Guest
:hmm: I need a modern idea of how to bore or ream out an old barrel so I can slip in a liner? I do not have much metal working equipment. I know how it was done in the old days ,that was a pile of work.
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Most liners are, if I'm not mistaken, 5/8" outside diameter. A decent HSS 5/8" bit with 1/2" shank will run you twenty dollars or slightly less. Weld (or have someone weld) a 1/2" steel rod to extend the shank, allowing a couple of inches over the length of your barrel. Using a 1/2" variable speed drill at fairly slow speed, or brace and bit, keeping the bit well-lubed, and clearing the chips frequently, you can drill the barrel out yourself. It's a miserably tedious process, but if you take your time you'll get it done. Your only other option, as Cherokee said, is to find someone to do it for you.
mongrel said:
I have never done it mind you, but I understand from what I have read and been told, that others will make the drill bit with shank only a little over half the length of the tube bore, and drill from both sides towards ... and meeting and overlapping ... slightly in the middle of the tube, the reason is it minimizes runout from what I understand.
Davy
This may depend on the runout severity of the original breech.I did a barrel reling once in school.I used a floor model bridgeport lathe to mount the barrel through the head stock and centered.The process took what seemed forever.I would not want to do it again myself.Davy said:
Guest
With a cost of liner at $4.00 + per inch X 40" you are pushing $160 for the liner + $20.00 for the bit and rod stock + a good day of work slowly working the bit through the bore.
You can come close to buying a good swamped barrrel for that kind of money.
Even if it is just a 30" tube you could buy a GM barrel for less money than the liner will cost.
Runout is going to be severe no matter what you do. The jump from ??? to 5/8 is drastic. Even most machinists, with heavy equipment, would do this in steps.
By the time you bought the liner and paid for installation you could have had a custom barrel cut by hand.
You can come close to buying a good swamped barrrel for that kind of money.
Even if it is just a 30" tube you could buy a GM barrel for less money than the liner will cost.
Runout is going to be severe no matter what you do. The jump from ??? to 5/8 is drastic. Even most machinists, with heavy equipment, would do this in steps.
By the time you bought the liner and paid for installation you could have had a custom barrel cut by hand.
Cherokee said:
Bob,
If you decide to heed Cherokee's advice, here's an excellent barrel man who can help you out. Give him a call and tell him what you want done.
Robert Hoyt
700 Fairfield Rd
Fairfield, PA 17320
717-642-6696 or 8736
Seen his work excellent.You must way cost vs[url] rebarreling.In[/url] previous centuries,the barrel would be reamed to the next practical bore(and rerifled) or gauge.This was very practical cost wise then when firearms were individually made. The only practical use in this day and age for relining cost wise is restoration of antiquey collectiable as a shooter(example:a 19th century original firearm a long rifle or M96 broomhandle mauser in 30 mauser-fair to poor condition of course).A restoration of course can devalue the item,it depends on original condition.Weigh cost! :hmm:
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Davy --
For drilling to accomodate a barrel liner, I think your suggestion would be right. If there's any runout, it'll be in the center, and the bit will correct any misalignment (or snap in half). The epoxy or whatever medium is used to hold the liner in place should fill any small gaps.
I've never lined a barrel. The method I described is actually what I've done, twice -- to enlarge a rusted-out .45 bore to .50 smoothbore, and a bad .50 to .56. I'd tried the bore-from-either-end method on pistol barrels and ended up with a mess. Yes, the bore-straight-through method results in a small amount of runout, but that can be compensated for.
I agree with Ghost's comments about the cost of lining a barrel. If someone wants to get an original rifle in shooting condition, finding and installing a new barrel that's close to the contour of the original seems an easier, cheaper option than trying to refurbish the ruined bore.
For drilling to accomodate a barrel liner, I think your suggestion would be right. If there's any runout, it'll be in the center, and the bit will correct any misalignment (or snap in half). The epoxy or whatever medium is used to hold the liner in place should fill any small gaps.
I've never lined a barrel. The method I described is actually what I've done, twice -- to enlarge a rusted-out .45 bore to .50 smoothbore, and a bad .50 to .56. I'd tried the bore-from-either-end method on pistol barrels and ended up with a mess. Yes, the bore-straight-through method results in a small amount of runout, but that can be compensated for.
