Sunday, December 30, 2018

2018 Year in Review


2018....our biggest year ever. We celebrated our 5 year anniversary in May and reached the 500 post milestone back in August....and we are approaching 1 Million unique visitors to the blog...this might not seem much when a cat video on youtube can get a million hits in a day, but this is a very specific blog, one that doesn't appeal to everyone the way a cute kitten might. 
This year also saw a record number of posts and projects. This is our 117th post this year.

On with the review

January:

February:


March:

April:



May:
June:



July:
August:
September:


October:
November:


December:






2019:
As in the past we will continue to focus on gun refinishing and customizing projects. We will also continue with Featured Gun articles, posts on abandoned or lost Firearm Factories, Gun Porn, Interesting Firearm Photos, Gun and Gun Part reviews, Theme Guns & Gun Art. I may even bring back girls with guns.....also new this year will be some ammo reviews. Widener's Reloading and Shooting Supply has asked me to review ammo for them.



Upcoming Projects:

Mauser 98 Sporter Rifle: A friend of the blog inherited an unfinished Mauser 98 Sporter project. We will finish what is left to be done and give the new owner an heirloom to enjoy instead of a box of parts. 

Ruger Standard Pistol: I found a 1966 vintage Ruger standard pistol that was in need of love. I found the proper grips & magazine for it, now I need to restore it.

New Haven 250C: an affordable little rifle, built by Mossberg circa 1960

Remington 870 Wingmaster: I take a rust pitted pile of parts and turn it into a beautiful example of a Police shotgun

Winchester model 97: One of the original pump action shotguns, this one made in 1926.

Remington 512 Sportmaster x2: I have two more of these guns to restore, my brother is a big fan of these.

Remington 511 Scoremaster: another chance at redemption for a gun that sat unloved for too long

Remington 513S Matchmaster: A gift from my Uncle, it was in pieces, a perfect project for me.

High Standard HD Military: A classic American pistol will get a new finish.

Marlin model 75: A quick refinish for a .22 rifle 

Stevens model 73: a single shot missing the bolt....a common theme


Smith & Wesson model 19: I will refinish my 3rd S&W model 19, this one had some engraving from the wholesaler that needs to be removed.

Winchester model 77: A $50 buy from a local forum member....

J.C. Higgins model 36: one more of the $10 gun buys, that became a project

Springfield model 83: another inexpensive single shot in need of love


Ruger Mark II 50th Anniversary: Rebuilding a 50th Anniversary Mark II from pieces

Marlin model 60 Ultimate: I will attempt to collect the best parts Marlin ever put on a model 60 to create the "Ultimate model"

Savage 325A: Another $10 purchase turns into a project (three projects actually) 

Hi-Standard Sentinel: A gun that looks good on the inside, functions like new, but looks like it spent some time on the road to hell.

Mossberg 380 Rifle: a rust pitted semi-auto that needs some help

Hungarian Hi-Power: a rusty but functional Cold War Commie copy of the P35 

Remington 700 Rifle: A work horse of a hunting rifle will get a new finish and a new trigger.

Arisaka Carbine: A 6.5mm Jap Carbine with an intact mum, it needs a new stock and a rebluing 

Dan Wesson model 15: Another Dan Wesson, this one with extra barrels

Ruger 10/22 Projects:
  • Finger Groove Sporter: A chance garage sale find turns into another project
  • Finger Groove Sporter Tribute: A factory walnut stock modified to look like a FGS
  • The 10/22 Zombie Project: I experiment with Lichtenberg wood burning 
  • The 10/22 Hawken Rifle: I build a 10/22 tribute to the Hawken muzzleloading rifle
  • Unnamed project: A custom target stock with polished aluminum parts
  • Pirate Charger: I will attempt to cut down a factory wood stock and create a pirate pistol for my Charger

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

And Now for Something Completely Different II

A year ago December I posted some pictures of custom axes, hatchets, fruit smashers and various tools made by Uncle Pimpy's Axe Palace (aka Jesse Reed).
This year I have some from Mr. DeathMachine, which I found on Imgur,

He has more pictures on his Instagram page, see it here























Sunday, December 23, 2018

Interesting Firearm Photos XXV



U.S. Army Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol in Vietnam, circa 1966


Not sure if this is a real, modified/updated Broomhandle Mauser or a toy, but it looks cool


German Police wearing chain mail armor, what is old is new again....


The .22 Eargesplitten Loudenboomer round





Charlton Heston with a modified M1 Carbine in the movie Planet of the Apes



German soldier surrendering to an American infantryman - Battle of The Bulge, Ardennes, Belgium 1944
  









Police Women at the range, circa 1950's

Too bad his street address wasn't 410......


A photograph of the Japanese soldier Yasuno Chikao an instant before he strikes off Australian Commando Leonard Siffleet’s head. The picture was taken from the body of a Japanese casualty later in the war, the date was October 24th, 1943.



The Cosmopolitan Saloon and Gambling Hall in Telluride, CO circa 1905









Sources
Gunrunnerhell
Ultimate WWII

The pictures above were found freely on the world wide web and are used under the guidelines of Fair Use, per Title 17 of the U.S. Code. Where possible the source has been credited. If you own the copyright to any of these images and wish them to be credited or removed, please contact me immediately.
 

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Restoring a Remington 512 Sportmaster part 3

Final post of this restoration, if you missed the first two installments click on the links below

Part 1
Part 2

Here is the gun assembled:


Here is a good picture of the satin oil finish we applied to the stock, it is surprisingly hard to get a good picture of the finish





In this picture you can see the rear sight has a matte finish


The repainted ready-fire indicator





Before and after pictures