Legally making your own firearm at home: barrels?

[GreatUsername]

After seeing the link to Randyt's homemade AK receiver (which he has no-doubt gotten eaten by a bear by this point, considering his luck), I started thinking it could be a lot of fun to try and make a firearm completely from scratch. Now, I'm certainly not talking about an military-style semi-auto rifle at this point, or any semi-auto for that matter, because I don't have nearly the experience or the tools required for such an endeavor. So, assuming I was just making a falling-block single-action, or maybe was getting really ambitious and going for a lever-gun, most of those parts could be made with saws, files, hammers, etc, but the part I don't know about is the barrel.

While I'm willing to purchase a barrel to go on one of these homemade guns, I'm wondering if there is a good way for a novice with relatively rudimentary tools (I have no lathe, for example) to make a barrel at home. I'm not talking about barrels like the "steel pipe of the appropriate gauge" I'm seeing all over the home-made guns on the internet. I've considered "hammer forged" but that seems like a time-intensive and potentially unsafe method. Then again, finding an appropriately thick steel rod at a hardware store, pre-cutting the rifling on the blank, then forging around it, it all sounds relatively simple in principle, yet the sensible part of me says it is 1: going to be a PITA to actually pull of, and take several weeks and 2: going to explode or crack within the first few uses.

So, seeking the advice of the more knowledgeable before committing to a fool's errand, anyone have suggestions on this?

[GreatUsername]

You know, upon doing more research, those smoothbore barrels people are buying from plumbing stores look a lot more enticing...

[rebel]

I would think the federal paperwork and fees to make a legal firearm isn't worth the effort.

[GreatUsername]

I thought that there were no fees or paperwork, so long as it was ATF compliant and was for your personal ownership and use only, not for sale. I of course would look into this further before seriously considering an attempt, but this is what I remember reading.

[Wildthang]

Well I guess it could be done if you have the right equipment, but if you can't do chamber pressure calculations it could get dangerous!

[GreatUsername]

So, make it 4 inches thick, just to be safe. Got it.

[randyt]

I think DIY firearms are made around the barrel on hand so to speak LOL. For me the barrel would be the most challenging to produce. It depends on cartridge too, a 22 lr wouldn't be as critical as a 300 win mag. It also depend on what the firearm's purpose is going to be too.

Yup my luck can be bad at times. That ak burned up in a recent truck fire, nothing left but a melted blob.

[Sarge47]

Growing up on the streets of Chicago I saw several homemade .22 handguns...we called them "zip-guns" and the barrel was made from a piece of the old-style car antenna...don't think they were legal at all, and oft-times more dangerous to the user as to the person on the other end.....

[gryffynklm]

I have heard of high pressure DOM (drawn Over Mandril) pipe being used for barrels. It is a seam less high pressure pipe often used in the manufacture of motorcycle and hot rod frames and roll cages. I know little beyond that.

[rebel]

I thought that there were no fees or paperwork, so long as it was ATF compliant and was for your personal ownership and use only, not for sale. I of course would look into this further before seriously considering an attempt, but this is what I remember reading.

You are probably right. I had recently watched a video for making a suppressor and it talked about the paper work, fees and serial number. It may have been made to sell. I don't know.

I remember a green beret field manual that had improvised firearms and what you could use to make them. This might be a source for your project.

[karatediver]

In colonial williamsburg I watched them make rifle barrells by hand like they did in the 17th and 18th century. Very simple jig on a long shaft that they used to cut the rifleings in the barrell. If they can do it then you can do it.

[kyratshooter]

As of now the ability to make a gun for your own use is legal as long as you stay within the legal boundries;
18" barrel
27" overall length
Rifling in the barrel if pistol length

Most people do not have the capabilities of rifling barrels so consider all the info legal for long guns, or use a "found" barrel with rifling.

U-tube is covered with home made weapons. The best and simplist is here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnaCjEXjKy0

The gun shown was used in WW2 as an emergency weapon intended to acquire a real gun from the enemy. Note that all the machinery used was a drill, files and a few hand tools. this is information every citizen should have.

That system will work with a factory manufactured barrel too. Nice to know if you have an extra barrel stashed somewhere!

It also works fantastically with the caliber reducing chamber inserts.

The trick with home made barrels is the cartridge one uses. If you are using water pipe or found materials stick to low intensity rounds. Most pistol rounds from the black powder era, or developed before 1900, are safe. Most of those old cartridges were designed around standard drill sizes for ease of production.

Pipe sizes;
1/4" chambers .22 or .25acp
5/15" chambers .32 S&W or .32acp
3/8 chambers .410
3/4 chambers 12 ga.

5/8" ID seamless steel hydrolic tube chambers 20ga. Almost all the ML custom shotgun makers use standard seamless hydrolic tube.

.38 spl can be drilled from good steel using standard bits and reamers.

