Home Gunsmithing and Firearm Projects | JSD Supply

There are many benefits to home gunsmithing projects. Being able to order and receive quality custom gun parts and accessories directly to your door lets you customize every aspect of your firearm. This not only gives you improved performance tailored to your shooting needs but also gives you a more intimate knowledge of your gun. This detailed knowledge makes you more familiar with its capabilities, the principles it operates on, and what further customizations will help you take it to the next level.

Choosing Your Firearm Projects

Whether you’re a beginner at firearm customization or a savvy and experienced home gunsmith, there are projects for every level of expertise. Whatever your skill level, make sure you take the time to familiarize yourself with the basic use and field cleaning of the gun to gain a basic knowledge of the parts and assemblies. Read your literature from the manufacturer, which may cover special features or specifications. With all gunsmithing projects, please note you can potentially damage your gun or yourself. Take care when handling your weapon, check your local gun laws to ensure your modifications are within legal limits, and remember to read instructions and procedures before making any adjustments or modifications to your weapon.

Beginner DIY Gunsmithing Projects

These products require minimal modification and are the perfect place to get your feet wet with home gunsmithing. Firearms manufacturers know more and more gun owners are interested in installing custom gun parts, so they’re engineering their weapons with easier entry points into a more advanced shooting lifestyle.

Regular Cleaning and Maintenance

You should, of course, be very familiar with how to take apart, clean, and put your gun back together. This easy project is more of a good gun ownership habit than gunsmithing, but nevertheless should be included in your regular gun maintenance and do-it-yourself routine. It helps you learn your way around the assemblies, improves your manual dexterity when working with home gunsmithing tools, and improves your confidence as only experience can.

Mounting Optics

Whether you need a red dot sight, a holographic sight, or a scope, adding performance optics to your gun can improve your aim and your ability to focus on your target. It’s also one of the easiest home gunsmithing projects for beginners.

• Step One – Collect your tools (proper gunsmithing screwdriver bits, a torque wrench, bubble levels, etc.)
• Step Two – Ensure your rifle is unloaded and there’s no ammunition in your workspace. Double-check this to ensure safety.
• Step Three – Thoroughly clean the areas of the gun on which you’ll be working. This helps prevent any metal shavings or corrosive elements from being caught between the mount and the weapon, where it can do damage.
• Step Four – Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to attach your specific optic correctly. Many modern firearms come pre-milled to accept specific mounting options, removing the need to drill into or trim any material from your firearm and reducing the risk of damage.
• Step Five – Make sure your optic is level and check the eye relief. 
• Step Six – Bore sight your rifle. This should be done at a range, but equipment like bore lasers can help you make begin the process in your home gunsmithing workshop.

Free-Floating Rail System

A popular upgrade for AR-15 style rifles, carbines, and pistols, the free-floating rail allows you to  more easily attach custom gun parts and accessories to your weapon. It provides operational flexibility to add lights, fore grips, lasers, and more. While not every free-floating rail is the same, these general instructions should give you an idea of the process.

• Read the Manufacturer’s Instructions Carefully – While this is a great homemade gunsmithing project, it can be more involved than mounting an optic, and these model-specific instructions will walk you through the process step-by-step. Gather your tools and get ready.
• Remove Your Optics and Flash Hider – Get these parts out of the way to start with. It will help protect your sensitive gun optics while making the upper receiver easier to work with.
• Remove the Existing Handguard – Slide the delta ring back, and the existing handguard should slide out in two pieces.
• Take off the Front Sight and Gas Tube – This will involve removing the barrel nut, the delta ring, and several pins carefully. 
• Once the new floating rail is installed, reinstall the gas tube, front sight, pins, and barrel nut.

Intermediate DIY Gunsmithing Projects

If you’re a little more gun-savvy, you can try your hand at slightly harder projects, for example, customizing your AR-15 upper receiver. As one of the most popular weapons on the planet, there are a variety of custom gun parts and upgrades available to help you tailor it to meet your expected weapon needs.

Collect your precision parts, like your ideal barrel, handguard, bolt carrier group, and more. Ensure you have the proper tools to do the job. This is a more complex task, so the basic home gunsmith kit you put together for optics is a good start but will need a few additions. You’ll definitely at least need a vice to hold your receiver steady, a punch set, and various gauges of wrenches. Some parts may have proprietary nuts, pins, or screws, so be sure you have the correct tools for your unique project. When you’ve got your materials ready, put them together using the same basic principle of measuring twice so you only modify the weapon once.

The lower receiver also has plenty of home gunsmith opportunities for those confident in their skillset. From upgraded mag releases to new stocks or custom trigger groups, you have a chance to really fine-tune the performance of your weapon. Just be sure you’re using quality custom gun parts that are up to the task.

Advanced DIY Firearm Projects

From here, you get into delicate and complicated home gunsmithing projects that have the highest risk of causing lasting damage to your weapon, costing you time, money, or the gun itself. These advanced projects range from polishing a trigger to reduce the sticking common in Mil-Spec groups, installing custom laser sighting systems, or porting the weapon to reduce muzzle flip. These projects are only for the most advanced and experienced home gunsmiths. While we proudly sell the custom gun parts you need to finish a weapons project. 

Get Your Home Gunsmith Parts and Tools at JSD Supply

We’ve been in the business of providing quality gun kits and parts to gun enthusiasts across the United States since 2013. Find the custom gun parts, tools, and accessories you need for your home gunsmithing projects and get them sent to your door with our fast shipping. Customize your firearms with components from JSD Supply today.