Anvil 090: Mainspring Fabrication, 1812 Springfield

This guide details how to inspect AR-15 Bolt Carrier Groups (BCGs) for critical manufacturing defects, specifically focusing on peening marks and burrs on the carrier rails. Instruction from School of the American Rifle highlights how these imperfections, often resulting from attempts to correct loose carrier key pockets, can cause significant damage to the aluminum upper receiver. Proper inspection is crucial for ensuring BCG longevity and firearm reliability.

This video details an expert-level repair of a chipped 'toe' on an 1891 Argentine Mauser stock, performed by Mark Novak. The technique emphasizes meticulous wood grain matching, precise surface preparation, and the use of Acraglas gel for bonding. A key reinforcement step involves inlaying a 'dog bone' fastener to prevent recurrence. The final finishing ensures the repair is nearly invisible, showcasing advanced gunsmithing skills.

Master Gunsmith Jack Rowe demonstrates a universally accepted method for tightening a loose shotgun forend using a punch. This technique involves carefully deforming metal on the forend iron to create a tighter lock-up with the shotgun's loop. Rowe emphasizes the importance of not overtightening and provides guidance on how to adjust if the fit becomes too snug, highlighting years of practical experience in his instruction.

Master Gunsmith Jack Rowe demonstrates the technique for bending a shotgun stock using a vise and heat. He emphasizes the importance of over-bending to compensate for wood springback and stresses thorough post-bending cleaning to ensure firearm safety and functionality. This technique is crucial for achieving proper gun fit and improving shooter accuracy, especially for aging shooters.

This guide details the process of glass bedding a rifle to enhance accuracy, as demonstrated by GunBlue490. The technique focuses on creating a stable, consistent interface between the rifle's action and stock, preventing movement during recoil. It emphasizes proper preparation, material selection (Devcon Plastic Steel Putty), and application to ensure a precise fit, ultimately improving barrel harmonics and shot consistency. The speaker, exhibiting high authority, cautions that this is a difficult and time-sensitive procedure.

This guide details how to repair damaged screw heads on firearms, a common task in restoration projects, as demonstrated by Larry Potterfield. It covers identifying the cause of damage (improper screwdriver use) and provides a step-by-step process for repairing screw slots using basic hand tools and an electric drill for polishing. The technique emphasizes precision to restore the screw's functionality and appearance before re-bluing.

This video details a complex gunsmithing process to convert a rare Peabody Rifle from its original 11.15 Romanian Beaumont chambering to .45-70 Government using a sleeve from a Swiss Vetterli barrel. The conversion involves extensive machining of the barrel and breech block, fitting a new extractor, and carefully modifying the chamber for reliable feeding. Crucially, the modification is deemed safe only for black powder loads due to significant thinning of the breech block.

This video details the conservation-focused restoration of a severely flood-damaged Mauser K98. Mark Novak emphasizes preserving original finish over aggressive cleaning, using techniques like rust conversion boiling and careful scraping. Key steps include disassembling the rifle, treating rust with boiling and carding, steaming dents from the wood, and repairing the handguard with polyurethane glue.

This video provides a practical, live-fire demonstration of the 1918 Chauchat light machine gun, focusing on its unique long-recoil action. Mark Novak showcases the weapon's cycling in slow-motion, highlighting the reciprocating barrel and bolt assembly. The demonstration emphasizes the historical significance and operational mechanics of this WWI-era firearm.

This video details the conservation of a barn-found LC Smith 20 Gauge shotgun. Mark Novak demonstrates critical steps including barrel solder testing, proper disassembly with fitted tools, and analysis of the stock's inherent weaknesses. The conservation process involves boiling metal parts to convert rust to black oxide and treating the wood with oil, followed by meticulous reassembly and a successful test fire.