Author Topic: All these shortys whos doing the cutting? (Read 1233 times)

geartow · « **on:** September 24, 2012, 02:48:51 PM »

I want to do a 16.5 inch shorty I have the barrel picked have been reading the different meathods of doing it at home . But the local gunsmith wants $40 to cut it in the lath and do a target crown with cold blue finish. What are you all doing ? If you are doing at home what waay are you using ? Thanks Pat.

Shu · « **Reply #1 on:** September 24, 2012, 03:01:04 PM »

I used a hack saw and then filed smooth. I did a bit of a crown using a drill bit. I turned the bit slowly by hand and removed any burrs. I used a blueing pen and covered the "white metal". Accuracy did not drop off but I did lose some velocity but not much.

I think Quick used a sawzall he taped the barrel to keep from scratching it.

Cutting the barrel is easy. Just takes a moment to get over that first touch.

26-t · « **Reply #2 on:** September 24, 2012, 03:06:03 PM »

$40 is a deal, Go for it. T

JB White · « **Reply #3 on:** September 24, 2012, 03:37:05 PM »

Quote from: 26-t on September 24, 2012, 03:06:03 PM

$40 is a deal, Go for it. T

That's an understatement! Lathe turned shortened, target crowned, and touched up for only $40. That's well worth it for a quality job. It can be done with hand tools and a drill but that doesn't mean it's the best way. Hurry back while his kids are still starving and his rent is past due.

jeepmann1948 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 24, 2012, 03:39:54 PM »

The best way is to cut it off with a lathe, but the other ways work well too.Chop saws,sawzalls, hack saws will do a good job just take longer.As far as the crown goes GBO rents a crown cutter . Most folks leave an extra half inch in case it needs to be re-crowned later.
Actually as 26-T says $40.00 is a deal though, but if you do it your self you have the $40.00 to spend on something else

Happy Trails
George

bikerbeans · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2012, 03:54:15 PM »

gt,

The GBO crown cutter works fine but only has pilots for 22 & 30 cal. I think if you got a larger pilot for the GBO cutter it would work mostly as a 90 degree facer not a crown cutter. I have been looking for one to buy that with the right pilots will work for .430, .452, .458 .500 & .512 barrels. Haven't found what I wanted yet but I know it is out there somewhere. It might make a good add to the GBO rental fleet when I am done with it.

BB

Ranger99 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 24, 2012, 04:01:47 PM »

i used an air cut-off tool, but
any above mentioned would do fine
if you don't want to pay.
i'm sure you have or have access to
a square to check it with and a file
to true it up with.
many , many barrels were chopped
by hand years before i was ever born.

good luck

rdlange · « **Reply #7 on:** September 24, 2012, 04:30:53 PM »

Repeating a way I found on another forum that works for me. Hacksaw barrel off as square as you can (tape makes a good guide) a bit longer than you want, and file it as square and smooth as you can again.

You'll need a Lee case trimmer with a pilot a caliber smaller than your bore. I used 243 for a 30-30. Carefully shim the pilot larger with narrow masking or Scotch 'magic' tape, using equal number of wraps around the pilot, for both upper and lower wrap. Wrap just enough so the lubricated, taped pilot slides into the bore tight with zero wobble. Wrap the tape so it won't unwind as you turn the cutter.

Stuff a piece of lubed toilet paper down the barrel a few inches.

Insert the cutter (I used Tap Magic)and turn to cut a shallow depression in the muzzle which will be square with the bore. Then you can use a round head, slotted brass bolt/screw in a drill to 'crown' the sharp edges of the bore using Flitz or another mild abrasive polish. Go slowly. You can sand it smoother and bright. Cold blue the end of the muzzle.

Patience...

Pic attached of the tool set up for a 45-70 trim. Note, the trimmer is 1/2" dia. so that's about as large as you can go. As I recall a the trimmer takes a #10x?? bolt, which is small enough to tape up and do a .22 caliber.

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #8 on:** September 24, 2012, 06:17:59 PM »

For $40, I would pay the man. For me, it would be worth it for the piece of mind.
My mind, not having to think that I could mess it up.

