macgyver-isms and the gun hobby.

[vujade]

I was at the range the other day and this guy was using 1 cent stamps for his 100 yard targets. They are perfect black square stickers. They look great especially when you shoot tiny groups into them. When you take a picture for bragging rights, they automatically have scale to them. I'm going to the Post Office tomorrow to get some!

Here are a few more to share...

I get pipe insulation from HomeDepot/Lowes (the long gray ones for about $1.50) and cut them to 1/4 inch longer than my barrel and then I insert my barrel into it. They protect my barrel when I lay them in the safe or when I tote them around.

I don't like to carry guns in a gun case. Nothing says I have a rifle here than a big box of a case with camo designs. Ever since the old movie with Antonio Banderas where there was a guy with guns in a guitar case, I've always thought that was a cool way to keep a gun. What I ended up doing is getting a bunch of used guitar cases from music stores and packing my long guns in that when I head to the range. They are much cheaper (I have a nice Fender case for under $20) They have different sizes to fit your gun (I have a 10/22 with a folding stock that I keep in a ukelele case; it's perfect!). They come padded and main thing is that you can carry it around, transport it in a car and folks (especially in Nashville) just assume you're a musician!

Your turn - any Macgyver-isms for the gun hobby you'd like to share?

Edited August 22, 2012 by vujade

[221 Fireball]

vujade;

"I don't like to carry guns in a gun case. Nothing says I have a rifle here than a big box of a case with camo designs.Ever since the old movie with Antonio Banderas where there was a guy with guns in a guitar case, I've always thought that was a cool way to keep a gun."

Kind of reminds me of my buddy with his high dollar Harley ... He bought a full black cover for it with large white letters on the side, HONDA.

[TMF]

I was at the range the other day and this guy was using 1 cent stamps for his 100 yard targets. They are perfect black square stickers. They look great especially when you shoot tiny groups into them. When you take a picture for bragging rights, they automatically have scale to them. I'm going to the Post Office tomorrow to get some!

Here are a few more to share...

I get pipe insulation from HomeDepot/Lowes (the long gray ones for about $1.50) and cut them to 1/4 inch longer than my barrel and then I insert my barrel into it. They protect my barrel when I lay them in the safe or when I tote them around.

I don't like to carry guns in a gun case. Nothing says I have a rifle here than a big box of a case with camo designs. Ever since the old movie with Antonio Banderas where there was a guy with guns in a guitar case, I've always thought that was a cool way to keep a gun. What I ended up doing is getting a bunch of used guitar cases from music stores and packing my long guns in that when I head to the range. They are much cheaper (I have a nice Fender case for under $20) They have different sizes to fit your gun (I have a 10/22 with a folding stock that I keep in a ukelele case; it's perfect!). They come padded and main thing is that you can carry it around, transport it in a car and folks (especially in Nashville) just assume you're a musician!

Your turn - any Macgyver-isms for the gun hobby you'd like to share?

Back in the day when we'd zero our sniper weapons systems we would just use a 1 inch cleaning patch stapled to the target. It is a perfect 1 inch square which is great for several purposes in regards to zeroing. For pistol marksmanship fundamentals it was just a can of spray paint and a bunch of 3 inch holes cut into MRE boxes. Simple is better.

[Jonnin]

I made a nice powder funnel out of a 223 case. Hammered the case into a steel washer to reduce the neck size until it would go into a normal 223, cut off the back end and expanded that, pretty easy. I suspect you could do it with any necked case with a little patience.

[TMF]

I made a nice powder funnel out of a 223 case.

You can also make a nice blasting ca--.... oh, nevermind.

Edited August 22, 2012 by TMF

[vujade]

I made a nice powder funnel out of a 223 case. Hammered the case into a steel washer to reduce the neck size until it would go into a normal 223, cut off the back end and expanded that, pretty easy. I suspect you could do it with any necked case with a little patience.

awesome; i never thought of that! thanks for the tip.

[dlm37015]

i carry rifles on planes in hard case golf club cases .been all over with them never lost one i can get 2 scoped rifles in one case.

[Guest FIST]

I build standing targets out of PVC sections. It's cheap and if your shooting partner's are as accurate as mine they are easy to replace.

Also the classic standby: Clay pigeons. Great reactive target.

[BigK]

Good stuff guys, keep it coming. I'm learning something, here.

[RED333]

Case for my S12 and a few mags

Edited August 23, 2012 by RED333

[graycrait]

A buddy of mine is a young cop. He has had some issues with questionable fellas doing drive "bys" at his house. He wanted to buy a shotgun for his house that his wife could also use if need be, but he isn't made of money. I sold him my own old gunrunner32 cerakoted pistol gripped light mounted on mag tube Mossberg 20gauge. When he saw it at first he laughed then walked out of my house with the tennis racquet cover over his shoulder by the racquet cover's sling. I could also fit a VZ58 with folding stock inside a tennis racquet cover. Keeps them clean, dry and "incognito." Cool thread!! Thanks for starting it.

[vujade]

I build standing targets out of PVC sections. It's cheap and if your shooting partner's are as accurate as mine they are easy to replace.

Also the classic standby: Clay pigeons. Great reactive target.

yes, I love the clay pigeons! We lay them on the berm and blow them up.

And then really test your marksmanship by 'getting rid off all the orange' by breaking the smaller and smaller orange left overs with 22s.

