Two hosed up 03 stocks joined to make one, and refinishing techniques... What we show here is what you need to go learn, not a tutorial. If you do not posses the skills to perform at this level, do NOT attempt. Support us: / anvil
Watching these makes me feel like an apprentice again, would love to get into gunsmithing but in the Peoples Republic of Australia thats not an easy thing to do
Great video, love your channel. What gauge metal do you use for your scrappers? Currently working on restoring my grandfather's shotgun, has his initials carved into it and wanna be sure not to remove it with sand paper. Thanks, Mike
Hey guys, I love your videos. I have to ask, however, is there any way you could re-shoot the title card sequence when able? The very low framerate gives me a headache every time I see it.
I picked up a couple Lee Metfords that simply couldn’t shoot. The guy was shooting jacket ammo out of them and they patterned rather then grouped. I figured they were project guns but turns out lead ammo and one shoots 2.5” and the other shoots a decent 3.5-3.75” but is smoother and looks better.
I saw a video on M-1 rebuilds in Italy. This was in preparation of sending arms to the Philippines for the planned invasion of Japan. Before being sealed in steel drums, the completed rifles were submerged in a vat of hot cosmoline. A word to all viewers look up U.S. H.B.127 submitted this past January and is now in the Judiciary Committee for review.
@@joey243win It has been a long time since I watched that video. I watch hundreds a week due to being retired. Here is a link to the National Archives Channel. The Salvage operation was in Italy near the end of the war in Europe. ru-vid.com
20 years ago I walked across the floor where this gun began it's life. In all likelihood it was a ghost by that point, but now I'm here seeing it regain it's life. Crazy times we live in.
Cosmoline is great stuff. Many a gun still exists today because cosmoline protected it long after governments stopped caring for them. Sure it sucks dealing with it but it's still great stuff.
As I clean my rifles of that wonderfully gooey gak, I just continue to remember that cosmoline is the reason most of these gats are still alive and well today. As you rid your rifle of cosmoline, repeat this simple phrase "Cosmoline is our friend" and you will soon begin to quench your hatred for it as you clean it out of every microscopic nook, crevice, and cavity in the weapon
Before he did it I was thinking a pointed steel pin. The BB is way easier. If putting pressure is too much for the structure a dab of sharpie will transfer from the metal to the wood.
Great Job Mark! Not really about this 03 (although it is a great save), I'm talking about the great job you do to provide wisdom to the masses. There are a lot of enthusiasts out there that are going to work on old rifles. The supply of old surplus rifles is finite. You are giving the average enthusiast the tools they need, in their head, to work on them. You save a rifle and that is one. When you teach others not to 'Bubba', you save Thousands of rifles. Take Care Buddy and Please keep up the great work, John
My OCD kicked in while watching. the forward band and sling swivel is for the later 1903A3. the 1903 had milled bands and round steel swivels. Just FYI. Let the owner know if he cares.
Anyone who doesn't admire the knowledge, patience and craftsmanship is lacking something as a human being. And the commentary is top notch. One of a kind
There was a time when people told stories about the Springfields blowing up, and not telling the truth about them, then buying up the rifles at low prices, and storing them away. I was told the same story, but I had already heard about the problem being in the low serial numbers only. Unfortunately, I sold the rifle later, and when I went looking for a replacement, I ended up buying a low number rifle due to the lack of any others. Sadly it was sporterized and has the NRA stamp on it, so I am restoring her back to original with spare parts I find, and it looks much better now!
I remember doing this on a $60 Mosin Nagant i got that was encased in a hundred years of cosmoline. I ended up taking a torch to it and letting the oil run down. I remember scraping it just like you did. Brings back so many memories. 10/10 would do again.
Brings to mind HMS Zubian - a destroyer created by grafting the bow of HMS Zulu after it had been mined onto HMS Nubian, which had had its bow blown off by a torpedo.
