I would kind of like to hear from others to let me know if what I have in mind is a realistic expectation to pursue.

Living in the wonderful North country, there are a few months each year when I can either nap on the couch and sit in front of the tube, or find an 'indoor' activity to fill the days, and evenings.

I am considering doing some 'light' gunsmithing work, not as a business, just for myself. Here are some of my thoughts at this time.

Over the next year - education time - read and gather information, networking, and build references, aquire some tools that I would anticipate needing.

Next Winter, aquire a 'donor' rifle to basically bring back into glory with my own hands. I'm not interested in the more complicated gunsmithing procedures beyond knowing what has to be done - if those complicated activities are needed, I would work with a pro.

Things that I have in mind I would like to learn, do myself. Stock fitting, stock checkering, stock finishing. Glass bedding action. As far as working with the metal, maybe barrel fitting - at least being able to take a barrel off, and install another barrel properly. Fitting recoil pads, maybe, and I say maybe, some light metal scrolling work, or inlays.

My expectations are this will cost more dollars than it would generate, excepting for the best possible outcome being that something I created would be 'priceless' as maybe a family treasure. So I'm not expecting it to support itself financially, I expect this to be a cash 'outlay' event. Just probably not as much as going to the bar every night like some people do as a 'hobby'.

Has anyone else ever done something like this? Can you help me even with knowing what the questions are? What reference materials should I acquire? Would an active Gunsmith be interested in a kind of apprenticeship? What are sources of donor guns? Most retail outlets probably do not want a gun in the condition I am searching for. Oh, and let me add the ultimate challenge - I'm a lefty, and very interesting in building something that is not commonly available to me as a left handed shooter.

I'm thinking bolt action, left handed, wouldn't matter to me if the barrel is shot out as I wouldn't mind taking something like a 30.06 shot out and changing out to a 338.06, 35 Whelen, 35 Whelen AI. As a lefty there are not a lot of .25 caliber offerrings, so a 250-3000 AI, 257 Roberts, 257 Ackley are all 'nice' thoughts in my mind for a left handed bolt.

I do reload. I enjoy shooting more-so than hunting, not to say I don't enjoy hunting, it's just that I really do not do that much of it. That being said I usually participate in 2 deer seasons per yer, one Whitetail and another either Whitetail or Muley. To be honest, more extensive hunts are probably just a good daydream for me, unless my brother or nephews push for something like that, I probably will never see an elk, Moose, Caribou, Sheep hunt.

Probably the #1 skill I would like to be successful in accomplishing, maybe even over time and several attempts become very skilled at, would be everything surrounding putting a good piece of wood on the gun. Nice quartersawn stock to start with, nice hand rubbed finnish, nice fitting, nice checkering, nice recoil pad mounting, nice bedding to the action etc. That at this time is probably the biggest target to be really good at.

Any Suggestions?