All in all, I could probably do it, but it would take a lot longer, probably a way lot longer to do the job, the way the smith would.

yukondog · « **Reply #9 on:** September 25, 2012, 02:13:40 AM »

I cut and crowned 3,the cutter cost 25.00 to rent w/ 100.00 deposit but for 40.00 and you get a target crown to boot I myself would go for it.

petemi · « **Reply #10 on:** September 25, 2012, 03:02:23 AM »

I've got a West Texas cowboy who's done a couple for me. Just the postage and insurance back and forth costs almost what you'd pay to have it done locally. DO IT!!!

Pete

Hodr · « **Reply #11 on:** September 25, 2012, 03:05:33 AM »

I cut my barrels at home leaving them 2" over legal and have had no problem but for $40 apiece lathe recut, recrowned and retouched I would be visiting that Smith with a couple of hundred dollar bills and a handful of barrels.

Hodr
I would probably leave a tip at that price

redleg11b · « **Reply #12 on:** September 25, 2012, 04:42:51 AM »

If it is the GBO rental cutter that will work for you, time and $25.35 is all it takes. I cut my .223 barrel to 18" and recrowned it. Hacksaw, vise, file, and a little cutting oil in addition to the crown cutter were all I needed. I'm sending it back to Quick tomorrow so it will be available. Was going to do another barrel, but the wife likes her rifle how it is.

Airsporter · « **Reply #13 on:** September 25, 2012, 10:24:30 AM »

I have my own lathe and do my own work. That said, $40 is very reasonable.

cudatruck · « **Reply #14 on:** September 25, 2012, 10:38:24 AM »

i did my own. sawzall the barrel squared with the muzzle facer rented from GBO and recessed the crown using the lee case trimmer! it worked like a charm. looks like an expensive target crown to me. but...for 40 if you doubt your skills sounds like a bargain. I will do any of mine as long as the barrel is thick enough for the trimmer. if not may do and then just bevel with brass bolt as has been discussed.

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 25, 2012, 11:59:38 AM »

I have done my own. I used a hack saw and file. Cut and file as square as possible. I then used an RCBS inside case mouth debur tool to cut the crown with. I just turned it by hand with light pressure, keeping it as square as I can to the bore. As soon as it cut a light chamfer, I called it good. You can always go back over it again, if you need to. You can cut a deeper one as you like. So far, I have not needed to. I then cold blued the bare metal. With that said, $40 is a deal, IMHO. The last barrel I had cut was $35, but was not blued, I had to do that. But still, I thought it was a deal and it was about 4 years ago.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

cwlongshot · « **Reply #16 on:** September 25, 2012, 01:31:13 PM »

Yup, NO BRAINER... pay the man!!

I do my own as well, the FAQ's has a couple ways of crowning, but you get the idea from all the comments so far.

I had my Maxi shortie crowned to see if I got any improvment. The GS crown is beautiful, but didnt really shoot any better then mine.

CW

gendoc · « **Reply #17 on:** September 25, 2012, 01:58:34 PM »

geartow, you wack that barrel and true it up witha file... when u ready fora crown, let me know
an i'll tellya a secret many here ain't gotta clue bout.

26-t · « **Reply #18 on:** September 25, 2012, 02:40:19 PM »

One thousand of an inch at muzzle is 1 inch at 100 yards,so the crown need to be perfect. Some thing to think about. 26-t

geartow · « **Reply #19 on:** September 25, 2012, 03:45:45 PM »

Well I measured out 16 1/2 inches put a hose clamp on and sawed in off. drilled it in with a large bit then polished away with valve compound and a brass screw . Now to scope it and see what it does.

cudatruck · « **Reply #20 on:** September 25, 2012, 05:33:18 PM »

Good Man! thats some red neck engineering! go shoot it and tell us what it does! I was a little leary doing mine but it turned out great.

mo_bio · « **Reply #21 on:** September 26, 2012, 03:41:16 AM »

Good Job. I have done 3 now and use the metal cutting bandsaw with built in vise we have at our shop. It works real well. I crowned using the brass bolt and grinding compound. All 3 have turned out pretty well. That said, if I had someone that would do it locally for $40 I would have let them do it just for piece of mind.

giddens1972 · « **Reply #22 on:** September 26, 2012, 03:58:37 AM »

I've got a 17HM2 that I did myself with a sawzall. Filed it somewhat square and used a dremel tool and a stone grinding wheel for the crown...but I actually shot it before I crowned it and after. There was no difference...and I think it might actually shoot a little better as a shorty.