This is good news for gun-owners. Sportsman’s Warehouse (SW), which operates 92 retail stores in 23 states, now offers gunsmithing. Gun enthusiasts can get complete firearms gunsmithing services at the new Sportsman’s Warehouse Gunsmith Center in Utah. You can ship your rifles, pistols, or shotguns to the SW Gunsmith Center, or simply drop off your firearm at ANY Sportsman’s Warehouse store. The SW Gunsmith Center, equipped with mills and lathes, offers complete repair, refinishing, threading, metal, and stock work. For more info, visit: www.Sportsmans.com/gunsmith.
“Customers can quickly and easily drop off their firearms directly at our new Gunsmith Service Center in Utah, take them to any Sportsman’s Warehouse store, or ship them in for service,” states Jon Barker, Sportsman’s Warehouse President/CEO. “Expanding from the Utah market, we now offer this unique service to customers nationwide, including our 92 store locations.” SW has a loyalty program — each dollar spent at the Gunsmith Center gives members a point towards earning SW gift cards.
Fees Are Reasonable — $200 for Barrel Chambering
There is a $45 minimum charge for guns left overnight, and a $68/hour labor rate. A barrel chambering/fitting job costs $200. Threading a muzzle costs $100.00. Fitting an aftermarket AR trigger is $45. Blue-printing a bolt-action receiver costs $175.00. Glass-bedding an action costs $90-$175. CLICK HERE for Gunsmithing Fee Schedule.
The new Sportsman’s Warehouse gunsmith shop is located in SW’s Salt Lake City Distribution Center. The workspace features four stations for gunsmiths to work on rifles, shotguns, pistols, and muzzleloaders. They also have added a full production lathe that is designed for 24-hour-a-day operation, as well as a large end mill for a variety of metal working operations.
Finish tanks, a spray booth and oven for Cerakote, along with other pieces of equipment that will allow them to perform almost any gun service or customization are being installed.
“The only thing we won’t offer is custom wood stock building,” said Bill Sturtevant, Head Gunsmith. “The time necessary for that service takes too much time and pulls our gunsmiths off of other projects for too long. But just about anything else, including refinishing stocks, is on the table.”
Sportsman’s Warehouse will offer 1-year and 3-Year Firearm Service Plans supported by the company’s gunsmiths. Plans include: mounting and bore sighting, field cleaning, factory-service augmentation, free shipping to the factory for repair, and discounts on Gunsmith Service Center work.
Story Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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Along with .22 LR, the LA101 is offered in .22 WMR and 17 HMR chamberings.
There’s an impressive bolt-action rimfire rifle built in Australia, the LA101 Crossover from Lithgow Arms. Imported by Legacy Sports Int’l, this relatively new rimfire rifle offers a smooth-running action, excellent accuracy, a crisp trigger, and a durable, Cerakote finish.
YouTube host 22Plinkster recently tested the LA101 in .22 LR, and found that it delivered very impressive accuracy. He recorded multiple “one-ragged-hole” groups at 50 yards (see video below). Even at 100 yards, the LA101 was shooting close to 1 MOA with relatively inexpensive ammo. This is an impressive rifle, as it should be, with a $1000+ price tag. MSRP is $1079.00 USD (synthetic), $1215.00 USD (laminate).
22Plinkster writes: “I have shot a lot of .22 LR bolt rifles in my day, but this one, is a nail driver!” After testing, he concluded that the LA101 was “the most accurate bolt rifle I own”. He reports the stock is very comfortable for off-hand shooting as well as bench work.
LA101 Crossover Features and Specifications
The Lithgow Arms LA101 Crossover features a 3-lug, 60°-throw action with rear-locking bolt. It is available in both right-hand and left-hand versions, with a very good factory trigger advertised at 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg). Note — testers report report the trigger feels lighter. Choose between a fiberglass-reinforced polymer stock, Walnut, or laminated wood stocks. This rifle is offered in three rimfire chamberings: .22 LR, .22 WMR, and 17 HMR. The .22-cal barrels are hammer-forged while the 17 HMR barrel is button-broached. Action and barrels are Cerakote finished. The Lithgow LA101 can use CZ 452/455 5-round and 10-round magazines.
