Green River Gun Works

05/29/2026

I get a lot 22 Long Rifles in that the owner says won't feed properly. Or jams alot. Here are some tips. Some of these are true for ALL automatics.

Have you cleaned it? 22 LR is extremely dirty ammunition compared to centerfire. I think they use some kind of flash powder like what is in fireworks. Its very very dirty

Feeding issues are magazine problems about 95% of the time. Yes magazines need cleaning too. Don't leave them loaded for long periods. Many can be disassembled and stretch the spring just a little.

Especially with all rimfire guns, they can be ammunition divas. Meaning they only like certain brands. I have no idea why. Ive seen guns hate Federal High Velocity but shoot CCI standard velocity just fine. Try different ammunition in your gun. I have found personally Re*****on Ammunition doesn't always work well in Rugers. But everything else does. In some Savage I have seen them not like Federal but will work fine with Re*****on.

05/12/2026

Happy May everyone. I will be running a discount on muzzle brakes the month of June 2026. $50 off muzzle brakes. To qualify you have sign your late 6A Coues tag over to me! Hahaha just kidding!! Seriously to qualify you need to have been drawn for any big game animal for a 2026 hunt.

Didn't get drawn, don't fret... I always run a special in December for Brakes and barrel threading in January.

05/09/2026

The Elk Draw for Arizona is long over. Deer is coming up. Ive already had some heads up customers call and start getting pricing together for a custom rifle build. Now is the time. Lead time on barrels can be up to 8 weeks depending on caliber and twist. You will need time to get it dialed in and any bugs or quirks worked out.

With a provided action builds start at about $650 and with a brand new Zermatt Arms action $1700. We will do just about any caliber.

05/03/2026

Time to offend some people. I got into a friendly debate a couple weeks ago. What exactly is a Gunsmith. Despite some claiming to be there is not a certification. In order to be a certification there has to be minimum standards. There are schools yes and many provide excellent schooling.

Back to the question, if there is not a certification then what exactly is a Gunsmith. There are literally thousands of guys who claim to be Gunsmiths that assemble guns from parts they purchased. AR rifles to be specific. Does it take any special training to assemble one? Is it built or assembled? It does require a couple of special tools. Is that a Gunsmith?

Or is a Gunsmith someone who can build or assemble the AR but can repair just about everything else. He can make his own parts if needed, rebarrel, cut chambers, thread barrels, etc. Is that a Gunsmith.? If this is a Gunsmith what do we call the AR assembly person?

Im not going to say the guy or gal that builds AR's is beneath a guy or gal that can work on all fi****ms. Building and assembling AR style guns can be good business but the skill level is not as high as the full service.

Some specialize in just handguns or Pistol Smith if you will. Are they beneath the person who is full service? I would argue working on some handguns requires the most skills. Tiny parts and alot of times two hands aren't enough to get one fixed.

My point is there is no hierarchy in this business. We have people with different skillsets or enjoyment in doing. I personally hate all shotguns but I still work on them. Some over underunders are incredibly difficult. What is a problem is people claiming to be Gunsmiths and making a mess of someones gun. I can't tell you how many I have had to re fix for customers. I feel bad for the customer basically being double charged but all my work is warrantied and I stand by the repair.

I have turned work away also knowing I cannot fix it. I know my limits especially with stock work. I lack patience.

When choosing a Gunsmith for the first time ask questions about the repairs. Ask if they have experience with it, if they have examples ask to see them. Those conversations can help you decide if its a good fit for you.

04/01/2026

Hahahaha this is how you should not do this. Probably works at Sportsman's

3,591 points • 213 comments

03/13/2026

Tip of the day. This is kind of a debated topic but I use it on really dirty guns.

CLR, yes the green stuff you use in the house for plumbing stuff. Be careful though it removes rust and bluing on guns is a form of rust.

Wet a patch and run it through. Wet another and do it again. Wait 10 minutes and dry patch. I then run a couple patches of denatured alcohol. Rubbing Alcohol may work too to counter act the acid in the CLR. In most cases 90-100% of the carbon in the barrel will be gone.

It does not work for copper or lead. You will still need to use a cleaner for that. In my experience Wipe Out or Sweats 7.62 works very good on copper. There are others out there that work just as well, that's just what I use. Shooters Choice MC-7 and a brush for Lead build up.

03/10/2026

Haven't posted in awhile. Here is some free advice.

If you buy a new handgun always test it with different ammunition before you depend on it to protect yourself or someone else. Whatever loads you decide to carry in it, test those also. Test every magazine.

I get asked how often you should change out your self defense ammunition. That depends. If the gun is over oiled and leaks oil into your ammunition I would personally change it immediately. Otherwise 2 years is a good timeframe.

What kind of ammunition should I carry for self defense. Another great question. Bullet weight and type really doesn't make a big difference in handguns as far as performance. Heavier doesn't mean more "knock down" power. I recommend a name brand such as Re*****on, Hornady, Federal etc etc. Shoot different weights and see what your handgun likes better. I use to really like Re*****on Golden Sabre for my 45 ACP but I have not kept up on the latest tech with bullets. In the 90's it was Federal Hydroshocks.

Pick what works and practice. You may seriously regret not testing ammunition when it comes time to defend yourself and your handgun becomes a club because you did make sure the gun will feed the ammunition.

Make sure you keep your gun clean and keep the rust away. I also highly recommend a professional shooting instruction. Gunsite is in Paulden, AZ and is one of the best in the Country. Their instrctors are top notch and while it may seem expensive, on your last day you will see how far you have progressed and not wasted a penny on the training. They offer Yavapai County resident discounts too.

01/29/2026

Since the NFA tax fee went away for supressors I have been doing alot of threading lately. I charge $130-$150 depending on the barrel and firearm. I am now offering a bulk discount. Bring 3 or more rifles for threading and I will reduce the per cost to $100-$120 per barrel. 6 or more at once and receive a flat $100 per barrel. Some restrictions apply.

01/22/2026

PTG (Pacific Tool and Guage) is having a sale right now on Brand New old stock Rem 700 actions with the bolt for $618 plus tax and shipping if anyone is wanting to build a rifle soon. That's about $250 off normal price. You would still need a recoil lug ($30) and bottom metal ($120-$275). Buy one and have it shipped to me, I can hold it as long as you like

I can also get clones from Zermatt which are a Rem 700 clone. They are excellent actions Price range on those are $1100 to $2000 depending on the model and bolt face. In my opinion they are a step above standard Rem 700 actions. They require no modification from me to make them better.

01/14/2026

I just read something on a Reloading page that really concerned me. So I am passing on this warning. The author was mixing a double base with a single base powder for use in a rifle cartridge. I can't express how dangerous this is. Some manufacturers of ammo do blend powder but not until chemists have given the correct ratio and it is tested in a safe controlled environment. I sometimes don't understand people. Extremely dangerous practice to mess with mixing powders.