American Gunsmithing Institute Partners with Civilian Marksmanship Program.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has chosen the American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI), as their exclusive Professional Gunsmithing Training Provider.

“The AGI Gunsmithing Course is part of a new and unique, five-tier internal staff development program to increase the skill level of our members in the Design, Function, and Repair (DF&R) of Pistols, Revolvers, Shotguns, Rimfires, and Centerfire Rifles,” states Greg Raines, CMP Chief Commercial Officer. “Now, our team members who come to work for us and become Certified Armorers, will also have the opportunity to become Certified Gunsmiths. This gives them a comprehensive understanding of firearms and firearms systems and enables them to be significantly better equipped to evaluate, maintain, repair, and/or customize firearms that are brought into the shops.”

The new partnership combines the skills of a Certified Armorer with those of a Certified Gunsmith. A Certified Armorer understands the overall design and function of specific models of firearms, has the ability to completely disassemble and reassemble them, and is qualified to replace worn, broken, or defective components with factory replacements. A Certified Gunsmith performs all of the functions of an Armorer and is also able to diagnose systems, fit, repair, heat­treat, and make replacement parts.

“We are honored to partner with CMP and this training will elevate their staff’s knowledge base and skill level. They will have a thorough understanding of firearms internal systems, operations, and repairs,” states Gene Kelly, AGI Founder and President.

In the AGI training process, each student has a dedicated student portal with access to video instruction and Master Gunsmith Instructor support. The student can progress through the course at their own pace, reviewing materials at any time. They are then tested on their knowledge of Design, Function and Repair in General Gunsmithing, Pistolsmithing, Shotguns, Rimfires, and Centerfire Rifles with testing and certifications for each of the five core sections of the course.

“Since AGI has been training Gunsmiths for over 30 years, and is known and respected in the industry, we knew it would be the perfect partnership,” states Raines. “AGI is the only school that teaches Design, Function, and Repair Gunsmithing and will provide our team members with the necessary knowledge to work on firearms and better serve their customers. Plus, this training will help our members be better equipped to facilitate CMP Shooting matches, assist competitors with issues, and ensure a safe environment.”

About The American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI)

The American Gunsmithing Institute was founded by Gene Kelly in 1993 as a Virtual Trade School™ offering the most expansive library of Certified Gunsmithing courses in the world. Over 15,000 students have been trained in detailed Firearm Design, Function, and Repair (DF&R) along with customizing of firearms, taught step­by­step via video instruction by Master Gunsmiths. AGI students learn the skills necessary to begin new careers as AGI Certified Professional Gunsmiths and create financial independence. AGI is a Postsecondary institution approved to operate by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.    www.AmericanGunsmithingInstitute.com

About The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP)

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a national organization dedicated to training

and educating U.S. citizens in responsible uses of firearms and airguns through gun safety training, marksmanship training, and competitions. The CMP is a federally chartered 501(c)(3) corporation that places its highest priority on serving youth through gun safety and marksmanship activities that encourage personal growth and build life skills. https://thecmp.org

Wildcat Book Every Reloader Will Enjoy!

In 2005 Fred Zeglin in conjunction with LR Books publish Fred’s first book, “Wildcat Cartridges”. That title was created by the publisher in an effort to seek more direct market appeal for the book. Right before the Introduction is a leaf page that has the real title, “Reloader’s Handbook of Wildcat Cartridge Design”. That first Edition is now collectable. it was a hardbound 8.5″x11″ format. There was a second printing of the book in paperback 9″x6″ to fill demand when the first printing became unavailable.

Gun Digest became interested in the title and Zeglin agreed to assemble a Second Edition. April 2nd, 2024 this new edition hit the book shelves.

This updated edition contains three completely new chapters:

• Wildcats 2004 Through 2023
• Alternative Ammo for 22LR Chambers
• Wanderings with a Micromagnum

The three new Appendices are:

1. Reloading Components and Dies
2. Comparing Parent Cases by Water Weight Capacity
3. Specialty Reloading Tools for Wildcatters

The Second Edition of the Reloader’s Handbook of Wildcat Cartridge Design is hardbound, 496 pages in a 9″x6″ format. The cover will draw the attention of most Gun Nuts with a forest of cartridges on a dark field. It has almost a 3-D effect.

