Building a Survival Rifle 2

Contents
A HOMEMADE REVOLUTION .................................................................................................................... 4
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION ............................................................................................................... 4
MARTIAL LAW AND GUN CONFISCATION ............................................................................................. 5
WHY HOMEMADE FIREARMS?.................................................................................................................. 7
PRICE ..................................................................................................................................................... 8
TRACE .................................................................................................................................................... 9
TRADITION .......................................................................................................................................... 11
THE LAWS ON HOMEMADES .................................................................................................................. 11
STATE AND LOCAL ................................................................................................................................... 14
THE FUTURE ............................................................................................................................................ 15
AN EASY FIRST BUILD .............................................................................................................................. 16
TOOLS AND MATERIALS: ......................................................................................................................... 17
CREATING THE STOCK ............................................................................................................................. 18
CREATING THE HOUSING ........................................................................................................................ 20
ASSEMBLING THE FIRING MECHANISM .................................................................................................. 21
ASSEMBLING THE FIREARM .................................................................................................................... 22
LOADING ................................................................................................................................................. 23
FIRING ..................................................................................................................................................... 24
3D Printing and Other Methods.............................................................................................................. 24
Review ..................................................................................................................................................... 27
 Building a Survival Rifle 3

Disclaimer

Creating improvised weapons is a great hobby.

However, these actions could endanger those making
the weapons and those around them. Accidents when
building firearms could result in bodily harm or death.
If not done properly with a full understanding of the
laws and regulations those making said weapons
could be punished with the full extent of the law. This
book will not present all laws and regulations for
building firearms at home. Please research per your
state and federal regulations before building any
firearms.
 Building a Survival Rifle 4

A Homemade Revolution

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Not until I began writing this book did I realize just how many homemade firearms were
used in the early days of the American Revolution. When colonists decided it was time
to drop the pitch fork and take up arms they had but two options. The first was to go to
the gunsmith and buy a weapon. Keep in mind the total population of all 13 colonies at
the time was just 2.5 million. How many gunsmiths do you think there were per capita?
This left many of the colonists staring deeply into the void of the second option and that
was to provide their own weapon. Now when it came to taking care of a farm, hunting
and protecting their family the average American household had a rifle or the capability
to make one.

It wasn't until the Continental Congress and the colonies took note of how few guns
were available that both pushed American gunsmiths to produce all they could to back
the war effort. After the deficit was recognized muskets were also purchased from
overseas from manufacturers in Europe. This meant until those orders were filled we
were battling with our hunting rifles or whatever else we could come up with.
 Building a Survival Rifle 5

Now to put the above paragraph into context you have to understand what ordering
from “manufacturers in Europe” meant in the 1700’s. Remember, there was no next day
air that would put muskets on the colonies’ doorstep for a few extra dollars. According to
immigrant documents from that era a trip across the Atlantic to the New World had them
seated on a vessel for between 8-12 weeks. Of course this does not take into account
production time on the actual order of the firearms either.

In beginning to understand all of this you realize it was either what rifles were on hand
via the local militias, what rifles colonists already owned or what rifles could be made
quickly that carried us through our earliest days of the revolution. The ability to carve a
wooden stock and create some rough flintlock would have been crucial in those early
days of the war and arguably in colonial life in general.

MARTIAL LAW AND GUN CONFISCATION

Flash forward some 240 years and it is overwhelmingly clear that America recognized
the error in her ways when it came to gun availability. The guns and ammo industry is a
11-billion-dollar cash cow that frankly continues to grow. According to Statistics Brain
we are producing a staggering 3,444,375 firearms annually. On the books we have 89
million gun owners in the country. This number does not take into account gun owners
who have either got their hands on a weapon illegally, passed down from family or have
built their own weapon from scratch.

For many the above paragraph is completely and totally terrifying. Their ignorance
towards guns, how they work and the people who own them is astounding. This fear of
the unknown coupled with a wave of evil monsters committing mass shootings has
made people very uneasy about the guns in this country. The cries for gun control and
even the confiscation of all guns are resounding and even growing.

Did you know that gun confiscation has already happened in America? After the terrible
aftermath of hurricane Katrina, it quickly became clear that local law enforcement was
unable to control the chaos of frantic survivors. New Orleans officials declared the need
for confiscation of all lawfully owned firearms. We all remember the eerie sight of police
officers walking the battered streets with assault rifles essentially hunting hold outs of
the imposed evacuation and their second amendment rights.
 Building a Survival Rifle 6

This coupled with the words from P. Edwin Compass, New Orleans superintendent, “No
one will be able to be armed,” and, “Guns will be taken. Only law enforcement will be
allowed to have guns.” The NRA claimed that firearms were seized at gunpoint and
receipts for those weapons were not given.

