Metal prep question

[muffler man]

I concider myself a beginner machinist, trying to learn all I can about milling, turning, and welding metal. The question I have is about gun bolts and chambers. If someone was to make a bolt and receiver with barrel, I assume it would have to be hardened afterwards? Who does this sort of metal work? I know about Rockwell Hardness Testing, but how hard is a bolt and chamber? Thank you,
Joe

[PreserveandProtect]

AFAIK, Manufacturing firearms/receivers is a restricted (read: requires a license) practice with each one requiring a s/n.

Perhaps someone can elaborate on this.

One the other hand, I would be interested in the metallurgy info, especially for bolts and repair of receivers.

Hope someone posts the info.

[Pa. Patriot]

I concider myself a beginner machinist, trying to learn all I can about milling, turning, and welding metal. The question I have is about gun bolts and chambers. If someone was to make a bolt and receiver with barrel, I assume it would have to be hardened afterwards? Who does this sort of metal work? I know about Rockwell Hardness Testing, but how hard is a bolt and chamber? Thank you,
Joe

All models are different. Most stuff I have seen is between 35-45 for the receiver and bolt.

AFAIK, Manufacturing firearms/receivers is a restricted (read: requires a license) practice with each one requiring a s/n.

Perhaps someone can elaborate on this.

License needed to manufacture for purpose of resale.

No license needed to manufacture for personal use (or serial number). Of course you can only manufacture firearm configurations legal to own. Legal to own includes NFA items such as short barrelled rifles provided you obtain the approved ATF Form-1 prior to manufacture. Title-1 firearms (non-NFA) require no prior approval in Pa.

[PreserveandProtect]

License needed to manufacture for purpose of resale.

No license needed to manufacture for personal use (or serial number). Of course you can only manufacture firearm configurations legal to own. Legal to own includes NFA items such as short barrelled rifles provided you obtain the approved ATF Form-1 prior to manufacture. Title-1 firearms (non-NFA) require no prior approval in Pa.

Great info. Can you cite this for me? I would like to keep it in my files so if I have cause to pass it on I can do so properly. "Some guy on the net" doesn't go too far Thanks!

- JC

[Pa. Patriot]

Great info. Can you cite this for me? I would like to keep it in my files so if I have cause to pass it on I can do so properly. "Some guy on the net" doesn't go too far Thanks!

- JC

No problem...

No Pa. law on the matter.

Fed law is in 18USC922

I will provide more precise (paragraph(s)) cite later when I have a minute to dig the allpicable parts out.

[PreserveandProtect]

No problem...

No Pa. law on the matter.

Fed law is in 18USC922

I will provide more precise (paragraph(s)) cite later when I have a minute to dig the allpicable parts out.

Thanks! And if I am not in the business of manufacturing, but want to make a few experimentals and later decide to sell them? Any distinction between pistols and rifles (excluding NFA items)?

Sorry so many Q's, but the collective knowledge here is very helpful. It's more about curiousity at the moment.

[Pa. Patriot]

Thanks! And if I am not in the business of manufacturing, but want to make a few experimentals and later decide to sell them? Any distinction between pistols and rifles (excluding NFA items)?

Sorry so many Q's, but the collective knowledge here is very helpful. It's more about curiousity at the moment.

As long as you do not manufacture them for purpose of resale, your good. Deciding later to sell them, to pay the mortgage, buy a new gun, whatever, is fine.
And rifle/pistol does not matter. Just as long as it is legal for you to possess. Which in Pa. would be 18yrs of age and not a prohibited (by 18pacs6105) from possession.
People are often surprised to hear that there are no special hoops to jump through for making your own firearm.

[PreserveandProtect]

As long as you do not manufacture them for purpose of resale, your good. Deciding later to sell them, to pay the mortgage, buy a new gun, whatever, is fine.
...
People are often surprised to hear that there are no special hoops to jump through for making your own firearm.

So pretty much the same difference as a C&R FFL vs a "commercial" FFL? Occasional sale, but not for the purpose of resale (and don't try to sale 500 in a year ).

Yes, count me as one of the surprised.

And if building an NFA category item, you have to request and be approved *before* building it, same as a suppressor, etc, right?

Oh, yeah, THANKS to the OP for bringing this up. Didn't mean to hijack, seemed relevant. Hope you don't mind
Good to get authoritative answers, with citations (pending). Mostly hear "barroom lawyers" kind of tales that one dares not rely upon.

Nice...

[muffler man]

I don't mine at all for the hijack, and I got my answer, Thank you. But, does anyone know of someone who hardens metal? Joe

[justashooter]

furnace heat treating is a science and an art. it is not for the amateur. a practitioner needs an electric furnace and a suitable hardness tester, as well as a thorough understandign of metallurgy. i am a steel products quality auditor, and have seen it done many times, but do not have the equipment to do the process on a small scale. typically, the machinist works with 4140 or similar alloys as hardened and cuts with carbide tooling or TINI. to save tool costs he can rough machine steel in the annealed condition to +6 thou or so and final heat treat, then make final cuts. this especially so in production runs.