to a greater extent to carry a sidearm. Its completely hands free until you need it and when you need it YOU REALLY NEED IT. And as the man said..."a sidearm is there so you can fight your way to a rifle (or shotgun)".

Slings come in many flavors from top grade leather with sheep skin pads to synthetic jobs with more adjustments and sliders you can shake a stick at. My argument pretty much here is you're much more likely to carry the gun with you slung over your shoulder than if you had to constantly occupy the use of one hand to carry it. Tactical conditions not withstanding slinging a rifle over your shoulder is perfectly fine. The only thing I would keep in mind is muzzle up or muzzle down. It does vary how you deploy the firearm when it is needed. I prefer muzzle down myself as it is easier to deploy, I grab the forearm of the rifle and bring it up instead of un-slinging and grabbing with the weak hand and climbing up the firearm as it were. Being taller, rifles like a Mosin Nagant with the barrel up would put the barrel at about the perfect height to run into the top of door frames and brush if I'm walking through either or.

Home defense guns 99% of the time should not have a sling on them at all, especially in smaller homes. The sling is made for 3 reasons, to carry the gun, to support a shooting position and to retain the gun when freeing up both hands is a must but slinging the gun on your back is not a option. If you are clearing your dwelling with a sidearm yes then use a sling but make sure you train with it, aware of how it snags and decide if its worth the risk of tangling up your long arm.  The basic M1 Garand and M14 cotton and nylon sling are great starters for teaching positions and use of a basic sling, really wanna get the basics down before we try to teach anything else more complex.

Pictured are two popular rifles with two different sling set ups. The top M4 type rifle
has a side mounted sling the rear point is supplied by a side stock magazine pouch.

You need to really understand with guns why we are using what we are using and putting on the gun as an accessory , it may not work the same for you the way we are making it work for ourselves.  You need to start with a standard firearm and use it train with it, and then add to it as necessary. It is ok to get a AR with a rail and try combinations of accessories while you find what you like, what you don't like and what works/does not work. But do not go buying something with lots of stuff hanging off of it you think you need especially if you don't know why its there or how best to utilize it.

One thing you should take into serious consideration in a defense firearm is quick detach (QD) sling attachments. There are a lot of good ones out there for your use (if you have a use). I don't understand needing two QD points unless you need to remove the sling completely or put it on quickly...which may be a good option for long arms that may go on post apocalyptic patrol with you after you sweep your apartment and bug out?  But in all seriousness a sling with 2 QD points will allow your shotgun or rifle you use in the 2 gun matches to be quickly modified for use as needed. I stay away from single point slings as I view them more as a modified lanyard of sorts more so than a sling. If you are hands free of your long arm and crouched the muzzle may go into the dirt with a single point sling. Try one out and see how you like it, I will stay with a modified 2 point.

Not all mounts are steel or plastic...at least hard plastic. The M4 you can see has
a paracord point which is silent and movable. It will not melt where it is mounted and does not get in the way
The M44 has leather fasteners which should occasionally be oiled to keep from cracking if its a truck gun.

Sling position on the gun will have a lot to do with how it functions as a useful accessory. Positioning the sling correctly to maximize use and comfort when the option is in your best interest. Try not to mix the side mounted front sling stud and a bottom rear sling stud.....esp if you are using the sling to transfer to a secondary weapon.....you will nail yourself in the groin with the pistol grip of your AR or other such flavored rifle or shotgun...and I'll laugh...at you...for a while.  For firearms that are going to be used for 2 gun matches or otherwise are "worn" and "retained" when transitioning from long arm to pistol or revolver I highly recommend side mounting the sling. Again train with it, learn it and modify it as needed....shoot matches and put it in use! You need to know how your gear is going to perform when you go to use it...either for farm use...or for matches.

Zen and the art of Browning high power maintenance :or: Talk to your kids about font size before somebody else does....

My only 9mm (non conversion) pistol I own is a Canadian Inglis Browning high power built for the Canadian military. Recently I've had some problems with it  bulging cases and the safety gets snicked on and off at random while I am shooting and while its riding in my holster...not cool or safe. I found a weak recoil spring was why it is bulging cases, the gun was unlocking too soon and the barrel was not supporting the entire rear of the case during the firing process. A stronger recoil spring is the answer for that, specifically a 18.5lb Wolff spring. I highly recommend Wolff springs for all firearms that they can be had for. I've used them as replacements in revolvers and automatics as well as some rifle. If you can field strip the gun....you can replace the spring.

Ok, so the spring is the easy fix, the harder fix being the safety going on and off when not intending to do so. Firearm controls should be positive and smooth. The low profile safety on this gun was smooth in going on and off when I didn't need it to and it was positively a pain. Knowing I would like a slightly larger safety on the gun I looked at getting an extended safety I could fit to the gun and would have better control over. I ordered through midway a Cylinder & Slide extended BHP safety that would be required to be installed by a competent gunsmith......yeah not a drop in part. But I got lucky, installation was easy on my particular gun sear and safety engagement was good, the only problem was the ejector insert when pinned back into place caused the ejector to lift significantly to the point it was binding the new extended safety. Some fitting will be required to allow the safety to move freely. Upon closer inspection after test fitting the new safety I found the place on the shaft where the ejector was rubbing. It turned out there was a high spot on the part that would need to be removed.

Here we see the ergonomic differences offered by the C&S extended safety.

To sum everything up, certain gunsmithing projects can be fairly straight forward if you take your time and don't rush. I am not a gunsmith by profession and I am not a expert....I'm still learning and will continue to do so till the day I die...which will probably be the day I learn about how  to piss off a Cape Buffalo. With care and skill and taking the time to learn and research before starting most gunsmith tasks are fairly straight forward. Read, re-read, watch, learn, practice and improve....its how we do good work. Even though the instructions for the safety had touched on fitting it if the sear blocker did not work we ran into a issue that was not addressed in the instructions. We noted how the parts interacted and test fitted many times before removing any metal. Only taking a few strokes at a time we did the job right the first time. I could have modified the ejector plate but that was not the issue...there was nothing wrong with it and I would have been making a part fit another part that was not the correct dimensions. Go slow with a steady hand and most of the time you'll have a job you'll be proud of. Or make sure other parts cover it up....

The wear spot being marked by a yellow dot needs to be uniformed with slow even rounding strokes
with a file. The result should take off the high spot and allow proper function of the safety.

 

Leave the power tools to the idiots on TV....assorted small hand files will do a lot of jobs well.

The author finds this self made gunsmiths block very helpful when disassembling and assembling
handguns and parts groups for various firearms. Note space for small parts and punches.  

Finished part buffed with Dremel wire wheel to blend and clean up the  tool marks left by the file.
(SOME power tools are "ok")

Here we can kinda sorta see the issue, imagine the plate part being forced up counter clockwise causing
the shaft of the safety to bind.

Installed and properly fitted the new recoil spring and safety should bring  this firearm back into service without any further problems....and I pray I don't break an extractor...cause those are hard to find for these Mk 1* guns.

.375 H&H Swage dies update #4

Working on reamer design some more and exactly how to make the dies the best way. I think I've found that machining the dies from the inside out provides the best accuracy and lessens time spent on retooling for each step. When I say from the inside out I mean do the precision internal stuff near the center of the die first and thread last.  Hopefully I'll have a complete die set done by mid May!