[RandyRhoads]

As of now the ability to make a gun for your own use is legal as long as you stay within the legal boundries;
18" barrel
27" overall length
Rifling in the barrel if pistol length

Most people do not have the capabilities of rifling barrels so consider all the info legal for long guns, or use a "found" barrel with rifling.

U-tube is covered with home made weapons. The best and simplist is here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnaCjEXjKy0

The gun shown was used in WW2 as an emergency weapon intended to acquire a real gun from the enemy. Note that all the machinery used was a drill, files and a few hand tools. this is information every citizen should have.

That system will work with a factory manufactured barrel too. Nice to know if you have an extra barrel stashed somewhere!

It also works fantastically with the caliber reducing chamber inserts.

The trick with home made barrels is the cartridge one uses. If you are using water pipe or found materials stick to low intensity rounds. Most pistol rounds from the black powder era, or developed before 1900, are safe. Most of those old cartridges were designed around standard drill sizes for ease of production.

Pipe sizes;
1/4" chambers .22 or .25acp
5/15" chambers .32 S&W or .32acp
3/8 chambers .410
3/4 chambers 12 ga.

5/8" ID seamless steel hydrolic tube chambers 20ga. Almost all the ML custom shotgun makers use standard seamless hydrolic tube.

.38 spl can be drilled from good steel using standard bits and reamers.

When I was in KY they said you had to purchase a tax stamp as well as follow the specifications to make a zip gun. Did something change?

[welderguy]

I dont know about KY , But Ive heard the same as what KyRat said. the only thing I can add is if you sell the weapon then you have to pay for a serial number and registration.

[GreatUsername]

When I was in KY they said you had to purchase a tax stamp as well as follow the specifications to make a zip gun. Did something change?

The rules depend from state to state, but at the federal level there is no requirement, so long as it's not a class III weapon.

[Geek]

I thought that there were no fees or paperwork, so long as it was ATF compliant and was for your personal ownership and use only, not for sale. I of course would look into this further before seriously considering an attempt, but this is what I remember reading.

Check the state laws on that as well, but the "firearm" is the lower receiver. You could make a replacement barrel for an existing firearm without any legal issues.

[GreatUsername]

My goal isn't to replace a barrel though, my hope is that I might be able to make a new barrel in order to have a 100% homemade firearm, including the action. It is good to know that, however.

[kyratshooter]

There are several companies that make "barrel liners". These are thin walled tubes with rifling cut into them which can be epoxied into an existing barrel to make a worm out barrel or gun usable.

In the old days they were soldered into the reamed out old barrel but today we have epoxies that will do the job.

Depending on the cartridge one is using, you could form a barrel from about any usable steel, then insert the rifled liner and have the equil to a new factory barrel.

I see no reason this would not be adequite for straight walled centerfire cases and any of the rimfire cases.

Track of the Wolf sells liners for ML guns and barrel stock for BP cartridge rifles. Numrich sells high preasure liners as well as barrel stock and Brownells does too. Green Mountain used to sell liners but they have cut their offerings way down lately.

I have relined several barrels using the Numrich and Brownells liners and they work fine.

And yes, I relined one improvised barrel for a shop made pistol so it would be legal, so I know they will work.

As far as the legalities go...

I consider these emergency tools for emergency use. Folks talk about prying their gun out of their cold dead hands but they are scared to death of making a firearm that is completely legal in 99% of the U.S.

Learning to make a firearm is not making using or owning that firearm. It is a skill you know for survival use. You practice all your survival skills, like firebvuilding, snaring and trapping, but you do not go around breaking the law with them. Knowing how to make a usable gun is another skill in your files.

My slamfire shotgun is simply another two pieces of pipe in the metal stock rack and an end cap in the parts box. For now!!!

It is not a weapon I would construct, carry or use under NORMAL circumstances.

If I ever really need such a weapon the legal complications will make my ownership of any firearm illigal, and will be the least of my worries next to the other charges that will be involved.

If I am still alive after using the slamgun they are going to drag me out into the street and shoot me anyway, why worry about owning it?

[pepperr]

you may make a firearm in your garage etc with no license for your own personal use as long as it is never sold or transferred. it doesnt even have to have a serial number. all guns must meet atf regulations (no fixed firing pen, etc etc) you can buy a gun parts kit and have it mailed to your house, buy an 80% reciever and have it mailed to your house and you can build the gun yourself. The items that seem at question are what the atf considers to be an AOW (any other weapon) which requires a 5 tax stamp, same as sawed off shotguns, etc etc.
there are several atf approval letters on all sorts of homemade guns you can make own etc (not sale)
i am a licensed 07/sot gun manufacture and dealer, so if you need some guidance, i'll do my best...

[Lamewolf]

Well I guess it could be done if you have the right equipment, but if you can't do chamber pressure calculations it could get dangerous!

Yeah, it could be done ! Do some research on the design and prototype of the M1 carbine - it was designed and built by hand in a prison ! Just Google "Carbine WIlliams".....