Just like that an American city was destroyed by a natural disaster which its government
should have been prepared for. Now instead of handing out resources guns were
seized and people were left to fend for themselves in a city gutted by nature. I will never
forget watching this all go down and wondering how many fair weather gun owners
would do the same if our government came knocking nationally.

Of course there are many of us who understand that the abandonment of our second
amendment eliminates our ability to defend our first amendment. Politicians stand
behind podiums with primped hair and perfect suits to ask us for power. They smile and
do that weird thing with their hand because apparently they aren't allowed to point. It's
all a sale. If they knew such power could be had uncontested all of that would go away.
That is the effect of 89 million gun owners. That is importance of understanding how to
throw together a basic firearm.

That being said we are not living in the prosperous America of the past. If our only foe
was merely an out of control government that would be one thing. It would be a job for
the militias and those who would decide to stand up to them. No my fellow readers our
troubles are much deeper than the silly suit, fake smile, can’t point a finger politician.

With an unstable economy in a nation that is more divided then I have seen in my
lifetime coupled with a debt that by 2020 will require 25% of every American dollar to
sustain people are concerned. People are more informed than ever and beginning to
take action. Decades later they see how many people are on government assistance
 Building a Survival Rifle 7

and what that could mean if these benefits get cut. It would mean riots in the streets. It
would mean survival by any means necessary for many in this society.

This problem merely engorges itself when we take a look at the open wound of
immigration in this nation. Who is coming into this great nation? The fact is no one
knows. We don't know who or how many. The only thing we know is they will need
resources. These are resources we don't have. Our current President is putting up
$20,000 for every immigrant this summer to assure they are settled comfortably
amongst legal citizens of America. What could you do with 20 GRAND?!

The animosity seems to grow and the sun raises red each morning mocking the blood
of what seems like an inevitable civil war. I don't want to stray too far from the gun issue
but I will say this. When it comes to liberty and freedom it's not all pots of gold and
roses. With freedom we must allow people the freedom to fail and the freedom of
consequence.

When you lay down to sleep and these possibilities of America’s near future begin to
take over your mind there is only one thing that calms you. That smooth bore on your
.45 and ammunition stored right alongside it. Or maybe it’s that 12 gauge under the bed
and the 50 rounds of buckshot in your closet.

I will be the first to guarantee you that if this nation breaks out into terrifying riots
coupled home invasions and gun violence whether it's Hillary, Trump or Gandhi they will
initiate Martial Law to stop the violence. They will have all they need to confiscate guns
and weapons with the false intent to “return” them when they retain order. Do what you
will with this information but just understand it will be swift and powerful if it ever does
come. This will mean the 2nd amendment is dead; you are unarmed and depending on
a government to protect you.

Never forget the words of Mao who, though a monster of history, understood the
importance of being armed.

“True power comes from the barrel of a gun.”

WHY HOMEMADE FIREARMS?

With the advent of technologies like 3D printing and the dawn of the age of information
the ability to make your own firearm is really just a few scrap parts and a click away. It is
this reason coupled with the growing uncertainty in the nation and the ever expanding
distrust for government that is pushing others to explore the topic.

Gun sales have been through the roof particularly for the last eight years. Many would
assume it was because of President Barack Obama. Until people feel safe it won't
 Building a Survival Rifle 8

matter who is in the office the population will want firearms to protect themselves and
others. Whether it be a simple concealed carry for the business woman’s walk from her
parking lot to the office or the 12 gauge under the bed for home protection Americans
understand they have the right to protect themselves. Who would blame them for taking
advantage of that? Many people would.

The closing in of gun laws and gun restrictions is another factor in why Americans may
be turning to homemade firearms for protection as well. When I think of our gun rights in
America it's hard not to picture a beautiful lamb surrounded by slobbering wolves. Ask
yourself this question. If the American people didn't fight for their right to bear arms and
make such a ruckus across the internet would we still have access firearms? My guess
would be nothing above a .22 in caliber bolt action rifle.

PRICE

Are there affordable firearms out there? Of course. Then again, affordable is a relative
term. At the writing of this book we are looking at just over 60% of Americans in the
workforce. This is an astounding statistic yet a very real and sobering one. That said if
 Building a Survival Rifle 9

you are not working a job and struggling to make it chances are you're also sitting in a
small home surrounded by crime. This is the case for many Americans throughout this
nation. If there’s anyone out there that needs protection, it's the single mom in the nasty
neighborhood with children to care for.

Of course there are less than lethal methods on the market that pale in comparison
when it comes to price. Things like mace and brass knuckles or extendable batons are
all great options from a less than lethal standpoint. The fact of the matter is you can
probably fashion a homemade firearm for around the same price as the higher end less
than lethal weapons.

