Muzzle Filing

[Zonie]

Did you do it a little at a time, shooting some shots to see what was happening before you removed more material, or did you just file off a bunch and hope for the best?

If you used the latter approach, you should take the gun out and do some shooting to see what you did.

 

[M. De Land]

I'm sure I would go the comb route first as I don't like either option of bending the barrel or filing the muzzle out of square.
On a double I would take them apart, wedge regulate and re-solder which is what should have been done correctly in the first place.
I could never get used to looking at a bent barrel or hooky-bood muzzle.

 

[Britsmoothy]

The above muzzle has been filed to change the POI. Hardly an eye sore!

B.

 

[410-er]

Used a very fine file and removed about .03 off bottom and tapered up to sides.Took any slight burrs off from inside of bore.If you didn't know it was done you would never see it.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Used a very fine file and removed about .03 off bottom and tapered up to sides.Took any slight burrs off from inside of bore.If you didn't know it was done you would never see it.

:hatsoff:

B.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I'm sure I would go the comb route first as I don't like either option of bending the barrel or filing the muzzle out of square.
On a double I would take them apart, wedge regulate and re-solder which is what should have been done correctly in the first place.
I could never get used to looking at a bent barrel or hooky-bood muzzle.

Just how many doubles have you regulated by the way?

I have filed 5-6 guns with total success. Of which one can hardly tell.
One double gun I had was clearly done by the maker of a long time ago.

For some bizarre reason folks seem to think it has to look like a tea pot spout!

B.

 

[M. De Land]

I would see .030 taper across a smooth bore muzzle in and instant.
Why mess with the muzzle when all one needs is to install a comb lift. It's the same as elevating a rear sight as the cheek purchase is the rear sight on a shot gun or smooth bore that have no physical rear sight.
Never had any need to regulated a double yet but have seen it done , have sweat soldered numerous barrel liners, understand the principle and have not one doubt I could do the job successfully.
As I said I would not file a crown or bend a barrel on any personal gun especially when a better fix is available that would not bug me ever time I looked at it.

 

[Wes/Tex]

For some bizarre reason folks seem to think it has to look like a tea pot spout!

B.

That's how I filed mine! :shocked2: :wink: :rotf:
http://www.voorheescraftsman.com/i...nd Ivory Teapot 14th. Century Pattern-997.jpg

 

[Britsmoothy]

For some bizarre reason folks seem to think it has to look like a tea pot spout!

B.

That's how I filed mine! :shocked2: :wink: :rotf:
http://www.voorheescraftsman.com/i... Teapot 14th. Century Pattern-997.jpg[/quote]
:rotf: :applause:

 

[M. De Land]

Do you file or bend a rifle muzzle cockeyed to make it shoot a ball higher?
Besides that it's probably not the best idea for shot patterning as well.
One wants an even jet of gas escapement around any projectile as it makes it's exit not a retro fire rocket type trajectory adjustment effect.
Makes no sense to me when all you have to do on a single barrel is elevate the comb a bit.
Makes some sense on a double but I wouldn't live with it especially when you have the other barrel right next to it that may not need to be filed.
That would make the the altered tube show up like a sore thumb.
Each to his own and if your happy that's what matters.

 

[smo]

MD how would raising the comb make the shot move left or right?

I can see comb height making a difference in elevation but not side to side movement of the shot pattern. :idunno:

 

[Britsmoothy]

Do you file or bend a rifle muzzle cockeyed to make it shoot a ball higher?
Besides that it's probably not the best idea for shot patterning as well.
One wants an even jet of gas escapement around any projectile as it makes it's exit not a retro fire rocket type trajectory adjustment effect.
Makes no sense to me when all you have to do on a single barrel is elevate the comb a bit.
Makes some sense on a double but I wouldn't live with it especially when you have the other barrel right next to it that may not need to be filed.
That would make the the altered tube show up like a sore thumb.
Each to his own and if your happy that's what matters.

Nope, one adjusts the sights on a rifle to make it shoot higher :hmm:

You keep on thinking about it brother :thumbsup:

B.

 

[Zonie]

I guess MD is far better at matching wood than many people including myself are.

I have seen too many guns which have been modified by someone to add wood to a stock and none of them looked good after it was done.

It's difficult to find wood that matches another piece of wood so well that it doesn't look different after it has been glued in place.

I once owned an original Springfield 1842 Percussion Musket that needed the wood right behind the breech replaced.
I had several pieces of walnut which I oiled to see which matched the stock in the area and used the best match to fix the damaged area.

I ended up having to stain the original wood and the new wood in order to try to get them to look the same but no matter how hard I tried, the new wood was obvious to anyone who looked at the area.

Here's a link to that fix
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...64/post/37564/hl/"plastic+wood"/fromsearch/1/

Anyway, IMO, adding wood to the comb of the stock would end up looking much worse than a muzzle with 1/32" of metal filed off.

 

[M. De Land]

I don't remember saying anything about adding wood to the comb although it is one method of raising it.
I would go the route of a leather add on lift or steaming the stock, if two piece, to elevate and adjust cast, just as is done on high end shot guns or double rifles.
Like I said,each to his own. If one wants to file away barrel steel, have at it but I think there is better, less obtrusive methods. One mans opinion.

 

[M. De Land]

One employs cast on or off and toe pitch to accommodate windage by an add on cheek piece, wood build up or steaming the stock.
The more I think about filing the muzzle the less I like the idea.
We were taught in gun school to bend a barrel( a practice I have never liked as they will walk when heated up) but never to file a crown on shot gun or rifle,any way but square.

 

[M. De Land]

Looking at your pictures Jim,I'd much prefer a stock fix on a gun I was looking to buy than seeing the muzzle filed out of square.
I'd definitely pass on a muzzle filed gun but a stock repair, if well done, would trouble me very little.

 

[smo]

One employs cast on or off and toe pitch to accommodate windage by an add on cheek piece, wood build up or steaming the stock.
The more I think about filing the muzzle the less I like the idea.
We were taught in gun school to bend a barrel( a practice I have never liked as they will walk when heated up) but never to file a crown on shot gun or rifle,any way but square.

Thanks MD, I can see how that would work as well.

I just think it would be hard to get use too a padded stock.

 

[M. De Land]

If you steam a stock there is no wood added or removed. The stock is steamed while in a fixture that slowly re-bends it to the shape needed by steam heat.
There are limits of course but it is quite amazing how much they can move them around and make them retain the shape.
It makes sense if you have ever seen how much a wet gun stock can warp that has not been properly seasoned and sealed.

 

[smo]

I don’t think i could ever get use to a bent stock. :shocked2:

I can see where it could help a shooter.

But with me.... it would be like you are about filing the muzzle.

Just the thought of it..... :shake:

 

[M. De Land]

If you have ever looked at a custom fit rifle or shot gun with cast and pitch added it is quite subtle if done correctly and when you throw it up to your shoulder, open your eyes and have the barrel perfectly aligned you wlll quickly come to love the process.
Steaming a stock to fit you is quite often nearly as good as having a custom stock made for you. All the dimensions of cast, pitch, and toe angle will be adjusted to better fit your physical stature.
Straight stocks are the one size fits all approach and you have to adjust your body to the stock which never will produce as much accuracy as when the stock fits the persons anatomy.