Critique Request First gun

[ByrnBucks]

Good evening to all,
Well first things first Iv been very reluctant to try a firearm and probably wouldn’t be attempting it was it not a request from my mother for her Christmas present…”I let her know it wouldn’t be on time haha”. So as a rookie and from so many previous critique request Iv watched come up one of the more common reply’s is to revisit the backbone structure of the design presented, in lieu of such Im going to start from the beginning and not get ahead of myself.

This is for the slide of a Ruger LPC MAX 380. There is very limited room so I’m just going to do this one section.

Secondly Ill be asking a bit of advise as far as Iv never touched a gun and do not wish to make any inexperienced mistakes that would compromise the safety of the firearm. My main concern is I wish to remove the “LPC MAX” inscribed from the factory so there is enough room for anything of substance.

Finally I appreciate any and all help, criticism and guidance provided from all you very knowledgeable and passionate individuals that make this such a wonderful and welcoming community. I hope everyone is well and has a wonderful holiday season.

Thanks, BB

 

[gcleaker]

I personally would leave the factory engraving and work around it. At least that is how I do it.

 

[monk]

haha

 

[monk]

to me, part of the fun in the art is to learn to design in odd shaped areas. and to also learn to design around the logos, screw heads, holes, recesses and other "bad spots". i'd leave thhe logo intact and design around it.

 

[ByrnBucks]

well haha sure am glad I didn’t take that one any further. Ill give that another swing over the next several days, much appreciated gentlemen.

 

[monk]

do a good job. she will cherish it even with the dumb log on it.

 

[ByrnBucks]

It’s been slow going this week but think I finally got most of the wrinkles out of this one. The third split has a bit of a flat spot but seems the more I fiddle with it the odder it becomes so I’m hoping filling it in with some leaves will distract away from this.

Please feel free to suggest reworking as I’m in no hurry to bungle this up
Hope everyone is well and keeps warm through this next cold spell.

BB

 

[ByrnBucks]

Good New Year to All,
Well I did a bit more rework on the backbones and spacing between the logo and edge to be fairly even. Figured I just stop staring over the edge of the cliff and just jump

Once under the scope it surprised me to see how porous the metal was, though this didn’t really seem to effect much after the graver broke through It was more of a rough finish than a work hardened surface.

Anyways got the spines cut without much incident, broke a tip early on and this may have been overkill but decided to resharpen after every cut. Used a 120 with a 50 face and 15 heel.

Lastly a combination of knowing my own limitations, a small working area, admittedly a touch of fear, and other non engraving projects needing attention I’m going to put a pin in this for the foreseeable future. I could easily try to say going for “less is more” or that most people will glance at this and react with the same “thats cool” be it just backbones or a completed masterpiece, but thats not the truth.

I’ll present this to my mother so she can enjoy her recently purchased firearm with a few scratches. While I can spend more time improving design ability and iron out a solid original design. With the intentions of one day revisiting this project and making it a proper finished work of art and not a rushed unrefined mess.

Thanks for looking and I hope everyone has a wonderful beginning to this new year. BB

 

[gcleaker]

That is a nice start

 

[Archie Woodworth]

Good New Year to All,
Well I did a bit more rework on the backbones and spacing between the logo and edge to be fairly even. Figured I just stop staring over the edge of the cliff and just jump

Good evening to all,
Well first things first Iv been very reluctant to try a firearm and probably wouldn’t be attempting it was it not a request from my mother for her Christmas present…”I let her know it wouldn’t be on time haha”. So as a rookie and from so many previous critique request Iv watched come up one of the more common reply’s is to revisit the backbone structure of the design presented, in lieu of such Im going to start from the beginning and not get ahead of myself.

This is for the slide of a Ruger LPC MAX 380. There is very limited room so I’m just going to do this one section.

Thanks, BB

BB,

BB, Im assuming you have an FFL. When I last checked (years ago) it was require to do any engraving on a firearm...don't know if that has changed or not ... maybe some of the more experienced folks here on this site can "educate" us.

 

[ByrnBucks]

BB, Im assuming you have an FFL. When I last checked (years ago) it was require to do any engraving on a firearm...don't know if that has changed or not ... maybe some of the more experienced folks here on this site can "educate" us.

Good evening Archie, much appreciated sir. I will look into what is needed or required to comply. I’d imagine possession or ownership may be a saving grace if I’v unknowingly done wrong. Thank you sir.

 

[T.G.III]

Having no real knowledge of the current FFL laws, it would be a realistic assumption to think that you can engrave your own personal firearms without issues, thinking that I've read where an individual can purchase through FFL holder (legally) engrave then sell through FFL holder (legally)

What you cannot do is take a firearm into your possession that belongs to another individual for the purpose of engraving without an FFL

That said I've been wrong before.

