MAC'S SHOOTIN' IRONS,LLC
TECH TRICKS

LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE A NEAT IDEA OR TECH TRICK THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE!

NOTE #1: THESE TIPS WORK FOR US BUT YOU USE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK AND IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
IF YOU INJURE YOURSELF OR DAMAGE PROPERTY.  USE CAUTION, SAFTEY GLASSES AND ALL
REQUIRED SAFETY EQUIPMENT.

NOTE  #2: WE DON'T CLAIM TO HAVE THOUGHT OF  THESE IDEAS! WE JUST USE THEM!

IDEA #1...GREASE OR COSMOLINE  REMOVAL ON WOODEN STOCKS.
MANY OF THE IMPORTED SURPLUS MILITARY TYPE RIFLES ARE A GREAT BARGAIN BUT LEAVE A LOT TO BE DESIRED IN THE FINISH DEPARTMENT. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS WITH THE WOOD BEING SOAKED IN COSMOLENE OIL WHICH MAKES  IT IMPOSSIBLE TO APPLY ANY KIND OF NICE FINISH. TRY OVEN CLEANER!
REMOVE ALL OF THE METAL PARTS, WIPE OFF THE EXCESS COSMOLOENE AND SPRAY THE WOOD WITH OVEN CLEANER.  WRAP THE WOOD WITH PAPER TOWELS AND SPRAY THEM TOO. THEN WRAP THE WHOLE THING UP IN A PLASTIC BAG AND SEAL THE END. LET IT SIT OVERNITE. UNWRAP IT AND PROPERLY DISPOSE OF THE PLASTIC BAG AND THE PAPER TOWELS. RINSE IT OFF WITH A GARDEN HOSE AND SCRUB WITH  HOT SOAPY WATER.  RINSE WELL AND LET IT DRY THOROUGHLY BEFORE APPLYING ANY FINISH.   (FOLLOW THE PRECAUTIONS ON THE CAN!)
THANKS JOE AT PC IN TUCSON, AZ FOR THE UPDATED AND VERY IMPROVED COSMOLENE REMOVAL METHOD!

IDEA #2...FN-FAL EXTRACTOR REMOVAL TOOL.
GETTIN THE EXTRACTOR OUT OF A FAL TYPE BOLT (MANY OTHERS TOO!) CAN BE PAINFULL  BUT GETTING IT BACK IN CAN BE BE LIFE THREATENING!  TRY THIS NEAT TOOL IDEA. THE METAL DOOHICKEY IS MADE OUT OF A COAT HANGER AND THE PLIERS ARE AN OLD PAIR OF NEEDLE  NOSE TYPE.  FIRST, REMOVE THE FIRING PIN FROM THE BOLT, THEN SLIP THE SHORT LEG OF THE DOOHICKEY THROUGH THE FIRING PIN RETAINING PIN HOLE WITH THE THE LONG V  POINTING AT THE EXTRACTOR.  I  CLAMP THE BOLT IN A PADDED VISE TO SECURE IT.  THE PLIERS HAVE THE POINTS GROUND THUSLY: ONE POINT (LEFT SIDE OF PHOTO) IS GROUND TO FIT INTO THE HOLE ON THE EXTRACTOR PLUNGER TUPE. THE OTHER POINT (RIGHT SIDE OF PHOTO) IS NOTCHED TO FIT INSIDE OF THE V ON THE DOOHICKEY. PUT THE CORRECT POINT INTO THE EXTRACTOR PLUNGER HOLE, PUT THE OTHER POINT INTO THE V NOTCH, SQUEEZE THE PLIERS AND THE EXTRACTOR PLUNGER IS RETRACTED ENOUGH TO REMOVE THE EXTRACTOR.  BE SUER TO USE A RAG BARRIER  OR AIM IT AT SOMETHING SOFT IN CASE THE PLIERS SLIP. IT WILL LAUNCH THE EXTRACTOR, PLUNGER AND SPRING WITH INCREDIBLE VELOCITY!
ALSO, PLACE A RAG OR LETAHER PAD BETWEEN THE DOOHICKEY AND THE BOLT SIDE TO PROTECT THE FINISH.