I love your videos, Mark. I just shudder to watch you handling Kroil bare-handed though. It is such a good penetrant that it will penetrate clear to your Liver. Please use gloves! Solvents are the bain of gunsmiths. Treat them with respect so you can retire and enjoy it. You people are touched by angels and we need all of you. You have the patience of Job and the wisdom of Soloman. I have neither and have cursed my ancestry back so many generations trying to do what you do that I have no illusions of heaven any longer. Hell for me is going to be chasing tiny irreplaceable compressed springs from guns across cluttered floors for all eternity. But at least my liver will be fine....
I'm glad you're willing to use even scraps of stocks to preserve the integrity of the rifle. Lots of people would have been thinking sporterize it with an after-market stock. I like original. You sir are a craftsman.
I hope you post more vids. I really enjoy watching your work. You've introduced me to guns I've never seen or heard of! Always enjoy the history lesson. Good work sir.
I really enjoy the easy to understand and the well-done way you make these videos, as a layperson that knows a bit about guns but not gunsmithing, I really enjoy watching these videos.
Our rowing club owns and restores antique boats. Our shop uses heat guns to remove old varnish -- the biggest challenge with new volunteers is not moving the heat gun enough to prevent burning. It's worth mentioning because it's so hard to fix a burn after it's happened.
@@jobdylan5782 It's truly a pleasure both to row a wooden boat, and to maintain them. We have some wooden boats that are over 100 years old, and we also have modern composite racing shells. This is pretty unique in the rowing world.
In the 70's i was a cadet in a military school in Camden sc. We had M14s that ended up going to some country for i think a lend lease deal. The were replaced with 1903A1's. I was on the armory staff for a while and i remember the stocks were not shiny or overly smooth. Some had what we called a straight stock and some had more of a pistol grip like a hunting rifle. For replacement stocks came in for repair or replacement the goverment sent both wood and what we called fiberglass stocks they were a brown in color i don't know ifthey were really made out of fiberglass but they were tough. The 03, had the single shot/bolt latch welded and thebarrels plugged whith what i was told salt and a steel rod to render the barrels demilled again i dont know if its true about the salt but some of they guys that carried the M14 appreciated not having to clean the barrel any more. I preferred the M14.
I remember those stocks. The ones my school got were plastic with a metal reinforcement in the wrist area.(We learned about the metal when a member of the drill team failed to catch a rifle during 'exchange arms'!) I have often thought about the amount of NOS 03A3 buttplates, trigger guards, swivels and other parts that we pulled out of cosmoline to repair those drill rifles. Good Memories, John
you can make Sodium Carbonate by cooking Sodium Bicarbonate in an oven for a while, don't touch it to much with out gloves, it's a base and loves to turn your skin fat into soap.
@@BESHYSBEES The saw man on my first pro carpenter gig who'd been a carpenter since shortly after God invented wood told me, "Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Get in a hurry and screw up in a hurry."
I'm pretty sure it's a Shinto Saw Rasp (or the equivalent in a different brand), looks to be a medium/coarse but I have no idea on the length (they come in 200/250mm). I can confirm that they're absolutely amazing until you run it across a finger... then you curse how well they cut.
Good judgement comes with experience, Experience comes from poor judgement. Not a gunsmith, or even an apprentice in metal work but fuck if I don't apprentice that sentiment. I know that you do check the comments here. Lad, keep it up. Slainte
Mark watched your video got me charged up again I have a couple of old 03 s one with the Peterson slot cut I was going to restore them keep your videos comming you are a true craftsman
Wish I'd known about using that simple scraper about 25 years ago. It would've made life a bunch easier and done nicer work in less time. I learned a lot about lots of stuff after 60-70 stocks mostly the hard way. Work smarter not harder is my motto.
I had a WWII army armorer tell me(years ago) they used broken glass to scrape M1s when they came in. I've tried this and it works good but, I can see the advantage of a steel scraper.