Popular gun writer and editor Phillip P. Massaro provides a foreword for the book. He describes in a nutshell what you will find in the following pages.

This book is clearly for reloaders who have some experience. A novice will enjoy the history and the many wildcats documented in its pages. However, If you are a new-by to reloading you need to pay close attentions to the second chapter which defines the terms and tools that gunsmiths use when talking about cartridges, reloading and of course, wildcats. Once you have digested that information the rest of the book will be much more interesting.

While Zeglin was assembling the long list of wildcat that have appeared since 2004 he and gunsmith buddy Robart Schaefer spent many hours at the range working on the 22 caliber alternative ammo ideas. In the process they came up with several new wildcats that are described as well. One of them, the “22 Buckaroo” is a centerfire alternative to 22 Winchester Magnum rimfire that is easy to form and load. Leave two gunsmiths in the shop and they will inevitably come up with ingenious solutions to non-existent problems.

You could argue that his book doubles as a text of value to prepers as well. The process of designing a cartridge, making reamers for the barrel or reloading dies are clearly explained. Dimensions are given for the different reamers you would need to make a chamber reamer vs. resize reamer for the reloading dies. Details about what you might need for forming dies and so much more.

Even if you have no desire to wildcat your own cartridge the reloading techniques and tools described in this book are more than worth the price of admission.

ISBN 978-1-959265-07-8 Retail $64.95

Diagnosing Misfires in Bolt Actions

Misfires in bolt action rifles can happen for many reasons.  Having a working knowledge of how a bolt assembly functions and how ammunition must match the tolerances of the chamber are essential for gunsmith’s.

Left, primer shows weak strike, Center, normal fired primer, Right, primer was fired in a gun with headspace the case was forced to forward in the chamber and under pressure that brass stretched, re-seating the primer causing he flange appearance.

I use the K.I.S.S. method for diagnosing mechanical problems.  If you have never heard of that, it stands for “Keep It Simple Stupid”.  More formally it is a variation on “occam’s razor” (attributed to William of Occam), simply stated, the simplest answer is usually the correct answer.

As we learn more and build proficiency with a subject, it’s tempting to use advanced knowledge to jump ahead in fixing problems.  This is usually a waste of time and resources because most issues are simple/basic problems that are easily fixed. So, always start with the most likely thing first.

I often see people on forums offer well meaning advice.  Unfortunately, they often skip the easy things to check and go straight to more complicated and expensive fixes.  In the case of misfires a guy asked about this problem with an original military issue, Mauser 98. He said, “It feeds standard ammo and locks up fine. And then said he had, “ordered a new firing pin spring.”

He included a picture of the firing pin assembly removed from the bolt. At least he had some idea about just checking his bolt in the action without the spring tension of the firing pin and bolt sleeve lock spring interfering with the feel.  This is where I decided it was time to write about this type of diagnosis as the advice received while mostly valid was making the diagnosis much more complicated than is necessary.  

All bolt actions have very similar designs, because they all perform the same functions.  This makes it easy to have a list of tests or observations that can resolve the issue in short order. Observation of details is your friend, while I have a list of things I look for, many of the items are checked at the same time. If you have all the items listed in your thought process you will likely spot the problem immediately.  There can be more than one problem.

1. Examine the ammo that misfired.
   • Double check that the ammo is the correct caliber/cartridge for the chamber.
   • Reloads or Factory ammo?  (Reloads should always be treated as suspect). If possible, test with Factory ammo.
   • Are the primers seated properly? (Primers not fully seated can cause misfires).
   • Look at the primer to see what the firing pin strike looks like. (see section of protrusion)

2. Debris in the bolt or firing pin assembly
   • Disassemble and clean

3. Check the headspace of the rifle with proper gauges.
   • Correct headspace in the firearm means the problem is elsewhere. There are literally entire books on headspace, make sure you understand proper measurements.
   • Excessive headspace can cause misfires (over .010” excessive headspace is probably required to cause misfires).

