What type of project would you guys suggest if someone wanted to start getting their feet wet in gunsmithing? Also, are there any books out there that might help with step-by-step descriptions? Just curious, I always wanted to do some work by myself, just don't know how to get started.

There are lots of levels to working with guns, but basically it's really fine wood working at the cabinet builders level and/or precision metal work, the latter really defining the term "gunsmith". I reccommend that you buy Roy Dunlaps' book,"Gunsmithing", which was written in the 50s. I have read this tome over and over and still learn from every read. When you decide to start with a wood project, expect to mess up somewhere and, learn from it and keep having more fun that those who won't.

Well I'm unaware of your experience to date so some of this may be beneath you but you may want to start with a bedding job or a stock refinish and see how that goes. Then step up to a sporterize project like a M96 or a M98 project, farm some of it out and do what you want on it so you feel comfortable doing what you can. Cutting chambers and re-contouring barrels, milling off ears, milling charger humps require machining so I'm not sure how you are tooled up.
I've been reshaping stocks, bedding rifles, installing triggers, bolt shrouds, safeties and cocking pieces and taking on some other small stuff for myself and it feels good to accomplish this. I will be installing cock on open / speedlock kits on some of my M96's this week.
just remember to find a good gunsmith that can bail you out if you get in over your head and you can farm out stuff to them too that is beyond your capabilities.
Good luck and have fun.

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Originally posted by JustinL01:
What type of project would you guys suggest if someone wanted to start getting their feet wet in gunsmithing? Also, are there any books out there that might help with step-by-step descriptions? Just curious, I always wanted to do some work by myself, just don't know how to get started.

Start by tearing your friends guns down and giving them a complete cleaning. Function is probably the first place to start, and tearing down as many different types of weapons as possible and studying how each piece works separately, and, together in a group will help build a strong foundation for which to build up on.

Well, don't worry about anything being beneath me, I haven't done much beyond installing a scope here and there and a little internal work (fitting for the most part) on some of my trap guns (I'm hoping to get more into rifles now, though). I was thinking about getting an older used rifle (kind of found a Model 700 in .300 Win. that might be a good candidate for it) and trying to bed it, redo the stock, reblue the barrel, maybe even seeing if I can eventually get a semi inletted stock made by myself for it. It seems like I wasn't too far off in what you guys are saying, just seemed like it would be a good project gun, not too expensive, I don't think I'm doing anything that would even screw the gun up that badly. Anyway, thanks for the information, guys, looks like I have somewhere to start now!

What Westpac said is great advice, however I have a short story to impart about that very thing.
Buddy of mine had a Remington semi auto ( 740 or 741 or 742 something like that) 30/06 that was a jamming mess, only jammed when you really needed it. With my new found gunsmithing powers I deduced that it needed a good cleaning and the gunk built up inside the reciever was unbelieveable so I soaked it down with carberator cleaner and the gunk just poured out of it. I was so proud of myself as I was swabbing up the mess until I realized that carb cleaner will also strip Remington finish right off the buttstock and I mean right now!
So what started off as a deep cleaning actually turned into a stock refinish job as well. To add to the insult the "cleaning" didn't help that jamming rifle one bit.
Have fun with your project!

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Originally posted by Snellstrom:
What Westpac said is great advice, however I have a short story to impart about that very thing.
Buddy of mine had a Remington semi auto ( 740 or 741 or 742 something like that) 30/06 that was a jamming mess, only jammed when you really needed it. With my new found gunsmithing powers I deduced that it needed a good cleaning and the gunk built up inside the reciever was unbelieveable so I soaked it down with carberator cleaner and the gunk just poured out of it. I was so proud of myself as I was swabbing up the mess until I realized that carb cleaner will also strip Remington finish right off the buttstock and I mean right now!
So what started off as a deep cleaning actually turned into a stock refinish job as well. To add to the insult the "cleaning" didn't help that jamming rifle one bit.
Have fun with your project!

See, by simply cleaning the gun you learned how the thing went together, what destroys stock finishes and you got to try your hand at refinishing a stock! That's the long way around, but a win win just the same. Sorry the cleaning didn't solve the problem though.

JustinL01, Here's my two cents worth. Decide on what part of "gunsmithing" you want to be a part of. It's a pretty broad field requiring a lot of different talents from metalsmithing, woodworking, machinist and understanding just exactly how the whole thing works. Pick one and go for it! Hopefully you have a spot in the garage or where ever to start your project and can leave it without having to put it all away between sessions. All these folks have good advice. Remember to have fun. Good luck...