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Thread: DIY gunsmithing

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
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    Sydney
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    493

    Default DIY gunsmithing

    Went pig hunting with two friends and they were shooting 7.62x39. Since I never used that caliber I borrowed one of theirs to have a go.
    Not impressed particularly by their choice of chinese military ammo. Yuk. Give me my Sako 243 back please!

    Used it uneventfully all day, until the time i tried to take a shot and forgot to take the safety off.
    Annoyed, I took the safety off and the rifle fired. Boy I almost wet my pants.
    I gave the rifle back immediately and told him it was faulty and knowing him asked what he did to it.
    He told me he had 'worked' on the trigger.

    With an empty chamber I tested it again. The safety worked preventing the rifle from firing but if you test the safety by pulling the trigger, the firing pin seemed to travel past the trigger and rest on the safety so as soon as the safety was released the firing pin would finish its journey towards the case.
    Bloody DIY gunsmithing!
    Civilized man is the only animal clever enough to manufacture its own food,
    and the only animal stupid enough to eat it.
    Barry Groves

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    South Australia
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    Default

    As with with all things if you don't know what you are doing "don't do it", after the stupid semi auto ban the market was flooded with cheap Chinese 7.62 x 39 bolt actions, the quality control was lacking in some of the plants, Norinco military 7.62 x 39 is not bad, pretty reliable and good cheap plinking

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
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    Tasmania
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    Default

    But Chinese military ammo is not hunting ammo. Its full metal jacket, which means it doesn't expand on impact but will pass clean through. Pigs or not, its pretty unethical to hunt with that ammo.

    Tell your buddies to stop being tight and buy some proper hunting ammo, not only for the animal but also it minimises pass through and the chances of ricochet.

    But yes, your buddy has stuffed up that trigger. I have no idea on the gun model but it would be in his best interest to have it looked at by someone who knows what they are doing. The situation you talk about is downright dangerous.

    There are a number of ways safeties prevent the rifle being fired, some block the firing pin from travelling, others disengage the trigger, there are different systems some of which are better than others. Sounds like he's stoned (of filed probably) the sears to within an inch of their life. Applying the safety provides enough pressure to the bolt/trigger assembly to allow the sear on the bolt to clear the trigger sear meaning that the pin has now escaped the trigger and is resting cocked on the safety. Remove the safety and bang.

    I'd get it fixed. People will say, yeah but I know it does that so I just don't use the safety, but the problem is they then hand the rifle to someone like exactly in your case and then bang. Not too many second chances with firearms.

    All the best and good luck getting your mate to fix it.

  4. #4
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    Get him to fix it?
    i am thinking in smashing it on his head.
    Civilized man is the only animal clever enough to manufacture its own food,
    and the only animal stupid enough to eat it.
    Barry Groves

  5. #5
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    Jun 2013
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    Tasmania
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    257

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Marc View Post
    Get him to fix it?
    i am thinking in smashing it on his head.
    I meant good luck in getting him to agree to pay someone else to fix. I'm with you on this. I wouldn't hunt knowing that gn was in the group.

    Best of luck.

  6. #6
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    Athelstone, SA 5076
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hornetb View Post
    But Chinese military ammo is not hunting ammo. Its full metal jacket, which means it doesn't expand on impact but will pass clean through. Pigs or not, its pretty unethical to hunt with that ammo.

    Tell your buddies to stop being tight and buy some proper hunting ammo, not only for the animal but also it minimises pass through and the chances of ricochet.
    not to mention the ricochet factor

    As for it being dangerous, what are they doing to need to use the safety?...the safe practice is not to have one up the spout until you have acquired your target and are ready to pull the trigger...no need for a safety!!!!!...need to move then unload!!!!

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by eskimo View Post
    not to mention the ricochet factor

    As for it being dangerous, what are they doing to need to use the safety?...the safe practice is not to have one up the spout until you have acquired your target and are ready to pull the trigger...no need for a safety!!!!!...need to move then unload!!!!
    Exactly my thought when I read this. There will always be some tho.

