Recrown a Barrel with a Round Crown!

I show how to make a round crowned rifle barrel on a lathe. Using simple lathe techniques and tools. A proper fit drill bit is used to indicate the bore. (not common practice, but if you have the right size, it gets you really close) You can indicate the spider end on the outside of the barrel to get it running fairly straight.
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Let me know your thoughts!

[@michaelmoslak2975]

I've added all your gun videos to my gunsmithing playlist and am in the process of rebarrelling and fixing up 2 old sporterized Enfields now. You do great work and all your videos are very helpful. Hopefully if you get my email you can do a video on cutting threads on an Enfield barrel and crowning it and short chambering for 30-06 soon!! If I buy a nice supermatch barrel I think you're the guy I want to do it for me if you have the time. I love the look of the dog leg bolt handles on the Enfields. My uncle who used to always take me hunting had a Rem 600 mohawk with a dog leg bolt and I always loved the look of it. IDK why anyone would straighten them. Thanks so much for all the Enfield videos, they're heavy but a great rifle and made to last!! I'm sure many will still be in use another 100 years from now.

[@precisionmachineshed]

Thanks, if you need done work done you can check out www.apexrifles.com that's my business. If I do more videos, on this stuff, it will have to go to patreon or I may start a website with access.

[@thehollowbox]

good video. Im new to the world of gunsmithing but i have been a machinist for a couple of years now. a trick i learnd and has saved me multiple times is to use pennies as shims instead of shim-stock or if you dont have anything on hand. the copper distributors the fourse without maring the surface and brass being a natural lubricant can make the part slip if you arnt carefull. the stiff in pennies has a little bit more friction and i find i can take heavy cuts without it slipping. love the vid, just thought id put in my 2 (or 4) cents in.

[@precisionmachineshed]

+the hollow box Thanks, I've used pennies for similar things but usually not on any machines. If you're familiar with the Forster universal sight fixture, I've used them with that to clamp down barrels.

[@hernandovillamarinbuenaven7476]

OMG you're a truly gifted artist & craftsman!!; Not even close when I see something like this, done by a CNC machine. I mean: Very fine/careful craftsmanship will stay with us 4 ever!!; Much appreciated!! & God Bless!!🙏

[@darrenedward9503]

can you please show your spider design on the back of the lath, i'd like to use my logan to do some work on a rifle, threading for a supressor etc, but i only have a 3 jaw chuck, so i'd need to make a spider for the chuck also correct?

[@precisionmachineshed]

Correct. I've made several different variations for different lathes. The one I currently use has a couple set screws to attach it to the spindle on the outboard side with a snug fit to begin with. The chuck side will need a 4 jaw or a spider on that end as well. I should have a video making a lathe spider from a few years ago.

[@mickymondo7463]

Good to see someone using an old Logan lathe. I have a Logan 10 inch with powered cross slide MT3 taper in the headstock with 1 1/2 X 8TPI chuck. These lathes are very rare in the UK so finding parts is hard work. I'm missing the handwheels for the compound slide the cross slide both have handles with tiny graduation marks which I would like to replace with larger ones so I can see them better. I'm also looking for a 4 jaw independent chuck as I only have a 3 jaw scroll chuck that came with it. I swapped mine for an old Myford ML7 that cost me about £200 several years ago, and I'm very happy with the Logan now I have built a large stand frame for it and I'm about to fit a suds tray and pump for it. Any advice on the best places for accessories and tooling would be much appreciated

[@precisionmachineshed]

+micky mondo I know ebay is a good place to get parts for these older machines, but you guys also get dinged on shipping and import taxes so it gets spendy. I am not sure of any places over there for tooling, but here in the US, MSC is a good place for tooling and cutters along with Enco. I've sold this lathe and replaced it with a couple other nicer lathes but this one surely did it's job while I had it. Those small dials sure were a pain though!

[@brianlrayburn2576]

Thanks for showing your work. I enjoyed it much. More, more, more. Obvious you try to do excellent work. My dad's Logan 9" is still going strong. I'm thankful it was always around for me to learn on. Wish it had quick change gearing but it doesn't. Thanks again.

[@precisionmachineshed]

Brian Rayburn No Problem, glad I could help. I've been looking for a QC Logan 9" but they are not really common.I finally found a nice South Bend 9" with QC that will work for a second lathe. I will try and do more gunsmithing stuff in the near future. Thanks again and be sure to subscribe if you have not already! Thanks!

[@MrPinenut57]

I've saved lots of money on indicator rods using drill bits.

[@panchovilla1486]

Good video dude

[@joesaad3089]

What are the advantages of a round crown

[@precisionmachineshed]

Just another variation to recess the crown.

[@multiHappyHacker]

Shouldn't you have two points of adjustment and be indicating along the travel too?

