it seemed like a good idea at the time...
- Thread starter w_houle
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Pappy John
New member
I bedded the barrel and action of a Marlin 982 .22 magnum rifle. Not having any any real bedding compound at hand I figured I'd just use something I did have lots of....PC7. I thought that if I doubled up on the amount of release agent I normally used that it'd be just fine.
It shot really great... much better groups than the off the shelf accuracy prior to my handiwork.
That is, until I tried to take it apart to do some other work on it.
The release agent didn't work at all against the epoxy. I split the darn stock trying to bust it loose. I repaired the stock, but the rifle never shot the same afterwards. I probably bent the freakin' barrel trying to pry it loose from the stock.
Total junk now.
It shot really great... much better groups than the off the shelf accuracy prior to my handiwork.
That is, until I tried to take it apart to do some other work on it.
The release agent didn't work at all against the epoxy. I split the darn stock trying to bust it loose. I repaired the stock, but the rifle never shot the same afterwards. I probably bent the freakin' barrel trying to pry it loose from the stock.
Total junk now.
I got a GP100 that I stripped down for a detailed cleaning and decided to gring the edges off the trigger, and it hasn't been right since. I had it apart to that level 3 or 4 times before that, and it always went back together fine. I think something is slightly bent or burred, cause it still won't work. It's headed back to the factory soon. Whatever it is, I am sure you've learned a lesson and I am equally sure some of us have done worse.
I scratched the slide and receiver of my 1911 during assembly.
I accidentally used a abrasive polish paste on the slide because the scratch was deeper.
I ended up having a really really really shining slide, but a dull receiver.
Took me about 2 hours to equal it out and make it look like new.
I accidentally used a abrasive polish paste on the slide because the scratch was deeper.
I ended up having a really really really shining slide, but a dull receiver.
Took me about 2 hours to equal it out and make it look like new.
I tried to strip and re-blue an 870 when I was in H.S. It was really easy to strip but I didn't have the patience to polish it properly and I used cheap cold blue. More seemed to come off with every cleaning and I eventually traded it and got 1/2 of what I originally paid, used.
I modified a 10/22 around the same time to fire faster and ended up with a case-head failure. It blew off the extractor but I was unhurt. I restored the firing mechanism to its original configuration and traded it. I only took a $40 loss on that one.
I've pretty much learned my lesson and don't do stuff like that anymore.
I modified a 10/22 around the same time to fire faster and ended up with a case-head failure. It blew off the extractor but I was unhurt. I restored the firing mechanism to its original configuration and traded it. I only took a $40 loss on that one.
I've pretty much learned my lesson and don't do stuff like that anymore.
I had a single shot that I tried to fix once, and actually broke the whole thing in half right in my hands.
Of course, it was a wooden rubber-band gun, not sure if that counts.
On the other hand I was putting back together a high-standard .22 rifle for a friend and wasn't paying attention. When I put the screw back into the stock at the fore-end I didn't add the strap mount, which acted as a large washer, and when I tightened it down it put a nice dent in the tube and the ammunition would no longer fit through there. Lucky it was only an $11 fix.
Of course, it was a wooden rubber-band gun, not sure if that counts.
On the other hand I was putting back together a high-standard .22 rifle for a friend and wasn't paying attention. When I put the screw back into the stock at the fore-end I didn't add the strap mount, which acted as a large washer, and when I tightened it down it put a nice dent in the tube and the ammunition would no longer fit through there. Lucky it was only an $11 fix.
imthegrumpyone
New member
Been there done that, if we'd just learn to not take on something we know nothing about, and dig down in the pocket and pay for it, "would be cheaper in the long run" to get fixed rigth the first time.
I changed the grips on my 1911 once. When I did I put the screws in pretty tight. Not gorilla tight, but tight enough that when I went to change the grips again a few weeks later, a couple of the grip screw bushings came out. So I had a grip that was off the gun, but it still had the screws through it, with the bushings on the backside acting like nuts on bolts.
Not sure what to do, I consulted the Internet and ended up as carefully as possible using pliers to hold the bushings while I removed the screws. But I still messed up the threads on one of the bushings. And when I tried putting it back in the hole in the frame I cross-threaded it pretty good.
So I bought a set of bushings just to make sure and yep, the hole in the frame was messed up good. It also seemed like the non-stripped holes were a little small. So I bought another set just to make sure I'd not gotten oversize bushings by mistake. Nope. One hole borked and all of them smaller than spec. What I get for buying a cheap 1911 I guess. Oh well.
