Learning about guns

WELCOME TO THE NO BS ZONE OF TEDDY JACOBSON


I find that its easier to write my commentaries at certain times of the day when there is less problems getting it published. I have no written script but I chose this title to write about from all the email I get and from looking at some of the interesting threads on the chat rooms that are just mind boggling and are giving the average gun owner nothing but BS information that will not only confuse him or her but its total nonsense. I have dedicated a good portion of my life to learn about handguns and rifles although I never wanted to work on rifles I still not only like them but I know more than I ever want to say. Its weapons in general that I have always studied including ancient martial arts type weapons.


I recentely received an email from some one asking me for a good source of information in book form that they could buy that would give them truthful information. I thought about it and most of these BS artists that are written and have an agenda to sell products or promote their own BS work of some kind. I think the best source of good solid information about guns in general can be obtained from the reloading manuals like "SPEER", or "HORNADY" or "NOSLER" or "SIERRA". These books are very good as a source of solid information and I own most all of them and then some. If I had to pick just one book it would be "SPEER", it will explain a great deal about how ammunition is made and covers a great deal and it is worth every penny it costs.


These manuals will not teach gunsmithing, you can cruise through the chat rooms and see all the BS threads and opinions that are simply mind boggling. I recentely read one posting about "HAMMER AND SEAR ANGLES" that is total BS. In this thread one particular know it all who never made a living working on handguns freely tells the world and admits he is unable to cut the hammer hooks properly and sends the hammers across the country to another person with a milling machine and pays him to cut these hammer hooks. NOW, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO LET SOME ONE LIKE THIS PLAY WITH YOUR LIFE ??. When a person cuts a set of hammer and sear angles for a 1911 pistol or any other type handgun, it must be done as a mated set.


DO NOT BELIEVE THE BS that it is done any other way by a professional like me. I do not even need the frame in front of me to cut a mated set of a hammer and sear to get it right, the first time. I cut the hammer and sears for the project guns with no problem and if you want to see the results go to STEPHEN CAMPS WEBSITE at www.hipowersandhandguns.com Mr. Camp has fired his 1911 mil-spec Springfield Armory pistol with outstanding results and its a tack driver with the original barrel. These other people are not able to duplicate what we have done even with custom components.


I do not use any milling machine in order to cut the hammer hooks, I do not own a milling machine and I never had one. I do not need to even buy triggers that have bendable tabs as I can either put in my riveting system in "ANY" trigger or I have special tooling I use to cut the one tab for take up adjustment. YOU ONLY NEED ONE TAB, HAVING DUAL TABS IS JUST A MARKETING PLOY AND MORE BS. Please do not email for my methods as I teach no one how I do my work. When I read that these people want a small radius in their hammer hooks because they think the hooks will be stronger, they are not telling you the truth. I cut an exact 90 degree angle in 10 minutes and I have done this to over 7000 1911 pistols and never had a hook break. These shade tree guys haven't got a clue what fantasy is from reality. THEY REALLY BELIEVE THEIR OWN BS.


There is not a thing wrong with asking questions as we all had to start some where. Asking a question is all relevant to the person you are asking. What are their credentials, most of these wannabbeeesss have no credentials. Its like I told you I have made my last custom 1911, there will be no more due to my declining health and no one has ever repaired or fixed or tweaked any one of my custom 1911 pistols, if they claim that they are liars. I have always hand fit my frame to slide rails by hand and I never beat anything with any kind of hammer. It would only create problems with the metalurgy and the structural integrity of the steel. Do not take my word for it speak to a metalurgist and get a professional opinion. I used diamonds to remove steal and then I allow enough of a tolerence in order to air brush a finish that is either moly or ceramic. These two different products are worlds apart but they are both very good.


In order to learn about gunsmithing you must learn about steel and abrasives and stones and most of all you must understand how the gun works. You just can't expect to get your class 01 Federal Firearms Licence (FFL) and be ready to work on peoples guns and put their lives in jepardy. It takes years and years and years to learn about all this. There are many books written about gunsmithing but have these authors ever become sucessful or do they have a hidden agenda like a parts supplier, or do they make a product they want you to buy or whatever. How many people out there working on guns have a clue about the abrasive stones they are using and do they know what the difference is between ALUMINUM OXIDE AND OR SILICONE CARBIDE etc, etc, etc. How about CERAMIC STONES, there are ground and cast stones and they come in different gradings, do they even know that. Do they use oil or water and what is the difference, these self proclaimed experts do not have a clue.