Some other great target ideas:

We got this off 'top shot' - try shooting off the tops of the q-tips with 22 rifles. very cheap and yes, it's difficult but feasible at 25 yards (at least that's as far as I could hit them)

or tape some paintballs to some paper and watch them splatter!

Edited August 23, 2012 by vujade

[vujade]

I saw this on some website and I've been doing it. I just bought a pack of different colored sharpies....

Say I'm doing 3 shot groups but I want to know where my 2nd shoot (or 1st or last) is, I paint the bullets with a sharpie. They transfer to the target.

You can also color all 3 bullets for a group a certain color so that they show up easily as a set on the paper target.

[peejman]

I saw this on some website and I've been doing it. I just bought a pack of different colored sharpies....

Say I'm doing 3 shot groups but I want to know where my 2nd shoot (or 1st or last) is, I paint the bullets with a sharpie. They transfer to the target.

You can also color all 3 bullets for a group a certain color so that they show up easily as a set on the paper target.

I never would've guessed that would work. Very interesting.

[24isBoss]

I place warm paintballs on top of golf tees to give the young ones something exciting to shoot at plus they really concentrate so their accuracy improves!

[Guest Wildogre]

Paper plates with target dots on them for pistol targets. They are just a little bit smaller than the 9 ring on a B27 silhouette target.

[Oh Shoot]

Here's a "gunsmithing" one.

The trigger cross pin in one of my 10/22's keeps creeping out to one side just enough to where trigger starts failing to reset. Polymer housing so I can't stake it. Tried locktitle, doesn't grab on the polymer. Don't really want to use epoxy or something.

Friend suggested fingernail hardener. So far so good, looks like it's gonna work.

- OS

[RED333]

Here's a "gunsmithing" one.

The trigger cross pin in one of my 10/22's keeps creeping out to one side just enough to where trigger starts failing to reset. Polymer housing so I can't stake it. Tried locktitle, doesn't grab on the polymer. Don't really want to use epoxy or something.

Friend suggested fingernail hardener. So far so good, looks like it's gonna work.

- OS

Great tip, thanks much.

Mine has not done this, but ya never know.

[Oh Shoot]

Great tip, thanks much.

Mine has not done this, but ya never know.

I've got a butler creek stock on it, and it may be that there's a bit more room for it to creep than in factory one, not sure.

- OS

[Guest sL1k]

Before I purchased the lee powder scoops, I took a .380 case added solder to the inside to fill it (let cool for a long period of time along with rinsing and blowing out with compressed air) and added levels till I had the proper measure. Took a large paper clip unfolded it and wrapped it around the rim used heat shrink for a handle. I did this while wearing my signed MacGyver bandana though so it may not work for you.

[vujade]

Does anyone have a recipe for gun cleaner/oil?

I thought I'd just use synthetic motor oil (Mobil 1) at one time (I figured, if it's good enough for a car's engine, it should be good enough for a gun). Well, I was wrong, it lubed it OK but it was extremely dirty after shooting it. I assume the oil needs a 'cleaning agent'. Well, I just went back to buying bottles of CLP-Breakfree.

I think it'll still be cool to find a good alternative to paying $8 for a small bottle oil.

[vujade]

I just picked up a stack of 1 cent stamps. They are black with a little yellow; they should work nicely. I'm comparing them to some appleseed targets, these should simulate 250 yard headshots. These are going to be the cheapest targets ever (aside from using a black marker or those little green or orange price stickers you get from office stores)

Once you shoot a group into them, it gives you instant scale of size when taking pictures. =)

[Guest FIST]

For the AR builders

Take a 4-40 tap and run it through the hole the takedown pins spring and detent go in. Meausure your 4-40 set screw and trim that length from the spring. Re install. No more pain in the *** spring popping out when you remove the buffer tube.

[Oh Shoot]

Does anyone have a recipe for gun cleaner/oil?

I thought I'd just use synthetic motor oil (Mobil 1) at one time (I figured, if it's good enough for a car's engine, it should be good enough for a gun). Well, I was wrong, it lubed it OK but it was extremely dirty after shooting it. I assume the oil needs a 'cleaning agent'. Well, I just went back to buying bottles of CLP-Breakfree.

I think it'll still be cool to find a good alternative to paying $8 for a small bottle oil.

Google Ed's Red for bore cleaner, make it yourself.

Lots of folks simply use motor oil for all their firearms lubrication; Mobile One synthetic may be the most popular.

- OS

Edited August 28, 2012 by OhShoot

[strickj]

A buddy of mine is a young cop. He has had some issues with questionable fellas doing drive "bys" at his house. He wanted to buy a shotgun for his house that his wife could also use if need be, but he isn't made of money. I sold him my own old gunrunner32 cerakoted pistol gripped light mounted on mag tube Mossberg 20gauge. When he saw it at first he laughed then walked out of my house with the tennis racquet cover over his shoulder by the racquet cover's sling. I could also fit a VZ58 with folding stock inside a tennis racquet cover. Keeps them clean, dry and "incognito." Cool thread!! Thanks for starting it.

I've done that.

Those duel racquet bags make for great incognito range bags.

Some folks suggest guitar cases but I gotta think a crook would snatch a guitar case just as quickly as a gun bag. A guitar worth a few hundred bucks will sell just as quickly at a pawn shop.

Figure no one would look twice at a bag "full of stanky gym clothes" though