kneelingatlas Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 So I'm been feeling my oats in the home gunsmithing area for the past few years, growing bolder with each project including drilling and tapping my frame, threading barrels, etc. so yesterday I tried a new challenge: cutting a barrel to length. I bought a 9X21 top end for a Tanfoglio because I wanted the comp and slide, so what to do with the basically useless 9X21 barrel? What a perfect candidate for my experiment! I started by shooting a control group (ten shots at ten yards): Not bad, but certainly not a tack driver; the barrel started life as a 9X19, then was reamed to 9X21 and the lands of the rifling were cut back some too, which may be to blame for the group (certainly not my abilities!). Then I proceeded to hack a brutal, crooked cut with a chop saw: And shot a second group of ten shots at ten yards: I'll let you be the judge, but if you ask me, the accuracy remained completely unchanged. Precise 11 degree crown my foot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipdouglas Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 hummm interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 For the next step, true it up and turn an 11 degree crown and shoot another group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Custom Rust Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Shoot it at 50 yards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted March 19, 2013 Author Share Posted March 19, 2013 For the next step, true it up and turn an 11 degree crown and shoot another group. That's just what I was thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trevoro Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Even a shotgun shoots nice groups at 10 yards. : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 With the scarccity of bullets , I think I am very happy with Benny Hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 For it to be true redneck gunsmithing, duct tape needs to be used somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 And a Dremel tool !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightUp_OG Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 (edited) Chop saw!!! That is what I am missing! Edit: Edited March 20, 2013 by StraightUp_OG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted March 20, 2013 Author Share Posted March 20, 2013 I used an abrasive wheel on my miter saw and cut it as square as I could, then polished it with 500 then 2000 grit sandpaper; I'll post the target once I get a chance to shoot it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 BTDT http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7340&hl=+hack#entry328716 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Where is the 11 degree crown ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted March 20, 2013 Author Share Posted March 20, 2013 Where is the 11 degree crown ???? I don't have the bit, so I'm going to try this first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 My buddy, who cuts back barrels often (and shoots thing far away with them), will use a simple deburring tool to clean up the edge. If getting fancy, then a round thing (ball bearing) with some grit on it might work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 BTDT http://www.brianenos...ack#entry328716 You were my inspiration Flex! Here's the target, maybe a hair better than it started, but all in all, pretty much the same in all three muzzle conditions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Without any real measurement, except eyeball, I'd say the last one is better than the previous two. Good exercise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSteel Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Grinding stone like this chucked up in a dreaded Dremel spun at low speed will give you a remarkably nice crown.. Just let it find a natural center in bore and hold parallel to bore..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Ok, one more time !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Well, I did it! I figured how to open up the group: I tried crowning this: with this: The resulting 'crown' was at about a 74 degree angle, rather than the prescribed 11, and clearly it didn't pan out too well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Grinding stone like this chucked up in a dreaded Dremel spun at low speed will give you a remarkably nice crown.. Just let it find a natural center in bore and hold parallel to bore..... That bit chucked up in my drill press would probably work OK, but I think if I'm going to cut any more barrels, I should probably invest in the crowning tool (or leave them square). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Holy crap!!! Is that an alien in the picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intel6 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Looks like a pipe threader, not a lathe! Another way to get the final burr free crown is a round (slot/phillips) headed brass screw and some lapping compound. I did a few .22's this way and got some improvement. Neal in AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wes777 Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 what is all of this crowning stuff?!? That doesn't look like a 1,000 yard bench-rest rifle barrel to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolguy Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Maybe there is something wrong with the bullets. I've never seen any barrel shoot that bad at 10 yards. It looks like a lot of the bullets are keyholing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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