Mad at guns

[Airwolf]

Seems like every time I try to improve my guns, even simple upgrades, something goes wrong, the gun gets screwed up, or I'm just out a bunch of money. Ive had bad cerekote jobs, shotgun beads installed off center, scope mounts out of spec, and now I'm SOL with my Smith Enterprise parts for my M1A. It's one of those days that makes me wonder why I stay in this hobby...but I will. Anyone else have days like this?

 

[ctbreitwieser]

All the time. Thats why Im in gunsmithing school right now so it doesnt happen anymore.

 

[RandomName]

Kinda. Years ago I sent my CZ40B in to Ashley's Big Dot to fit their prototype big dot sights on my gun. They kept it about a month and sent it back to me, and I got free big dots for letting them borrow the gun to test fit.

I sold it not too long after that. The big dot was too big, IMO, and I couldn't hit crap with it much past bayonet range after that.

I haven't done much modification of my own guns, though I'm going to try and put a new trigger in my SAR-1 when it comes in from Midway. Some things are best left to the professionals, and for me electricity and gun-smithing are way up on that list of "some things".

 

[shooter521]

now I'm SOL with my Smith Enterprise parts for my M1A.

What's the story there?

 

[churchmouse]

I have been blessed with an understanding of machinery. I can not leave anything alone. For this reason I am learning how to do all of the work myself except for any really serious machine work and I have some highly skilled friends for those things I can not do.
I have had the most Bravo Sierra trigger work done by incompetent posers. Extractors installed that worked worse than the worn out pieces. No more. There are a few ingo members I trust but outside of that....No more.

 

[foszoe]

I just assume the flaw is always mine. Saves me a ton of cash. Keeps me humble.

 

[Airwolf]

What's the story there?

I've got a scout that I replaced the gas lock and flash hider with a Vortex, Gas Lock Front Sight (18" model with the taller deck), and national match front sight. I have bottomed out the elevation adjustments and she still shoots 6" high at 25yds. Called SEI, Ron Smith said he's never had that problem and all my parts are in spec and set up correctly. Called Springfield Armory and they said try the original tall front sight. Did that and it gets me sighted in with three clicks of elevation at 100yds.

Been on the M14 board, no help. Springfield said it is in their specs as long as it can be zeroed at 100yds. The rub is that something isn't right, but I can't figure out what it is.

 

[Airwolf]

The worst part is when you go to someone that was highly recommended to you and you get to pay them to screw up your stuff.

 

[RandomName]

I stabbed myself under the finger nail with an AK trigger spring and snapped a dremel bit today and immediately thought of this thread. It gets better. Right? RIGHT??

 

[Sgt7330]

Well, you fight through it, pay the bill, get the part and fix it. Chalk it up to learning I guess. I've been there.

 

[superjoe76]

I have a Marlin 25 .22LR that I have had for 20+ years. A while back I decided to add sling studs since it didnt have one. I also decided to take it down completely and detail clean it. While it was apart, I carefully drilled small holes for the studs to go in and then put it back together. When I went to add the studs I realized I drilled the buttstock hole on the top instead of the bottom

So, I now have a Marlin with a whole on top!

 

[.452browning]

All the time. Thats why Im in gunsmithing school right now so it doesnt happen anymore.

If I may ask where are you attending gunsmithing school? I was accepted to attend Murray State College in OK for gunsmithing but could not afford it at the time. Still hopeful one day.

 

[Colt556]

Yep, been there done that! But I learned that there are some things I just need to leave alone and let those that know what they are doing take care of. The hardest part for me is admitting defeat and letting someone else do it. But I can't afford to replace parts or guns so if I can't do it safely I just leave it alone. I am pretty good at wood refinishing and doing smaller polishing jobs though.


Btw... I've swapped flash hiders and sights on several M1As/M1s and have never had an issue like yours. Try measuring your front sights and then comparing the measurements to others listed. Maybe your sight is out of spec.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I've been lucky (so far - knock wood) in that I haven't screwed anything up TOO badly. What I like is when I've taken something apart, and start trying to put it back together, having forgotten completely how I got it apart, and all of a sudden it "magically" goes back together... leaving me just as clueless as I was before. It's at that point that I just say "Whew!" and leave it alone...