So I bought a standard bushing tap. I'd never tapped a hole in any material before, much less steel. I tapped all 4 frame holes freehand and ended up with one not quite straight. Actually "pretty darn crooked" is more like it. And it wasn't even the one that I messed up in the first place! Now the other hole on the right-hand side was messed up, and the original messed-up one was still not quite right. It felt like there wasn't much thread material left, and it was about to strip! ARGH!!
So I bought an oversize bushing tap and some oversize bushings. I then made some jigs out of wood (to use for tap guides) that I proceeded to clamp to the sides of the frame. I knew that if I didn't get it right this time then I'd have to have someone weld the frame. I carefully re-tapped all 4 holes with no issue. I then put the oversize bushings in and secured them with red loctite.
The lessons I learned are "be careful", "pay attention", "have the right tool", and "learn to use the tool". I still LOVE the idea of tinkering with my guns, though and I will still do it.
-cls
Not sure what to do, I consulted the Internet and ended up as carefully as possible using pliers to hold the bushings while I removed the screws. But I still messed up the threads on one of the bushings. And when I tried putting it back in the hole in the frame I cross-threaded it pretty good.
So I bought a set of bushings just to make sure and yep, the hole in the frame was messed up good. It also seemed like the non-stripped holes were a little small. So I bought another set just to make sure I'd not gotten oversize bushings by mistake. Nope. One hole borked and all of them smaller than spec. What I get for buying a cheap 1911 I guess. Oh well.
So I bought a standard bushing tap. I'd never tapped a hole in any material before, much less steel. I tapped all 4 frame holes freehand and ended up with one not quite straight. Actually "pretty darn crooked" is more like it. And it wasn't even the one that I messed up in the first place! Now the other hole on the right-hand side was messed up, and the original messed-up one was still not quite right. It felt like there wasn't much thread material left, and it was about to strip! ARGH!!
So I bought an oversize bushing tap and some oversize bushings. I then made some jigs out of wood (to use for tap guides) that I proceeded to clamp to the sides of the frame. I knew that if I didn't get it right this time then I'd have to have someone weld the frame. I carefully re-tapped all 4 holes with no issue. I then put the oversize bushings in and secured them with red loctite.
The lessons I learned are "be careful", "pay attention", "have the right tool", and "learn to use the tool". I still LOVE the idea of tinkering with my guns, though and I will still do it.
-cls
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I figured I could just shave a hare of metal off my J-22 so the extractor could have a little more metal to hold onto. I wasnt looking at it right and burned through. I figured no big... Went to the range and it likes to blow that chunk case out due to no case head. Shiningstardist can get me a new barrel, extractor, and spring for the JA-22. I probably shouldn't, but can't stand to leave stuff broken.
Doodlebugger45
New member
Whew! I was sure hoping it wasn't that 45 Colt Uberti you are going to sell to me for $100. 
I bought a used Rem 700 and got a sweet deal. The gun had some scope bases on it when I made the purchase. I knew I was going to replace them....no big deal. I knew when I tried to remove them why they were still on the gun. Apparently, someone used some loctite given to them from an alien life form. I gave it the old college try....I solicited the help of my die maker neighbor. We were both equally stumped. Rather than mess stuff up, I took the gun to my trusted gunsmith and forked over 20 bucks to have them removed. I like tinkering but, I know my limitations....money well spent.
ruger p345 wouldn't stay cocked. rather than send it back to ruger and have them fix it under warranty I figured I'd at least take a look. actually broke one of the plungers in the gun taking the sight off so I ordered a new one and took out the mag disconnect while I was in there. well sure enough that wasn't the problem so I had to go back and put the mag disconnect back in and now I've got scratches and marks all over the sight and slide in that spot. it still hasn't gotten back to ruger but I'll bet I voided the warranty.
Bismarck357
New member
When I turned 14, my father gave me my first gun to carry.(we lived in a very bad part of town) My gun was a .25 Raven semi-auto, more of a deturent then a manstopper. the first time I went to clean it I some how put the firing pin in backwards.(to this day I don't know how it happened) My father beat the snot outta me and then showed me how to fix it.I don't think I know anyone who has'nt made some idiotic mess that could have been avoided if only they were payin' attention.
How do you put a new barrel on a pistol where it's integral to the frame?
As for my story, I'm only slightly guilty... I watched as my buddy torched a $50+ magazine. We were on the road and at the end of a long day and I'm looking over the mag from his HK USP 45. It happens to be one of the Klinton 10-rounders, an extra for his fullsize USP.
So I take the bottom of the mag out to see what part of it is limiting those last two rounds and he asks me what I'm looking for, so I tell him. He says, "let me see that!" and proceeds to snap off the two plastic tabs that hold the mag base plate to the magazine. Now it's a non-functional magazine and it seems NOBODY sells simple the plastic base plate to a USP magazine of any size.