The week I had to fix three different guns with the same stupid problem

Last week, a guy brought in a Remington 700 with a bolt that would not close all the way. The next day, a customer had a Ruger 10/22 with the same issue. By Friday, a third person walked in with a Mossberg shotgun that was also binding up. Every single one of them had the same cause: they tried to 'polish' the chamber with a power drill and a steel wool bit, and left a huge burr right at the throat. I spent over 12 hours total just cleaning up their mess with a hand reamer and a lot of patience. Who tells people this is a good idea? Has anyone else seen a sudden run of this specific kind of home gunsmithing disaster?

3 comments

3 Comments

sean_davis29d ago

What about the guys who try to fix triggers with a Dremel?

gonzalez.vera29d ago

Good grief, that sounds like a rough week. It reminds me of the time I tried to "touch up" the stock on my old deer rifle with a belt sander. Let's just say it became a project to re-shape the whole forearm. Some ideas look a lot better on a YouTube video than they do in your own hands.

bettym8929d agoMost Upvoted

My cousin did that to a Mosin stock last year. He ended up having to buy a whole new laminate one because he sanded right through the wrist. Those videos never show how much pressure to use.