Machinists - What would it take to CNC Bottom Metal?

Retired journeyman machinist / QA Manager here. (i know it's long and detailed SORRY)

nice dream, machine my own guns. looking at the price sheets you had attached those are very affordable.

my guess would be if those parts were not available, and you just happen to have a detailed enough blue print for someone to make you one it would cost 3x's or more those amounts. if a print needed to be created reverse engineering from the old part add another 2 or 3 x's. those would no doubt be hand machined.

to get into the cnc world ....

you need a cnc mill 50K - tooling 10K - a place to put it all ? - measuring / inspection equipment 10K
now the time consuming stuff comes in and you need more equipment.
now you need a good blue print or sketch or old part
then that has to be drawn in some type of auto cad computer (more $$ computer / software)
that spits out a basic G-code of the tool path to cut the part. (tool path only)
below is a sample g-code path to mill a round pocket using a circular path ( sorry its long, i put at end) that's just one feature of the part you need something like that for each pocket - ear - rib-etc
then depending on how much $$ equipment you have the g-code can be run through a processor to add the M-code (machine code) that code runs the machine changing tools, setting speeds and feeds clamp avoidance (please don't mill the vice) and has all the other information the cnc mill needs to use the tool path the g-code provides then
before a 1st article part came be made someone must create a clamping set up and set tools in tool holders, end mills, drills, taps, reamers etc. then run and debug the process.

granted once this is all done using cnc technology is awesome, unfortunately you really need lots of sales and $$ coming in because it cost a lot to play in the game. and the cost of materials has gone through the roof just in the past 5 years (before i retired (BR)

the other thing i noticed the last 10 or 15 years BR those cnc machines that run full blast all day long and often a 2nd shift and ya hope even a 3ed or part of a 3ed shift get the snot beat out of them, it cost a lot to keep them running the you have to replace them. i have seen brand new cnc mill only last 10 years.

at the moment i'm rebuilding an old 1970's John Deere 300 Industrial backhoe, about half done

but such an awesome idea, something i have always wanted to do, just let me know when ya want to get started i would be happy to have a new project to work on. if you do happen to know someone with the cnc code already worked out and an old working machine just sitting around seems like such a waste not to put it back to work.

this mill would do your job


cnc mill 01.jpg




G-Code Example - Tool Path Only

G0 G49 G40 G17 G80 G50 G90
M6 T0(TOOL DIA.0.75)
G64
G20 (Inch)
M04 S0
G00 G43 H0 Z0.1
X0 Y0
G01 Z-0.25 F1
G2 Y0 X0.15 R0.075 F30
Y0 X-0.15 R0.15
Y0 X0.3 R0.225
Y0 X-0.3 R0.3
Y0 X0.45 R0.375
Y0 X-0.45 R0.45
Y0 X0.6 R0.525
Y0 X-0.6 R0.6
Y0 X0.75 R0.675
Y0 X-0.75 R0.75
Y0 X0.9 R0.825
Y0 X-0.9 R0.9
Y0 X1.05 R0.975
Y0 X-1.05 R1.05
Y0 X1.125 R1.0875
Y0 X-1.125 R1.125
X1.125 Y0 R1.125
Y-0.375 X0.75 R0.375
G00 Z0.1
X0 Y0
G01 Z-0.5 F1
G2 Y0 X0.15 R0.075 F30
Y0 X-0.15 R0.15
Y0 X0.3 R0.225
Y0 X-0.3 R0.3
Y0 X0.45 R0.375
Y0 X-0.45 R0.45
Y0 X0.6 R0.525
Y0 X-0.6 R0.6
Y0 X0.75 R0.675
Y0 X-0.75 R0.75
Y0 X0.9 R0.825
Y0 X-0.9 R0.9
Y0 X1.05 R0.975
Y0 X-1.05 R1.05
Y0 X1.125 R1.0875
Y0 X-1.125 R1.125
X1.125 Y0 R1.125
Y-0.375 X0.75 R0.375
G00 Z0.1
X0 Y0
G01 Z-0.75 F1
G2 Y0 X0.15 R0.075 F30
Y0 X-0.15 R0.15
Y0 X0.3 R0.225
Y0 X-0.3 R0.3
Y0 X0.45 R0.375
Y0 X-0.45 R0.45
Y0 X0.6 R0.525
Y0 X-0.6 R0.6
Y0 X0.75 R0.675
Y0 X-0.75 R0.75
Y0 X0.9 R0.825
Y0 X-0.9 R0.9
Y0 X1.05 R0.975
Y0 X-1.05 R1.05
Y0 X1.125 R1.0875
Y0 X-1.125 R1.125
X1.125 Y0 R1.125
Y-0.375 X0.75 R0.375
G00 Z0.1
X0 Y0
G01 Z-0.9 F1
G2 Y0 X0.15 R0.075 F30
Y0 X-0.15 R0.15
Y0 X0.3 R0.225
Y0 X-0.3 R0.3
Y0 X0.45 R0.375
Y0 X-0.45 R0.45
Y0 X0.6 R0.525
Y0 X-0.6 R0.6
Y0 X0.75 R0.675
Y0 X-0.75 R0.75
Y0 X0.9 R0.825
Y0 X-0.9 R0.9
Y0 X1.05 R0.975
Y0 X-1.05 R1.05
Y0 X1.125 R1.0875
Y0 X-1.125 R1.125
X1.125 Y0 R1.125
Y-0.375 X0.75 R0.375
G00 Z0.1
M5 M9
M30
 
I bought Swift bottom metal for my Mauser build and it worked out okay. It came in the white and in the rough with machining marks. I had to do polishing and also some fitting to get the floorplate to close properly. $400 compared to nearly $700 for Sunny Hill. Doing a bit of work to finish it up didn't bother me, especially considering the alternative. I didn't even consider Pacific. Read too many horror stories.

I have looked everywhere for trap door Springfield 03A3 bottom metal but apparently no one makes them. Might be a potential market if someone would design one.
 

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