The LA101 is offered with choice of wood or synthetic stocks, all of which feature a straight, lower rear section that works well in rear bags:
Here is another, lengthy LA101 review, done in Australia a couple years back. The reviewer field-tests a composite-stocked Lithgow LA101 with a wide variety of .22 LR ammunition. Warning: Starts with loud, annoying music — you may want to turn down your speakers:
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Cerakote is an advanced, highly durable, heat-cured coating that offers excellent corrosion resistance when applied to firearms. Cerakote can be applied to both metals and plastics, and many top firearms manufacturers (and custom gun builders) now offer Cerakote finishes as an option on their shotguns, hunting rifles, and tactical arms.
While Cerakote is not difficult to use, application of Cerakote is not just a simple “spray and bake” process. Best results are achieved when firearms are carefully degreased and surface-prepped prior to application. The video below, produced by NIC Industries, the manufacturer of Cerakote, shows the application process from start to finish. If you watch the video you’ll learn the importance of careful, step-by-step product prep. Metals should be surface-blasted prior to coating, and curing times need to be adjusted to the material type (polymer vs. fiberglass vs. metal). Cerakote is offered in a wide variety of colors. Multi-color finishes, including camouflage, can be applied by a skilled operator.
The video above shows a professional technician applying Cerakote finish to rifles and pistols. All gunsmiths who plan to offer Cerokote finishes should definitely watch this video. NOTE: Cerakote Firearms Coatings are designed for professionals and should be applied by an NIC-trained application specialist or a coating professional with proper training and equipment. NIC Industries stresses that “it is critical to follow all these instructions”.
Story tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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Tikkas are boring, nondescript hunting rifles right? Wrong. Check out this Tikka T3 tactical with “attitude”. For the British Shooting Show in 2014, the folks at Osprey Rifles placed a Tikka T3 action into a modern modular chassis: “A standard factory Tikka T3 was fully Cerakoted and dropped into a Third Eye Tactical chassis stock which also had the Cerakote treatment. It certainly pulled a crowd and was sold on the Show’s first day! We have been commissioned to do another one straight away.”
When evaluating firearm finishes, one should consider hardness, chemical resistance, lubricity, abrasion resistance, and color. However, none of these factors are as critical as corrosion protection. The average firearm owner deals with corrosion more than any other finish-related problem. Accordingly, when selecting an exterior finish for the metal components of your guns, you should look for a product with superior corrosion resistance. Thanks to Cerakote, we now have some science to help you make that decision….
How well do various firearm finishes resist corrosion?
Watch the video below to find out.
Eight Gun Finishes Tested — With Surprising Results
Eight (8) various finishes are tested, including Blueing, Cerakote, DuraCoat, FailZero, Ion Bond, KG Gun Kote, NiBX, and Phosphate (Parkerizing). Eight metal firearm components (each with a different finish) are placed into the salt chamber to see how long it takes for each finish to show initial signs of corrosion. To provide a baseline for comparison, a “naked” 416 stainless steel barrel was also placed inside the test chamber. The test was started, and for each coating, the time was recorded when corrosion started to appear. FYI, if you thought “stainless steel” can’t rust, think again. The stainless barrel sample (along with the blued metal sample) showed visible corrosion after just 24 hours!
After 24 Hours in Salt Chamber
After 48 Hours in Salt Chamber
After 172 Hours in Salt Chamber
Salt Chamber Testing — 5% Salt Concentration at 95°F
According to ASTM B117-03, the Corrosion Test provides a controlled corrosive environment which has been utilized to produce relative corrosion resistance information for specimens of metals and coated metals exposed in a given test chamber. The salt chamber is set to a temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit with a 5% salt concentration. Salt Chamber testing is used to draw a comparison between metals and finishes and does not correlate to a specific number of hours of real world use.
Story tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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Nesika is back. Now part of the Freedom Group, Nesika has introduced new ‘custom shop’ Sporter, Long Range, and Tactical rifles. All three rifles feature composite stocks (with aluminum bedding blocks), Douglas barrels, and Timney triggers. Nesika provides a 5-shot, One MOA accuracy guarantee for all three rifles. These are all fairly expensive for factory rifles but Nesika claims they are built “one at a time, by hand” in the Nesika Custom Shop. The Sporter runs $3499.00, the Long Range is $3999.00, and the Tactical is a daunting $4499.00. You can buy a very nice true custom for that money.
