Ok...so Who's cut a barrel down with hand tools?

[Steeltrap]

I was going to take this to my local gunsmith and let him do work that I consider "above my pay grade". But another month has slipped by and the barrel was still sitting there. When I built this 110E via a barrel that was "hanging out" I bought an older long action that had a 7mm Mag barrel. I changed bolt heads, installed pillars (this original one had no pillars at all!!) and bedded the action.

The rifle shot well enough, but the stocks LOP was just a tad to long. (I cut off 1/2" of the stock and that was interesting with a hand power saw! I got it dead on too!!) The barrel was simply too long for "real world hunting" so I pondered cutting off 2", then looked at 4"....but finally settled on lopping off 3". The barrel started out at 22" and is now just a tad over 19". I did my own "flat crown" on the barrel. Assembled the rifle now is far better to handle in the field....at least, handling it in my workshop it feels much better.

Now, when the weather warms a bit I'll take it to the range and see if it still shoots well or not. If not, my gunsmith may see the barrel to put a recessed crown on it with a lathe.

I'll post when I've shot it. But here's a few pic's of the barrel shorting. (A thanks to Larry Potterfield for his videos!) and a pic of the final "flat crown". BTW, there is a small recess at the end of the barrel I "cut" using a grinding compound, drill, and brass round head bolt.

916091619162

[prdatr]

It came out looking ok. What caliber is it now?

[GrenGuy]

I have done what You have done Many times. Every time, the barrel shot better than before. You have done an excellent job, and I see no reason to involve a gun smith. Short barrels produce more muzzle blast, so if You don’t shoot well from the git go, that may be the issue.

[Steeltrap]

It came out looking ok. What caliber is it now?

Caliber didn't change. The tube is a 6.5mm and it's chambered for a 6.5x55 Swede.


I have done what You have done Many times. Every time, the barrel shot better than before. You have done an excellent job, and I see no reason to involve a gun smith. Short barrels produce more muzzle blast, so if You don’t shoot well from the git go, that may be the issue.

Thanks! I appreciate your comments and input. I know I'll lose some velocity vs the longer barrel, but for hunting here in Pa most shots are 100 yards or less. The increase muzzle blast is not really a concern......and I'll brag a bit to say I'm a pretty good shot at....whatever. Running or standing. :rolleyes:

[big honkin jeep]

I've done a couple. I use a Lee Precision case cutter chucked up in a drill with a case length gauge as a pilot to make sure that everything is square to the bore and even with a nice finish. It even leaves a little muzzle recess as the case cutter has been a little smaller than the barrel outside diameter. Much cheaper than a crowning tool purchase. I think the cutter and case length gauge was like a couple of bucks when I bought it. A brass round head screw and some compound took care of the edge of the crown.
Nothing I've shot with them has complained one bit about my barrel lengths...

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012835597

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012838679
If i remember right i just polished the case length gauge i used for a pilot a little by chucking it in a drill and spinning it in some sandpaper so it wasnt so tight in the bore.

[engnman]

Have a barrel I just may try this with.

[8mm RUM]

How do you crown it?
A steel ball barring and a hammer?

[GrenGuy]

How do you crown it?
A steel ball barring and a hammer?

A ball grinder mounted in an electric drill works fine. There are other methods.

[bsekf]

Do a little research and Google search on barrel crowns. You will be quite surprised at your findings.

[charlie b]

I used to have two books, Pistolsmithing by G Nonte and Gunsmithing by R Dunlap.

Both had many, many things that could be done with simple hand tools, including fitting a barrel to a rifle or pistol. They are worth what you will pay for them if you want to work on guns. Nonte's book, since it was written back before plastic guns, concentrated mostly on the 1911 and revolvers.

Dunlap's book was before the black gun so concentrated on the bolt guns, especially surplus, and the Garand. The many methods of cutting and crowning a barrel are in there. Also all the methods of bending/shaping/welding bolt handles for different looks or to clear scopes.

[Dave Hoback]

Crowning the barrel is not very difficult. And the type of crown is actually inconsequential. As bsekf mentioned, do some research on the barrel crown. Know why 11 degree was chosen as the consequential “Target Crown” used by everyone far & wide? Because it was more than 10 & less than 12! Seriously! There has been no definitive evidence of the 11 degree being chosen & used for any other reason except tradition! And since, there has been no proof that 11 degrees is any better than 19…or 17, or 14 for that matter! It really doesn’t matter how or to what degree the barrel is crowned, only that it IS crowned, so the escaping gas pressure can not hit the edge and deflect back into the cartridge.

[Steeltrap]

Well, just to update the thread I had some better weather and took it to the range. Using target loads that I developed for a former heavy barrel in the same caliber, a 5 shot group at 100 yards was (I'm gonna go off of memory here) about 1.5".

So, I will call this a success!! I'm certain that if\when I would decide to fine tune a bullet\powder for this rifle I could get sub-MOA groupings. But, now that it's "done" the rifle is much easier to handle\shoulder than before.

And I would not be afraid to do this again. BTW, my "crowning" was done with a brass round head "bolt" that was screwed down on a short piece of all-thread. I used this brass bolt instead of a screw as I was concerned about a screw's "screwdriver cut" having an effect on the crown. I have no evidence that it would have a negative effect....it's just what I did and it worked out well.

If you try this...your on your own. (Liability disclaimer thing!)

[charlie b]

IIRC, in Dunlap's book he mentioned using the slotted round head screw cut a bit better than a ball shaped lap. I don't think it really matters much as long as you keep the 'wobble' motion as you 'grind' it.

FWIW, a crown is not needed either. The crown is only there to protect the edge of the bore/rifling from being damaged, and, to remove any burrs from the rifling process.

[Dave Hoback]

Well, just to update the thread I had some better weather and took it to the range. Using target loads that I developed for a former heavy barrel in the same caliber, a 5 shot group at 100 yards was (I'm gonna go off of memory here) about 1.5".

So, I will call this a success!! I'm certain that if\when I would decide to fine tune a bullet\powder for this rifle I could get sub-MOA groupings. But, now that it's "done" the rifle is much easier to handle\shoulder than before.

And I would not be afraid to do this again. BTW, my "crowning" was done with a brass round head "bolt" that was screwed down on a short piece of all-thread. I used this brass bolt instead of a screw as I was concerned about a screw's "screwdriver cut" having an effect on the crown. I have no evidence that it would have a negative effect....it's just what I did and it worked out well.

If you try this...your on your own. (Liability disclaimer thing!)

Yup! Precisely what I was talking about. Some put too much emphasis on it being a specific way.