I agree with Ghost's comments about the cost of lining a barrel. If someone wants to get an original rifle in shooting condition, finding and installing a new barrel that's close to the contour of the original seems an easier, cheaper option than trying to refurbish the ruined bore.
Why not make a drill for the purpose. Turn a pilot on a piece of drill rod the size of the present bore. Turn the rest down to the size you want to have when done. Cut teeth on the shoulder between the two. Cut it off after an inch or so of the new size and drill it for a driver shaft to be attached. You would have to cut grooves to clear the cuttings. If your driver shaft is hollow, you could also pump coolant thru the middle of the drill and right into the cut. Goign from 50 to 56 smooth would likely take three steps if you wanted to keep it pretty smooth and straight. That is a lot of tooling for an boring a bad barrel smooth every now and then. On the plus side, once the original rig was made, all you would need would be new cutter heads to go to whatever caliber you wanted.
Metalshaper
40 Cal.
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- Jul 6, 2004
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LonesomeBob,
Don't drill it without using a piloted bit!! unless your planning to screw it up? :hmm: a standard drill bit,is not the reccomended type for this work. There are dozens of factors, that come into play..
I thought I was smart enough to beat the odds.. needless to say, It didn't turn out so well
do some more research, before you give it a go.. but I honestly don't see it as out of the realm of possibility..
Oh yeah,, just make sure your bit and liner are of the right diameters.. the bore should be somewhat oversized, in comparrison to the liner.. or you'll end up with a liner stuck half way.. < Don't ask! > :nono:
Go With Hoyt or one of the other guys,, if you have any doubts!!
Respect Always
MEtalshaper
Respect Always
Metalshaper
Don't drill it without using a piloted bit!! unless your planning to screw it up? :hmm: a standard drill bit,is not the reccomended type for this work. There are dozens of factors, that come into play..
I thought I was smart enough to beat the odds.. needless to say, It didn't turn out so well
do some more research, before you give it a go.. but I honestly don't see it as out of the realm of possibility..
Oh yeah,, just make sure your bit and liner are of the right diameters.. the bore should be somewhat oversized, in comparrison to the liner.. or you'll end up with a liner stuck half way.. < Don't ask! > :nono:
Go With Hoyt or one of the other guys,, if you have any doubts!!
Respect Always
MEtalshaper
Respect Always
Metalshaper
Metalshaper
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2004
- Messages
- 480
- Reaction score
- 132
Slamfire,
I wasn't refering to the deephole style of Gundrill bit. drilling out an existing barrel is the totally wrong application for the use of a gundrill. in the same vain, a normal 'twist' bit, is likewise a bad choice..although some swear, it can be done? I've tried and ended up with crap on my shoes,, so I gain from the 'learning experince' and try to pass what I've learned and researched.
What is needed to enlarge an existing bore is a piloted bit. the pilot, will follow the existing bore and guide the drill as it does its work. follow this link
[url] http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=6773&title=BARREL+LINER+DRILLS[/url]
It shows the profile I'm talking about.
Respect Always
Metalshaper
I wasn't refering to the deephole style of Gundrill bit. drilling out an existing barrel is the totally wrong application for the use of a gundrill. in the same vain, a normal 'twist' bit, is likewise a bad choice..although some swear, it can be done? I've tried and ended up with crap on my shoes,, so I gain from the 'learning experince' and try to pass what I've learned and researched.
What is needed to enlarge an existing bore is a piloted bit. the pilot, will follow the existing bore and guide the drill as it does its work. follow this link
[url] http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=6773&title=BARREL+LINER+DRILLS[/url]
It shows the profile I'm talking about.
Respect Always
Metalshaper
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ssettle
40 Cal.
I've done what your talking about and it worked out pretty good. I did it with an old CVA Hawken acouple years ago. Use a 5/8 bit, took about 8 hours to do it. I changed that old gun from 50 to 32 caliber. It had a 1 inch barrel and I couldn't find a barrel that big in 32 caliber. Shoots pretty sweet but alittle heavy.I believe thats what makes it shoot as well as it does. ssettle
Guest
:bow: First thank you all for the help and information. since I am going for heart work soon ,I will give the idea up. Any one want or need a few ratty old barrels? I can fix you [email protected]
