Seeing Things Clearly
Go into any mechanic, machinist or gunsmith shop, and you will find one common thing. A stash of dust-covered manuals and technical journals. The “Library of Knowledge.” It’s hard to throw away any technical information.
When I was young, each month, the NRA Rifleman featured the disassembly and assembly of a firearm. They showed exploded views and tips on assembly. I used to clip them out and save them. As I attended gun shows, I would buy up exploded view volumes as thick as a city yellow page. I still have them.
These old books are great, but they always lacked the ability to “see” the relationship of one part to another. Being a two-dimensional drawing, it was sometimes hard to figure out parts placement. Some articles used actual photos, which was a bit better.
Now I have the internet. I know my way around most guns I work on, like the 1911, SW and Colt revolvers, the Browning Hi Power and a few others — no problem. But once in a while, a client will bring in that “new thing,” a pistol I have never worked on. He might have a complete set of aftermarket parts that need installation. For this, I need help; yes, I use “YouTube.” I use the channel to familiarize myself with something I have never seen. For most guns, the principles are the same, but it’s the details and sequence of parts that are important. The old books I have don’t feature new models; owners’ manuals for the most part are not detailed enough. Yes, the internet can be full of BS, but there are good resources too. Some manufacturers of parts and tools produce some very helpful videos. GrayGuns, Apex Tactical, Wilson and EGW to name a few. These videos provide a three-dimensional look at how things should fit together. This makes my job a lot easier.
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