# single shot rifles



## takamineman (Jun 11, 2010)

Anybody ever built a break open style single shot rifle?  I'm thinking that may be easier for my first try at this rifle building stuff.  What do yall think?


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## bighonkinjeep (Jun 11, 2010)

Google home gunsmithing


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## Dead Eye Eddy (Jun 11, 2010)

It sounds like you are talking about manufacturing the entire firearm.  Can you legally do that?  I thought all firearms manufactured after a certain date had to have a serial number.


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## rayjay (Jun 11, 2010)

Define "rifle building".


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## Twenty five ought six (Jun 11, 2010)

Dead Eye Eddy said:


> It sounds like you are talking about manufacturing the entire firearm.  Can you legally do that?  I thought all firearms manufactured after a certain date had to have a serial number.



An individual can build any firearm except one subject to the NFA for his own use.


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## Dead Eye Eddy (Jun 11, 2010)

Twenty five ought six said:


> An individual can build any firearm except one subject to the NFA for his own use.



Nice to know.  So, if I wanted to build a very basic 12 gauge shotgun out of a length of pipe and a block of wood, as long as the barrel was at least 18" and the OAL was at least 26", then I could legally own and use it, but I couldn't legally sell it?


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## Twenty five ought six (Jun 12, 2010)

Dead Eye Eddy said:


> Nice to know.  So, if I wanted to build a very basic 12 gauge shotgun out of a length of pipe and a block of wood, as long as the barrel was at least 18" and the OAL was at least 26", then I could legally own and use it, but I couldn't legally sell it?




The answer to the first part of the question is "yes."  There are black powder people who do that very thing. There are also various kits around for guns with tube type receivers that qualify and plans for cutting out the parts.

The answer to the second part is a little more ambiguous.  The law says that you can't manufacture one for sale, it doesn't say that you can't sell it.  Probably if you made one every 5 years and sold it to finance the building of another one, you would be o.k., or if you made a gun to see if you could do it, sold it and moved on, you would be o.k.  It's one of the questions that determining the answer to is just not worth the risk.  So it's not correct to say that you can't ever never sell it because it would be illegal, but it's not something I would want to do very often.


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## Sharps40 (Jun 12, 2010)

*Rifle*

Check out Brownells.  They have several books covering manufacturing rifles from scratch in the home.  Probably the best starter project is the Chicopee single shot 22 LR.  You can use cold rolled flat stock and silver solder or weld if you have the skill.  Its a detailed project, but only a few parts really should see machine time.  The rest is cut and file to fit, basic case hardening, basic chambering/fitting, stock work, etc.  There is also, in the same book, "Mr. Singleshots Book of Rifle Plans", a much more strongly breeched version of the Chicopee for 22 Hornet.  There is also a set of plans for a round breech block falling block action suitable for more intense centerfire cartridges.  Of course, this one takes more machine time to get it done right.  But still looks very doable for a determined amateur.  Gun Parts Corp still sells great quality 22 long rifle barrel blanks for a decent price.  I have one of their match grade blanks (milled to tapered octagon) on an original Win Low Wall with set trigger in 22 LR.  Great shooter.  Also have a GPC barrel on an 1894 Stevens Favorite, also a great shooter.  As for making a rifle from a single shot shotgun, should be no problems by choping off the barrel ahead of the lump, reaming it and fitting a rifle barrel blank to the modified breech with Silver Solder.  Good maching time is indicated to get it fitted and on face.  A good quality 12 or 20 gage break action single shot would be nifty in 38-55 or 45-70 or even 50-70.  Of course, you'll have to weld up and recut the extractor and likely need to bush the firing pin to the modern small diameter rifle size.  If ya want to have hard kicking fun, make up a rifled barrel 12 or 20 gage (slow twist) and use brass shot shells and load a lead paradox bullet or full diameter lead round ball over a charge of Black Powder.    Good luck.


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## takamineman (Jun 14, 2010)

Well, I was thinking more along the lines of buying the trigger/receiver/barrel and building the stock by hand.  I guess it's just assembling a rifle.  I don't have the access to the machines necessary to build the metal parts.  I would never sell anything I built.


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## Bamafan4life (Jun 14, 2010)

If you just wanna build something your self ar-15 all the way.


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## takamineman (Jun 15, 2010)

yeah i see alot of stuff available for ar's but I'm not really an ar kind of fella.  I just want to build me a good hunting rifle.


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## Sagan (Jun 15, 2010)

takamineman said:


> yeah i see alot of stuff available for ar's but I'm not really an ar kind of fella.  I just want to build me a good hunting rifle.



Build an AR-10 then, in .308.  Very good hunting round.  I don't think there's much in this state that it couldn't drop.


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## Clemson (Jun 16, 2010)

takamineman said:


> yeah i see alot of stuff available for ar's but I'm not really an ar kind of fella.  I just want to build me a good hunting rifle.



Far and away the easiest way to get into riflebuilding is to start with a model 98 Mauser for a donor action.  Barrels, stocks, accessories are abundant.  You can do as much as you want to yourself, farming out whatever you can't handle.  The single shots are an order of magnitude more difficult because of the lack of standard parts, stocks, etc.  If you can find a donor action from a Remington 700, it is probably second only to the Mauser in availability of components.

Clemson


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