    Dean

  8. #8
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    Jun 2013
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    Tasmania
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    Quote Originally Posted by eskimo View Post
    not to mention the ricochet factor

    As for it being dangerous, what are they doing to need to use the safety?...the safe practice is not to have one up the spout until you have acquired your target and are ready to pull the trigger...no need for a safety!!!!!...need to move then unload!!!!
    That's my practice too. I don't use a safety, ever, as I prefer an open bolt and empty chamber as I simply don't trust a mechanical device from preventing a discharge. I once saw a trigger mechanism fail due to a crack in the trigger housing and discharged a round bypassing the safety mechanism. Hence why I have no faith. Only load a round when you are about to fire, otherwise empty chamber. Not trying to be high and mighty, just having a friendly chat here.

    That said, if you have a safety it should operate as a safety.

  9. #9
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    Athelstone, SA 5076
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hornetb View Post
    TI simply don't trust a mechanical device from preventing a discharge.
    the very thing this thread started about...it didnt work!!!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    NSW
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marc View Post
    Went pig hunting with two friends and they were shooting 7.62x39. Since I never used that caliber I borrowed one of theirs to have a go.
    Not impressed particularly by their choice of chinese military ammo. Yuk. Give me my Sako 243 back please!

    Used it uneventfully all day, until the time i tried to take a shot and forgot to take the safety off.
    Annoyed, I took the safety off and the rifle fired. Boy I almost wet my pants.
    I gave the rifle back immediately and told him it was faulty and knowing him asked what he did to it.
    He told me he had 'worked' on the trigger.

    With an empty chamber I tested it again. The safety worked preventing the rifle from firing but if you test the safety by pulling the trigger, the firing pin seemed to travel past the trigger and rest on the safety so as soon as the safety was released the firing pin would finish its journey towards the case.
    Bloody DIY gunsmithing!
    I agree , what the person has done is lighten the trigger to a point where the safety does not pull the cocking piece back a small amount when engaged.
    Then the user accidentally or purposely touches the trigger . This causes the sear to then fall a very short distance arrested by the safety catch . Safety off Bang !
    Then again it could also be just a bad factory design but it sounds to me the owner has gone too far with the work . In fairness I have even seen a licensed gunsmith make this same mistake trying to make a safety work easier and quieter . They say hunting alone is dangerous ??
    Would not swap a truck load of 7.62 x 39's for one Sako 243 .
    The volume of a pizza of thickness 'a' and radius 'z' is given by pi z z a.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2012
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    Kimberley, West Australia
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    Safety??? Catches???
    Not all manufacturers get them right for all conditions. Our pistol club purchased two .22 lr auto pistols bearing the brand name of a top Swiss maker recently taken over by a big German name. Can only assume they had the American plinkers market in mind, as quality control was atrocious. Transfer bars and springs failed, sights came apart along with magazine releases and the plastic mags needed work on them.
    A new shooter indicated a misfire to me (range officer) so observing "safe direction" I took it from her carefully and dropped the magazine out. Went to draw the slide and the pistol fired! Looked at the safety lever recessed in the side of the slide and it was in a "half on" position and not locating positively off or on. Test fired five shots and saw that he catch was again "half on" so withdrew the pistol from use. Inspection showed that a cheap plastic retainer was softening in our hot climate and preventing a detent ball and spring from locating the catch properly under the effects of recoil. The catch would engage just enough to block the hammer causing misfire, but moving the slide would release the hammer and cause discharge.
    Took out the safety device from both pistols, as they are not used under range conditions. Afraid this is one "brand name" pistol model I could not recommend to anyone. Still on the market, but can only hope they have improved, or there will be a lot of dissatisfied and unsafe shooters out there. Regards,
    Combustor.
    Old iron in the Outback, Kimberley WA.

  12. #12
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    Sep 2010
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    Lebrina
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    Default

    I fully realise that this is an old thread, but I cannot scroll past this one and not say anything.
    As we are all acutely aware, the lot of an Australian shooter is not a particularly happy one due to various laws and legislation. I can only speak for Tasmanian law, but I'd be very surprised if it didn't carry across to other States. Possessing and/or using a firearm known to be defective is an offence and if you get the wrong copper on the wrong day or worse still are involved in an incident, you could well be in more trouble than the early settlers.

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