Slamfire weapons are made exclusively of metal pipe varying in size with a firing pin
fastened to one of the pipes. These are crude yet effective weapons that can be made
for next to nothing or nothing if you know someone with access to scrap and maybe a
pipe cutter. I have seen these weapons crafted in some pretty ingenious ways but even
basics will protect you.

When we talk about buying a nice weapon for the home whether it be a handgun or a
shotgun or even an AR type rifle the costs are at least going to be in the hundreds and
really for a good weapon closer to or in the thousand dollar range. For some it falls too
low on the priority chain. That said Homemades simply offer a cheaper option where
your knowledge of the process buffers much of the cost.

TRACE

There are people making great money selling out solid pieces of metal that resemble
AR-15 receivers or “lowers” there is a reason for this. As purchased this item is basically
a paperweight. There is nothing you could do with it in the state of purchase that would
be much use to anyone. Still as I said above those selling them are making great money
doing so.

Now with the right tools, modification and knowledge that can, again, be attained online
this paperweight can become something. After the mods have been made these can be
used as a legitimate receiver. You can procure the rest of your parts from any number
of online retailers that sell prepping materials, guns and ammo or survivalists supplies.
This in an of itself is a pretty cool way to build a gun from “scratch.”

For many the motivation to do this is price and experience. Still, there is one factor that
we have not touched on. These receivers do not come with a serial number. This
means the gun you produce will be essentially untraceable. If you have the ability to
purchase the remaining parts with cash at a local gun shop than you are going the extra
mile to create what has been dubbed a “GHOST GUN” or an untraceable firearm.
 Building a Survival Rifle 10

This motivation is not uncommon in the world we live in today. When so many top tier
officials in government are talking about gun restrictions, gun control, gun laws and
some even speaking of a safer world without guns people get nervous.
One of the more beautiful things about Americans is the fact that when we get nervous
or scared we tend to also get innovative. This may come from the fact that we have
become so accustomed to our Liberty. Having the ability to work ourselves out of a
problem with an absolutely vast array of resources. In this fact amongst many others I
find great pride in being America.

The influx of illegal, incomplete or incompetent (however you’d like to refer to it)
immigration in recent years has gone from a running faucet to a shattered damn
sending a tidal wave of people onto our shores. Yes they are people running from war
and poverty but make no mistake about it some of the people in that wave are here to
hurt, rob and do evil. It’s a simple law of averages that also affects legitimate
Americans.

In America today we worry about crime, terrorism and we worry about desperation. With
so many living off the government dime it’s very clear that segments of this nation are
not living the prosperous lifestyle glorified by the American media. This causes people
to do desperate things or follow tyrannical leaders that promise them FREE stuff.
Americans want to be able to protect themselves.

The ability for a gun to be built at home and not exist in the eyes of a government that
may very well attempt to seize it is a comforting factor for many. It is in the untraceable
ghost gun or a simple survival rifle that many celebrate. This becomes a tool of self-
defense of things ever really fall to the wayside.
 Building a Survival Rifle 11

TRADITION

Since the very birth of this great nation the act of keeping firearms has been of the
utmost of importance to its citizens. The fact that our right to bare arms falls second only
to the right to speak and worship freely speaks volumes to how the founders felt about
the power of guns. It is from this prioritization Americans derive their love for firearms.

The tradition comes in the form of hunting, building or simply collecting guns. Despite
what you hear from many the act of collecting guns and securing them properly puts
exactly zero American citizens at risk.

Unfortunately, this most important tradition to the culture of America has been dubbed
‘Gun Culture’ by the bought and sold media outlets. It’s a negative connotation of our
2nd amendment and usually tends to sit comfortably in the mouths of overpaid
broadcasters. It tends to be wrapped up with things like rape culture, gang culture and
mass shootings. As though the 89 million American citizens who own guns in this nation
are in some way inextricably tied to gangs, rape and mass shootings.

Instead I like to think of an American father handing a gun to his young daughter and
teaching her how to shoot it. A loving father who shows her how to handle the weapon
properly and safely. I think about the first time she hits the bullseye on the target or the
first deer taken at her father’s direction. This is the tradition of gun ownership in this
nation.

THE LAWS ON HOMEMADES

Its old news to many but the 20th Century was an ugly hundred years for human beings.
Sure there were some ground breaking innovations but Millions of people died at the
hands of tyrannical leaders. Russia, China, Europe, Cambodia and others saw
tremendous loss. There was a common thread in all this death. For this many people to
have been starved, killed, raped, beaten and whatever else are evil minds could come
up with, of course, there was something fundamental missing. These insane leaders like
Hitler, Mao, Stalin and Pol Pot knew that the first had to be disarm the public. This is
exactly what they did and the death followed.