For starters you must get parts books that have exploded drawings that will show you every part and spring of every gun made. You must study them and ask questions but it makes no sense to me to ask a beginner what you should do, find books that are written by people that have a solid reputation, don't even take their word for everything, compare it with another person and then after you experiment on YOUR OWN GUN you will learn the hard way like I did and then you will be able to separate the BS. You can learn a great deal by listening and not by talking, when you see how these people write these stupid posts on the "CHAT ROOMS" then you will start to understand how little they really know. I find these chat rooms are more of a lonely hearts club and they have too much time on there hands, because if a professional had as much work as they claim they would have no time to sit in front of their computer and just waste their lives away. As you can see I am not a fan of these lonely hearts hangouts, that are just social clubs for people with too much time on there hands. I can not and will not play there games.


In order to understand how to do trigger work you must understand how a hammer and sear must mate, this pertains to many handguns and does not include a handgun that has a striker assembly as they work a little different. Lets assume you finally figure out how to cut 90 degree hooks on your 1911 hammer, well thats just a small part of what you need to know. What about the sear relationship ?? You think by buying a new super heavy duty JIG that will solve your problem, not a chance, do you think your two dollar stone will stay true and flat forever, guess again. Most stones even when brand new are not true and exactly flat. You are entering an entire new world that very few people know anything about including the members of your favorite chat hangouts. It reminds me of bars I used to go once in a while in Florida, every one had another BS story about his date the nite before. I used to go to the Fountainbleu Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida every Sunday for the cocktail hour when all the women were there looking for a rich guy. I of course never had much money so I would never strike up a conversation with any woman that did not already have a drink in her hand as my budget could not afford to keep buying these women high dollar drinks. Many times women worked the lounge separately and some even introduced me to their husbands when I got to know them as they worked the scene separately. Yes, I was not always this old.


My best advice to people that want to learn about guns of all kinds and then how to work and or repair them is to start with books. Hanging out in these rubber ducky rooms is not the way to go, because its a lonely hearts club of people that just stroke each other. IN THE LAND OF THE BLIND, THE ONE EYED MAN IS KING. I think that Kunhausen books are very good although my methods are much different I still have read most all his books. I really like to talk with people in the steel business and in the spring business (non gun related) and of course abrasive engineers and stone engineers and the list goes on and on and on. I have very seldom ever taken any ones word for anything until I actually experimented on my own to see what was the very best application fot my type of operation and what I had to achieve. I have a great interest in adhesives and I have spent hours on the phone speaking with adhesive engineers to learn all I could. Thats how I wrote my adhesives book.


Working with silver solder is another story, its not as easy as you might think. It took me a long time to research these different kind of solders and fluxes and what type of torch was best for my application and of course the gas I use which is mapp gas and oxygen. Cleaning steel is another ball game that is seldom discussed in the rubber ducky rooms. The most common questions start out like this, WHAT WOULD YOU BUY, or WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND or WHICH 1911 IS BEST ??? These good ole boys are sitting in front of their screen to much. There are some very good old classic books out there that have been written about guns but they are outdated. Do you think that the average gun writer (note, I did not say all) or gun editor (note, I did not say all) have even the slightest clue what hes talking about or even looking at ?? He or she may me more interested in the $2000. suit he is wearing with his $100. neck tie. Its all a matter of priorities. My priority has always been dedication to my work after I learned that women could get me in a lot of trouble, my father suggested guns.


To sum it all up start a library like I have, if you want to know about Browning high Powers and 1911 Pistols buy Mr. Camps excellent books and you will learn a great deal. Email Mr. Camp at s.camp9@charter.net
Buy 2 or 3 different reloading manuals and read them and you will learn a great deal. Stay away from the Keyboard Kommandos in the pink rubber rooms and stay with the books, look in the Book section of www.brownells.com
and see what books are still available. Should you need my help, Please send me an email and I will respond. I do not have all the answers but in my specific area of expertise I am a professional and I will point you in the right direction. I am coming to the end of an era and I never lie to myself. I know more now than ever and my work is now better than ever but my medical condition does not allow me to do a great deal anymore. I still try to do a little while in severe neck pain but the bulk of my work is over. "IT IS WHAT IT IS" I CAN NOT CHANGE A THING.

THANKS FOR COMING TO MY WORLD OF SINCERE REALITY.

AUTHORS PERSONAL NOTATION:

This commentary as well as all my previous commentaries are my personal opinion and viewpoint only.

Teddy Jacobson / Pistolsmith (semi retired) www.actionsbyt.com 281 277 4008 tjacobson@houston.rr.com jaj45f@alltel.net www.actionsbyt.blogspot.com/