Gunsmithing Made Easy: Projects for the Home Gunsmith [Hardcover]

Let me begin with some quick background info. If you're considering purchasing this book, then you've probably heard of the American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI); and if you're familiar with the AGI catalog and marketing, then you know that this book is one of the bonus items included in their entry-level "Practical Gunsmithing" course. Curiosity is what ultimately led me to purchase this book, to get an "inside preview" (so to speak) of AGI's basic course.

I have to admit I enjoyed reading this book from cover to cover, and I found the procedures simple to follow and understand. I have no doubt I can do any of these projects. Will I ever do any of them? Maybe one or two, but that's about it. The author seems to be more of a hunting cowboy type and an avid Cowboy Action Shooting enthusiast, and many of the projects deal with old lever guns and shotguns. Nothing wrong with that, just not my area of focus. For example, when I saw a project titled "Chamber And Bore Polishing" I thought, "Alright! I can finally fix that feeding problem I have with my [a certain model of combat handgun I own]!" Nope, wrong. The project showed how to polish the chambers on a double-barrel shotgun instead of the "normal" conotation of polishing the chamber on a semi-auto pistol or any sort of rifle. In the entire book there was only one handgun project, and in keeping with the cowboy theme, that project was to replace the trigger return spring on a Ruger single-action revolver.

Overall the project procedures were spot-on, but there is one project in particular that I have to criticize slightly: shortening a barrel. The author assumes (because it's his rifle) that a scope will be mounted on the rifle after the barrel is shortened, but what if you want open sights instead? There was no mention of how to install a new front sight where there was never one before; and depending on whether the rifle had open sights to begin with, a new rear sight might need to be installed from scratch also. He also made sure to use a stainless steel barrel in his example, so no touch-up blueing was required afterward. That's the only project in the book that I feel was left incomplete. Well, actually, now that I think about it, the scope mounting project assumed the receiver was already drilled & tapped, so I guess that project is somewhat incomplete as well, though perhaps drilling & tapping a receiver is a separate project in its own right.

Many of the projects require specialty tools; it'll cost quite a pretty penny to buy all the tools, jigs, fixtures, and materials referenced in this book! And where are you supposed to store all these specialty tools and set up large power tools like drill presses and belt sanders? This book is written for people who live on rural acreage and have a separate home workshop in the backyard; not too practical for people whose "workshop" is a corner of a garage in a high-density Southern California metropolis (especially if they actually use that garage for parking cars instead of setting up a workshop!). It's a catch-22, I think. Anyone who has a home workshop to perform these projects probably already knows how to do them and doesn't need this book, and those of us who need the book also need a shop space.

But like I said earlier, I enjoyed reading every page of this book, and the material is well-presented (if you overlook all the typos). I can understand exactly what's going on and follow what the author is describing... and if *I* can, pretty much anyone can. The book is only 155 pages long but is PACKED with useful information; and when you consider the low price that Amazon charges for it, you just can't go wrong with this book. Even the book itself is high quality, a hardcover edition with thick glossy pages. I'm really glad I bought it, and that's the bottom line. After reading it, I'm also really glad I never bit on AGI's Practical Gunsmithing course for $597! :)

One last item of information. The very last chapter is devoted to building a custom bolt-action rifle from scratch. The author begins with a Mauser action from Charles Daly. Unfortunately, Charles Daly (K.B.I.) went out-of-business early last year (months before the publishing date of this book!), so it might be tough to start "from scratch" anymore; i.e. not many manufacturers sell bare actions. If I'm not mistaken, I believe Remington is selling the Mauser actions now, but I'm not 100% sure of that; they might be selling full rifles based on the actions instead.

I've read many works by Mr. Towsley and I will say that this book is certainly an excellent reference for the beginning gunsmith. It was the first reference I purchased when I started Gunsmithing and I found each of the topics covered to be typical of the sort of work the novice or home gunsmith might encounter.

The chapters are well defined as to applicability, and simplicity. The writer obviously has done the deeds and shows it in the examples provided. Well worth the money and the time to read and apply the advice.

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