Nearly 200 years’ prior our founders were crafting a document that would assure this
would never happen in our nation. They understood what massive power could be
wielded if a small group had weapons and could control the larger working class. It was
this strong belief that Americans must have the right to bear arms that spurred the
creation of our second Amendment. On December 15, 1791 the second amendment
was adopted into law.
 Building a Survival Rifle 12

A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the
people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

This one sentence spurs much debate on whether or not you should be allowed to have
automatic handguns or hunting rifles only. This single sentence pushes the progressive
left wing to try and eliminate guns to eliminate violence, as though violence was absent
before gunpowder threw a projectile. This amendment, perhaps the most powerful
written, protects you and your aspirations in building a homemade firearm.

This doesn't mean that your effort will not be without regulation. Can you build one?
Yes. Can you build one that will land you in jail? Most definitely!

WHAT THE ATF HAS TO SAY

"Individuals manufacturing sporting-type firearms for their own use need not hold
Federal Firearms Licenses (FFLs). However, we suggest that the manufacturer at least
identify the firearm with a serial number as a safeguard in the event that the firearm is
lost or stolen. Also, the firearm should be identified as required in 27 CFR 478.92 if it is
sold or otherwise
lawfully transferred in the future."

Their suggestion that it be identified is not law. You may produce a sporting-type firearm
for your own use and never give it a single distinction is you’d like. These are known as
ghost guns. These guns terrify the government and law enforcement officials. Is that a
good thing? Since this book is about building homemade firearms and not political
beliefs let's just say.......it depends on the situation.

You will notice the ATF makes the distinction of SPORTING-TYPE firearms. The best
way to understand this may be to talk a look at what they define as NON Sporting Type
Features. The following is a list of examples.

 Ability to accept a large capacity magazine

 Folding/telescoping stocks
 Building a Survival Rifle 13

 Pistol grips (not to be confused with thumbhole stocks, even Dragunov-style

ones)
 Ability to accept a bayonet
 Flash suppressors / hiders - the "capacity to accept" tends to be invoked here,
which is why threaded barrels aren't common to find on imported guns.
 Integrated, military-style bipods
 Grenade launchers
 Night sights

In California in particular you can be prosecuted for creating your own homemade
firearm. California state legislature refers to them as “zip guns” and uses the following
criteria to define them.

10) As used in this section, a "zip gun" means any weapon or device which meets all of
the following criteria:

(A) It was not imported as a firearm by an importer licensed pursuant to Chapter 44

(commencing with Section 921) of Title 18 of the United States Code and the
regulations issued pursuant thereto.

(B) It was not originally designed to be a firearm by a manufacturer licensed pursuant to

Chapter 44 (commencing with Section 921) of Title 18 of the United States Code and
the regulations issued pursuant thereto. (note: you can view it here
http://resource.lawlinks.com/Content/Legal_Research/US_code/Title_18/title_18_44.ht
m)

(C) No tax was paid on the weapon or device nor was an exemption from paying tax on
that weapon or device granted under Section 4181 and Subchapters F (commencing
with Section 4216) and G (commencing with Section 4221) of Chapter 32 of Title 26 of
the United States Code, as amended, and the regulations issued pursuant
thereto. (view here at
http://resource.lawlinks.com/Content/Legal_Research/US_code/Title_26/title_26_32.ht
m)

(D) It is made or altered to expel a projectile by the force of an explosion or other form
of combustion.

Let's take a look at the Federal laws that have been implemented in the most recent
future. In 1938 the Federal Firearms Act set its sights on sellers of firearms for the first
time. It required they gather personal information from the buyer like name and street
address. This act also marked the beginning of disallowing firearms to certain
individuals based on crime or lack of permit. Four years prior the National Firearms Act
sought to control the gang violence and limit access to automatic-fire weapons.
 Building a Survival Rifle 14

Gun Control Act of 1968

This ominous and familiar sounding act took aim at guns through the mail. It was
sparked by the death of John F. Kennedy Jr.who was allegedly killed by Lee Harvey
Oswald and his mail order rifle. This also tightened many of the rules from 1938. It
deemed more people unfit to own guns, tightened up license restrictions and further
restricted rifle and shotgun sales.

Law Enforcement Officers Patrol Act 1986

The importation and manufacture of armor piercing rounds was made illegal in this act.
This act set to protect our boys in blue from what were referred to as “cop killer bullets”
was accompanied by another piece of legislation. The Gun Owners Protection Act
eased the laws grip a bit on gun sellers.

Crime Control Act 1990

Schools became “drug free zones” and it became punishable by law to take a gun on
the premises. Of course the battle lines have been drawn in this nation over whether or
not the lack of guns in schools has helped or hurt. This act was also the hammer that
fell on building guns from imported parts. After 1990 you had to be real careful about
how many imported parts went into the production of your home built firearm.

Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act 1994

This was the introduction of the background checks. Instant background checks would
be required at the point of sale. This process was and still is done either over the phone
or electronically.

Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act 1994

Its more recognizable name is the Assault Weapons Ban. It did just that banning the
manufacturing, possession and importation of large capacity ammo feeding devices and
19 specific firearms amongst other broader specifications.

1994 was a bang up year for gun control. SInce then we have seen the government go
after high capacity magazines and attack the 2nd amendment from every angle
imaginable. The laws mentioned above are just the beginning. They are the beginning
of an onslaught that will slowly whittle away at our rights.

STATE AND LOCAL

Beyond the brutal federal regulations on what you can and can’t import, build, sell,
yadda yadda yadda. Then you must contend with laws and restrictions on the state level
 Building a Survival Rifle 15

and maybe even locally. The impediments appear to be many and I would be foolish not
to say they aren't growing but do your homework and you should be able to quickly find
out what's legal and what's not when it comes to making firearms from scratch.

Root around your state websites or do some targeted Google searches to find out about
firearm laws in your area. Most everything you could want to know about what you
cannot do is on the internet these days. Just make sure you check your source. You
don't want to take advice from some shady gun building website. Remember ignorance
of the law is not excuse.

This may sound like blasphemy to many in the prepping community but there is a great
source of information regarding the law at your fingertips. This would be your local law
enforcement. You better believe that they know the gun laws of their state and
jurisdiction very well. Like it or not they are here to help you and they will do their best to
make sure you get your questioned answered.

Of course they are gonna poke and prod as to why you are inquiring about building your
own gun. I will leave that response up to you. Is it your hobby? Are you worried about
the collapse society? They require only as much info as you would like to feed them.
Carry on casually about your day with your information in toe from a reputable source.

THE FUTURE
Are you interested in what the future holds for gun legislation? Wondering how
important all this is? If you think those last 200 plus years shaped our ability to procure
firearms and our restrictions on how to use them hold onto your hats. What the
government has planned in the future could very well be the beginning of the end of our
ability to buy a variety of weapons without incredible scrutiny and diagnosis.

 The President’s budget for FY2017 will include funding for 200 new ATF agents
and investigators who can help enforce our gun laws, including the measures
announced today. Strategic and impactful enforcement will help take violent
criminals off the street, deter other unlawful activity, and prevent guns from
getting into the wrong hands

 Despite our recent significant gains, less than half of children and adults with
diagnosable mental health problems receive the treatment they need. To address
this, the Administration is proposing a new $500 million investment to help
engage individuals with serious mental illness in care, improve access to care by
increasing service capacity and the behavioral health workforce, and ensure that
behavioral health care systems work for everyone. This effort would increase
access to mental health services to protect the health of children and
communities, prevent suicide, and promote mental health as a top priority.
 Building a Survival Rifle 16

 Current law prohibits individuals from buying a gun if, because of a mental health
issue, they are either a danger to themselves or others or are unable to manage
their own affairs. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has indicated that it
will begin the rulemaking process to ensure that appropriate information in its
records is reported to NICS. The reporting that SSA, in consultation with the
Department of Justice, is expected to require will cover appropriate records of the
approximately 75,000 people each year who have a documented mental health
issue, receive disability benefits, and are unable to manage those benefits
because of their mental impairment, or who have been found by a state or
federal court to be legally incompetent. The rulemaking will also provide a
mechanism for people to seek relief from the federal prohibition on possessing a
firearm for reasons related to mental health.

 Increase research and development efforts. The Presidential Memorandum

directs the departments to conduct or sponsor research into gun safety
technology that would reduce the frequency of accidental discharge or
unauthorized use of firearms, and improve the tracing of lost or stolen guns.
Within 90 days, these agencies must prepare a report outlining a research-and-
development strategy designed to expedite the real-world deployment of such
technology for use in practice.

To look back at the legislation it is amazing just how much restriction we have put in
place in under 300 years. This is not all the legislation but the most recent. It seems that
our window on owning firearms is slowly closing. Still, the outcry for more gun control is
louder than ever. This is because people are scared.

Of course the burden of scared people must fall on the gun owner. Not in the sense that
we must give up our guns but in the sense that we must be incredible stewards of our
right. Gun owners must be responsible and grateful stewards of the 2nd amendment. In
time we can only hope that this will quiet the voices of the frightened and gavels falling
against our right to bare arms.

An Easy First Build

This first build is intended to both be pretty basic and allow for some common parts to
be incorporated. This is a survival rifle. If things go awry and you cannot go pick up a
30-06 at some gun dealer you will have to get creative and most likely quality will suffer.
I want this “recipe” to require some degree of your own wit and design. This will not be a
Remington but it will fire a round. The plans will also be based on a broad setup. This
will allow you to modify measurements and caliber for the rifle you would personally like
to produce.

