Gunsmithing Library

[w00kie98]

Hey everyone.

Two part question:

1.  What are the first books and\or videos that a person interested in starting to do their own smithing have?

2.   What books and\or videos do you constantly refer back too?

I've been around firearms all my life (42 years). I've bought and restored several differnt types of surplus arms. I've also built several "custom" 10\22's, but those were pretty much R&R (remove and replace). I'm wanting to start blueing and general repair. I just found out that the nearest smith is over an hour and a half away. Taking apart and putting it back together isn't a problem for me, I seem to have a mechanical mind. I guess I need a list of the best introductory and intermediate books available. The newer the better.

Thanks everyone.

[shortshot]

Get the four volumes of "Gunsmith Kinks" from Brownell's

[gunnut69]

There are many I'm afraid..  The Digest books help with those unusual specimens and The books by Patrick Sweeney(sp.) are great.  All the NRA gunsmithing guides have great info and Nontes 'the Book of the 45' if a wealth of info.  The Kinks books of course..  I regularly haunt EBay and book shops and stores, auctions and sales looking for more information..  As is the norm Brownells has a great selection some of which are fairly specific such as tomes on welding and machine tools.  The machinists bedside reader series are also good basic info even if you don't have a lathe or mill.  Jerry Kuhnhausen's books are the greatest, if he has one for the piece your going to work on..the 45 1911 series (2 vols,.) is extraordinary!!  And of course you can always come back here and ask some of the knowledgeable folks who haunt these strings...  learning, for a gunsmith, is never though.