Making your own Single Shot Long Range Action, What are the legal requirements?

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Howdy All,

I have a big mill, and want to learn to use it. So thought about trying to make a single shot rifle action. Should cover a lot of the necessary skills. Got a good machinist to help me with it. But what are the legal requirement's or where are they listed.

Thanks,

Sam

[NSP64]

I believe it's still ok to make them as long as they are for you

[Buckshot]

Muddy Creek Sam, don't think I've ever said "Welcome to the board!" So there!

There is a recent thread about that on Shooters.com forum. Frank De Haas has a couple books out on SS actions, and I think his son, Mark still offers some plans. Also Buffalo Arms offers some plans. I haven't checked but I think I heard that. I too plan on doing so. I have a nice 11" Logan lathe and just got a new 9x42 mill.

I had though I might attempt a Snider action, which in use is exceedingly simple. However upon closer study the actual making isn't as simple as it's operation. I think I may start out making a bolt action for the .577" Snider cartridge and as my skills increase, I'll try something more complicated machining wise. I did manage to glom onto some good stock to begin with. Off E-Bay I got 2 sticks of 4140 pre-hard 2.5" x 24" long, and some 8620 alloy.

Considering the Mauser action was basicly selectively casehardened mild steel (1018, 1020 type) so long as it was good clean stuff of good pedigree and handled correctly for it's use it should be fine.

.................Buckshot

[Linstrum]

NSP64 and Buckshot have good advice, one thing they left out is the obvious of don't make anything that fits the "destructive device" category of going over 0.50 caliber (0.510 rifling groove diameter) in a cartridge gun. That is CARTRIDGE gun, the regs on non-cartridge breech loaders allow some Civil War and Spanish American cannons and I've seen some replica home-made ones with 3" rifled bores. You can go to destructive device category like 20mm Vulcan caliber since brass and powder are readily available, but you have to buy a tax stamp and register it. California, and I guess a few other states, don't allow Civil War replica breech loader cannons, .50 BMG and .50 Euro, and 20mm, no matter what. I could editorialize a bit and call them the last stop in the alimentary canal, but we already know that.

The falling block is the easiest to make, I made a universal falling block action that has the potential to take all barrels up to .50 caliber. I buy loose barrels on eBay and other places and make adapters for my action to pressure test my hand loads. I have test barrels for .50 BMG, .30-06, 7.62x54R Rusian, 9mm pistol, 6.5 Swedish Mauser, 8mm Mauser, and a few more I can't think of at the moment. Lot of fun to go to the range and shoot .50 BMG at 200+ yards, it gets me elbow room at the firing line!


rl399

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Howdy NSP64. Buckshot and Linstrum.

I am considering trying to make a 85 HiWall in 38-55, I was told that the drawings are available, although I havent fount them yet. That would complete my SASS gun wish list. At least for the moment.

I inherited a hugh Southbend Vertical and a 6' Metal Lathe made in the 30's from my Dad and am trying to learn to use them.

Any advice in advance of starting this project would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Sam

[badgeredd]

IMO the guys have given you excellent advice. IMHO I think that since you are learning the ropes of the macining thing, you would be best served by starting out with a "simple" action. Buckshot mentioned the Frank deHass actions. Frank designed them for the novice gunmaker to build, particularly the Chicopee action. There's a forum member that has built the DeHass #2 Falling block action and it sure is a sweet looking gun. Personally I think you would be best off starting with a Chicopee for a pistol or 22 RF cartridge. Less work and easier to get it right the first time out with a lot less frustration. Also it'd make a handy fun plinker and/or tree rat gun. No matter how you go, good luck and welcome aboard the forum.

[Morgan Astorbilt]

How do the ATF rules accommodate the over 50cal "Heavy Rifles", such as the .600 and .700 Nitro Express'? The .600 might fall under C&C, but the .700 is a new number. Just curious.
Morgan

[floodgate]

Or, for that matter, the rifled barrels for shotguns?

Fg

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Anyone made one using this book? BUILDING A SINGLE SHOT RIFLE ACTION it is a falling block.

Sam

[Linstrum]

Instead of speculating anymore, one of us ought to volunteer to write the NRA "Dope Bag" and find out what we need to know, this question keeps popping up often enough to justify the effort. For reasons of not wanting to provide evidence against themselves in future litigation, the NRA does not engage in discussion online, so it will have to be a postage stamp and snail mail proposition.


As far as the old English Nitro Express and the new .700 version, I don't know how they get around the "destructive device" rules. Shotguns with rifled bores use paper cartridges, which has something to do with the regs (yes, I know that brass cartridges for shotguns also exist and were the first type for those smooth bores). I read the BATF regs when I built my falling block since I was very interested in 20mm Vulcan, but I have slept a few times since then and don't recall much.

I know that some folks get around the BATF rules on the 20mm Vulcan by firing them with a flintlock mechanism through the primer pocket and flash hole in the standard 20x101mm Vulcan brass cartridge. There are ways, another is not using a cartridge at all, just bags of powder like on the 16" guns of the Mighty Mo.


rl402

[badgeredd]

I started looking on the BATFE site for some definition of a "Destructive Device" with no luck. I then happened on this definition...Maybe it'll help a little.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destructive_device

I also found a couple PDF files on the ATF site that give a little info on one building their own firearm, but I have figured out how to post the one I saved to my computer. If someone knows, I'd be glad to post it.

[shooter575]

The book,BUILDING A SINGLE SHOT RIFLE ACTION is a reprint of a couple year long article from the Home shop machinist mag. of 15-20 years ago.There were quite a few made.Has nice pic and drawings.For the price I think it is cheep info.The pics and jig set ups can be used in any rifle buildup.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

JIm,

Does it so set trigger's or single only?

Thanks,

Sam

[madcaster]

I think Buffalo Arms offers blueprints or something to that effect...

[KCSO]

If you want to start off easy Doc Carlson (Upper Missouri Trading Co) hhas a couple of single shot actions kits that will just need final machining and finishing. Or you can do liike I did and buy a cheap IAB Sharps and then re build everything!

My current project is takinng a batch of leftovers and making a Warnant Action 22.

[heathydee]

I have built both Chicopees the rimfire first and then the CF in 30-30 working from Frank De Haas' book . Worthwhile projects and good fun.

[Linstrum]

The one home-made rifle that amazed me was a Garand in .50 BMG. If you look at the insides of a Garand receiver they are not simple machining at all! That's what you call a labor of love. Not for the beginner.


rl403

[shooter575]

JIm,

Does it so set trigger's or single only?

Thanks,

Sam

I just dont remember.I was getting the mag back then.Still should have them somewhere.I just remember that there was a lot of good info there.

[Frank46]

Sam, go over to the american single shot association web site assra.com. You should be able to find a source for the winchester model 1885 single shot plans. From memory I think buffalo arms may be selling a set of plans. If you are going to have the action case hardened I think you'll need to make it out of 8620 (not sure of correct sae number). List your inquiry under the gunsmithing section. Hope this helps. Frank

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Ordered the book from Brownells today. Now to decide on the steel. Anyone point me to a good discussion of the pros and cons of 4140 and 8620 for the Action? I want to build this for BP 38-55 so I can use the same rounds as my Winchester 94 Legendary Frontiersman.

Thanks,

Sam