Stepping up from practice plates

[Travis_UT]

My goal is to eventually engrave guns. I am ready to move on from flat practice plates and step up to complex areas and surfaces that
are common on guns but not quite ready to attempt a gun. I have seen on eBay you can get random gun parts (trigger housings,
hammers and other various parts). Is buying a lot of these random parts just to practice on a good idea? Thanks in advance, you guys really are a huge wealth of knowledge.

 

[Matthew Evans]

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[Travis_UT]

Matthew,
Thanks, I have seen some small double barrel derringers that are pretty neat looking. I don't really have a preference on what guns I engrave.

 

[FANCYGUN]

Knives are an inexpensive good start that you can then sell

 

[JJ Roberts]

Travis, Before you start engraving guns you may want to practice on curved surface's like copper or steel pipe that's what how I teach student's. J.J.

 

[John B.]

Before you start buying and engraving guns be sure that you are aware and not violating the Federal Firearms Regulations.
You don't want to get on the wrong side of those folks to start out.
Generally speaking, gun parts, other than serial numbered frames or receivers are OK.
Parts such as butt plates, trigger guards, used barrels. etc. are OK.
Hammers, safeties and take-down levers are also usually OK but are very hard steel to engrave.
If they are throw-away parts, they can be annealed and engraved for practice.
Grind off some of the action surfaces to be assured that an unknowing person does not assemble these annealed parts into a working firearm.

 

[tdelewis]

Check with a gunsmith. They might have something they don't need. Laws may be different now, but I was given a frame of an old colt to practice on. It was in bad condition and was of no use to him.

 

[John B.]

Gunsmiths are a good source of used gun parts for practice.
But if you don't have have an FFL, be careful of frames and receivers.
These are usually the serial numbered gun parts and could get you in legal trouble.

 

[Big-Un]

Gunsmiths are a good source of used gun parts for practice.
But if you don't have have an FFL, be careful of frames and receivers.
These are usually the serial numbered gun parts and could get you in legal trouble.

And with the current political climate with BATFE you may just put yourself in their crosshairs for a "future anarchist" classification.

 

[gcleaker]

My goal is to eventually engrave guns. I am ready to move on from flat practice plates and step up to complex areas and surfaces that
are common on guns but not quite ready to attempt a gun. I have seen on eBay you can get random gun parts (trigger housings,
hammers and other various parts). Is buying a lot of these random parts just to practice on a good idea? Thanks in advance, you guys really are a huge wealth of knowledge.

I did the same thing, and after a while of that I bought a cheap black powder pistol of low value, and just let it all hang out. I'll never sell it but the next pistol a ruger lcp for under 200 bucks engraved it and sold it for 600 bucks. My point is step up, you are your own worst critic, if you don't want to risk a gun try a knife, case, buck, Kershaw all at great prices but let the art shine through for you. Skill comes from diligence

 

[papart1]

might you have a pic of the ruger icp before and after pics please?

 

[gcleaker]

might you have a pic of the ruger icp before and after pics please?

 

[Travis_UT]

I did the same thing, and after a while of that I bought a cheap black powder pistol of low value, and just let it all hang out. I'll never sell it but the next pistol a ruger lcp for under 200 bucks engraved it and sold it for 600 bucks. My point is step up, you are your own worst critic, if you don't want to risk a gun try a knife, case, buck, Kershaw all at great prices but let the art shine through for you. Skill comes from diligence

thank you for your suggestion, I have done a few knives but they are mostly flat. I was looking for recommendations on inexpensive items with complex shapes and contours. JJ suggested pipe so I think I will work on that for a while.