DIY Gunsmithing [The Definitive Guide]

If you want to make your gun run better, you’ve come to the right place. We cover everything from cleaning & tuning, to gun modifications and even gun building. All from the tools and skills of a newbie with some hand-eye coordination.

Even if you don’t end up doing it yourself… you’ll get a good idea of what you’re paying for gunsmith for.

Finally, please see our disclaimer since you could possibly mess up your gun and possibly yourself.

Table of Contents

Almost all the most popular firearms are represented below.

Chapter 1

General Guides

General cleaning, maintenance, and other stuff live here.

  • Essential Gunsmithing Tools
    BY Eric Hung,

    Find out the most essential gunsmithing tools you'll need to keep your firearms running in great shape or to make easy modifications.

  • Best Gun Cleaning Kits
    BY Eric Hung,

    Looking for the perfect all-in-one gun cleaning kit? We hands-on tested some of the most popular out there plus our fav cleaners/oils.

  • How to Clean & Lubricate a Gun
    BY Eric Hung,

    Not sure how to clean your gun? We go through our favorite kits and individual tools, cleaners, and oils. Come see what we recommend.

  • How to Mount a Scope
    BY Wyatt Sloan,

    Correctly mounting your scope doesn't need to be scary. We cover the essential tools and walk you through the entire process.

  • How to Clean Corrosive Ammunition
    BY Eric Hung,

    Learn how to quickly clean corrosive ammo after a day at the range. We use mil-surp AK-47 ammo as an example, but the procedure will work for all guns/ammo combos.

  • How to Remove Cosmoline: SKS Example
    BY John Currie,

    Want the best cosmoline removal methods for cleaning up your milsurp gun? We walk-through an SKS example with plenty of pics and video.

  • 5 Best Gunsmithing Schools
    BY Megan Kriss,

    Want to potentially make money from your firearms hobby? Check out our favorite gunsmithing schools that will get you prepared.

  • How to Clean Muzzleloaders
    BY Randy Bauman,

    Cleaning a black powder rifle or other firearm is an essential part of owning one. Here's everything you need to know and the best products to buy.

Chapter 2

AR-15 Gunsmithing

We’ll cover everything AR-15 from upgrading parts to full-on assembly of the upper and lower. Check out everything at our Complete AR-15 section. But here’s a taste of the most important gunsmithing articles.

  • General AR-15 Gunsmithing

    BY Scott Murdock,

    Live in California? You just got access to one of our favorite pistols – come see four new models for yourself!

    • AR-15 Parts List
      BY Matthew Collins,

      Building an AR-style rifle is a great way to learn as a shooter, save money, and build a rifle that is distinctly yours. Here's all the parts you need, as well as info on choosing specific parts, and some gear we recommend.

    • AR-15 Cleaning & Maintenance Guide
      BY Cameron Corley,

      Cleaning an AR-15 doesn't have to be rocket surgery. We break down the process with an easy-to-follow guide (with tons of pictures) that makes cleaning a breeze.

    • Lower Receiver Visual Assembly Guide
      BY Eric Hung,

      Don't want to mess up? Learn how to build an AR-15 lower receiver with 80+ pictures, tricks I learned the hard way, and recommendations of the best parts.

    • Upper Receiver Visual Assembly Guide
      BY Eric Hung,

      See how easy it is to build your own AR-15 upper receiver. Step-by-step with pictures, plus essential tools, recommended parts, tips/tricks, and two full builds.

    • Best AR-15 Build Tools
      BY Brandon Harville,

      We've put together a list of tools you need to make your AR-15 building experience go a lot easier (and smoother)!

    • How To Paint an AR-15
      BY David Lane,

      Want to make your AR-15 unique? We cover paint and color choice, rifle prep, and camo spraying techniques. Plus lots of pictures and a full video tutorial.

    • How to Reduce AR-15 Recoil: Stance, Gas, Brakes, & BCGs
      BY Ken Whitmore,

      Want a softer shooting AR-15? We scientifically test recoil reduction from stance, gas, brakes, and lightweight BCGs to see what makes the most difference.

    • Best AR-15 80% Lower
      BY Eric Hung,

      Want to complete your own AR-15, AR-10, or AR-9 lowers? We cover the best aluminum and polymer 80% receivers. Plus the best jigs to get them done.

Chapter 3

Glock

Ah Glock…perfection out of the box.  But we believe guns can always benefit from some upgrades to fit your individual requirements.

  • General

    BY Scott Murdock,

    Live in California? You just got access to one of our favorite pistols – come see four new models for yourself!

    • Glock Disassembly, Cleaning, & Reassembly
      BY David Lane,

      Quickly learn how to clean & lube your Glock based off the official company instructions. Complete with video, tons of pics, and recommended tools/cleaners.

    • Best Glock Upgrades
      BY Eric Hung,

      Want the perfect Glock for your purpose...at your budget? We cover upgrades like triggers, lights, slides, grips, sights, and more.

    • How to Lube a Glock
      BY David Lane,

      Quickly learn how to clean & lube your Glock based off the official company instructions. Complete with video, tons of pics, and recommended tools/cleaners.

    • Best Glocks Guide
      BY Jacki Billings,

      "Just get a Glock!" But which one should you buy? We cover our pick of the best Glock models across all calibers and sizes.

