Gunsmithing reference

[Corey]

Hello out there in TFL Land. I,most likely like most of you, like to tinker. What better thing to tinker with than our beloved firearms. I do not do anything drastic to them, that is a professional gunsmith's job, but I will do little things to my rifles and hangun. What I am looking for is a good reference for do it yourself gunsmithing: such as scope mounting, pillar bedding, stock replacement, and determining minor do it yourself problems from gunsmith problems. I was looking at two books that are easy to obtain where I am:
Practical Gunsmithing, By: Editors of American Gunsmithing
Gunsmithing At Home: Lock, Stock and Barrel, By: John Traister

If anyone knows which one is better, or if you know of a vastly superior one ( under $30), please let me know. thanks for any help you can give me,

Corey

 

[Herodotus]

One book that I have recently added to my library is M.L. McPherson's "Accurizing the Factory Rifle" 335pp,(1999), available from Precission Shooting. You didn't say what types of rifles you have. This book is very impressive in its coverage of the range of problems encountered with current factory rifles: bolts, levers and single shots. However, it is not a chatty book that one would read right through in one setting, rather one that would be referenced as one noticed problems in the new rifles. There is a lot of good information, but not always crystal clear: Tells you tools and materials to us, how to do it and gives you a good idea if you need a gunsmith for whatever it is.
Traister's boo, "Gunsmithing at Home" 251 pp (1985) is good and more readable, but doesn't cover as many things. However, I have never used it for any procedure, I must admit.
I actually did use many of the stockmaking tips out of Jack Mitchell's "The Gun Digest Book of Riflesmithing", 256pp (1982), which is perhaps still available. After severely mauling a fiddle back Claro Walnut ($250) and a pretty English Walnut ($800) stocks, I now use the services of a professional stockmaker. Things go wrong before you are even aware of it happening in this department. Never, ever saw off the tip of a nice stock and attempt to fashion your own foretip out of a block of wood. This wasn't Jack Mitchell's fault at all. His book is probaly the most fun to read.
Don't have the "Practical Gunsmithing" book, so no advice there.