Owning a gun is not just about target practice or hunting; it’s far more involved than that. For any serious gun owner, their weapon is one of their most precious possessions. This is why gun enthusiasts want to make sure that they optimize the potential of their firearms, as much as possible.
You can look at improving your aim with gear or you can tinker with your guns, to bring out the best in them. You can even give the benefit of your expertise to the rest of the guys and impress them with your skills. But, what tools do you need if you want to optimize the effectiveness of your gunsmithing work? It’s important to remember that a good set of basic tools can make the difference between a job well done and a trashed firearm that no one wants to use.
1 Belt sander for your bench top
This is one of those tools that can save you a ton of time but can be very dangerous if you are not careful when you are using it. It’s a tool that can remove the need for a lot of more tedious manual shaping, but you need to respect its power and apply caution. If you use a belt sander in the correct way, it’s a great multipurpose tool to have sitting on your workbench. You can use it to shape everything from general metal gun parts to bolt-action stocks.
2 Punch set made from brass
It’s well worth investing in a brass punch set if you want to avoid scratching your guns every time you drive pins or drift sights. You also get more grip from a brass punch than you do from the steel equivalent, making the work much easier and more successful.
3 Hammer made from brass
You may be thinking that a steel hammer would do just as good a job as the brass version. The fact is that brass is best when it comes to protecting the finish of the gun you are working on. You also get better control because the hammer does not bounce off the surface as much. If you find that your weapon has a few brass smears on it after you have finished, just use some of the regular cleaning solvents you have for your gun and they will disappear.
4 Wrenches in hex and allen key style
You will probably have noticed that many guns have screws that you need a hex or Allen key wrench to undo. This is why it’s essential to have a set to hand when you are carrying out gunsmithing work. Make sure that you choose a set that supports metric and US measurements as different weapons use different standards, depending on where they were manufactured.
5 Screwdrivers
It stands to reason that you will likely need a good set of screwdrivers if you are carrying out work on your guns. In fact, it’s a good idea to have both a general use set and one that can be used for precision work.
It’s worth investing in a decent set of tools, including the ones we have mentioned, if you want to get good results from your gunsmithing work.
