I need ideas for a senior project.

the noobie

New member
Ok, I went to order a stock for my gun then i looked at the calendar and noticed school is approaching fast.
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Anyways, I will be starting my senior year this year and there is an Idaho Law that states that all seniors now must complete a senior project. I need some Ideas on what to do.

Just as some background for anyone that might be curious. The Senior Project consists of an actual project (ie something you can see/touch) there is also a written report about the project. as well as a few other smaller reports. So for example, My friend put toghether a lower for an Ar-15 then he gave a gun saftey lecture to some first graders. He then wrote his report on the history of the AR-15 styled rifles (m16 m4 on and on) and how they have influenced our military very greatly. Needless to say he did a VERY nice job and scored highest in his class. The actual report is long somewhere in the bare minimum of 8 pages but you almost need 10-12 to do good (friend had 15
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).

Im just looking for ideas on what I could do, I cant finalize it now because the school board has to give me a thumbs up on my intended project but I need to know if I am going to have to spend any money.

I asked this same question over on Snipers Hide and got some very good tips and suggestions. Some were from College grads that did college based senior projects. My favorite was something along the lines of doing a stress test on steel. So buying some AR-500 targets and cheaper steel and seeing/comparing the durability of the two and then also just doing torture tests too see how they hold up to stress, heat, forces, etc. Then write the paper on my results and what makes the steel better or more heat resistant. That sounds fun but im not sure its something I could pull off I dont have the resources available to do some of the tests like he did.

So If anyone can help me get some ideas I would love for it to be gunsmithing/hunting/shooting based but fishing would be fine as well. I just thought that a gunsmithing based one (like building an ar) would really help me decide of I truly want to go to gunsmithing school. But my friend built his so theres no way I could do that.

Heres what ive thought about.
#1 build a fly fishing pole (a lot of expensive tools needed)
#2 "accurrize" my rifle (I would need a gunsmith that is close that would allow me to shadow him as well as possibly give me a discount because its expensive)
#3 Theres a guy here in town with a CNC set up and a few other machine shop tools, they design knives for Kershaw so i thought maybe I could get them to give me the basics on CNC and help me design my own knife. (fat chance though, my parents dont get along with them)
#4 build a portable shooting table that is on a mini trailer so i could just haul it around (not sure what my paper would be on and building a trailer is none to cheap)
 
Noobie, It sounds to me that you are talking yourself out of the various projects, rather than deciding on a course of action and then working toward it...Not really being negative, but realistic...

You are worried about expenses and that is good...I would go with your number three...It's your project, not your parents, and I'd bet that if you approached one of the owners, explained your desire, you might find a willing teacher..as well as learning some important skills in the process...without incurring a lot of actual expense..

Part of the whole intention is to make you a better person and for you to develop some skills that you do not have now, as well as being able to impart knowledge to others..

Take a lesson from you friend that did the project on the AR and it's history..He increased his mechanical skills, produced research that was specific, and promoted his public speaking ability in front of others, with extensive written documentation...All of which help make him capable of being an asset in the future, to earning a living, and becoming a valued member of society..

Your #1,2, & 4 ideas, while being fun and interesting projects for you personally, don't really seem like doable items, unless you are in a position to learn from someone else that is physically close in proximity, and that is willing to underwrite the expense factors... Just my two cents...
 
Old Turtle I am. Theres so many things I want to get and get done before I move out for college but there isnt enough time or big enough pay checks to allow all of it. So I've been thinking about what NEEDS done, then what would be more useful, then what would get used the most.

I still want an AR but after watching a few youtube videos on how to clean them im not sure i want to bring one of those little head aches home. They are very simple to take apart its just there are so many little nooks that need cleaning. (like the little star shaped inlet where the bolt/bolt carrier enters and locks up against the action) not to mention the maintenance on the gas rings that Ive been reading about lately.

Wouldnt mind re stocking and getting a nice trigger for my R700 Tactical but im afraid ill get the wrong stock and turn it into a range gun and if I do restock it then I need to have the action bedded which is just more money im not wanting to spend. as well as more time the gun is away.