4. Check Firing pin protrusion in the fired position.
   • Ideal protrusion is between .060” and .065”
   • Less than .060” can cause weak strikes or misfires
   • More than .065” can lead to pierced primers and broken firing pins

5. Consider operator error. Many shooters do not know their firearm as well as they should.

Broken Firing Pin, easy to spot in this case.

6. At this point, in 98% of all cases you will have resolved the issue.That last 2% of situations is where you will utilize more advanced gunsmith skills.
   • Firing pin
     1. Condition 
     2. Shape of firing pin nose (should be a radius)
     3. Firing pin spring (actually fairly rare as a problem)
     4. Lubrication.
   • Cocking Piece
     1. Condition
     2. Fit properly (allowing the firing pin to function as designed)
     3. Look for interference from stock or action touching incorrectly.
   • Bolt body and cocking cams
     1. Condition 
     2. Damage to the cams may indicate something is not fit correctly
     3. Clean interior of the bolt (no debris)
   • Gas Shroud (bolt sleeve)
     1. Condition
     2. Clean no debris
     3. No interference with the cocking piece, stock, or action.
   • Trigger to Cocking piece relationship
     1. Damage to the cocking piece or sear might allow the cocking piece to engage incorrectly (too short a firing pin fall)
     2. Lack of clearance with sear causes cocking piece to drag or ride down, reducing power of firing pin strike

I probably have missed something in this list.  Keep in mind, I am generalizing for bolt actions and am not talking about any single model.  When you do general repair you have to learn to adapt what you know to the guns that come to your workbench.  There are nearly unlimited variations out there and you cannot possibly have experience with all of them.  Be observant, and use your knowledge of mechanical systems to diagnose problems.

Designing and Forming Custom Cartridges for Rifles and Handguns by Ken Howell

Fred Zeglin

I met Ken Howell back in the late 90’s.  I bought a copy of this book from him in 1998 which he numbered and signed for me, NO. 627.  As a gunsmith and owner of 4D Reamer Rentals I used that book hard.  It has been a reference in my Shop/Office ever since.

Ken was an interesting guy.  We talked about cartridges and guns when he stopped in Casper, WY while passing through.  That was long before I picked up my pen seriously.  I remember one thing he said that stuck with me when I started writing.  “You don’t find time to write, you make time to write.”  This was in reference to this book, many of his writer friends were asking where he found the time to write a book, especially such a detailed one?

When I started writing I remembered Ken’s comment and it helped me to stick to the task and get projects finished.

His book is still a great reference.  He documented a lot of cartridges with dimensions from reliable sources, so when you are comparing cartridges or trying to identify a chamber this book is a must have. The drawings are in the format of a print as you might find in an engineer’s office or on a machinist’s bench.  They are easy to read and are scaled accurately so that you can see what the cartridge would look like, unlike some books that do not accurately portray the shape of the case.

Over the years I have made a note or two in my copy of errors I have run into.  To Ken’s credit there are darn few, that is amazing considering there are hundreds of drawings in this book.  That’s another testament to Ken’s desire to produce an accurate a useful text for his readers.

Ken passed away in December of 2015. 

In 2023 I found a pallet of Ken’s book for sale from Huntington Die Specialty so I bought them.  Like many out of print books the price in the collectors market for this book in new condition had become inflated. I am selling these new condition books at a reasonable price. 

Custom Cartridges

20 Nosler

Yes, it’s on the way…    How do we know?  Well that and the fact that SAAMI has published the specifications already.  The same print from SAAMI comments that a 32 grain bullet will go 4100 feet per second (fps). 

Like the 22 Nosler the 20 is based on the 6.8 SPC case or 30 Remington depending on how you view it.  They both have rebated rims so as to fit in a standard AR-15 Bolt face.

The 20 Nosler will have about eight (8) percent more case capacity by water weight than  the 204 Ruger.  So is the velocity claim of 4100 fps realistic?  On Nosler’s own pages they show the 204 Ruger doing that velocity with the same bullet, so I would say, sure, it just means you will have short barrel life if you load to that level.

