Gunsmithing 101: How Gun Shows Inspire DIY Projects

If you want to put your gunsmithing 101 skills to the test, your local Midwest Arms Collector Gun Show is the perfect place to find the gun projects that will help you shoot better. Gun shows draw vendors from across the country to nearby communities to offer guns, parts, and accessories for sale or trade. That means you can start your gun customization with the right parts to take your shooting to the next level at prices that won’t break the bank. 

Stock Vs. Custom

Stock guns are engineered and manufactured to give the broadest possible utility to the largest part of the customer base. That’s great for anyone who wants to get a gun that functions well straight out of the box for general purposes. If you want a gun that’s tailored to your needs, it’s time to break out the tools and find the gun customization projects that will help it perform better for you.

Why Gunsmithing 101 is Enough for so Many Gun Projects

More and more new guns come from the factory ready for gunsmithing 101-level upgrades and a little elbow grease. Modern manufacturing has become increasingly efficient by engineering firearms into semi-modular systems made up of tightly specced component groups. This saves money, allows for faster retooling as advances in design are made, and lets them use one component group across multiple product lines in some cases. For you, that means it’s easier than ever to tackle gun projects that improve your weapon’s function, accuracy, or feel with the basic gunsmithing 101 knowledge gained from owners’ manuals, blogs, and online videos.

Local Gun Shows: The Perfect Gun Customization Inspiration

Gun shows are the perfect place to get your gun projects off the ground because just about everything you need for an upgrade is under one roof, including inspiration. You’ll see new and used guns–custom firearms and those straight from the company. You’ll also find the parts, tools, and accessories that let you fine-tune performance to suit your use case. Whether you need a competition gun, ranch rifle, or self-defense weapon, there’s a gun and the parts it needs to get the job done.

Looking for Gunsmithing 101 Projects

There’s a lot to look at when you visit your local gun show. We have hundreds of tables filled with guns and other gear. While some projects are perfect for those relatively new to gun upgrades, others are best left to more experienced hands who have the time, tools, and experience to tackle larger customizations. Factors to consider include:

• Familiarity with the Gun – Make sure you understand your gun and its disassembly and assembly to the point necessary for your gun customization. If you aren’t comfortable with the extent of technical work needed now, wait until you have more experience under your belt. 
• Tool Requirements – Basic gunsmithing 101 tools will get you a long way. Some gun projects may take more specialized equipment, however, so make sure you have the right tools to do the job right.
• How Long Will It Take – Don’t let your gun live on the workbench. Understand how long a given upgrade will take, when you’ll have the time to do the job uninterrupted, and follow through.
• Worst Case – Consider what could happen if everything goes wrong, the likelihood of that happening, and whether or not your risk tolerance is comfortable with it. Adding an optic to a pre-milled slide is very low risk, but machining your raw slide to accept an optic could result in catastrophic damage.

Popular Gunsmithing 101 customizations

As you walk around the gun show, keep an eye out for projects, parts, and accessories you want to add to your gun. Look for already customized firearms and mentally reverse-engineer their upgrades to develop your own roadmap. Remember that most firearms upgrades you’ll see at the gun show have been done on a stock gun using the same basic gunsmithing 101 skills and tools you have at your disposal.

• Optics – With more manufacturers producing optics-ready pistols and long guns with pre-installed rails, gun customization is easier and more common than ever. It’s quick, requires minimal tools, and dramatically impacts shooting by improving your accuracy and precision.
• Aftermarket Barrels – High-performance barrels can improve accuracy, help redirect some of the expanding gases from a fired round to reduce recoil, or add a unique aesthetic flair to your firearm. Best of all, they are an easy, drop-in swap on many modern pistols and require minimal tools on most modern long guns.
• Custom Slides – Slide replacements can dramatically change your gun’s lines, make it optics-ready, or add features. Completed slides are a beginner-friendly gun project, but for a tougher challenge, look for raw slides and internal parts completion kits.
• Grips – Custom grip plates are some of the top pistol accessories because they improve the control surfaces of your gun for better handling. The fact that this easy gun customization looks good, too, is just icing on the cake.
• Trigger Groups – If you’re ready to go a little beyond gunsmithing 101, upgrading to a customer trigger group is a great way to dip your toe into advanced upgrades. This can improve the pull weight, break over, or alter your gun’s performance in the case of pull-release triggers.

Order Your Gun Show Tickets Online

Check our gun show calendar, because your next local gun show is right around the corner. Our vendors and your next gun project are coming to a town near you. Get your gunsmithing 101 tools ready and order your tickets online to a MAC Shows Gun Show today