  • Trigger Work

    BY Scott Murdock,

    Live in California? You just got access to one of our favorite pistols – come see four new models for yourself!

    • Glock 3.5 lb Trigger Disconnect
      BY Eric Hung,

      Want to quickly install a new trigger connector into your Glock? We go through it step by step with both pictures and video.

    • Glock 25 Cent Trigger Job
      BY Eric Hung,

      Easy step-by-step guide to polishing the correct trigger surfaces of the Glock 25 Cent Trigger Job with polishing compound and either hand or Dremel tools.

    • Best Aftermarket Glock Triggers
      BY Wyatt Sloan,

      We took over a dozen aftermarket Glock triggers and tested them using a specialized machine to see which Glock triggers reign supreme.

  • Upgrades

    BY Scott Murdock,

    Live in California? You just got access to one of our favorite pistols – come see four new models for yourself!

    • Best Aftermarket Glock Slides
      BY Eric Hung,

      Looking to dress up your Glock, improve performance, reduce recoil, or even add a red dot? These are the best aftermarket slides to get the job done.

    • Best Aftermarket Glock Barrels
      BY Brandon Harville,

      Building or upgrading your Glock? The barrel is one of the most important parts that will dictate your accuracy. We cover our favorites so you can make the best decision.

  • Other

    BY Scott Murdock,

    Live in California? You just got access to one of our favorite pistols – come see four new models for yourself!

Chapter 4

1911 Gunsmithing

We’ve compiled all our articles to create the Ultimate 1911 Tuning Guide. You’ll learn how to do a trigger job, break in the slide, install a trigger, and much more. Take your trigger down to a crisp 3.5 lb (or less) that’s ready to rock any competition.

  • General

    BY Scott Murdock,

    Live in California? You just got access to one of our favorite pistols – come see four new models for yourself!

  • 1911 Trigger Work

    BY Scott Murdock,

    Live in California? You just got access to one of our favorite pistols – come see four new models for yourself!

  • Other

    BY Scott Murdock,

    Live in California? You just got access to one of our favorite pistols – come see four new models for yourself!

    • Frame & Slide Break-in
      BY Eric Hung,

      Want a silky smooth 1911 slide? We cover our favorite technique to break in your 1911 slide and frame.

    • How to Build Your Own 80% 1911
      BY Eric Hung,

      Not sure about your Tactical Machining 1911 80% project? Follow step-by-step from buying the paperweight & jigs, to tooling setup & custom parts selection.

    • Best 1911 Upgrades & Mods
      BY Eric Hung,

      Find out the best 1911 upgrades to make your gun perfect. We're breaking it down into easy DIY mods, gunsmith required upgrades, and recommended products.

Chapter 5

AK-47 Gunsmithing

The gun to take to hell and back.  The venerable AK-47 and all her variants will always keep on truckin’…

  • AK-47 Variants

    BY Scott Murdock,

    Live in California? You just got access to one of our favorite pistols – come see four new models for yourself!

    • Best AK-47: Complete Buyer’s Guide
      BY Eric Hung,

      Not sure what AK-47 to get? We cover the basics, pros/cons vs the AR-15, and our favorite foreign and US-made AK models across all budgets.

    • AK-47 Disassembly, Cleaning, & Reassembly
      BY Eric Hung,

      Learn how to quickly take apart, clean, and reassemble your AK-47 rifle, as well as suggestions for our favorite cleaning products.

    • How to Clean Corrosive Ammunition
      BY Eric Hung,

      Learn how to quickly clean corrosive ammo after a day at the range. We use mil-surp AK-47 ammo as an example, but the procedure will work for all guns/ammo combos.

    • Best AK-47 Upgrades
      BY Eric Hung,

      Want the most out of your AK? We cover everything from optics mounts to triggers, muzzle devices and more. By the end you'll have the AK of your dreams.

Chapter 6

Revolver Gunsmithing

Wheelguns…you don’t have to really do anything to them…but if you do, you’ll be rewarded with one of the finest triggers in all of firearms.

  • Smith & Wesson

    BY Scott Murdock,

    Live in California? You just got access to one of our favorite pistols – come see four new models for yourself!

    • Trigger Job (3 Methods)
      BY Eric Hung,

      Want to lower your S&W trigger pull and make it as smooth as glass? We'll walk through 3 ways of doing a Trigger Job, from switching springs to polishing.

Chapter 7

80% Build Projects

Create your own firearm from the comfort of your home (if you can legally own one).

  • What are 80% Builds
    BY Eric Hung,

    Learn what exactly is this 80% receiver you keep hearing about, it's legal implications, and some examples you can purchase.

  • 1911 Tactical Machining 80% Build
    BY Eric Hung,

    Not sure about your Tactical Machining 1911 80% project? Follow step-by-step from buying the paperweight & jigs, to tooling setup & custom parts selection.

  • Best 80% Lower Receivers & Jigs [AR-15, Glock, AR-10, AR-9]
    BY Eric Hung,

    Want to complete your own AR-15, AR-10, or AR-9 lowers? We cover the best aluminum and polymer 80% receivers. Plus the best jigs to get them done.

  • Polymer80 Glock 17/19/43
    BY Eric Hung,

    Want to build your own unregistered Glock that's completely custom to you? We cover essential tools, all build instructions with tons of photos, and our favorite picks for each Glock component part.

Chapter 8

Other

Anything else that doesn’t fit a specific gun category!