A pistol is a firearm of any kind in which the action consists of two halves hinged together and locked into place. In other words, they are two sections of a gun that come apart like a clamshell, and when fully extended, they fit tightly around the barrel. If you want to own a pistol without having to complete paperwork for it, you can buy 80% Glock parts from 80percentarms.com and assemble them at home using the equipment you already have.
Whether you have a frame already or are looking to build your own custom gun, you can build it if you invest some time to learn the correct techniques. This can take a little longer to master, but the results can be worth every minute spent. Below are different ways of building your own pistol frame and help you choose which method is the best for you.
Choose the Perfect Material
First, let’s start by talking about what you should be looking for when choosing a material to build your pistol frame from. What material is the easiest to work with? Is it more suitable for metalworking, woodworking, or plastic? After a little bit of research, we found that aluminum is an ideal material to work with if you’re a beginner who wants to make your first pistol frame. This is because it is relatively easy to manage and requires only a single-cut and not a double-cut. Aluminum will also yield the strongest finished product and is more resistant to cracking than wood. With aluminum, you’ll be able to make the most of the metal while learning the correct techniques for working with it. Buy 80% Glock parts if you don’t want to spend time making them.
Parts Needed to Complete the Pistol:
You’ll need the following parts to complete the pistol frame.
- 1× 2″x12″ Hardwood Plywood Sheet
- 1× 6″ x 7 1/2″ Round Metal Cap Screws
- 1× 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ Round Metal Nut
- 1× 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ Round Wooden Peg
- 1× 2″x6″ Round Metal Screw
- 1× 2″x6″ Round Metal Nut
- 1× 3 1/2″ Wood Screw
- 1× 3″ x 6″ Wood Bracket
- 1× 3″ x 4″ Wood Ring
- 1× 3″ x 3 1/2″ Wood Ring
- 1× 1/2″ Wood Spacer Block
- 1× 1/2″ Wood Ring
Equipment Needed to Complete the Pistol:
- Hammer
- Level
- Pencil
- Paint Brush
- Spray Paint
- Spray Sealer
- Tape Measure
- Wood Glue
- Spray Primer
- Metal Primer
- Scrap Metal
Step by Step Guide
- Start by cutting the plywood into 2″ panels, each panel will be 1 1/2″ deep.
- Lay the panels flat on the table and cut the edges at a 90° angle (1/4″) from the corners.
Be sure to keep the panels together for easier handling. If you plan on painting the pieces, make sure that the edges are square and are perfectly flat (no dents, crevices, bumps, etc.).
- Once you’ve finished with the corner cuts, lay the panels face down on the work surface.
- Mark the center of the bottom part of each panel, starting from the center of the piece, and draw a line parallel to the edge, but 1/4″ in from the edge. With a pencil, trace the line and then mark the point where the line intersects the edge of the panel.
- Using a hammer and level, make a dent into the marked line, about halfway into the edge.
- With the center lines on the bottom side of the panel marked, measure and mark two evenly spaced locations along the edge of the panel that is 1/2″ from the center lines. Use your pencil to draw a line between the center and edge lines, as well as between each of the marks.
- Remove the panel from the table and repeat steps 5-7 on the top of the panel. After cutting the edge of the panel, flip it over and mark a location on the inside edge that is 3/4″ from the center of the panel. Make a dent into the centerline, again about halfway into the edge.
- Repeat the earlier step to mark the other locations along the edge of the top piece. Cut out the panel with a saw, and then sand the edges smooth with a random orbital sander (we recommend a 120-grit sanding paper).
- Next, sand the surface of the two wood blocks with a 240 or 320 grit sanding paper.
- Apply a coat of spray primer. Sand the primed surface with a 120 or 240 grit sanding paper until the surfaces are smooth. Apply another coat of primer. Sand the primed surface with 400, 600, 800, 1000, or 1200 grit sanding paper.
- Apply a coat of spray sealer. Put on the wooden grip if desired (we recommend a wood grip for accuracy) and apply glue to the inside edge of the panel.
- Insert a wooden peg in one of the two marks you made earlier, and then slide the wooden peg all the way into the groove, about 1/4″ to 1/2″ in. Next, insert the nut into the other groove and screw the nut onto the peg.
- Repeat this step with the second wooden peg.
- Use a bristle brush to apply a small amount of wood glue inside of the ring where the nut will be, and then place the ring in the slot and screw it into place.
- Next, take the wooden peg you used to screw the nut too and screw it into the hole you just drilled in the wood ring. Repeat this step with the second wood peg. Place the wood spacers in between the rings and then screw them together using two wood screws.
- Next, using the bristle brush, paint the edges of the rings black using spray paint. Next, place a piece of scrap metal on the bottom of the pistol frame. Use the bristle brush to paint the metal with spray primer and then sand the metal with 240-grit paper until it is smooth. Once you’ve finished sanding, apply another coat of spray primer. Apply another coat of spray sealer to the primer and we are done.