So for now senior project is the priority. The other two can wait. Designing the knife would be fun and fairly simple only real issue i have right now is making sure I could get it inside of the school legally (as well as being able to write a report at the end). We only need them in there at the end of the year for our oral presentation but there are laws that make it tough. My friend got his AR into the school because he had one of the local cops as his advisor. The cop had the legal rights to bring a firearm into the school so the cop just brought the gun in and then stood next to it while my friend presented. All was legal and all was safe.
 
Noobie, As far as cleaning an AR,,,Just my experience, they are really simple...They do make a cleaning swab that is shaped exactly like the locking lugs that, when stuck on the end of the chamber brush, allows you to slide it inside the area and twirl it a couple of times and then withdraw it, bringing out most of the residue that's there...A quick shot of brake cleaner and your done, except for a light coat of lubricant...I have a double handful of them, if you get an AR, I'll be happy to send you a couple..they last quite a while...

If you decide to go with the HS stock, it's already bedded with an aluminum block and free floated, so that's not a future headache...It's really not that much heavier than a standard wood stock, but certainly more than the composite factory one..The thing that added the most noticeable weight was my Burris 30mm scope, and mounts..The whole rifle tops out at 11# now..

You can do your knife project and get the knife in the school the same way your friend got the AR in...Most officers would enjoy helping, if asked...Believe it, or not, we really do like teenagers for the most part..
 
Maybe put together a bug out bag. Then you could write your paper on recent disasters and how people were affected and the importance of being prepared for emergencies an such.
 
Originally Posted By: CoyoteMDMaybe put together a bug out bag. Then you could write your paper on recent disasters and how people were affected and the importance of being prepared for emergencies an such.


Hey, I really like this idea
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Chupa
 
Forgot to mention that my mom has to give it the ok as well. My originaly thought was to make a little Nitro powered RC car and maybe build a track for them. It would be cheap and easy, all I would need is the expensive little car and its parts but my mom said no. she said it would be a stupid waist of time. I thought it would be both fun as well as give me reason to learn about internal combustion and stuff similar to that but nope.

I forgot about this one but a guy on Snipers Hide told me about one that he did for college. He made up his own ballistics gelatin and shot various bullets into it. He showed each bullet and then he as well showed the marks left on the bullet by the riflings as well as the marks left on the cases by the gun. And went into detail about how this could be used link weapons and people to crime scenes.

My only problem with that project would be making my 15+ minute oral presentation. The written report would be hard but if i got going with some good topics it would be very do-able. Not sure how much balistics gel costs but i cant believe it would be too terribly expensive. But then again. Ballistics gel is a temperature sensative substance and it might just get messy and to much of a hassle.
 
I would pick something and take a myth busters approach to it. You mention Snipers Hide, so I'm sure you're all too familiar with the bipod hop debate. Take a video camera and Lowlights methods of eliminating bipod hop and dispel the myth. Go one step further and explain why people experience bipod hop using physics and show how the reaction of the gun to a fired bullet is shown in an opposite but equal reaction to various holds of the rifle. Have someone video you putting unequal amounts of left and right pressure on the butt of the gun as well as forward and backward pressure. You can use an unheld gun as a means to compare your variables against. Use point of impact on the target as well to show the differences. The same project can be used for parallax in optics versus point of impact.

If you have access to handloading equipment and a chronograph, there are endless project possibilities that will be both cheap and educational. For instance the effects of temperature on powders showing signs of pressure and increased velocity affecting trajectory.

You mention fishing. Testing the various weights and types of fishing line against each other in stretch and breaking tests would be easy. You could show quick weight application versus slow steady weight application and discuss the polymers and manufacturing methods of todays monofilaments versus braids.
 
So much of this all depends on the school and teacher.
Some of those are very PC and would give you a crappy grade
if it had anything to do with a gun.

I did my senior project on archery and the teacher hated it.
Wrote on my paper that I didn't know what I was talking about
which was pretty considering I had been shooting competition
for 10+ years and was doing very well on the tournament circuits.

The bugout bag / survival information was a great idea.

The fishing rod, etc idea was good as well.
 
Originally Posted By: RJM Acres

I did my senior project on archery and the teacher hated it.



Small world, I did mine on archery as well. I was even allowed to bring my bow to school, it had to stay in the Principals office until my class. How times have changed huh?


Chupa
 
Originally Posted By: ChupathingyOriginally Posted By: RJM Acres

I did my senior project on archery and the teacher hated it.