It’s long been know that velocities approaching 4000 fps are hard on barrels, the throat is erodes much more quickly regardless of the bullet diameter.  I foresee the barrels for this caliber being chrome washed or Melonite® teated simply to increase barrel life.

The 20 Nosler might have some loading flexibility that the 204 does not in that if you loading for 3500 to 3800 fps there are probably a few more powders that will get there with the larger case capacity.  One thing I noticed in looking for comparisons, the 20 Nosler falls in its own class in terms of case capacity, the 20 BR has just a couple of grains less capacity, but it’s not designed for the AR platform.  The other popular wildcats in this general class either have a fair amount less capacity, or a lot more.  If for no other reason, this cartridge will have a following just based on the case capacity.

There is certainly no doubt, this will be a flat shooting varmint cartridge that will do the job in the dog town or out taking coyotes.

Nosler™ is a trademark of  Nosler Inc.  Most likely Nosler will release this cartridge at SHOT Show 2018. 

Update 7-11-2023

Fred Zeglin writing: I have been working on a second edition of my “Wildcat Cartridge” book for Gun Digest to be published in 2024. As of today, Nosler has not brought the 20 to the shooting public, even though they have published load data for it in their most recent manual.

As a result I am building a 20 Nozler (20/22 Nosler) as of this writing you cannot make brass for the 20 Nosler from any other cartridge. It is from the 6.8 Remington family but the 20 case is longer than any other version of this cartridge. I talked to Nosler, they still plan to bring out the cartridge, but when is anyone’s guess.

The 20 Nozler is a simple neck down of the 22 Nosler. I have the barrel from X-caliber, a stock from Boyds, dies from Redding and I bought a Ruger American action so we can use AR style magazines. I have brass on the way and will start loading as soon as it arrives.

Watch for updates here.

Keeping Up on 2A Wins

Gun owners, rejoice! Recent Second Amendment decisions have been setting a favorable precedent for gun ownership rights in the United States. The Second Amendment of the Constitution protects citizens’ right to bear arms.

In 2008, the Supreme Court decided with District of Columbia v. Heller, that an individual person could own guns. This was a major victory for gun owners across the nation.

In 2010, the Supreme Court further solidified gun rights in McDonald v. Chicago, ruling that the Second Amendment applies to states and cities as well as the federal government.

More recently, in 2019, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. City of New York, NY the Supreme Court struck down a law that restricted where gun owners could transport their weapons in public. This decision made it easier for people to transport their guns when they need to use them for lawful activities like shooting ranges or hunting trips. This decision set an important precedent for other cities and states with strict gun transportation laws, as it showed that these laws are unconstitutional and can’t be enforced.

The Supreme Court also recently handed down a decision in Rogers v. Grewal that struck down New Jersey’s “justifiable need” law. This law only allowed residents to carry a handgun if they could prove that they had a “justifiable need,” which was interpreted to mean that the gun owner needed the weapon for self-defense. The Supreme Court struck down this law as unconstitutional, ruling that gun owners have the right to bear arms regardless of their individual need for self-defense.

These rulings are just a few among many that have been handed down recently by the Supreme Court in favor of gun owners and their Second Amendment rights. This wave of decisions marks an important shift towards protecting the rights of gun owners, and it is likely that the trend of such decisions will continue.

As gun owners know, it is often difficult to keep up with changes in the law concerning firearms and their rights. However, staying informed can be an invaluable tool when it comes to exercising your Second Amendment rights fully and safely. By keeping an eye on recent rulings, you can ensure that you are always aware of your rights and how they may be affected. Below are two sources for up to date reviews of the 2A news coming from the courts on a daily basis.

https://www.youtube.com/@ArmedScholar

https://www.youtube.com/@GunsGadgets

Interview with Fred Zeglin by Kirk Young

Precision Rifle Media

Fred sat down for an interview with Kirk from Precision Rifle Media in May of 2023. Here is the result.

Talking tools, reamer and much more. Want to know more about shipping from 4D? Supply and demand. Advice we picked up over the years.

Books in the works as well as the ones that are already out there. In short, we cover a lot of ground.