The green Tactical model has an adjustable cheekpiece and spacer-adjustable buttplate. The Tactical comes with a matte black CeraKote finish, a built-in +15 MOA scope rail, and an AAC Blackout muzzle brake/suppressor adapter on the barrel. The Nesika Tactical is offered in .300 Win Mag (26″ barrel) and .338 Lapua Magnum (28″ barrel), with a 5-round DBM provided.
The Long Range Rifle has Nesika’s stainless, open-top Hunter action, with a CeraKote-finished chrome-moly bolt. The Timney trigger breaks at three pounds. Leupold QRW bases come standard, as does a SS
Oberndorf-style hinged floor plate.
The Sporter features a Nesika stainless tactical action. A wide variety of regular and magnum chamberings are offered, and barrels are 24″ or 26″ depending on chambering. Like the Long Range Rifle, the Sporter offers Leupold QRW bases. The rifle weighs eight pounds without optics — a reasonable weight for a hunting rifle. It looks nicely built, but will it harvest white-tails any better than a $450.00 Savage? Maybe not.
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Wouldn’t it be great if you could apply a durable, two-part, commercial-grade coating on gun parts, with the ease of “rattle can” spraying. Until recently, you had to have some pro-grade equipment to apply multi-stage coatings. Now that has changed thanks to a new “can-in-a-can” developed in Europe. DuraCoat® can now be applied, in your choice of nine colors, from a single, convenient rattle can. The secret is the new type of twin-chamber can construction. An inner chamber holds the DuraCoat hardener (catalyst), while an outer chamber contains the DuraCoat color coating liquid.
The “can-in-a-can” design keeps the two elements completely separate until you are ready to apply the coating. It’s really quite ingenious. Duracoat’s owner, Steve Lauer, found this innovative dual-chamber aerosol can design in Europe. We believe his company, Lauer Custom Weaponry is the first to introduce this spray can technology in the American gun coating market.
Video Shows How to Apply DuraCoat with New Twin-Chamber Aerosol Can
DuraCoat is a two-part coating system. Once the DuraCoat is mixed with the hardener, a chemical reaction occurs. That is why the two fluids must be kept separated until it’s time to coat a project. When you’re ready, you mix the two products by pushing a plunger in the bottom of the can. This is done by attaching a red button to the bottom of the can. Push down on the can and you’ll here a “pop” that indicates the hardener can migrate into the main chamber. Shake the can for a couple minutes and you are good to go (provided the product to be coated has been prepped properly.)
DuraCoat is Versatile
Duracoat can be used on carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, metal alloys, wood, plastic and many other surfaces. No baking or pre-heating is required. DuraCoat is not just a thin cosmetic layer like conventional paint. When properly applied, DuraCoat offers good abrasion resistance and very effective protection against corrosion. DuraCoat Aerosol is currently offered in nine (9) popular colors: Matte Black, Woodland Green, Parkerized Gray, OD Green, White, Combat Gray, Pink Lady, Magpul Flat Dark Earth, and Blackhawk Coyote Tan. View DuraCoat Color Chart.
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When evaluating firearm finishes, one should consider hardness, chemical resistance, lubricity, abrasion resistance, and color. However, none of these factors are as critical as corrosion protection. The average firearm owner deals with corrosion more than any other finish-related problem. Accordingly, when selecting an exterior finish for the metal components of your guns, you should look for a product with superior corrosion resistance. Thanks to Cerakote, we now have some science to help you make that decision….
How well do various firearm finishes resist corrosion?
Watch the video below to find out.
Eight Gun Finishes Tested — With Surprising Results
Eight (8) various finishes are tested, including Blueing, Cerakote, DuraCoat, FailZero, Ion Bond, KG Gun Kote, NiBX, and Phosphate (Parkerizing). Eight metal firearm components (each with a different finish) are placed into the salt chamber to see how long it takes for each finish to show initial signs of corrosion. To provide a baseline for comparison, a “naked” 416 stainless steel barrel was also placed inside the test chamber. The test was started, and for each coating, the time was recorded when corrosion started to appear. FYI, if you thought “stainless steel” can’t rust, think again. The stainless barrel sample (along with the blued metal sample) showed visible corrosion after just 24 hours!
