making gun barrels in the lathe

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homebrew .357
Posts: 214
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:32 am

Re: making gun barrels in the lathe

Post by homebrew .357 »

Ok some pics of the setup and how I cut the octagonal on the barrel. :wink:
Attachments
This is the barrel setup in the turning center.
This is the barrel setup in the turning center.
Again the set up.
Again the set up.
The barrel cutter in the tool post.
The barrel cutter in the tool post.
The cutter for shaving the barrel.
The cutter for shaving the barrel.
Top view of cutter.
Top view of cutter.
hammermill
Posts: 2938
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:43 pm
Location: pendleton or

Re: making gun barrels in the lathe

Post by hammermill »

you got your time in running the apron back and forth did you have a issue with the barrel deflecting or did you use a follower roller on the side oposite of the cutter??

that must have taken a while that all i can add is you have earned the barrel.
homebrew .357
Posts: 214
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:32 am

Re: making gun barrels in the lathe

Post by homebrew .357 »

Yer a few problems, one when you cut off the barrel end to reveal the hole, as pre normal it`s off center a bit. my bit was 0.040", :oops: So this end is the muzzel, set up the breach end in fore jaw chuck and turning center in the bore at the muzzel then turned the O/D true, then I had a taperd barrel, witch was ok.
So setting up for cutting the octagonal I had to set over the tailstock so the toolpost side ran true. And yes it was a longish job allso due to the cutter only cutting half of the flat at a time, to hard to cut the hole thing in one go, but as you see I got there . I had all ready made up the breach plug with the octagonal cut on it, so the round barrel was threaded (1.5metric)to fit this and it was fitted in tight and the octagonal was cut to it.
So no following steady and yes the barrel has a slite bulge in the middle, again no problem.
Next thing to do is to proof test the barrel, how?, Mark Wagner says black powder at two or three times the normal load and then load two patched balls onto the powder. So a normal load is say 70grs of FF x2= 140grs of powder and you get the hellout of the way before it goes bang . I have some Curtis and Harveys no6 canister gun powder, ICI think it should do the trick? :twisted: Cheers .357.
hammermill
Posts: 2938
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:43 pm
Location: pendleton or

Re: making gun barrels in the lathe

Post by hammermill »

i am sure you have seen clins posts on other sites we frequent but here is a link to his personal side where he documents builds for customers.look over the one video on regulating and proofing the 2 bore double gun

he discusses a lot of info on how proof loads are figured, and preformed.

along with his system of setting ribs and regulating doubles

may want a cool drink,pottybreak, snacks before watching the video as they run over 1/2 a hour each
and are packed with information

http://stolzergunsmithing.wordpress.com/
homebrew .357
Posts: 214
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:32 am

Re: making gun barrels in the lathe

Post by homebrew .357 »

Yer, well I think his 2 bore would make a good antitank gun, I certainly would not like to be the first one to fire it, a bit big for what I`m lookin at.
Hasen`t anybody breached say a .50 green mountains barrel or any barrel and proofed fired it with blackpowder. My round LEAD balls are 130grs and a cast bullit is 240grs so just trying to see that a proof charge would be with the no6, or is it a do it yourself thing say 90grs with the 240gr bullit, bore .445" and see what happens. :twisted: cheers .357.
GeorgeGaskill

Re: making gun barrels in the lathe

Post by GeorgeGaskill »

Not sure why you need to prove a modern made barrel, especially one for black powder. Unless the barrel is made from an inferior alloy, it should be plenty strong. Today's barrel steel is not the hand forged iron which the proofing laws were designed to test so the need no longer exists.
hammermill
Posts: 2938
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:43 pm
Location: pendleton or

Re: making gun barrels in the lathe

Post by hammermill »

the only reason is i don,t hold too many things that close to my eyes and face.

my greater interest was his comments on how english proof houses figured proof loads, how they did the proofing.

i can also say i learned a whole new approach to soldering ribs and other items.


i am sure the 2 bore would bruise you. regulating in a double would noe be my idea of a fun day at work.
homebrew .357
Posts: 214
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:32 am

Re: making gun barrels in the lathe

Post by homebrew .357 »

Thanks George, I just thought it was a thing you had to do for saftey sake, and yes the barrel is made of aisi 1045 steel but I would like give it a bit of a kick just to make sure all is ok before sighting it in and working up loads, exctra. Into stock making and inletting and barrel browning and all the rest, it`s all go over in NZ, Cheers guys. .357. :wink:
TRX
Posts: 162
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:30 pm
Location: Central Arkansas

Re: making gun barrels in the lathe

Post by TRX »

Homebrew, what sort of reamer did you use for the barrel? Push-through or pull-through? And how did you arrange the oil feed?
homebrew .357
Posts: 214
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:32 am

Re: making gun barrels in the lathe

Post by homebrew .357 »

Hi TRX, if you go back to no2 on my threads and go down to pic`s #184, 186, 182. you will see how I did it. I used an ajustabl reamer fitterd on the end of my gun drill tube,(this is my one that did not work) cutting fuild pumped down and comes out a hole in front of the reamer, and slow feed and speed with small ajustments to the reamer after 3/4 passers up and down the bore. bore size came to .445" after cleaning up some rought spots. Cheers .357 :)
TRX
Posts: 162
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:30 pm
Location: Central Arkansas

Re: making gun barrels in the lathe

Post by TRX »

Did you buy the adjustable reamer? The ones I've seen used conical rings and ramps to let separate blades move in and out; I've never seen one with a hole through it.
homebrew .357
Posts: 214
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:32 am

Re: making gun barrels in the lathe

Post by homebrew .357 »

Hi again TRX, Mine was the same with a square end. I turnd the end round to fit in a 2 1/2" long adapter turened to fit in the barrel and held the reamer in with a pin. The other end of the adapter was center drilled with a small hole, in about 1" and a side outlet hole for the cutting oil to come out in front of the reamer. This end was allso threaded on the O/D to fit in the gun drill. It was pushed and pulled with the lathe slide as you can see in the pic`s, cutting oil tube in the end of the gun drill to flush out the fine shavings, hope you see the idea now,.357 :idea:
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