Chamber Reamer Anatomy; More Than You Need to Know!

Gavin Gear at the UltimateReloader came to me with the idea of doing a video about chamber reamers. He ended up titling the finished video “All About Chamber Reamers”.

That video is a very complete discussion of chamber reamers, explaining the how and why of these tools. Gunsmiths or hobbyists of all experience levels will likely learn something. With that said, there are things I would have like to cover that would simply have made the video too long for most viewers, so I thought why not cover some of that here.

Solid Pilot Reamer

Removable (Live) Pilot Reamer

I am often asked about the difference between solid and live (removable) pilots. We mention this in the video but we did not get into the damage you can cause by ignoring pilot fit to the bore. Pilot fit is a big contributor or fix when it comes to chatter. When the pilot is .0005″ to .001″ smaller than the bore you will be the least likely to have chatter related to the pilot, here is a discussion of why pilots are critical to success.

Reamers work better if they are imperfect. What? How could that be?

If a reamer is perfectly symmetrical that promotes chatter. Reamer makers wisely angle the flutes of the reamer to help avoid this problem. The manufacturing process makes it pretty easy to allow variance in dimensions of the flutes to eliminate chatter. As the grinding stone wears during the cutter grinding process there are tiny changes in the dimensions of the flutes. Not enough change to ruin the chamber dimensions, just enough to help avoid chatter.

Note the end view of a reamer at right, the reamer has been cut off at the middle of the chamber body. You can see that the flutes are not aligned directly with the center point of the reamer. The depth of each cutting flute is slightly different as well.

Chatter is caused or mitigated by many factors. The quality of the barrel steel (yes Virginia it does vary from lot to lot). Various makers may have different alloy recipes. Heat treat of the barrel steel can vary, most rifle barrel run in the lower to mid 30’s on the Rockwell ‘C’ scale. If the barrel is too soft it promotes chatter because the reamer wants to dig into the soft material. If the barrel is too hard it causes undue wear of a High Speed Steel (HSS) reamer. As mentioned before if the pilot is too small it allows the reamer to move around in the bore of the barrel, promoting chatter. If the pilot is too tight it can damage the bore or cause the reamer to break.

Chatter can be mitigated by several things the person reaming has control over. First, adjust feeds and speeds. Once chatter starts the best way to stop it is to slow the RPMs down. Always use plenty of good quality cutting fluid. Experiment with increasing the rate that you feed the reamer or reducing the rate. All these things affect chatter.

Other things you can do to reduce chatter once it starts are to use wax paper wrapped around the reamer, along with normal cutting oil. This will dampen the vibrations and help reduce the chatter. If you are to the point of using one of these fixes, slow down the RPMs and feed rate to get the chatter cleaned up. Another dampening method is to slit a cleaning patch so you can put it on the reamer near the shoulder of the body. If you do detect chatter, then either wrap piece of wax paper around the reamer or cut a small slit in a patch and slide over nose of reamer up to the shoulder. Oil reamer and make a short cut, and when the reamer cuts through the patch. it will remove chatter.

Old time fixes were to load the reamer with thick gear grease or bees wax. These methods work but are much messier than the wax paper or cleaning patch methods. To learn more about chambering rifles check out this book.

Chip welding often leads gunsmiths to think a reamer is dull. Nope, it’s just a build up a steel that has stuck to the inside of the cutting flute. Most commonly at the sharp shoulder at the end of the neck and shoulder on the reamer. But, it can happen all along the cutting edge. Three major factors cause chip welding.

• Quality of the barrel steel
• Quality of the cutting fluid
• Force on the cutting edge

You have no real control over the barrel steel except to buy from known makers who used certified barrel steel in the manufacturing process. But, some steel will have a greater affinity to bond to the surface of the cutting tool. If you see chip welding stop and clear it off with a piece of copper.

Quality of cutting fluid is up to you. Buy cutting fluid that is up to the job. Reamer makers offer suggestions about the right products to use.