Again, understand that if your measurements are not correct and the round cannot
make it out of the barrel you will cause yourself tremendous harm or even death. We
 Building a Survival Rifle 17

will talk about test firing the weapon as well. This will help you not blow your hand off if
you decided to measure once and drill twice. Take your time and think through these
plans before diving in and creating a firearm

Tools and Materials:

The idea behind this rifle is that it would be made from scrap materials. Of course if you
are looking to make this thing now I have included some rough pricing next to each
material. These are based off of big box stores. The price had to reflect whole boxes of
things as I cannot price a single screw for you.

 Soldering Iron
 Drill
 Vise
 Sander
 Carving tools
 Paint Brush
 Metal file for nail

Two sections of steel pipe threaded on both sides $10 each/3ft

A single coupling to fit both pipes $2 each
1 stainless steel cap to fit the pipe thread $2 each as well
1 4ft 2x4 for the stock $5 for 8ft
1 nail $3.75 for a pack 5/8 inch
galvanized
1 socket
1 spring $3 1 ¼ inch spring
1 screw $5 2 ½ inch screw

TOTAL ESTIMATED COST: $27.75

 Building a Survival Rifle 18

Here are some really great examples of homemade rifles that could help you on
your journey through the following steps. As I said this build recipe will allow you
a lot of artistic license.

CREATING THE STOCK

Of course a decent hardwood stock should be used but it is up to you how far you take
this portion of the build. I have seen pretty basic pieces of cut wood used as stocks for
homemade weapons or you can utilize sand paper, rasps, files and chisels to create
something beautiful.

The crucial part of creating the stock is that you cut a channel into the top of your stock
that is the same size as the pipe you use to contain the firing mechanism of your
weapon. This will allow the barrel to be anchored to the weapon in the end.

Cut the channel using a daddo set or clamp it in a vice and carve a nice groove out. I
prefer a rounded groove to a square one like the daddo will produce. That said it's
quicker and you could sand it down to round it out.

Stain and seal the stock once it's complete to protect it over time.
 Building a Survival Rifle 19

CREATING THE BARREL

Without a 1500-dollar gun drill I am not sure how you would create a legitimate barrel
out of high quality steel. This book is more about improvising your rifle and that is
exactly how we are going to go about it.

Ask questions about the steel pipe you purchase for the product. Look for the strongest
pipe you can get your hands on. It's recommended that the steel have a strength of
100,000 psi.
The hole in your steel pipe should be wide enough in diameter to hold the round you are
attempting to fire. The important part about your barrel is that the round should fit but
not the back end of the casing. When a round is dropped into the barrel it should easily
enter but stop just at the lip on the back of the round. This will assure that you get a
solid strike with your pin, or in our case nail, and the casing will be held in place.

Once you have found the appropriate sized steel pipe cut this pipe at one end to create
the desired length for your barrel. Leave one end threaded as this will be where the
coupling is placed to attach the firing mechanism and its enclosure. Be sure to check
state and local laws on things like barrel length to assure you are not breaking any laws
with your build.
 Building a Survival Rifle 20

CREATING THE HOUSING

For this step you will need access to a cutting torch (best option), pipe miter or table top
drill that can cut the steel pipe you are working with. All of these tools require some
semblance of safety precautions and should be you choose to use one please do so
with extreme respect and caution. They are all capable of cutting or piercing steel.

Begin by taking a look at your spring. Is it a pretty weak spring that kinda slumps over in
the air or is it a tight spring that has power. If you are dealing with a weak spring you will
want your L to take up much more of your housing. Naturally this will allow for much
more power when you pull the spring back. Now if you are dealing with a nice strong
spring that keep your L a little shorter. This spring will create more force with less
pullback.

The cut will be pretty basic. What we are looking to achieve is an L shape where the
long part of the L runs the lengthwise with the pipe and the short part of the L follows
the rounding of the pipe. Make sure this cut is wider than the post of the screw you are
using for this build as it will have to fit through.
 Building a Survival Rifle 21

Take your time and make a nice straight L in your housing. If you are a novice have a
friend do this for you or have them teach you. The good thing about this part is that's it!
Once you have that L cut into your pipe it's time to assemble the firing mechanism.

ASSEMBLING THE FIRING MECHANISM

Since this build is about creating a survival rifle from spare parts and easily accessible
goods. I thought we would start our firing mechanism with a socket from your socket
wrench set. Seek out a socket that slides into the pipe you are using for the housing.
This socket must be able to slide freely within the housing.