After 24 Hours in Salt Chamber
After 48 Hours in Salt Chamber
After 172 Hours in Salt Chamber
Salt Chamber Testing — 5% Salt Concentration at 95°F
According to ASTM B117-03, the Corrosion Test provides a controlled corrosive environment which has been utilized to produce relative corrosion resistance information for specimens of metals and coated metals exposed in a given test chamber. The salt chamber is set to a temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit with a 5% salt concentration. Salt Chamber testing is used to draw a comparison between metals and finishes and does not correlate to a specific number of hours of real world use.
Story tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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Forum member Keith T. (aka “KT”) is in the U.S. Navy, so he has a fondness for seafaring, nautical color-schemes. Here is KT’s new F-Open rifle, smithed by Accurate Ordnance out of Winder, Georgia. The gun is chambered in .284 Winchester for Lapua brass (necked up) and 180gr Berger Hybrids.
KT admits, “It’s a little bit different than most in appearance!” But KT likes it that way: “When I had Accurate Ordnance build it, the only thing I specified was the stock, action, caliber and barrel length. I left the rest up to them. I think they did a pretty awesome job.”
The gun features a Pierce cone-bolt long action (with Jewell trigger) in a McMillan F-Class stock. The barrel is a Brux 31″, 1:9″ twist in the Brux “F-Class contour”. Sitting on top is the new Nightforce 15-55x52mm Competition scope with turrets and sun-shade coated blue to match the blue-coated action, bolt handle, rings, trigger guard and barrel.
The build came out great, but there were a few “bumps on the road”. KT explains: “This rifle took a long time to finish. When it comes to building guns I always joke and say if it weren’t for bad luck I wouldn’t have any luck at all. We started ordering parts in September 2012. Somehow I managed to order the stock from McMillan for the wrong Pierce action. After a bunch of scrambling and hard work on Accurate Ordnance’s part we were able to get my screw-up fixed. Then we ran into a few more snags. AO wanted to have the scope on hand before doing the coating. The first trigger was not up to standard with AO so they ordered another one and the list goes on. The rifle is finally done though and I couldn’t be happier.”
Looking for the perfect rimfire training rifle, one that has the look, feel, and ergonomics of your favorite centerfire field/tactical rifle? Well here’s a unique opportunity. EuroOptic.com is putting together a special limited edition run of 49 Sako Quad rifles, configured exactly as the buyer specifies, with McMillan Stocks, Lilja Barrels, and Cerakoted Metal. There will only be 49 such rifles available, and the deadline to order is July 31, 2012. EuroOptic.com has a few offerings left, but it expects all 49 Special Edition Quads will be sold by the end of this month.
The Sako Quad was a great concept — one rimfire rifle with a quiver of barrels in different rimfire chamberings. However, many potential buyers didn’t need or want all four barrels. Many potential buyers liked the idea of the Quad as a rimfire trainer, but they wanted a rifle fitted with a full-size, fiberglass stock, so the gun would have the same ergonomics and feel as their centerfire bolt-guns. That would make it the ideal rimfire training rig.
Well, this dream is now a reality. EuroOptic.com has decided to make a special limited run of 49 custom rimfire trainer rifles with premium components.
These Special Edition Quads will feature Sako Quad actions, McMillan fiberglass stocks, Lilja custom barrels, as well as quality third-party scope rails, triggerguards, and bolt knobs. The bedding and coating work will be done by GA Precision.
49 Special Quads — With McMillan Stocks, Lilja Barrels, and Cerakoted Metal
Each rifle will be “made to order” for the 49 lucky guys who sign up before orders close. The pre-order price (including ONE barrel, no optics) is $2195.00 + $30.00 for insured shipping in a hard card. Those who pre-order the rifles will be able to select the colors and special features they prefer. Buyers can chose among six (6) different McMillan stocks (with your choice of finish). Each rifle comes with one (1) .22 LR barrel. For an additional $350.00 per barrel, you can also order extra Lilja barrels chambered for any of these rimfire cartridges: .22 WMR, .17 HMR, or 17 Mach 2.
Each rifle will have the following standard features:
SAKO Quad receiver engraved with EuroOptic Logo and 1 of 49, 2 of 49 etc.
Lilja custom drop-in bull barrel in .22 LR. Other barrels/calibers can be added.
McMillan stock of your choice, bedded by GA Precision.
Cerakote metal color of your choice: Black, Desert Tan, Mil-Spec OD.
Picatinny +20 MOA scope rail by DIProducts.