The amount of force you apply to the cutting tool is definitely in your control. If you see chip welding and clean it off, the best way to avoid more is to ease off on the feed rate. The harder you push the tool, the more heat is generated at the cutting edge, this forces the cutting fluid away and does not allow it to do it’s job. Feeding too fast will cause tool wear as well as a poor finish in the chamber. The shoulder area is where you will notice the rough finish first.

If you are dealing with an interrupted cut there are simple ways to protect the reamer and prevent chatter from getting started. See this post.

Want to learn more about gunsmithing tools? Check out this book by Fred Zeglin

Below is the video that I mentioned at the start of this post.

All About Chambering Reamers with Fred Zeglin

John Linebaugh, Inovator & Pistolsmith Passes

John gave the world the .500 and .475 Linebaugh. The first time I talked to John he called me to talk about one of his seminars. He honored me with an invitation to come and talk ballistics, reloading, wildcats or whatever I fancied. Naturally, I had the same sickness most good gunsmiths have, too much work and too little time. I have to say John was one of the nicest guys I had the pleasure to talk to.

John Linebaugh was born in 1955 and moved to Wyoming in 1976, hanging out with other handgun lovers like, Lee Jurras of Super Vel Cartridges and Dick Casull. Linebaugh created the first successful .50 caliber revolver cartridge in 1985; he cut down a .348 Winchester case and the .500 Linebaugh was born. The .475 Linebaugh appeared two years later. Each cartridge saw further development until they arrived at the form we know today.

One of our conversations was about the big gun makers picking up his cartridges and marketing them with his name on them. I asked him, “How did you pull that off?” He said, “When I was approached about the idea they asked what I would want in exchange? I told them if you’re going to produce ammo and guns just keep my name on the cartridges and that will be payment enough.” Smart man, that cemented his name in the gun industry as THE man in Big Bore Pistol cartridges and as a pistolsmith.

Speaking to “Gun Digest” in 2013, Linebaugh said “All the great people I’ve met, all the truly good friends I’ve made over the years. I’m thankful for the freedoms we do have in this country, and I try to take the time to enjoy them, to appreciate the sunrises and pay attention to the sunsets.”

John was 67 at his passing. Farewell to a great guy who clearly left his mark in the gun business as well as making friends along the trail. See you on the other side John.

“Front Sight” Becomes “PrairieFire Nevada”

Front Sight as many of you know went into Bankruptcy in 2022. The news came out this week that the courts have allowed the sale of the facilities to PrairieFire Nevada. The facility is now under completely new management and ownership. Ignatius Piazza is not involved with the new company in any way.

What if you were a past member of Front Sight? As a part of the US Bankruptcy Court proceedings, all former membership were officially ended. If you had a Front Sight membership, then you are a member today. Your current membership, while similar in many respects to the old, is a new membership under PrairieFire. You have access to the Front Sight facility in Pahrump, NV. You can currently sign up for preexisting Front Sight courses still being offered and enjoy many of the same benefits.

The Front Sight facility in Pahrump, NV remains open today as PrairieFire begins a four-month transition plan. This interim period will be necessary for conducting critical tasks before formally launching PrairieFire Nevada. During this transition period, the pre-existing training classes will continue for all legacy Front Sight members under the recent fee structure and online scheduling. You can still sign up at myfrontsight.com as of this writing.

PrairieFire Nevada will host a Grand Opening in mid-April 2023 to launch the new branding of the facility. They will unveil three core offerings and open the new membership program at that time. As a legacy Front Sight member, PrairieFire will be offering you a new PrairieFire Frontier membership at no cost for two years, sorta sucks for us life members, but at least there is some value being offered.

PrairieFire Nevada will center around ‘world-class’ training, with the exclusive Q Academy curriculum, Specialty Shooting Experiences designed by elite military veterans, and a Competition Series open to all levels of shooters. Early in 2023 more details of PrairieFire programs, membership plans, and other benefits will be publicized.

The development of PrairieFire Nevada is a long-term activity. Future phases will include further range development; introduction of additional gun ranges; a member’s club house; gun storage and gunsmithing services; dining options, and eventually, lodging via its sister company, Stagecoach Outpost.

The PrairieFire team can be reached at info@frontsight.com or 702.837.7433.