Once you have found the perfect socket for your caliber you are going to want to create
a hole in the side of the socket large enough for your screw to either thread into or be
glued or soldered into. I will say if you can threat a hole into that socket it gives you the
ability to break this rifle down almost totally. Be sure to use a vise when making this
hole!
Remember you will use the screw to pull back your firing pin. Make sure you choose a
screw that is big enough to pull back and one that can fit into the hole you created on
the side of the socket.
 Building a Survival Rifle 22

For the next step you will need to do some soldering. Solder your spring to one end of
the end of the socket that offers the most surface area. If you are dealing with a very
small socket you may want to solder at the back of the socket. Allow this time to cool
down before your next step

Drop your socket into the housing spring first now you will be able to measure how big
of a firing pin you will need. The point of your nail must come in contact with the back of
the round. The force of that connection is key to this survival gun working. Do not
experiment with live rounds to see how long of a nail you need. Simply screw the
coupling onto your housing and see how far out the nail sticks beyond the coupling.. We
are also going to dull the nail a bit so you may lose some height. You want to see about
a half to 3/4 of an inch beyond the coupling.

File your chosen nail until the point is completely gone and rounded. Solder the nail to
the other end of your socket. So now you should have a socket with a hole on its side.
There should be a spring soldered to one end and a nail to the other. This will fire your
round.

ASSEMBLING THE FIREARM

To assemble your weapon, screw the cap onto the end of your housing slide the firing
mechanism into the pipe and line up your threaded hole with the L shape you cut into
 Building a Survival Rifle 23

the pipe. Turn your screw into that hole until it's tight and your firing mechanism is in
place.

Next screw the coupling onto the opposite end. Anchor the housing onto the stock using
small screws and three brackets that fit over the top of the barrel. Get creative with
these. I think lock brackets would work or small L brackets bent in a vice.

Finally screw your barrel into the other side of the coupling. Do not place a round in the
barrel! If you are going to be looking this weapon over you want it to be unloaded just
like any other firearm.

LOADING
This weapon will only fire one round a time as it stands. That said it's firing a round out
of parts that you could find at any hardware store. Unscrew the barrel from the coupling
and slide your round inside. Again, be sure the round fits snug and is stopped only by
the lip on the casing. You should not have to force or jam the round into the pipe. If so
your pipe is too small. Screw the pipe back into the coupling. Understand the round will
have direct contact with the firing pin at this time so keep the barrel pointed away from
 Building a Survival Rifle 24

you and others at all times. There is no safety on a homemade gun like this you must
take extreme precautions.

FIRING (TEST FIRE FIRST!!!)

At this point you should have eye protection, ear protection and something to protect
your body as well. Invest the time in taking these safety precautions as they will pay
dividends if something goes wrong.

Simply pull back the screw which will engage the spring and place it in the set position.
Once you are ready to fire push the screw down with your finger out of the set position.
This will activate the spring and send your nail forcefully into the loaded round.

To test fire your weapon takes it somewhere safe like a firing range or in the woods
away from homes and the public. Assure your firing mechanism will lock in place. If you
have the ability to bring a vise with you I recommend you do that. Tighten the vise
around the stock of your weapon or wedge it between two rocks if you don't have a vice.

Point the weapon in a safe direction and find close cover. Look for a stick or something
long enough to knock the screw out of locked position. This is going to fire your weapon.
When you are ready to test use the stick to push down the screw which will fire the gun.
Keep most of your body behind the cover. Once it fires stay behind the cover for a few
minutes before approaching the weapon.

Check that the round has been fired and maybe even test it again for the sake of safety!

3D Printing and Other Methods

Licenses and permits, loopholes and background checks these are all responsibilities of gun
sellers. These are all closely regulated items that fall to the brave and ostentatious gun
shop owner. A business owner who may as well be public enemy number one in today’s
society. A public that boos and hisses at men who simply grind metal and shape stocks
or men who provide Americans with the ability to protect themselves. Men and women
who should be applauded in a time of unfettered terrorism and growing murder on
domestic soil from foreign ideologies or individuals.

The fact is most of us do not fall under all of this type of scrutiny. We have the ability to
procure firearms with limited scrutiny, at this time. Moreover, we have the ability to build
our own firearms. As Americans thanks to the beautiful 2nd amendment that was put in
place to assure our survival against tyranny or terrorism we can produce our own
weapons to defend ourselves and our families.

We have merely discussed one recipe in the creation of a homemade firearm. In

perusing the web, you will find innovation abounds in the many ways that firearms can
 Building a Survival Rifle 25

be produced. In fact, I have seen a real gun that fires a bullet made completely out
paper.

In May of 2013 Cody Wilson hand fired the first 3D printed gun and sent shockwaves
through the world. The idea that a gun could be made from a printer in anyone's home
with zero oversight shocked the American government to the core. Congressman
rushed to craft a law to mitigate the risk of this new found freedom. They did just that
requiring the gun be “detectable” by a metal detector or X ray device.

The gun was called The Liberator and was created by a libertarian group called
Defense Distributed. The group put the blueprint for this new 3D gun on the website but
was forced to take it down by the U.S Government. Still, 100,000 copies made it out to
individuals and from there the plans spread like wildfire. The 3D printed firearm
revolution is now an unstoppable freight train. People are 3D printing receivers for
AR15’s and using them.