Small world, I did mine on archery as well. I was even allowed to bring my bow to school, it had to stay in the Principals office until my class. How times have changed huh?


Chupa

I had mine at school also and just kept in the class room for the day.
Yep, times have changed big time.
 
I come from a smaller school 150 students in middle and high school (+/- a few) Most all of the teachers hunt only ones that dont are the older ones and the ones that are young and single (mostly the women) none are against it. I actaully could get a bow into the school. Ive seen it done before I just has to be locked in the principals office and i dont think i can have arrows.

Which brings me to another Idea i had which was make a recurve or long bow but i just need access to a wood laminator (shop teacher used to have one untill his shop burnt down, which he also lost a CNC Mill or lathe i forget which
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) . Then i could discuss the pros and cons of wood bows, fiberglass bows and some of the newer space age material bows.

The bug out bag actually isnt a bad idea. I could easily get a 15 minute + speech about it. Just go over some of the gear i chose and why you need it and stuff that you DONT need. As well as go over what might be needed in case of natural disaster.
How much would a decent pack be to build one in? I used to have an old forest service pack from back when i was in the boy scouts. It was HUGE but not so big that it would just be bulky and too heavy.
 
I use ruck sacks for most of my packing/hunting needs.
I can carry a whole bunch of stuff in one of those.
And you can find them cheap thru various online places.
Here's 1 similar to mine.
http://www.amazon.com/European-Rucksack-...802&sr=8-48

You're lucky you're in a smaller school.
I started out grade school in a 1 room building.
Ended up in a large high school with 650+ in my graduating
class.
It sucked.
 
You could always use your pred hunting skills to inform the teacher and others. Your written could cover the history and people of early pred calling, the responsibility of proper game managment and the influence of coyote population and over-population. Video a calling trip or two (leave out the death shot unless your teacher understands). Bring some calls or decoys for visual aid and prepare a speech on coyote behaviors. If your teacher isn't a real tree huggin bug smoocher you could bring a tanned pelt or various victory shots to prove your a master at what your reporting on. Whatever you decide on good luck and enjoy the last year of simple life.
 
Consider a wildlife habitat improvement project in the local park or a conservation area. Keep it small enough to be manageable, make it meaningful, and combine that with the local resources the city/county/state parks wildlife agencies can pitch in and help with. Bet you could do that with very little monetary cost, just a little elbow grease and sweat. Working with professional people will show resourcefulness and the project will benefit many people, not just yourself.
 
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But I have no Predator hunting skills. I havent called anything (well nothing that I now of, maybe i just didnt see them) and i dont quite know much of anything about their behavior. It would be a lot of asking questions and reading here on PM . As far as the kill shots, not sure, the overall project is graded by both the entire high school staff (well 6 of the high ranked teachers and principals and then there is also a community presentation in which the people going in grade you on everything from appereance as well as how well you set up and how entertaining as well as informative your presentation is. It wouldnt be hard to give a 15+ minute speech at least i dont think so. But writing a research paper would be tough. Unless i just did it on say the coyote in general or just varmint hunting in general and did a little section on the most commonly hunting varmints.

Say I went with the bug out bag (would change its name to natural disaster survival kit for the project) what would be something I could write my reasearch paper on?
 
How about instead of ordering a new stock, you stiffen/float/bed your old one (and you'll likely get better results unless you are buying a McMillan or equivalent)?

Very cheap, not very difficult to do even for first timers (or noobies, lol), and numerous papers could be written on the reasons why it should be done and the results you achieved afterwards.
 
Im not sure it can totally be done, ive been watching other forums (snipers hide a lot) and ive read a few guys have modified the Hogues enough to stiffen them and float them but they still have a fair bit of flex as one guy said it " i turned my floppy piece of poo (censored that word) into a stiff piece of poo (and that one) but at the end of the day its still just a piece of poo (that one too)" I was looking at either an HS Precision for just being able to drop the action in and get pretty good results but i was also look at manners just for quality and cry once and buy once. ( not saying an HS wouldnt be any more accurate than a Manners or Mcmillan for me and my shooting ability, nor am i trying to achieve "bug holes" at 100 yards, I just want a good stock that fits me well) Ive missed a few very good sales on take off stocks but i have a feeling more will come so im just sitting back and browsing classifieds.
 
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