Safety. As any hunter, marksman, or firearm enthusiast knows, safety is one of the most important factors to keep in mind when discussing anything firearm-related. Whether you have a shotgun, bolt-action rifle, or semi-automatic rifle, firearms are carefully-crafted, precision instruments. Over time and with use, unburnt powder, dirt, and small bullet fragments begin to build up, not just in the action, but the barrel. It doesn't take much to cause a jam, a misfire, or even a bullet stuck in the barrel. Any one of these can create unsafe scenarios and could potentially render the firearm a … [Read more...]
Gunsmithy Corner – The New Crew
Overview With Mike Moore retiring as the Gunsmithy for Gunsite Academy, the time for a fresh start was at hand. With the ever-growing class sizes and demand for custom work, who better to pace the strides of Gunsite than two growing business that have been supporting the shooters and instructors of Gunsite personnel and alumni than Dave Fink and Bobby Tyler? Who They Are Finks Custom Gunsmithing has been in Chino Valley Arizona just outside of Gunsite academy for 4 years. The Fink crew’s passion was split between custom pistol/rifle work and firearms refinishing. Tyler Gun Works, … [Read more...]
September Gunsmith Corner
Hunting season is upon us. It is time to get those rifles and shotguns and muzzleloaders ready to go. There are some things that really should be done early whether it is the hunt of a lifetime or a normal hunting season. Rifles should be cleaned. Action screws checked for proper torque. Scope mounts checked. One thing often overlooked is to make sure your sling swivel studs are tight. These often become loose and as the rifle gets bounced around they eventually strip out the hole and there goes the rifle. I’m sure everyone has heard of that mysterious cold bore shot being different than … [Read more...]
July Gunsmith Corner
Last week a crazy idiot attacked a theatre full of innocent law abiding people who were simply doing something they had every right to be doing in a place they had every right to be. He killed two and injured several others before he killed himself when confronted by police. Why is this in the Gunsmith Corner? Because that was my hometown, my Police Department, and even the theatre that my wife I went to when we went to the movies. Interesting that even in a very gun friendly state like Louisiana the theatre was a firearms free zone. The most important lesson that I ever learned working … [Read more...]
July Gunsmith Corner
Summertime is a time for many of us to get out into the woods or onto the waters. Depending on where you live, this may mean active snake season. Most of us at Gunsite carry snake shot for just that purpose. Using snake shot vs ball or hollow point has its obvious benefits. First we have much less chance of ricochet which of course could result in hitting something we were not willing to destroy. Violation rule number two. The other reason of course is the ability to actually destroy the snake with one shot. With a single projectile we may forget that offset and end hitting the snake … [Read more...]
June Gunsmith Corner
This month, I would like to touch a little on “home gunsmithing”. I know every one of you is a “gun person” and therefore wants to learn as much as you can about your firearms and how they work. Education is a great thing, otherwise there would be no Gunsite. On the other hand, lack of education can get us into trouble. There was a time when our firearms were all very similar in design and therefore similar disassembly/reassembly. There was also a time when many of us had time and tools to complete “routine” maintenance on our equipment such as oil changes, blade sharpening, carpentry, … [Read more...]
May Gunsmith Corner
The Glock seems to be one of those pistols that you either love or hate. The 1911 is deep in my heart but I also love the Glock. I carried one throughout my law enforcement career and for about three years more until one day I realized I did not have department regulations preventing me from carrying my Combat Commander. One of the things I like about the Glock is that it does not need much in the line of modifications to go straight to work. It is plain, simple and utilitarian. So just what modifications are needed, wanted or avoided? In the needed department is that the factory … [Read more...]
April Gunsmith Corner – 1911 Modifications
The training season is getting busier. I am often asked about what type of modifications I recommend for handguns. This month lets discuss the most highly modified handgun we see at Gunsite; the good ole 1911. Regardless of the manufacturer there are some modifications that should be done, some that are personal taste and some that should not be done. Let's start with what we are trying to accomplish. Remember that Gunsite is a fighting school. We are training to use a handgun for personal protection in a deadly force confrontation. Our skills may help or not in competition, but that is not … [Read more...]
Introducing the Gunsmith Corner
Welcome to the Gunsmith Corner!! This is something that I had all intentions of doing since I bought the gunsmith concession here at Gunsite 2 1/2 years ago and here I am finally getting to it. This month I would just like to introduce myself and tell you a little about what we offer here. My name is Mike Moore. I am a Rangemaster at Gunsite for almost all of the classes we offer. I started gunsmithing full time when I was 19 years old and have been doing so either full or part time since. The part time was during my career as a police officer during which time I served as department … [Read more...]