Wonderful job saving this piece of history. The "P" at the wrist is one of the Proof marks showing it has passed. In 1928 the Ordnance Depart. approved the change from the early straight grip "S" stocks to the pistol grip "C" shown, once all early stocks had been exhausted from inventory. This rifle would then be designated as Model 1903A1 for inventory purposes. The numbers across the stock near the butt are Rack numbers from a company/battalion armory.
I knew it! Mark has three arms and three hands. I KNEW it! He’s so good, he’s really an alien from the planet Anvil, in the Armorer system. 303rd planet from their sun. Another great video gents! Thanks!
Leave your cut long. Like 3/4 “ >> Drill your rod hole >>Cut to final length. Cut opposite side to length >>Use the 3/4” cutoff as a jig for the rod hole on the mating side. No guessing at all.
So my channel got zucked by uploading how to make your own 7.62x25 tracers And my dood here restoring the entire rifle without any trouble 😜 Edit: Dood is pro no doubt
I bought an Enfield SMLE No. 1 years ago and came up with the bright idea, in an attempt to remove the Cosmoline from the interior of the magazine, to put it in the oven at around 200 degrees inverted on an aluminum foil-covered pizza pan, my wife was NOT happy, it stunk up the whole house for days.
I fixed up my 7mm Mauser and it took a couple of weeks. I can't see anything worth less than a grand being worth a gunsmiths time if it's patina laden and beat up. Then again its fun to shoot a 123 year old war dog so some people might think the history is worth several hundred to several thousand dollars.
Man oh man I love the journey up and down these rabbit holes you take us on! Learn so much. Thanks for the journey Mark! Great job, even when you do the camera work too.
Dont know if you ever use regular low grade paint thinner or even kerosene when sanding, it keeps the paper from gumming up. I use this method on fine finish furniture. I use a cork block to back up the paper for an exact flat finish, then just paper for dipped places... works for me... cheers!
I couldn't he but notice that you sprouted a third hand right at 2:20. Where did you spend your last holidays, Chernobyl or Fukushima? 😉 Thanks for the informative videos, keep 'em coming 👍
Excellent work as always. Btw what has your experience been with those Shinto saw rasps been over time ? I've been interested in them for a while but I'm not sure if the feel and feedback is the same.
How long did it take for you to realize that the gun jesus was your son? Did you pay Ian's child support in early Lugers? No. More likely french pre-ww1 rifles.
Mark, should your spring steel be softer or harder? Looking at some stock on McMaster Carr (don’t panic 3”x3”) and I see everything from Rockwell hardness of C33 to C50. Any insight?
Go to Garrett Wade or Lee Valley Tools and buy scrapers of already chosen hardness. They are inexpensive,and if you wish to do your own experimentation against a now known quantity,it will speed the learning curve. Home made scrapers can be a fine choice. There is a Stanley scraper plane that uses much thicker material,for instance,and having a non flexible scraper can be very useful. Broken bottle glass or windowpane being an example. The commercial product is often so much easier to deal with.
Regarding cosmoline removal, when my dad was in the Marine Corps in the early 1940's, they would go out in the middle of a field with a bucket of gasoline to remove it.
The downside is Gasoline(White gas/coleman fuel works well too) is that it's flammable, so using it indoors is a no-no. Acetone works well, but has the issues with being really bad news for humans. MEK works wonders, is neither flammable, nor toxic, and is available at Home depot, Iirc.
@@machinist7230 what on earth gives you the idea that MEK isn't flammable or toxic?!? It's just that by the time there's enough vapors to burn, the humans have fled because of the smell and eye irritation. Unless you're using a full face respirator, of course.
@@williamsullivan9401 pure MEKP is an explosive, but yes, it's also used as the hardener for fiberglass epoxy in about 35-40% strength, the other chemicals are to reduce the sensitivity to shock, so you don't blow your shop up by dropping the container.
