Alexander Popoff Gunmakers

Alexander Popoff Gunmakers Alexander Popoff — Canadian gunmaker with 20+ years of experience in restoration, custom builds, and precision rifle work.

Built for performance, fit, and long-term function.

05/24/2026

Most machining errors don’t begin during the work.
They begin in setup.

Measurement, alignment, and patience often matter more than the cut itself.

Good work is usually invisible when done right.

Follow Alexander Popoff for more real machining & craftsmanship.

05/22/2026

Layout. Pressure. Consistency.

Clean checkering does not begin with the first cut.

It begins with the layout — the spacing, the flow, and the discipline to keep every line honest from the start.

The tool only follows what the hand and eye have already decided.

— Alexander Popoff

Ma**er 98 stock checkering.Cut by hand. No shortcuts.Grip isn’t about looks.It’s about control — especially when it matt...
05/20/2026

Ma**er 98 stock checkering.

Cut by hand. No shortcuts.

Grip isn’t about looks.
It’s about control — especially when it matters.

Each line laid out.
Each diamond raised clean.

Before oil. Before finish.
This is where the work really shows.





05/18/2026

Some adjustments cannot be taken back.

After 18 months of bench notes, drawings, and worked examples, Sight Geometry — A Practical Workshop Guide is finally out.

A focused reference for craftsmen, restorers, and builders who care about classical sight fitting and want a cleaner way to measure, calculate, and verify before any lasting adjustment is made.

The geometry itself is classical.

What is new is how it has been translated into a practical workshop method — with a modern measurement workflow, clear sign convention, a fully worked example, and a companion online calculator built around the same notation.

Inside the digital package:

— full Sight Geometry PDF
— practical measurement workflow
— complete worked calculation
— sign convention guidance
— verification notes
— companion online calculator access

This guide does not replace judgment at the bench.

It supports careful measurement and confident decisions before any final adjustment is made.

Launch window:
The first 10 readers get $10 off with code Early10.

Link in bio.

Tomorrow, access opens.Not just to a book.For years, sight work has meant measurements on scraps of paper, rough calcula...
05/18/2026

Tomorrow, access opens.

Not just to a book.

For years, sight work has meant measurements on scraps of paper, rough calculations, repeated checks, and sometimes expensive mistakes.

We built something to sit beside the guide:

• workshop formulas explained step by step
• the geometry behind the cut
• a private online calculator designed around the exact measurement logic used in this system

Put in your numbers.

Get the required correction.

Less guessing.
Less wasted time.
Fewer irreversible mistakes.

This isn’t theory for a classroom.

It was built around real bench work.

Included:

✓ Sight Geometry PDF Guide
✓ Private Calculator Access
✓ Practical workshop examples

Sales open tomorrow — 12 PM MT (Calgary)

First 10 buyers save $10 with code:

EARLY10

Because good work starts before metal is removed.

— Alexander Popoff

Sight work begins long before the file touches steel.A clean correction is never accidental.It begins with geometry, mea...
05/14/2026

Sight work begins long before the file touches steel.

A clean correction is never accidental.
It begins with geometry, measurement, bore alignment, and an understanding of how even the smallest material removal changes point of impact.

Built from real workshop practice, this guide was created for the bench — practical, technical, and direct.

Sight Geometry
A Practical Workshop Guide for Gunsmiths
by Alexander Popoff

Available Monday, May 18 — Victoria Day.
Sales open on our website.
Link will be shared separately.

—
Popoff Gunmakers
Craftsmanship • Precision • Restoration




Restoring checkering is not just cutting new lines.On this Browning shotgun, the work starts with reading what is alread...
05/11/2026

Restoring checkering is not just cutting new lines.

On this Browning shotgun, the work starts with reading what is already there — the original layout, the worn diamonds, the borders, and the rhythm of the stock.

Good restoration should not look “new” in the wrong way.
It should bring back grip, definition, and character without erasing the history of the piece.

Every line has to follow the old pattern.
Every diamond has to return without making the wood look overworked.

That is where patience matters with respect for the original maker.

Lock work is measured in silence.Fitting a shotgun lock is never just a matter of placing metal into wood.Every surface ...
05/08/2026

Lock work is measured in silence.

Fitting a shotgun lock is never just a matter of placing metal into wood.
Every surface must be read, relieved, tested, and brought in slowly — until the lock sits cleanly, without tension and without forcing the stock.

This is the kind of work where patience matters more than speed.
A few thousandths removed in the wrong place can change everything.

Boss & Co. shotgun lock inletting — bench work by Alexander Popoff.

Follow for more real gunsmithing from the bench.

05/08/2026

3 front sight mistakes that start before installation.

A clean sight installation can still be wrong if the geometry behind it is off.

Most problems do not come from the final filing or the visible finish. They start earlier — with measurement, height calculation, and understanding how the sight line relates to the rifle.

Mistake 1️⃣ Wrong height calculation relative to the bore line

The front and rear sight height must be calculated in relation to the actual bore axis. If this relationship is wrong, the rifle may look properly assembled, but it will not regulate correctly.

Tip:
Always start with the bore line. The sight line has to be built from that reference — not guessed from the outside shape of the barrel.

——

Mistake 2️⃣ Ignoring receiver diameter
The receiver diameter affects the final sight height. If you don’t account for the receiver’s size and contour, the rear sight position can end up wrong even if the sight itself is well made.

Tip:
Measure the receiver, don’t assume. Small dimensional differences can change the final sight relationship.

——

Mistake 3️⃣ Filing the rear sight without understanding point of impact
During final regulation, removing metal from the rear sight changes where the rifle prints. A small correction can create a much larger shift than expected.

Tip:
File slowly, measure often, and understand how each adjustment changes point of impact before removing more material.

Sight fitting is geometry, measurement, and experience — not guesswork.

If this format is useful, follow .gunmakers for more real gunsmithing content.

05/05/2026

Most people see the pattern. A gunsmith checks the work behind it.

Jeweling is not just decoration.

Each mark has to be placed with control, consistency, and the right pressure. From a distance, the bolt may look finished — but up close, a gunsmith is checking alignment, spacing, surface prep, and whether the pattern is clean across the metal.

That’s where the real craftsmanship shows.

Most rifle rebuilds do not fail at the bench.They fail earlier — when the wrong decisions are made before the work even ...
05/03/2026

Most rifle rebuilds do not fail at the bench.

They fail earlier — when the wrong decisions are made before the work even begins.

The wrong rifle.
The wrong assumption.
The wrong problem.
The wrong scope.
The wrong reason for choosing a price.

I put together a short guide on five costly mistakes shooters make before investing in custom work.

Read it before you rebuild.

Link in bio.

Address

Calgary, AB

Website

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