Billet Aluminum trigger-guard by DIProducts.
KMW bolt knob.
You can choose from a variety of popular McMillan fiberglass stock designs. These include: A2, A3, A3-5, A5, HTG (M40), and Sako Varmint. The purchaser can also select the stock color/pattern. Click here to view some stock color options.
Additional Features (Extra-cost Options)
Threaded muzzle with cap — $125 per barrel
Coating of one additional barrel — $75.00
KMW cheekpiece installed — $150.00
Sling stud — $7.50 | Flush cup — $13.00
Limbsaver butt-pad — $23.00
Adjustable LOP with Spacer System — $116.00
2-way vertical butt-plate — $116.00
3-way butt-plate — $180.00
Saddle Cheekpiece — $116.00
Integral thumbwheel cheekpiece — $142.00
Anschutz fore-end rail — $53.00
Seekins fore-end PIC rail for bipod — $33.25
Ordering Instructions
To order, call EuroOptic at (570) 220-3159 or email: alex [at] eurooptic.com . When ordering, please specify McMillan stock model and color choice, as well as any extras you would like (including additional barrels), along with your choice of metal color. NOTE: Eurooptic.com requires a 25% non-refundable deposit for these rifles. Once the deposit is taken, the stock will be ordered as specified. The Quads are to be delivered by Sako in August 2012, and all 49 rifles should be completed before the end of 2012.
Eurooptic’s special pricing will continue until all 49 rifles are sold or until JULY 31st, whichever comes first. July 31st is the last day to pre-order a rifle to your spec. If any rifles remain unsold at that point they will be sold at normal price reflected on the Eurooptic.com website.
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Cerakote Firearm Coatings has rolled out a new, interactive website, CerakoteGunCoatings.com. There you’ll find detailed test results of Cerakote durability and corrosion resistance. You’ll also find informative videos that show how to prep products for the coating process, and how to apply Cerakote on plastic and metal products.
Digital Camo on Tactical Rifle: H-248 Forest Green, H-199 Desert Sand, and , H-146 Graphite Black.
Get 10% Off Cerakote Products
To celebrate the launch of the Cerakote website, Cerakote is offering 10% OFF any order of $100 or more with the Promo Code TAKE 10. Note: This discount is valid for online orders only, and Promo Code must be applied at checkout.
Click Images Below to View Cerakote Test Results (PDF Files)
Product Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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The makers of Cerakote have a cool interactive web application that lets you preview various colors and camo finishes on your firearm. Cerakote’s color preview page is similar to what car-makers are doing these days. For example, you can go to the Ford website and click through nine available colors for a 2011 Mustang GT. Hey, if it works for cars, it should work for guns, right?
Mix and Match 33 Colors with Virtual Gun Coater
NIC Industries, the company that produces Cerakote ceramic firearms finish, offers an interactive “colorizer” web app. This Cerakote Virtual Gun Coater lets you select from 33 solid and camo colors to “paint” the slide and frame of a Glock pistol. Mix and match slide and frame colors to your heart’s content. Available colors include digital camo, titanium, red orange (law enforcement only), coyote tan, and mil spec green. These are all real colors you can actually order. You can even e-mail your buddy a photo of your favorite color scheme. Give it a try!
The new Sportsman’s Warehouse gunsmith shop is located in SW’s Salt Lake City Distribution Center. The workspace features four stations for gunsmiths to work on rifles, shotguns, pistols, and muzzleloaders. They also have added a full production lathe that is designed for 24-hour-a-day operation, as well as a large end mill for a variety of metal working operations.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could apply a durable, two-part, commercial-grade coating on gun parts, with the ease of “rattle can” spraying. Until recently, you had to have some pro-grade equipment to apply multi-stage coatings. Now that has changed thanks to a new “can-in-a-can” developed in Europe. 
DuraCoat is a two-part coating system. Once the DuraCoat is mixed with the hardener, a chemical reaction occurs. That is why the two fluids must be kept separated until it’s time to coat a project. When you’re ready, you mix the two products by pushing a plunger in the bottom of the can. This is done by attaching a red button to the bottom of the can. Push down on the can and you’ll here a “pop” that indicates the hardener can migrate into the main chamber. Shake the can for a couple minutes and you are good to go (provided the product to be coated has been prepped properly.)
Well, this dream is now a reality. 
