Highpoly stuff looks pretty good, but it seems you're going for a more weapon artist-based portfolio. Perhaps the next step is some completed props, with textures :)
1) There are a few option inside of the graphite modeling tools also that expand on these techniques, like step build, expand, draw shapes, draw topology, draw strips.
Ok so I'm nearly done with the low poly and shader, just few Normal Edits to solve. Here's the current result: and for fun : Next step will be animation !
Your edits are degrading the quality of the heightmap that you create the normal and therefore curvature from, probably taking it from 16 to 8 bit in the process, causing stepping?
I think the front in this one looks better but there's something i don't like and i can't see what it is :/ if it's good enough what would be the next step?