Bent another smoothie barrel ...

[Flint62Smoothie]

Yes, on purpose, 4th or 5th I’ve done. The 1st was setup like a science experiment, I had made oak hardwood V-blocks to set the barrel in, repeatedly too, if needed. And used ratchet compression clamps to make the bend, all the time measuring deflection (before/after) by my 0-2” travel micrometer.

The 2nd & later, I still used the clamps, but on this last one (the Fusil de Chasse I just completed - I just ‘wung it’. Yup, right there at the range, I just pulled it out of the stock, braced and wedged the muzzle end against the cross-beam of the heavy shooting bench and just gave it a good ‘oommphhh’ just enough to feel like I moved metal ....

I had been printing a good 6” left of my point of aim, confirmed at both 25&50Yds, but darn it if I wasn’t lucky - or good, lol - and I brought it right in!

 

[Stantheman86]

I've heard of people doing this for hundreds of years and also with cartridge rifles......just popping the barreled action out and bending it a hair between two trees

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I've heard of people doing this for hundreds of years and also with cartridge rifles......just popping the barreled action out and bending it a hair between two trees

Yes, either Lewis or Clark did so right before their adventure, when one of their sponsors presented them with a new smoothie!

 

[ThumperJones]

I've done it a whole bunch on air rifles. Guys don't like to hear that I "bent" the barrel on their $1000 rifle. So I use the term "adjusting" and all is well

I have a Fusil De Chasse as well and it may need a little of this as well. Thanks for sharing this!

 

[Daryl Crawford]

Perfect adjustment. When I get my smoothbore I realize I may have to do this, but I will only approach it with a little trepidation. Nice job!

 

[Britsmoothy]

Yep, done several myself.
I once stood on a barrel with the barrel straddling turf and ploughed field in desperation. Ended up perfect.

B.

 

[Eterry]

Was in a gun shop Adams a guy came in, said his shotgun wads patterning to the left. The smith took the barrel from the action and walked behind a wall to his bench. The customer couldn't see, but from my chair i watched him fold a towel, place it on the bench, rear back and slam the muzzle on the towel.
Brought it back and put it together, handed it to the guy. Guess he fixed it.

 

[Stophel]

I firmly believe that 200 years ago, this was standard practice for rifle barrels too. Sights were installed, and centered, and punched and never touched again. If the shot needed to go one way or another, they took the barrel out and bent it.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I firmly believe that 200 years ago, this was standard practice for rifle barrels too.

... and I’d say still used today, even for modern non-BP rifles.

 

[Troyfairweather]

My dad got a trapdoor Springfield one time with a bent barrel, he straightened it in the v of a tree. Gun shot very well, I took a deer with it later that year.

 

[Cruzatte]

Well live, and learn! I've read all kinds of stories of Natives bending the barrels of their Northwest guns in forks of trees, or the spokes of a wagon wheel. I just shrugged it off as one of those western tall tales. But I guess it's true enough.

 

[Stantheman86]

S&W factory craftsmen used to sight revolvers in by bending the frames with lead babbits. Those days are long gone.

I've also heard of Colt Single Actions being "sighted in" by putting slight bends in the barrel.

Honestly if the rear sight I had installed on my 1816 Springfield wasn't on for windage I planned on giving the barrel a bend between some trees. Luckily it was on.

 

[SDSmlf]

Ever been to a barrel factory? They bend barrels. Ever wonder why as barrels heat up the point of impact sometimes changes?

My barrel bending method may be frightening to some. I use a rear tire on my F250. Michelins inflated to 90psi. Vary or increase the thickness of the shims at either end of the barrel and drive over the barrel, centering on intended bend point, checking after each pass. Actually pretty easy to control the process, at least in my opinion. First tried on one of those ‘cheap’ single shot break open shotguns that needed about a foot and a half of persuading at 50 yards with slugs. Have since successfully used the same method on about a half dozen barrels. Use this method at your own risk.

 

[Stophel]

I did one years ago. A .54 smoothbore that the owner wanted to primarily shoot patched round balls from (of course). The balls were printing WAY lower than shot patterned (which I am told is common), so, I bent it. I blocked up each end and cranked it down in the middle with a clamp. That barrel was pretty stiff and springy. I had to bend that sucker like a banana before it ever took a set. It was a pretty frightening procedure at first, but now the thought doesn't scare me anymore.

 

[SDSmlf]

That barrel was pretty stiff and springy. I had to bend that sucker like a banana before it ever took a set. It was a pretty frightening procedure at first, but now the thought doesn't scare me anymore.

In the metal forming or stamping industry that is called overbend.

 

[GregLaRoche]

Are people trying to tweak a good barrel or fixing one that has been accidentally bent?

 

[nhmoose]

Sounds like tweaking to me.

In my shop we tweaked many single barrels to shoot on point of aim. We used lead shot bags, one at each end and one to slam the barrel with. On slam test fire, quit slamming and testing when it hit point of aim.

Barrel makers use an overhead mounted barrel bending devise, not all who work there can do this job it takes eyes and talent. They will shoot to aim every shot after as the ones who do this also dead anneal the barrels in a heat treatment oven in inert gasses before total finish and sale.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I can see annealing a modern gun subject to higher pressures but FWIW no smoothie I’ve ever bent/tweaked has gone back to its original position/state.

 

[Britsmoothy]

We were rat shooting at night once on a large farm, my buddies unmentionable small bored shotgun was shooting to low for him....those third linkages on tractors are real handy! Never missed another rat.

 

[Britsmoothy]

https://images.app.goo.gl/SNsuwqpQXU5D6ZYK6

Often referred to barrel straightening machines but it actually is the bore the operator is correcting.