Barrel Bending Tips

[Tinker2]

I just pray that I never buy a used gun off you fellows

If you did it would probably be hitting right where you pointed it. :grin:

Good one :thumbsup:



I have bent/straightened barrels by smacking them and with professional barrel Bending Jigs.
I also change the crown, all to get it to shoot where it should (if needed)

It is not the kind of thing recommended for the home gunsmith

I would trust Laffingdog to do a good job


William Alexander

 

[Len Graves]

If I am not mistaken I recall seeing pictures of a wheel like device at the Winchester factory which they described as a barrel straightener. I know this is later than our forum but I also recall some information of long rifle makers , after boring the barrel, they would place a thin thread in the barrel and bend it straight using shadows of that thread. I have a friend who is very good at bending barrels and he says some barrels will shoot back like they have a memory in the metal and have to be bent again.

 

[tenngun]

Wouldn't it be easier to align the sight picture with where it's hitting? I know they bent em in the old days but.... I can think of several things they did in the old days we don't do now.

 

[AZbpBurner]

Best Barrel Bending Tip:

If it's gotta be done, let someone who knows how to do it correctly bend it for you. Not saying that there's not a little good advice here, but would you want to act on the advice of a bunch of well- meaning goobers on the internet?
:rotf:

 

[Tinker2]

If I am not mistaken I recall seeing pictures of a wheel like device at the Winchester factory which they described as a barrel straightener.

Colonial Williamsburg’s gunshop had one too, they really have not changed much

“I know this is later than our forum but I also recall some information of long rifle makers , after boring the barrel,”

Yes before it is rifled.

“ they would place a thin thread in the barrel and bend it straight using shadows of that thread.”

The thread was hung straight in the window and the refection of the thread in the bore is what is used as a guide, the refection in the bore makes the line look broken where it needs to be straightened.

“I have a friend who is very good at bending barrels and he says some barrels will shoot back like they have a memory in the metal and have to be bent again.”

When bending, you do go a bit past where you want because it will spring back a little.




William Alexander

 

[Tinker2]

Wouldn't it be easier to align the sight picture with where it's hitting? I know they bent em in the old days but.... I can think of several things they did in the old days we don't do now.

Yes you are right.
They bent them mostly to straighten them, and adjusting sight is mostly what is done now.




William Alexander

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

So, are you saying you left approximately a 1/4" (your pencil) of visual barrel. With my Trade Gun that's also what I need to "show" to hit dead on at 50 yards.

I find I can lost the front sight to mirage when sighting straight down off/via the barrel flat, so I actually prefer to visualize a pencil astride the breech.

That plus religiously picking her up a few times a week to cheek it and dry fire a few times (soft wood flints) ... works for me!

 

[Tinker2]

Best Barrel Bending Tip:

would you want to act on the advice of a bunch of well- meaning goobers on the internet?
:rotf:

No I would not, you are so right :thumbsup:

The people who think gorilla glue is good for fixing stocks scare me.



William Alexander

 

[cowboysteve]

Mirage off the barrel flat is something to consider. I appreciate your input. To those opposed a bending a trade gun barrel to adjust the sight image, apparently you haven't encountered a barrel that would require filing all of the front sight off, and still hit low. And, don't worry I won't be offering my smoothie for sale to any unsuspecting Aussies.

 

[Tinker2]

“One guy suggested putting the barrel on two blocks of wood at each end, and using a large "C" clamp on a block in the middle to bend it down towards the table. Seems reasonable. Any pointers from the smoothbore crowd?”

Don’t bend it just in the middle, it can kink. Make it a uniform curve the whole length

I have used three bags of shot, two under the ends and drop the other on where I wanted to bend it.

Lots of ways to do it, just go slow and don’t dent or kink it



William Alexander

 

[cowboysteve]

Good advice. You can bet I'll go slow and steady. I'm going to try to get an older blackpowder gunsmith that lives nearby to give me a hand. He's supposedly bent a number of them to get the point of impact just right.

I really do appreciate all the great advice I've received here on this forum. Thanks everyone!

 

[19 16 6]

And, don't worry I won't be offering my smoothie for sale to any unsuspecting Aussies.

Thanks mate, I appreciate that. :thumbsup:
O.

 

[thecapgunkid]

Yikes!! Ball is right, but more than he wrote here.

Unless you work guns for a living, I'd rank trying to bend your barrel up there with removing a mole with your Ronco Self-Surgery Kit or your Sham-wow Doctor-in-a-box.

Get it to an expert...maybe a guy like Bobby Hoyt out of Pennsylvania.

 

[Many Klatch]

Regardless of the other comments here, barrel bending isn't hard or particularly difficult. I figure if Herschel House can do it, then why can't I. I bent a rifle barrel by just putting between two trees and "leaning" on it. Had to do it a few times before the barrel shot where it was supposed to. It shoots well out to 400 yards now.

I have seen guys at Friendship bend barrels at the Primitive range by putting them between two logs protruding from the blockhouse while they are sighting in a new gun.

I bent a buddies smoothbore barrel with two "C" clamps and a Vernier measure. He wins matches with it now.

I over bent one smoothbore barrel and then had to spend quite a bit of effort to get it back to where it needed to be. It shoots good now.

Just be careful. Be slow. Don't try to get the bend all at one time. It isn't rocket science, you are only trying to move the barrel a tiny bit.

 

[Captjoel]

This all has brought up a couple of questions from me. First, on a long (say 42") barrel, just where do you decide the point along it's length to start the bend? Second, after you have done the bending. Do the barrel pins or wedges fit back through the lugs into the stock at the same points where they were drilled\filed?

 

[Flintlock58]

I have used blocks and clamps on two smoothbores very cautiously to make them shoot to point of aim. No rear sight on barrels, just a turtle on the front. In both cases they shoot very well, including wing shooting. It is not rocket science, but a technique requiring some time and care. But if I was uncertain, I would ask a gunsmith to help.

 

[Len Graves]

I understand the over bending to overcome the spring in the metal. What the reference to the metal having a " memory" was that some barrels will shoot back where they originally shot after a number of rounds. I can't answer to how many, or if a certain brand. I just heard a couple of gunmaker friends talking. I haven't the nerve or knowledge to bend a barrel. I just know it was not an uncommon practice.

 

[cowboysteve]

Thank you. I appreciate words from someone who doesn't think I'm off my rocker. I also have watched a pretty darn good Trade Gunner bend one over a log. The guy wins more than his share of smoothbore matches. I was just looking for tips on a more "civilized" way to do it.

 

[azmntman]

I know with auto frames and unibodies metal when the "pull" to correct collision damage they have the frame bent just slightly past where they want it and while still under pressure they bang the metal frame with a metal hammer quite hard several times to reduce stress. I asked why and they said somthin about molecules? I once had to promise never to weld again to pass a class so I am no expert.

 

[Many Klatch]

The wood under the barrel is so thin that it will move to meet the barrel. The most important part of dealing with the pins to ensure that the slot for the pins is enlarged to accommodate the expansion and contraction of both barrel and wood due to heat, cold and moisture.

Regarding where to bend the barrel, I usually try for somewhere forward of the halfway point. It's thinner there and easier to bend.