Building a 3-Lug Bolt Action Rifle at Home Paperback – May 31, 2025

The author, better known on YouTube as “Garage Guy .30-06”, has designed and built dozens of elegant homemade firearms from his garage. This book covers his journey building this 3-Lug bolt action rifle. Using a metal lathe and a benchtop end mill, he created this unique mid-century modern precision rifle from raw steel, a barrel blank, and a few commercial parts. The cock-on-open design and unique trigger are covered in detail through drawings and pictures. Also included is information on the tools, techniques, and mathematics that support the construction of this single-shot 6.5 Grendel rifle. This book should be both entertaining and informative for any firearm enthusiast, hobbyist, or shooter.This book includes a dedicated chapter on how to calculate the bolt locking lug forces and compare them with the relevant steel properties. Also included are equations for bolt throw and octagonal barrels. There is a chapter covering the detailed component dimensions of the rifle. A separate chapter includes a description of the methods, materials, and tricks used to build this rifle, along with another on testing and finishing the rifle. Also included are several lessons learned and potential improvements for this design. This 3-lug bolt action rifle can be built in a home garage using a metal lathe, a benchtop end mill, and a few other simple tools. Read more