If you don't think 3D printing firearms is a powerful medium for producing weapons just
read what was said by U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
 Building a Survival Rifle 26

“proposed legislation to ban 3D printing of weapons may deter, but cannot completely prevent
their production. Even if the practice is prohibited by new legislation, online distribution of these
digital files will be as difficult to control as any other illegally traded music, movie or software
files.”

Beyond the sleek builds of the new 3D printed firearms there are guns built of scrap.
Guns more simple to put together then the recipe included in this great book. There are
guns made purely of pipes and a firing pin. The fact is a basic understanding of how to
fire a round gives you the ability to create a firearm in some semblance.

Slam fire weapons are yet another form of homemade firearm. These devices are the
simplest form of gun and actually require your effort to strike the round with the pin. In
fact, you become the de facto firing mechanism. There are some very interesting builds
all over the internet for these slam fire weapons.

This crude method of firing a bullet was discovered by a man named Iliff Richardson in
the Philippines during World War II. The jungle warriors of the Philippines carried
weapons that were fired using the above mentioned techniques. Of course you can
imagine how horrendous these weapons must have been some 70 years ago. Still, by
striking the pin with their crude stock and half barrel containing a nail firing pin in their
right hand they held the other half barrel in their left hand and aimed as the round
ejected.
 Building a Survival Rifle 27

Are there other types of homemade guns? Only about as many as the mind can
imagine. Take a minute and search homemade guns on the internet. You will come
across some of the most inventive ways of firing a projectile.

Review
We touched on a lot in the previous pages. I want to take the time to sum up what we
are trying to do here. The purpose of this book is twofold. The first and most important
part of reading this book was of course the draw of learning how to build your own
survival rifle. The featured build did just that. The second purpose of this book was to
remind you of just how powerful your 2nd amendment is. It was a reminder that we the
people have been given the right to protect ourselves and our constitution through the
aforementioned amendment. We must always fight to protect that.

You ought not feel like a criminal or an outsider because of your decision to either read
this book or build the weapon in this book. In fact, you should hang your hat on the fact
that you live in a nation that allows books like these and actions like yours to even exist.
There are countries on this planet that would kill the author of a book like this and the
owner of the book, probably their families as well.

Though it may seem to be ever changing and some days for the worst this still is
America. We have laws that must be followed but our freedoms are much greater than
the sum of these laws. Be sure before building one of these improvised weapons that
you read up on the Federal and State laws regarding homemades. This information is
highlighted in chapter 3. As well as great information on what the future landscape of
gun laws may look like.

Whether this book presented itself to you as a way to save money and arm yourself, a
way of passing down a tradition or a means to creating a gun that comes with a sense
of true ownership I hope you learned something. With the world spinning out of control
it’s very easy to also see the allure in building a weapon or weapons that are your little
secret. These are the type of weapons that may come in handy one day if things really
start to fall apart.

Of course your next step in this big wide world of improvised firearms and building
homemade weapons could be the expansion of your repertoire. If you are interested in
getting more complex with your builds or taking this method to the next level here are a
few recommendations.

First and probably the most important is to link up with some people in the building
community. When I began researching this book it became clear very fast that this world
of homemade firearms was not relegated to a sparse few. Instead there are great
communities that understand the history and the power behind producing your own
firearms. Seek them out through the internet.
 Building a Survival Rifle 28

Second bit of advice would be to recruit the help of Youtube. There is nothing more
reassuring when building something than being able to watch a guy do the exact same
thing before you try it. Youtube is home to a tremendous collection of videos about both
building homemade weapons as well as constructing the essential parts of a firearm.
Video is an invaluable resource when putting together something that could kill you.

Which of course brings me to my third recommendation; if you are going to get into
building firearms for your own personal use think about safety. Spend some real money
on some real firearm safety equipment. Included in this bundle should be at the very
least some legitimate eye protection, Kevlar, ear protection, a strong pair of work gloves
and some basic first aid. Create a process for what you'd do in case of a miss fire or
emergency. Don't bleed to death in your garage!

Finally, I would like to touch on what I learned in writing this book. The pen is mightier
than the sword but the gun is uncontested. It's a quintessential part of what it means to
be free. We don't live in a perfect world and we never will. It is our duty as Americans to
assure we cherish the freedoms handed down to use from our forefathers. Though
firearms are the most controversial of those rights and freedoms it is important that we
represent freedom with great dignity and pride.

As a gun owner you are part of the solution to the fears of our citizens. Without the
answer for terrorism they are looking for an answer for the next best thing, the gun.
Though it is our most sure fire method of self-defense desperate people makes hasty
decisions especially when their families’ safety is concerned.

Seeing further gun restrictions in this country is no longer a matter of if, not to sound
cliché, but it's a when.
Building a Survival Rifle 29