 

[DKanger]

When I last checked (years ago) it was require to do any engraving on a firearm.

Not if it's a personal firearm owned by you. If received from a customer, then yes.

 

[ByrnBucks]

Thanks you gentlemen, I did a bit of lookin and though I’m not quite ready to be taking on guns as projects for lack of design capability and technical experience on uneven / irregular surfaces.

I have inadvertently met 80% of the requirements to acquire an FFL.
It appears that most of the steps that would be cumbersome would be an LLC, business license and proper zoning for physical business location. Also an inspectable and compliant workspace.

Lucky I have had these things in place for 4 years this month. This year as well as all previous years Ill be in the “red“ for profits. But last month I made the last “slight sarcasm“ large purchase for my bench. Hopefully I’m on track this year finally my profit will exceed expenditures.

Anyways when the time comes doing a bit of homework on the laws and turning in an application to the ATF should result in a relatively painless acquisition of my FFL. Thanks again for bringing this to my attention and for clarifying the can and can nots as this will be helpful to others as well.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. BB

 

[KevinCunningham]

I have an FFL. You need one if you are going to hold serialized recievers that don’t belong to you to work on them overnight. You need an 01 class licence which is the same as a gunsmith or dealer.

Without one you can work on your own firearms, you can work on customers non-serialized parts like pistol slides, revolver cylinders, whatever you can remove from a gun that doesn’t have #s on it. You’ll notice you can mail order the same kinds of parts without an FFL.

As far as I know you can also work on a complete gun if the owner hands it to you and you hand it back without holding it overnight- like maybe throw some initials on it while they wait.

But to have a customer give you a firearm that you hold on to while the work is being designed and performed overnight or longer then you need to be federally vetted and licenced to be in posession of customer guns and keep a log book of what you have and who you got it from.

I thought the ATF part of the licensing was easy- it was the local municipality that needed to be convinced that I am an artisan craftsman and not a gun retailer.

 

[KevinCunningham]

BB, Im assuming you have an FFL. When I last checked (years ago) it was require to do any engraving on a firearm...don't know if that has changed or not ... maybe some of the more experienced folks here on this site can "educate" us.

I am not experienced but I am currently licensed. From what I read there was some back and forth with the ATF and engravers because the ATF wanted to classify engraving as manufacturing firearms which would be an 07 FFL. They had to be convinced that what we do is cosmetic like ceracoating or something- we are not really modifying the function of anything or making serialized firearms for sale from scratch or parts kits.

When I got my license it was established by the engravers that came before me that I only needed an 01 licence. (Thanks!)

Also not to be political but I live in Pennsylvania which is not a draconian anti gun state like our neighbors NJ and NY. We are allowed to do mostly anything to our own guns without special licencing other than if you’re making NFA items. We can make our own firearms too, just not for sale as a business. I can’t think of a situation in any state where you’d get in trouble for engraving your own gun as long as you didn’t remove serial numbers.

 

[Leland Davis]

I just had this conversation with the ATF agent in my area. If you buy a gun and engrave it to sell you must have manufacture license and the gun has to be marked as required. If a customer brings you a gun to engrave a 01 license is all you need. I have a 07 because I was told by an ATF agent engraving was manufacturing. That being said in the years I have had a license if you ask the same question to 2 agents you will 2 different answers. I was told by an agent to get answers in writing and have them sign it. Engraving your own gun not for resale should not be a problem.
We have an agent here telling people who cerakote that is manufacturing the same agent who told me engraving was manufacturing 15 years ago.
Good luck.

 

[JJ Roberts]

BB, Why are you engraving the slide with removing the bluing? the bluing should be removed before engraving. J.J

 

[ByrnBucks]

I am not experienced but I am currently licensed. From what I read there was some back and forth with the ATF and engravers because the ATF wanted to classify engraving as manufacturing firearms which would be an 07 FFL. They had to be convinced that what we do is cosmetic like ceracoating or something- we are not really modifying the function of anything or making serialized firearms for sale from scratch or parts kits.

When I got my license it was established by the engravers that came before me that I only needed an 01 licence. (Thanks!)

Also not to be political but I live in Pennsylvania which is not a draconian anti gun state like our neighbors NJ and NY. We are allowed to do mostly anything to our own guns without special licencing other than if you’re making NFA items. We can make our own firearms too, just not for sale as a business. I can’t think of a situation in any state where you’d get in trouble for engraving your own gun as long as you didn’t remove serial numbers.

Kevin, Thanks very much for information and added personal experience as in some of the seemingly cut and dry forms and fees somehow spiral into a proverbial can of worms. BB

 

[KevinCunningham]

Kevin, Thanks very much for information and added personal experience as in some of the seemingly cut and dry forms and fees somehow spiral into a proverbial can of worms. BB

No problem, glad to help!