THIS IS MAC'S STG-58 BUILT ON AN IMBEL RECEIVER.
BLACK GUNKOTE WITH DARK GRAY STOCK-KOTE.

IDEA # 3...FN-FAL CARRY HANDLE LOCK RING INSTALLER.
THAT LITTLE LOCK RING ON FN-FAL TYPE CARRYING HANDLES IS FAIRLY EASY TO TAKE OFF, JUST PRY IT OFF WITH A TINY SCREWDRIVER BUT  PUTTING IT BACK ON CAN BE A REAL CHORE! I USE AN OLD DEEP WELL 5 MM SOCKET WITH A DAB OF GREASE  TO HOLD THE LOCK RING IN PLACE ON THE END.  THEN, LINE IT UP ON  THE END OF THE CARRY HANDLE , TAP THE END OF THE SOCKET WITH A HAMMER AND IT DRIVES THE LOCK RING ONTO THE METAL AND INTO THE GROOVE.  JUST BE SURE TO USE A SOCKET SMALL ENOUGH TO NOT LET THE RING SLIP INSIDE OF IT BUT LARGE ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE END OF THE CARRY HANDLE METAL ROD TO SLIDE INSIDE OF IT. ALSO, AFTER YOU GET IT LINED UP, YOU MAY WANT TO WRAP A RAG AROUND IT IN CASE IT SLIPS SO YOU DON'T LOOSE THE RING.

IDEA #4...FN-FAL RECOIL SPRING REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION TOOL.
I USE A LONG SKINNEY SCREWRIVER WITH A PLASTIC HANDLE.  GRIND A FLAT ONTO THE PLASTIC HANDLE  WHERE THE METAL DRIVER SHANK COMES OUT. THE IDEA IS TO SLIP THE SCREWDRIVER INTO THE HOLE IN THE RECOIL SPRING RETAINING SCREW AND ENGAGE THE FLATS INTO THE SCREW SLOT.  DO NOT TRY TO TIGHTEN OR LOOSEN THE SCREW WITH THIS TOOL. IT WILL BREAK! TIGHTEN OR LOOSEN THE SCREW WITH A REAL SCREW DRIVER. THIS PLASTIC SCREWDRIVER TOOL IS JUST TO KEEP IT ALL TOGETHER WHEN INSTALLING THE SPRING ASSEMBLY. START A FEW THREADS TO HOLD IT, THEN FINISH IT WITH A REAL SCREWDRIVER.   DON'T FORGET THE WASHER UNDER THE SCREW!

IDEA #5...RUBBER SCOPE ARMOR.
I HAVE MADE MY OWN RUBBER SCOPE ARMOR FOR YEARS WITH SHRINK TUBE AND A RAZOR BLADE.  SHRINK TUBE IS AVAILABLE IN A VARIETY OF COLORS IN LARGE SIZES AT ELECTRONIC SUPPLY SHOPS FOR A COUPLE OF DOLLARS.  JUST GET A PIECE  BIG ENOUGH TO SLIP OVER THE SCOPE AND LONGER THAN THE SCOPE. SLIP IT ON, HEAT IT TO SHRINK IT AND TRIM WITH A RAZOR BLADE. I USE A PIECE OF ONE INCH WIDE MASKING TAPE FOR A GUIDE TO CUT THE SPACE FOR THE MOUNTING RINGS.  HEAT CAN BE DONE WITH A BIC LIGHTER, HAIR DRYER OR PROPANE TORCH BUT USE CAUTION! CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SCOPE DOES NOT GET TOO HOT. WHEN IT'S TOO WARM, SET IT ASIDE TO COOL.

