The firearm thread

[Mr Merde]

You need an injection-molding machine. They're typically about the size of a small truck, and have a huge hydraulic piston that pushes steel plates together with several hundred tons of force before injecting molten plastic into cavities under high pressure at several hundred degrees.

Assuming you have a finalised design for your synthetic stock, the process of designing and machining mold tools for correct operation without sinkage, warping or bad filling will require an experienced mechanical engineering team and several weeks of work.

Or you could just go buy an ATI synthetic stock. They make them for pretty much everything.

Supposedly my field of expertise. Obtained a BEng a few years ago, specialising in mould and press design. Never used the degree.

From memory the moulds are the most expensive part of the whole process and can cost obscene amounts of cash. eg a mould for a polystyrene cup can easily cost up to $1 million. It all depends upon the quality of finish you require

[Hans]

None of my business, but why plastic? I've gotta say I'm not a fan on anything else than work tools.

[jrandom]

Supposedly my field of expertise. Obtained a BEng a few years ago, specialising in mould and press design. Never used the degree.

From memory the moulds are the most expensive part of the whole process...

I'm a typist (computer science major), but I've spent the last couple of years working on acoustic test software and hanging out with our mechanical engineering team during ongoing efforts to build high-end noise-cancelling headphones. If you think the mold-design process is a PITA for polystyrene cups, you should try making acoustically-active consumer audio products.

And yes, the molds are not cheap, hence the prevalence and necessity of fast 3D prototyping outfits in the product design validation process.

(I can recommend the guys at OD if anyone needs work of that nature done, by the way.)

[jrandom]

None of my business, but why plastic?

Why a plastic gunstock? Lighter and tougher.

I have an ATI stock on my Mosin Nagant, for instance, because I like to take it out and shoot it, but don't want to munt up the original wood.

Pretty walnut stocks are for guns that you show off when your mates come round for a BBQ, not for guns that get dropped on rocks and spattered with mud and sand.

[Wolf]

You need an injection-molding machine. They're typically about the size of a small truck, and have a huge hydraulic piston that pushes steel plates together with several hundred tons of force before injecting molten plastic into cavities under high pressure at several hundred degrees.

Assuming you have a finalised design for your synthetic stock, the process of designing and machining mold tools for correct operation without sinkage, warping or bad filling will require an experienced mechanical engineering team and several weeks of work.

Or you could just go buy an ATI synthetic stock. They make them for pretty much everything.

If, however, you do opt to go the custom route and manage to get your moulds and the use of the machine: I can operate it for you.

[Wolf]

Why a plastic gunstock? Lighter and tougher.

I have an ATI stock on my Mosin Nagant, for instance, because I like to take it out and shoot it, but don't want to munt up the original wood.

Pretty walnut stocks are for guns that you show off when your mates come round for a BBQ, not for guns that get dropped on rocks and spattered with mud and sand.

I had a look at the ATI stock for the Mosin-Nagant - looks great. Certainly transforms the weapon into a serious-looking hunting rifle.

[Dangerous Dane]

There was a fella on trademe with a bunch of sinister looking toys a week ago, one of which was a custom enfield with a beautiful synthetic stock he'd produced himself. Was just curious about the process/ costs involved. Cheers

[Wolf]

There was a fella on trademe with a bunch of sinister looking toys a week ago, one of which was a custom enfield with a beautiful synthetic stock he'd produced himself. Was just curious about the process/ costs involved. Cheers

Depending on the synthetic used, perhaps he used a slab of synthetic material and shaped it using traditional means - cutting, drilling shaving and sanding.

[Jonny Rotten]

right fellas as some of you may know i am moving to the far north of new zealsnd just south of cape reinga to a little town called hohoura........i was up there on the weekend with my .22 having a look over the farm for game to shoot so far what we have is ducks, hares, rabbits, possums, pigs, geese and goats.....my girlfriend and i are renovating a shed into a self contained unit which will be up for per night rent at a good rate in the late winter.....what i would like to know is who would be keen on driving up for a weekend hunt every now and again.....the farm backs on to a few thousand aches of D.O.C land and i have sorted out some local knollage to take us on a good hunt in this area.....

get back to me if you are keen....might be able to accomadate some people of over the duck shooting season if i get the B&B done by then....

we are also situated accoss the road from some of the best land based fishing spots in te country so fishing is also an option aswell

[Drunken Monkey]

If anyone from Aucks is keen to take Mr Rotten up on his offer, let me know. We can chuck a few boom sticks in the back of the wagon and go a for a drive.

[jrandom]

If anyone from Aucks is keen to take Mr Rotten up on his offer, let me know.

I'm definitely in. Always looking for new places up north to go for a hunt. Late winter works well for me, too. I probably won't be quite so frantically busy as I am now.

[Mr Merde]

Wish I could but just bought some land in Franklin, spare cash is going to be as rare as rocking horse sh1t for a while.

On the good side, before I bought the place I saw wild turkeys on a neighbours land, pheasnts on the field next to mine and rabits all over the place.

No goats, pigs or deer but I'll have a look arouind and check with the locals.

Once I get permission from the local land owners I'll avail myself of some sporting shoots.

There is also a stretch of land next to mine that has the most perfect bit for shooting practice. 50 meters long into a 15 meter cliff face. Shooting point is a rock shelf. Gotta talk to the owner of the land.

[Mr Merde]

In another thread I was asked a few questions about technique and training. Whilst not an expert or a qualified trainer, I do have the benifit of 25 years of experience in the sport of pistol shooting to draw upon.

Do the rest of you that have an interest in shooting, think that you could tolerate an old fart dishing out some advice?

I dont for one moment think I am the alpha or omega of information but I have made all the mistakes already and may help you avoid them.

PM me or answer to this thread.

Mr

[jrandom]

I definitely need tips on pistol shooting.

You spoke of not needing grip strength - I do understand that, you might note that my question regarding accuracy spoke of grip stability, not strength. Achieving that clean circular/figure-of-eight type wobble and breaking the trigger at the perfect spot every time is what I find difficult. But then again, I've had no training whatsoever.

And I'm a rank beginner, so yes, when I can keep everything within the 8-ring on an ISSF Standard Pistol target I'll be rapt.

I'd buy something to dry-fire with, but it seems like I'd have to spend a couple hundred dollars or more on an airgun or similar. I'd rather just wait, spend that money on my pistol safe in 3 months time, and then sit in front of the TV practicing with a real trigger.

My current tentative plan is to buy a Glock 34 to shoot IPSC Production with, and take it from there. On the face of it, action shooting looks like more fun than bullseye. I've shot a G17 and a G35. I hear what everyone says about Glock triggers, but, shrug... I don't think I'll regret buying a Glock, and it's a cheap and reliable way to start out. The alternative is a nice 6" .357 revolver. I'm somewhat undecided.

At the moment, I'm putting 200-300 rounds through the club's Browning Buck Mark once a week and (occasionally) 25 or so rounds through a friend's Taurus PT92, just to make some proper-sized holes. Typically, I'll manage 8" or so groups with the Taurus. With careful attention, shooting from an isosceles stance, I can keep 100 rounds at a time from the .22 within the 7-ring, now, which was my very first goal.

I shoot at Central Shooters in downtown Auckland.

[Wolf]

25 or so rounds through a friend's Taurus PT92, just to make some proper-sized holes.

I've heard good things about the Taurus PT92, it's more than just a Beretta copy these days - they've made their own improvements to the design. Relatively inexpensive, too, I hear.