Need advice on whether to start a build

I would like to have a .22 gatling, but if I bought a finished one it would be years before I could afford to buy one.  I am considering building one myself in the hopes that the financial barrier will be significantly less.  I am mechanically skilled but not enough to perform precision machine work.  Would it be possible to buy enough parts from the various people selling on the forum to drastically reduce the amount of machining I would need to perform.  Any idea what that would cost me.  For the parts I cannot buy I would do the work or seek help from a machinist I know.  Aside from machining I think I can figure out the other aspects of the build.  Basically I would like opinions if given my skill level,  access to premade parts, limited help from a machinist for what cannot be purchased, willingness to work hard, and time is a gatling gun feasible.  What could I expect to pay?  All responses are welcomed and appreciated.  No matter how much I want a finished gun I don\'t want to start the project and not be able or capable of completing the gun.
Thanks for you time and consideration.

The RG-G drawings are incomplete with many errors.
It would be impossible to build a working unit following the plans.
Every Gat out there is different, no Lego parts.
Parts received from different sources most likely will need to be modified  
to fit your unit. Everything needs to be custom fit.

Good luck

Wow -- Cutter that\'s an interesting statement. I\'ve seen the error\'s correction list on this website. Want to shed some light on what other errors that are there that would keep a RG-G build from working??

Thanks

Later 42rocker

I needed some machine work done over 30 years ago and decided to take a class at the community college to use there machines and also learn a few things while I was there. The machine shops around my area charge $75.00 an hour so I saved a lot at the same time.
bruski

bruski
What are your thoughts on the RG-G plans and not being able to complete a build from them. I\'m meeting with other folks this week to talk about a group build of several Gatling guns so I\'m also interesed.

akw_921
Do you have a mill and lathe?
If not can you use a friends?
If yes to either of the above then do like bruski suggested and take a course. If a course is not available then look on line for help and get to the mill and lathe and practice. With the threads that are posted here and some help from everyone I think that our group is going to be able to do it. Unless there are major plan problems. Hope to hear more about that.

Later 42rocker

The errors are listed on this forum and they are all fixable or adjustable to make a working gun from the plans. I would contact cutter to see if he still has any one piece bolt bodies which will make things a heck of a lot easier for anybody tackling this project.
bruski

I agree that you\'ll be hard-pressed to buy the parts and assemble them without quite a bit of machining.   A lot of the original parts were match-drilled or located by scribing a line which is going to vary enough part to part that stuff from one builder won\'t fit anothers.  Also, I don\'t know of any sources for a lot of the other machined parts besides the bolt & barrel areas, and there are a lot of them.  This isn\'t like an AK or AR or 1919 kit where you mill or drill out a few holes and add on all the rest of the parts; pretty much every single part has machining operations done to it.

I believe the drawing should be used as a guideline only.
Important tolerances such as run-out / concentricity, true positioning, and
fit do not exist.
(An example) see the specified tolerance on the Carrier Block.
note the angular tolerance of ±1°.  FYI  1/2° in 1 inch = .0087 (not good)

The recommended hex bushing will have run-out .002 to .006, ( true it up )
Radial clearance between cam and Carrier is only .01

I would never press the 3/16 pin in the Carrier Block. Barrel Plate only.

Just a few on one print

The .100 dimension for the extractor slot on the barrel drawing
is not drawn correctly, causing some problems.
Also, the chamber depth of .800 is a little short, and limits
the ammo you can use, without sticking.
By adding .02 and an angular transition between chamber and bore, gives more choices.

Cutter
Thanks for adding that info.

Later 42rocker

Cutter,
Your saying the chamber should be . 820 deep? I\'m hoping to get my barrels done over the long holiday weekend. They are one of the last parts I have left before I can test fire it

Here\'s the chamber drawing I use. notice the length tol.
You can find this information at  SAAMI

Good luck

Thanks that drawing is much better than the RG-G print.

A .22lr Chambering Reamer is much easier.

nitewatchman