Machinists - What would it take to CNC Bottom Metal?

[Aaron N]

As an electrician with no clue what CNC machining entails, tell me what it would take to have Mauser bottom metal machined for a billet? It looks like Swift is still selling it, but is it even remotely possible to get someone there CAD file?

I’m sure if a member had the skill set, there would be quite a demand from this site alone.

Am I crazy for even thinking this?

 

[Hogpatrol]

Steel version:

Mauser 98 LA Bottom Metal - Blued Steel - Pacific Tool and Gauge

pacifictoolandgauge.com

Couple more on this page:

Mauser Performance - Pacific Tool and Gauge

pacifictoolandgauge.com

 

[Aaron N]

A little better pricing than swift! But I’m still curious about what it would take

 

[Aaron N]

Steel version:

Mauser 98 LA Bottom Metal - Blued Steel - Pacific Tool and Gauge

pacifictoolandgauge.com

Couple more on this page:

Mauser Performance - Pacific Tool and Gauge

pacifictoolandgauge.com

Since you brought them up, and idea how their safeties compare to the rest of the lot?

 

[Proneshooter]

I would warn anybody to be careful about doing business with PTG. Do your homework, plenty of info out there.

 

[Aaron N]

I would warn anybody to be careful about doing business with PTG. Do your homework, plenty of info out there.

Oh?

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I have only one purchase from PTG. A bottom metal for a M70. I was very pleased. I will do more research before any further purchases.

 

[Aaron N]

I have only one purchase from PTG. A bottom metal for a M70. I was very pleased. I will do more research before any further purchases.

I just ordered one this morning, we will see how it plays out. Was thinking of getting three safeties as well

 

[RR 314]

I would warn anybody to be careful about doing business with PTG. Do your homework, plenty of info out there.

Dave Kiff/PTG were great to deal with for many years. I think they got too big too fast and really killed their customer support.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I would warn anybody to be careful about doing business with PTG. Do your homework, plenty of info out there.

You mean like ordering a custom reamer, which was allegedly in stock? approving their drawing, waiting six months for it to arrive only to find they made a mistake which they deny, then blame you for and when they finally acknowledge their mistake, wait another six months for a new reamer, nearly twenty months all up.....that sort of thing....
all of which is a shame as they were a good company once, all my reamers are now Manson or clymer ( with a few odd customs)
gumpy

 

[Aaron N]

You mean like ordering a custom reamer, which was allegedly in stock? approving their drawing, waiting six months for it to arrive only to find they made a mistake which they deny, then blame you for and when they finally acknowledge their mistake, wait another six months for a new reamer, nearly twenty months all up.....that sort of thing....
all of which is a shame as they were a good company once, all my reamers are now Manson or clymer ( with a few odd customs)
gumpy

Well I ordered Mauser bottom metal a week and a half ago, and it sounds like it’s in the mail tomorrow. So it seems to have gone smoothly

 

[Travis2282]

Those look pretty straightforward. It wouldn’t be difficult to make a CAD model and machine them.

 

[Aaron N]

Those look pretty straightforward. It wouldn’t be difficult to make a CAD model and machine them.

My thoughts exactly!

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Well I ordered Mauser bottom metal a week and a half ago, and it sounds like it’s in the mail tomorrow. So it seems to have gone smoothly

Hopefully everything will go smoothly for you and you’ll get your order in a timely manner, part of the issue I described could be I’m on the other side of the world and they just didn’t care, out of sight, out of mind type thing.
gumpy

 

[GuttormG]

A little better pricing than swift! But I’m still curious about what it would take

If one has good CAD/CAM-files, Machine hours.

I have seen it done on a manual mill and was happy I wasn't paying!

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

If one has good CAD/CAM-files, Machine hours.

I have seen it done on a manual mill and was happy I wasn't paying!

My friend has a Deckel copy mill that he used to make different bottom metals for mausers, p14/17 Enfields etc, the trigger guard is a separate part to the mag well frame and when soldered together the joint is hardly visible and once in the stock is not visible at all, these were for big bores 505’s etc in flat bottom plate or perch belly style. He stopped doing it as no one wanted to pay for his time, which even back then was still cheaper than importing one.
gumpy

 

[GuttormG]

No one wants to pay anymore, man is destroyed by cheap mass-produced goods.
And expect their cheap mass-produced gun or whatever it is to last forever, increase in value; and they expect the poor bastard that sold it to them to treat them as royalty when it breaks....

 

[Jefferry404]

well, a steady supply of customers helps
Unlike many years ago, with the CAD today, the drawing, toolpath generation and posting to the CNC, is just work. If you screw up, just re-fresh and start drawing again.

The most labor is in the fixturing and the final filing and polishing. as this is done by hand.

I recently spoke with a gentleman in this business and offered to get support for the machining work, and he said, "that is the easy part", it was dealing with the customers, that was the hard part!

As an example, below are few pics of a scalable floorplate for CZ 550 magnum action. If done with forethought, can deepen by just changing 1 parameter, the depth.

the sketch drawing

and the CAD programming file

hope this sheds some light...
Steve

 

[GuttormG]

You need volume to make money...

 

[Aaron N]

You need volume to make money...

You’re right, but if one already had the machine and the cad program, they would be set up already, and could take bottom metal orders for fun money.

Imagine offering a yearly run to members here, I’m sure there would be enough interest to make it worth while.