IDEA #6...SOFTY CHEEK PAD.
A NICE CUSHIONY CUSTOM CHEEK PAD CAN BE MADE OUT OF LEATHER, AN OLD COMPUTER MOUSE PAD AND CONTACT CEMENT.  CUT THE PAD OVERSIZE BUT IN THE GENERAL SHAPE THAT YOU WANT. PUT A SMALL AMOUNT OF CONTACT CEMENT RIGHT IN THE CENTER AND GLUE JUST THE CENTER OF IT TO YOUR STOCK.  NOW IT WILL STAY IN PLACE WHILE YOU TRIM IT TO THE PROPER SHAPE. I TRIM  MINE DOWN SLIGHTLY UNDERSIZED TO ALLOW THE LEATHER TO LAP OVER THE EDGES. AFTER IT'S ALL TRIMMED TO PERFECTION, CAREFULLY LIFT THE EDGES AND APPLY CONTACT CEMENT UNDERNEATH. CONTACT CEMENT CAN BE "ROLLED UP" BY RUBBING WITH YOUR FINGER IF YOU GET SLOPPY!  DO THIS UNDER -THE-EDGES GLUE APPLICATION IN STAGES TO KEEP THE WHOLE THING FROM SLIDING AROUND.  ONCE IT'S ALL GLUED IN PLACE, CUT A PIECE OF SOFT LEATHER OVERSIZE TO COVER THE WHOLE FOAM CUSHION.  I USE LEATHER THAT IS STILL "NATURAL" ON ONE SIDE AND THAT'S THE SIDE THAT I PUT OUT. YOU'LL SEE WHY IN A MINUTE.  VERY IMPORTANT! DO NOT GET ANY GLUE ON THE "NATURAL" SIDE OF THE LEATHER. IT'S DANGED NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OFF!  NOW, DO THE SAME GLUING TECHNIQUE THAT YOU USED ON THE FOAM CUSHION, STARTING IN THE CENTER AND WORKING OUT BUT DO NOT GLUE PAST THE FOAM CUSHION.  LET IT DRY FOR AWHILE AND THEN TRIM IT ALL TO FIT. USE A BRAND NEW RAZOR TO PREVENT THE LEATHER FROM PULLING AND TRIM THE LEATHER TO EXTEND OVER THE EDGE OF THE CUSHION. IT HELPS TO MAKE A LINE WITH A PENCIL.  NOW AT THIS POINT, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE FOAM CUSHION TOTALLY GLUED TO THE STOCK  WITH THE LEATHER TOTALLY GLUED TO THE CUSHION. THE LEATHER SHOULD EXTEND OVER THE EDGE OF THE CUSHION BY 1/2 INCH OR SO.   LIFT THE EDGE  OF THE LEATHER AND VERY CAREFULLY APPLY GLUE UNDER THE EDGES.  IT MAY HELP TO MASK THE  "NICE" SIDE OF THE LEATHER TO PREVENT GLUE FROM GETTING ON IT. ONCE IT'S ALL GLUED AND CURED, USE A SMALL STEEL WIRE "TOOTHBRUSH" BRUSH TO BRUSH THE LEATHER. THIS WILL MAKE IT VERY SLIGHTLY FURRY AND SMOOTH IT OUT.  THE FINAL RESULT IS A NICE SOFT, SMOOTH AND CUSHIONY PAD FOR YOUR CHEEK.

IDEA #7...LEATHER RECOIL BUFFER.
RECOIL BUFFERS CAN BENEFIT MANY SEMI AUTO RIFLES BY CUSHIONING THE RECOIL IMPACT OF METAL ON METAL AND ACTUALLY DECREASE THE PERCEIVED NOISE!  I MAKE MINE OUT OF HEAVY DUTY LEATHER. JUST CUT A PIECE TO THE RIGHT SHAPE ANDF GLUE IT IN PLACE.  NOTE: IF IT WERE A "SERIOUS SITUATION" WHERE MY LIFE DEPENDED ON MY RIFLE,  I WOULD REMOVE THE BUFFER.  THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT PARTS COMING LOOSE AND FLOPPING AROUND INSIDE  MY RIFLE THAT BOTHERS ME!
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MAC'S SHOOTIN' IRONS IS A LIMITED LIABILTY COMPANY REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
MAC'S SHOOTIN' IRONS, TUFF-GUN 1, TUFF-GUN 2 AND TUFF-STOCK ARE ALL REGISTERED TRADE NAMES OWNED BY MAC'S SHOOTIN' IRONS.