Rifling Bench

[suzkat]

Randy Weitzel built this bench in 1990. He rifled 2 barrels with it and tells me the guns
were very accurate. It has a 1 in 58 twist. Said
it was so much work he put it away and hasn't used it since. Thought you guys might like to see it. Sorry for the bad picture. The legs were
taken off for transport.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Nice photo even with out legs.

 

[TARL01]

Thanks for the picture. I have the pamplet by Wagner and want to build one of these eventually.
Woody

 

[jerrywh]

I did the same thing. I sold mine for $350.00. Too much work. Everybody needs to do it a few times just to see why barrels are cheap at $220.00

 

[Birddog6]

My friend Ken Guy has one, as well as Steve Bookout. Steve sells the plans to make the rifling machines & pistol barrel riflers.

I think Ken told me the last 36 or 40 cal barrel he rifled took around 3000 pulls & pushes on that machine, so it is VERY time consuming. I hope this fall or winter we can set his up & I have a barrel I am going to rifle, just so one of the rifles I build for me has a barrel I hand rifled.

Keith Lisle

 

[Robinnz]

Hi hope I don't cause any heart attacks ...... but I have just completed the 5th generation of rifling benches the first was like the one in the picture all wood , now the last is very different , all steel using a sine bar to generate the twist that I want .. I presently have a 34 inch tube of 4140 bored to .408 which I am going to rifle to Harry Pope's configuration , I am hoping to make a long range Ml to shoot 250 grain or there abouts, flatbase projectiles .... I agree ,a bit of work is involved but it isn't hard , there is a lot to learn you also have to develope a rythem and think how good it will be when you get it all finished , also have the other half keep the honey does for another day :hmm: ... kiwi2

 

[valerio]

very nice machine, I ever wondered how they do to make the spiral grooves over the wood shaft :hmm:

 

[Birddog6]

The grooves in the spiral center are laid out by hand & cut my hand with chisels. Steve Bookout sells the plans & all instructions on how to build the whole system.

Keith Lisle

 

[wulf]

I too made a machine using a sine bar...That
way I could cut any twist I wanted, even gain.
Too much time. I could work at my trade a couple
hours over time and buy a barrel cheaper...You
broke Pope's code??? He did like gain twist...
Wulf

 

[watopeka]

my dream one day would to make my own barrel, just one and that would make that rifle so special

 

[Robinnz]

Hi wulf , I hear you good , but I am now retired and money is a commodity that I have little of anymore , time well , I got plenty of that .. On the other hand where I live in New Zealand there are no muzzle loading suppliers nearly everything has to be imported so making everything from powder horns to rifles is a do , it yourself project , have made hawks rifles and locks ,.. Put 150 hour into making a flint lock and sold it to a friend for $50 , well I did say he was a friend ... Kiwi2