fun project

I started a fun job... working on a Winchester from 1915.  With school taking up my weekdays, I can only work on it on weekends.

failure to extract

Working on a failing extractor on a Mossberg Plinkster.  Roll pins aren't supposed to look like this...

Also, hey Mossberg... debur your parts!

I gave the extractor a little bit of TLC with a diamond file and replaced its roll pin.  Testing was successful, it cycled through 10 rounds with no failures.

When you resume a paused project

 I cracked open the moving box with "AR280" written on the side, and carefully set out all of the parts from inside it.

There's a half-done lower receiver; an upper receiver; a barrel; two seemingly thicc magazines; three buffer tubes; and bags of screws, pins, and springs.

I found my .280 Remington chamber reamer and started in on the barrel (it was originally chambered in 7mm-08).  As I slowly create small metal shavings from inside the barrel, I start to think that perhaps I'll start over with the lower receiver.

The half-done lower receiver from the box was designed with a bullpup in mind.  However, I'm not sure I like it.

The size of the magazines (meant to fit a .30-06) encroaches on your wrist as you hold the pistol grip.  There are only a few sharpie marks on the aluminum indicating where a push rod or pull cable might be able to go (to connect the fire control components in front of the magazine with the fire control components behind it).

The idea of making it a bullpup was a fanciful dream fueled by cartoonish excess and tacticool superfluousness, but it will not work in this case.  It will just be awkward and heavy... like me.

Thus, I have decided to start over with a conventional lower receiver, based on the AR-10.

It will still need some significant modifications from the original AR-10, but not nearly as many.

The magazine well needs to be enlarged to accommodate the larger cartridge.
The 7mm-08 barrel still needs to be reamed for .280 Remington.
The bolt catch, magazine catch, and magazine release will need to be completely different (due to the magazine almost intruding in on the hammer and hammer pin).
The buffer spring might need to be shortened, based on if the bolt will cycle back far enough to feed the next cartridge.

I did a lot of calculations, measurements, and design work on the magazine well in the bullpup lower receiver already, so I just need to fit those into the new conventional receiver I'll make.

Since my FFL is a type-1 license, this AR280 project of mine will be for my own personal use only (no manufacturing for customers).  ...Not to mention the fact that I'm probably the only person in a 50-mile radius who even has a .280 firearm at all.  😄🤨

open, I guess 🙂

My shop is mostly wired up and things are running.

I need to install more shelves and more hooks, to get stuff off the floor and off my work bench.

Work computer is up and running, but the monitor is old and doesn't display properly.

My work software is almost done.  I wrote it myself in C#.  It tracks time spent on jobs.  I just need to find my scanner and get this printer hooked up and running.

I need to paint a big "Idaho Desert Gunsmith" sign on the outside of my shop.

I need to finish cutting this block of cast iron in half (to use as a spacer to raise my mill spindle head up).

Lots of things to do, but I guess now is as good a time as any to open the door.

Wire

I finished pulling the wire through the conduit today.  Now I'm tired and sore.  😄😒

Moving along

The concrete milling machine stand was completed, and the milling machine was reassembled.

Still working on getting power to my little shop.  Conduit is buried, just gotta pull the wire through and hook it up.  Then I just need to do the interior wiring.

It's killing me not being able to work in my shop yet.  I hate having to turn down jobs.  And it's been too long since I last worked on my AR-280 personal project.

getting closer

The concrete stand for my mill is almost done.  I have the power cable, conduit, and breaker panel.  I think I might rent the excavator this week (to bury the conduit), we'll see.