[@precisionmachineshed]

Normally, yes. I did it this way for a couple years while I was working for a guy that wanted his barrel done this way. Check out this video to see how I have been doing them for a couple years now. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZDHfoiDYtqIitE This is one of the best ways IMO to do it. There are several ways to indicate a barrel in, the only thing I would improve on in the linked video is to use ground pins to fit the barrel exactly, but those get expensive and you may need 20 per caliber to get a properly fitting rod. I have also barrel Benchrest quality barrels in a three jaw with a steady rest. Contrary to popular belief, chambering a barrel is not rocket science.

[@gvet47]

So the lands and grooves would have a bur raised from turning. Oil that reblue.

[@kelhawk1]

I indicate directly over the rifling just inside the bore. Any possible damage is subsequently faced off, or removed in the chambering process, whichever the case may be. It's a bit confusing at first, but when your needle movement looks like a metronome you are there. My next chamber I hope to have a range rod.

[@precisionmachineshed]

+kelhawk1 You should be indicating with at least two points and at least 2-3" apart or more. A range rod is a pretty cheap tool to buy when doubt a chamber. For the most part I've used range rods, but am going to start using pin gauges as I can afford them. They take out basically any error as far as the rod fitting the bore correctly. Good luck on your future barreling projects and thanks for watching and commenting.

[@kelhawk1]

+Precision Machine Shed Thank you for the acknowledgement. I suspect the difference on target whether indicating both ends through the spindle or using a range rod is barely detectable in most cases. Depends on how straight the barrel is, and factors hard to isolate. Not sure if it can even be proven superior. A hobby smith for 40 some years, I never heard of a range rod till maybe 10 years ago. Been a shooter for over 50 years. Lots of fine shootin barrels been done the old way. I see it being useful with a tube chuck in aligning a barrel too short to reach through the spindle, but not a profound and certain accuracy improvement. Useful to a benchrest shooter perhaps. I've been working in the Tool & Die industry for the last 20 or so years, and have done the indicate/clamp/check routine on many different projects. Although I've never used a range rod, it seems to me that the final clamping force of the setscrews in a tube chuck would stress the barrel out of shape. Would I be correct in assuming that keeping the indicator needles zeroed while final tightening is quite tricky? Although it's "aligned", as clamped, the barrel is under stress. What happens after you do the work and let go? Very little for sure, but with a chamber, how would one precisely know after cutting away the surface previously indicated? Very little for sure, but isn't that what precision shooting is all about? Lol, it's interesting and fun to be as precise as possible, but I'm not convinced using a range rod consistently produces better results on target.

[@precisionmachineshed]

I'll agree with you for the most part. I learned gunsmithing from an old successful BR shooter. Funny thing is his rifles for the most part were built on an old Clausing 6914 lathe just chucked up in the 3 jaw on the muzzle end and a steady on the chamber end. Then the reamer was held solid in the tailstock Chuck. He made hundreds of rifles that would shoot bug holes that way and it defies today's common mindset of how to set up a barrel. That is how I initially learned. I built a couple hunting rifles on his lathe that will shoot in the .3-.4's when conditions are good, and he needed 5 shot groups to be happy. Never saw one of his rifles that couldn't shoot 1/2" MOA. Point being, many ways to skin a cat. I was told once by a very good rifle builder that doing up a barrel is detail oriented, but it's not rocket science. I'm not convinced range rods are the best ether, but they are convenient. My best theory is that as long as you have 3" or so of straight bore on the end you are working, you'll be good. I've chambered barrels several ways and I'm going to change it slightly on my next barrel. Just need to order some bushings and figure which method to use and make a video. Thanks for your comments.

[@joseantoniosarachaga8700]

Hola te felicito por los trabajos que realizas y los consejos, gracias te mando un apretón de mano

[@precisionmachineshed]

Estoy seguro de apreciar las amables palabras. Me gusta hacer estos videos y me alegro de que te trae la diversión. Gracias

[@1jtolvey]

GREAT VIDEO !!!

[@precisionmachineshed]

Thank You, much appreciated!

[@t2thferry281]

Good PIP with 2 cameras!

[@precisionmachineshed]

Thanks, I'm working to get the cameras positioned a little better for a better view. Thanks for watching!

[@sandroc9216]

Brave man.... ring, watch working way too close to that chuck.

[@landonmc98]

Watch that chuck key my man!

[@precisionmachineshed]

Thanks

[@yardcontrol]

nice and gooooooooold

[@precisionmachineshed]

+yardcontrol thanks!

[@michaelmoslak2975]

The one thing I always do that I haven't seen you do in any of your videos yet is put a little blood into every project :P:P LOOL I cringe seeing your fingernails so close to those spinning brass shims and the extractor cut on the barrel you salvaged in another video!! You have alot better luck than I do :P

[@johannesvanhoek9080]

👍😊👍

[@precisionmachineshed]

Thanks