Curiousity poll

JPigg55

JPigg55

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Just curious to find out how many air gunners are on this forum and, of those, how many air smithys ???
I'm eventually wanting to toss my hat into this ring and looking for contacts for the miriad of questions I have.
 
JPigg55 said:
Just curious to find out how many air gunners are on this forum and, of those, how many air smithys ???
I'm eventually wanting to toss my hat into this ring and looking for contacts for the miriad of questions I have.
Click to expand...

I'm an airgunner. have been for a while. CO2, pump, PCP, pretty much everything except break barrels, I never liked break barrel. I have a couple of custom PCP's, favorite is a "stubby extreme" in .25 made by RL Airguns. I used to have a DAQ, but to be honest, never liked the way it worked. so sold it.

I've thought about doing the airgun smith thing, problem is in the area that interests me the most is suppressor, and that's a BIG grey area with the ATF. so right now I just tinker with my wn guns. I have a couple of modified M-Rods and a P-Rod that I modified to double the power for about 10 shots. makes a nice little carbine back yard gun.

I used to hang out on the yellow forum as DaveInME, but haven't posted there for quite a while.
 
upTheHill said:
I've thought about doing the airgun smith thing, problem is in the area that interests me the most is suppressor, and that's a BIG grey area with the ATF. so right now I just tinker with my wn guns. I have a couple of modified M-Rods and a P-Rod that I modified to double the power for about 10 shots. makes a nice little carbine back yard gun.
Click to expand...


I haven't verified it, but a co-worker of mine is into PCP air rifles. In a discussion with him, I was told they were legal for use on airguns, but had to be permanently affixed to the barrel (welded on or intergral to the barrel).
I'm not sure where he got the info from, but I'll ask him when I get back to work as that was one of the questions I had also.
I have an especially grey area. From my research, air guns are not considered firearms by the Fed, but it's unclear if a FFL is required to work on/manufacture them. From the ATF website: "Q: Does the ATF regulate the sale and possession of air guns? Is an air gun classified as a “firearm” under Federal law?
The term “firearm” is defined in the Gun Control Act of 1968, 18 U.S.C. Section 921(a)(3), to include “(A) any weapon (including a starter gun), which will, or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive; (B) the frame or receiver of any such weapon….” Based on Section 921(a)(3), air guns, because they use compressed air and not an explosive to expel a projectile, do not constitute firearms under Federal law — unless they are manufactured with the frames or receivers of an actual firearm. Accordingly, the domestic sale and possession of air guns is normally unregulated under the Federal firearms laws enforced by ATF."
To add to that, I'm a resident of Illinois which defines air guns under Public Act 097-0776 as follows.
"Firearm" means any device, by whatever name known, which is designed to expel a projectile or projectiles by the action of an explosion, expansion of gas or escape of gas; excluding, however:
(1) any pneumatic gun, spring gun, paint ball gun, or B-B gun which either expels a single globular projectile not exceeding .18 inch in diameter orand which has a maximum muzzle velocity of less than 700 feet per second or breakable paint balls containing washable marking colors;
(1.1) any pneumatic gun, spring gun, paint ball gun, or B-B gun which expels breakable paint balls.

So basically any airgun over 18 cal. with a muzzle velocity at or in excess of 700 fps is considered a firearm in Illinois and therefore requires an Illinois FOID (firearm owners ID card), at a minimum.
 
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supressors are leagal on airguns. how they are attached is a grey area. the manufacturer (i believe) has to submit a sample to the ATF for approval. it doesn't have to be a permenant attachment though. the mauruaders and several others have a"shrouded barrel" hat screws on. this has baffels in it and makes the gun quiet. the ATF ruling on supressors (and 8 don't have the section) says that IF something can be put on a firearm and reduce the noise level by 1db, it has to be registered as a supressor. even if it gets destroyed by 1 shot. so duct tape a pvc pipe on your gun? yup, you've got an illegal supressor.

there are several small companies / airgun smiths who make screw on supressors for airguns like the air force talon and condor. they are walking a very grey line with the ATF, and soner or later, they will meet with an agent having a bad day, and they're life will change.

complicate this with different state laws on airgun. you alrwady said IL, MI is the same , NJ is worse. in Maine airguns are considered firearms only for hunting, which is good, because you can hunt ANYTHING in maine with an airgun, even moose or black bears if you can afford one of the custom 50 cal airgun, or you have a death wish.
 
I be a OLD retired chip maker and am just starting on the project of doing ar15 forged lowers from r guns.
But am in the process of moving into my new shop which took toooooooooo darn long for the contractor to get finished:angry:
But I hope to be able to get started before next spring:panic:
I plan on building a few different type hand guns and long guns.
Machining and gunsmith have very little diffrence, it just matters how close you can hold tolerances and you knowledge of metals and processes IMHO.
 
I have built several 1911 and now doing 2011's. Thinking on rebarreling a 22-250 to put a heaven barrel on it. Don't know much about air guns. I would rather spend money on guns and parts rather than a suppressor. I used to do black oxide bluing and am thinking about doing some guns in Electroless Nickle.


gary
 
I have never messed with an air gun but always enjoy seeing somebody else's project.. I am impressed by the power of big bore air guns.. I could see myself replicating the airgun that went west on that early expedition- I forget who those fellers were...Anyway, I am exclusively into replicating early AMERICAN guns and wouldn't personally be interested in building the modern air rifles at this time. I am building a model 1877 Sharps in .40-65 right now.
 
Check out "airgunartisans.com", make sure you check out Custom Airguns. Don't miss the airgun videos.
 
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Alphawolf45 said:
I have never messed with an air gun but always enjoy seeing somebody else's project.. I am impressed by the power of big bore air guns.. I could see myself replicating the airgun that went west on that early expedition- I forget who those fellers were...
Click to expand...

I think you're talking about the Girandoni Repeating Air Rifle aka Lewis and Clark airgun.
I'd love to eventually reproduce one of these as well.
I've attached a couple of links. The first is a webpage that has multiple pictures of the pieces/parts with some referenced dimensions. The second is a youtube video showing the animated workings of it.
http://www.beemans.net/Austrian airguns.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GzLa1Cvcuo&feature=related
You can search youtube for Girandoni Air Rifle or Lewis and Clark airgun and find a multitude of videos especially ones about the Beeman research and reproduction of the gun.
I'd love to find out who the master gunsmith was that was commisioned to build the reproduction to try and contact him for more specific info.
 
JPigg55 said:
I think you're talking about the Girandoni Repeating Air Rifle aka Lewis and Clark airgun.
I'd love to eventually reproduce one of these as well.

I'd love to find out who the master gunsmith was that was commisioned to build the reproduction to try and contact him for more specific info.
Click to expand...


JPigg55 I find I can build just about anything from pictures and simple drawings but I can never match it in every detail...It is so much easier and far more accurate when you have the real deal to photograph and pull off dimensions. Those fellows that get the chance to copy rare authentic firearms are really fortunate. I envy them.....I am not going to build the Lewis and Clark air gun anytime soon if ever but I would be very happy to watch YOU do it:))
 
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