[ChicagoJoe]

Has anyone here shortened and re-crowned a barrel? Has anyone cold-blued exposed metal on a rifle? I am contemplating shortening my Weatherby Vanguard S2 barrel from 24" to 20" or 21". Ole Larry Potterfield from Midway USA makes it look so easy on his videos, but I am nervous that I will ruin an accurate rifle.

I hunt in Western PA where it is hilly and densely wooded, and almost all shots are under 100 yards. I am either in a stand or helping with a drive, so a more compact rifle would be ideal.

As always, thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Muliemaster]

Has anyone here shortened and re-crowned a barrel? Has anyone cold-blued exposed metal on a rifle? I am contemplating shortening my Weatherby Vanguard S2 barrel from 24" to 20" or 21". Ole Larry Potterfield from Midway USA makes it look so easy on his videos, but I am nervous that I will ruin an accurate rifle.

I hunt in Western PA where it is hilly and densely wooded, and almost all shots are under 100 yards. I am either in a stand or helping with a drive, so a more compact rifle would be ideal.

As always, thanks in advance for your help.

Most will say cold blue dosent work but I beg to differ, its not as grand as a good hot salts blue but if you clean the hell out of the metal it will come out good, just remember 0000 steel wool between every coat untill u get it as dark as u want it. Yan can also cut an recrown it easy. Let a smith do it for $45 bucks an done deal.

 

[Muliemaster]

Has anyone here shortened and re-crowned a barrel? Has anyone cold-blued exposed metal on a rifle? I am contemplating shortening my Weatherby Vanguard S2 barrel from 24" to 20" or 21". Ole Larry Potterfield from Midway USA makes it look so easy on his videos, but I am nervous that I will ruin an accurate rifle.

I hunt in Western PA where it is hilly and densely wooded, and almost all shots are under 100 yards. I am either in a stand or helping with a drive, so a more compact rifle would be ideal.

As always, thanks in advance for your help.

My gunsmith is right next to me at the poker table, I asked him how much he would charge a customer he didnt know an he said $45 to cut an crown. He said its a quick easy fix, so why do it yourself when u can get a smith with exp to cut an crown for what u will spend on a tool order.

 

[Marlinman]

What are you gonna cut the barrel down w? What type of crown are you puttin on it?

 

[Marlinman]

My gunsmith is right next to me at the poker table, I asked him how much he would charge a customer he didnt know an he said $45 to cut an crown. He said its a quick easy fix, so why do it yourself when u can get a smith with exp to cut an crown for what u will spend on a tool order.

That's very correct. When I go to work for you you'll have a certified Smith on the payroll too mike

 

[Muliemaster]

That's very correct. When I go to work for you you'll have a certified Smith on the payroll too mike

True, wait two of you ahhh crap.

 

[Marlinman]

True, wait two of you ahhh crap.

We'll get along I promise.......after I introduce him to the warbirds rubber bullets

 

[Muliemaster]

We'll get along I promise.......after I introduce him to the warbirds rubber bullets

That lil warchicken aint that scarry, my ex hits harded then them damn lizzaronies do. He he get it lizzaronies

 

[Muliemaster]

We'll get along I promise.......after I introduce him to the warbirds rubber bullets

Thats from marcus not Me by the way

 

[Marlinman]

Ya I get it......how would you like to catch a 7mm Hammerhead round then????

 

[Muliemaster]

Ya I get it......how would you like to catch a 7mm Hammerhead round then????

He asked if you were wanting to play baseball or something its shooting not catching. He said he will teach u about guns when u get here.

 

[Marlinman]

He asked if you were wanting to play baseball or something its shooting not catching. He said he will teach u about guns when u get here.

He can try......and its catching if your on the receiving end. I'm always willin to learn.....but Calc taught me pretty damn well.

 

[Muliemaster]

He can try......and its catching if your on the receiving end. I'm always willin to learn.....but Calc taught me pretty damn well.

He said u pass his first test u took a direct slam an didnt blow up he said 60 yrs of smith work is at hand to share with you. Ok im gettin to buzzed to tex this its takem me 4 times so talk later

 

[Marlinman]

He said u pass his first test u took a direct slam an didnt blow up he said 60 yrs of smith work is at hand to share with you. Ok im gettin to buzzed to tex this its takem me 4 times so talk later

Like I said-always willin to learn. Later Big *****

 

[huffmanite]

chicagojoe, Shortening a barrel and doing a crown job is not particularly hard to do, but getting it exactly right might be a challenge without correct tools.

LOL, I basically use a tubing cutter, hacksaw, and lee brass case trimmer.

Tubing cutter I use to score a mark around barrel where I want to cut.

hacksaw I use to cut along line made by tubing cutter. I might take the barrel to a 1" belt sander to smooth out or correct a cut.

Lee Case trimmer tool I use to cut the crown. WHAT?????? you may ask. If you have a collection of various diameter spindles for the case trimmer, you can usually use spindle one caliber lower than your bore. For example, this morning used spindle for a 243Win on my case trimmer in my 25 caliber bore. Mind you it was a loose fit, so to remove looseness and protect the rifleings at same time, I cut a piece of brass shim stock that fit around the spindle. Inserted brass shim in bore and lubed spindle and worked it into bore. Don't have a 1/2" chuck on my drill, so clamped a visegrip on the lee cutter, applied pressure to end of cutter and began turning it. Around 100 turns later, had a decent target type crown on the muzzle. You might be surprised how well a Lee Case Trimmer will cut/shave barrel metal.

visit surplusrifleforum.com and check their gunsmithing section. You'll find a sticky on this technique for crowning a barrel.

But as earlier poster wrote, gunsmith should not charge that much, so you might be wise to let him do it.

 

[Guest]

In 1968, when I was in high school, I sporterized a Mauser military rifle for a project in my metal shop class. Yes, in those days we could bring guns to school and work on them and no one cared and there never was a threat or a problem. In my conservation class, our teacher brought in a whole arsenal of rifles to show what various rifles could be used for hunting various types of game, and no one gave it a second thought.
Anyway, I cut and crowned the old Mauser barrel. I chucked it in a lathe and held a hack saw in one position until the saw cut completely through. I then used a cutting tool clamped into the tool holder and cut a neat crown on the spinning muzzle. If a 16 year old kid could do it, then with a little practice (of which I had before I attempted the crown cutting) most anyone could do it. The problem is in finding a lathe to use. Of course, that is what a professional gunsmith would use to perform the job.
cottontop

 

[scottybaccus]

Dave Manson reamers sells a military barrel recrowning kit that includes the crown cutter and mandrel. You can do it on a fully assembled rifle with an electric screwdriver (not a drill). It takes 10 minutes. I ahve recrowned about 8 barrels now. Cold blue works fine, but you can also polish to a mirror finish and it is just as resistant to corrosion.

Search youtube for the Manson Reamers video. You can get a couple of different angles. I bought an 11* target crown cutter. It's the bomb! Going this way, you can experiment. I cut my mini-14 three times! I've done two Mosin Nagants and two M-14s. It was woth the $113~ I paid (and another $45 for a second caliber).