2022 Projects Update

While I have not been able to perform any work on my refinishing projects, I have been collecting parts....and more projects

This is a Springfield model 83, made by Savage/Stevens, a budget priced 22 single shot rifle made sometime before WWII. It will need a complete refinishing. 

I think I will keep the steel butt plate

The wood is some hardwood, possibly birch. I will attempt to mimic the original finish

This is a new project and is my 5th 44 Mag revolver.

It will also be the third S&W model 29 that I have refinished. I already have a set of period correct factory grips for it. I am looking into getting the display case restored as well. It is from the same era as my model 25-5

This next one is pretty unique, the finish was originally nickel, the walnut has some beautiful grain. I am still searching for a few parts including a mag tube

Meriden model 15 made between 1912 and 1916

Another new project and my third Marlin model 60, got this as part of a package deal, the stock is broken (and repaired) at the wrist.

It is an older model, made in the early 80's before they added the stock reinforcement screw (thus the broken stock). I am not sure what I will do with the gun I already have two custom model 60s. Maybe just find the correct factory stock and leave it as is?

This is a 4th year production Hi-Standard model B, made in 1935, at the height of the Great Depression.

It has rust just on one side, I am going to refinish it as close to the original bluing job as I can.

JC Higgins model 36 (made by Hi-Standard). I purchased this from a gun store for $10, I already found the correct take down screw, now just need to refinish the gun.

Another new project, I picked up this Remington 1100 as part of a group of guns, someone refinished the stock. I will reblue the metal and refinish the wood.

This Remington 513-S Matchmaster was a gift from a local forum member. I have been collecting parts for it, still looking for a couple of pieces.

This Winchester model 74 is just like one I already own, it was missing the bolt, I only paid $25 for the gun, so I figured I would go ahead and spend the $100+ for a good bolt.

I took the gun apart and inspected it, it is missing the trigger return spring, but it should be easy to make one if I cannot find a replacement.

I installed the new bolt (shown below) and test fired the gun, 6 rounds fired, fed and ejected without issue.

I am not sure this gun will get refinished, I think I will leave it as is. It is a Hi-Standard Sentinel 9-shot .22 revolver that I bought for just $85. The action is tight and it shoots great, but it looks like hell. I was going to call it Project Hell, but now maybe Project Butterface.

This Marlin 1894 rifle in 44 Magnum was added to the collection a few years ago, it needs to be reblued and the wood has some beautiful grain to it. I plan on rebluing the metal and giving the wood a satin oil finish

Another Winchester, this one a model 47 (rather than the 74), which was made just after WWII. it needs a bolt and a new stock, this one has cracks running through it. I think it someone ran it over or it took a helluva tumble.

Anyway it was only $15 at a yard sale. The bore looks good, so as soon as I can find a stock and a bolt for less than the cost of a new rifle I'll be going in the right direction.

Here is the start to a 1999 50th anniversary Ruger Mark II. I bought the barrel and receiver for cheap ($50 if I recall). I have already bought a bolt for it and the correct red eagle grips for it, just need the grip frame.

This Ruger 10/22 project involves a home-made receiver, a beat-up stock and a rusty factory barrel.

I modified the stock with eyebolt for a sling mount and a bicycle tire butt plate.

another freebie was this broken aluminum trigger guard, not sure if I will make an ersatz repair or file it down and leave the trigger exposed Fitz style.

the factory barrel has some rust on it and duck tape residue, it will have the perfect look for this rifle.

The receiver was made using a front 1/2 of a broken factory receiver, machined down to be used as a trunnion (ak-47 style) and a piece of aluminum rectangular tubing. I still need to add the internal guide rails and recoil spring boss. I am going to give it a krylon paint job, then distress the paint with steel wool.

This next 10/22 project involves an 80% receiver that I got for cheap, I used a variety of tools and jigs to get the holes drilled out, then had it cerakoted by a friend.

The barrel is a 16" one that I cut down for a previous project.

The stocks were given to me for a forum member who was moving and didn't wish to take all his extra parts with him. I'll be using the top one.

I bought this receiver and some stocks from a local forum member, it is a Swedish contract Remington Rolling Block. I need to find the correct barrel (I want it to be in 45-70 or perhaps a pistol caliber like 45 Colt or 44 Magnum). 

I bought a couple of these Chinese Mauser barreled actions for $10 each, I might make them into 38 Special rifles or just make them wall hangers, I haven't decided yet what to do with them

Firearm Factory of the Month: Alchemy Arms

 This month's Firearms Factory is Alchemy Arms, maker of a specialty pistol known as the Spectre.

The story of Alchemy Arms starts with its founder: William McMoore.

McMoore graduated from Clover Park Technical College in Tacoma WA, in 1979 with an Associate's degree in Aviation Science & Technology.

In 1988 McMoore started a company to build small parts for Glocks and 1911 pistols and may have also been a supplier to Boeing for small parts.

McMoore following requests of his customers wanted to design a manual safety for Glock pistols.....the task was more daunting then he originally thought. 

The project evolved into a whole new pistol that combined the best of the 1911 with the best of the Glock pistols. Work on the new pistol began in 1990 when McMoore enlisted the help of Boeing CAD designer Todd Petchnick.

What Petchnick designed was basically a Glock with a 1911 trigger and grip safety.

The grip frame was machined from billet aluminum, something aerospace suppliers are very familiar with. By May of 1990 a working prototype was ready for testing.

From the beginning the gun was to have a manual safety, along with four other safeties that would make this gun almost idiot proof. 

Rather than create new magazines from scratch, steel Mec-Gar magazines for the EAA Witness 45 were employed.

To make the mags work a new notch was machined for the Spectre's mag catch. Capacity was ten rounds.

After the initial design was complete, Petchnick removed himself from the operation and went back to designing planes.

McMoore played around with the design, refining it and on January 5th, 2000 he applied for two patents. Later that month he showed the gun at the S.H.O.T. Show.

That same year the Spectre pistol went into production. A space was rented in Auburn, WA, just north of the municipal airport, while the corporate headquarters remained across the water in Port Orchard.

The guns were originally made in 45 ACP with plans for a .40 S&W and 9mm versions to come.

Five models were made including:

Standard Issue (SI): came with a black oxide finish and picatinny rail

Service Grade (SG): came silver coated, designed for professional use

Service Grade Commander (SGC): Same as service grade but shorter (4" barrel)

Titanium Edition (TI): Lighter than other models due to its titanium receiver, came coated in olive drab green

Titanium Edition Commander (TIC): same as Titanium but in Commander size

The guns were featured in the December 2000 issue of Handguns magazine.

There were some issues with the guns, most of them were resolved, but ultimately the guns just weren't very popular.

By 2006 things were falling apart and when it got ugly, McMoore fled the country, presumably to his homeland somewhere in the Middle East.

What Remains:

I wasn't able to determine how many guns were actually produced, I did find that only a handful of 40 S&W models prototypes were made and no 9mm examples seem to exist.

When I went looking for the location of the building in which the guns were made, the State of Washington provided everything I needed.

The building is a couple of blocks north of the Auburn Washington municipal airport and a couple of blocks east of the Emeral Downs horse racing track. It was also about 3 miles from my home in Auburn.

Sources:

Follow-up: Alchemy Arms Spectre .45 Pistol (Glock-1911 Hybrid) : guns (reddit.com)

(447) Glock Meets 1911: The Alchemy Arms Spectre - YouTube

Alchemy Arms Spectre - Mythic Armory

The Spectre .45 Auto - Imgur

The Real Glock 1911: The Alchemy Arms Spectre -The Firearm Blog

Alchemy Arms Spectre - Wikipedia