Crowning a barrel

rtaylor1956

rtaylor1956

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My question is, for many years now it has been proven over and over again that crowning the end of the barrel improves accuracy when damage has occurred.

This is one of the most prone parts of any weapon to receive damage so why are the barrels not crowned by the manufacture before leaving the factory.

I am aware Brownells and several other companies sell the crowning kits, and most gunsmiths offer this service, I myself have successfully carried out many such procedures over the last 30 years but all of this can be avoided if done in the factory.
 
Not sure what you mean. All barrels leaving a factory are crowned. Almost invariably, the actual termination of the rifling is recessed somewhat. Are you suggesting that the rifling should end deep enough into the barrel that it would be impossible for it to be damaged by a blow, etc?
 
Recessing the crown

help protects it from the everyday dings and that is about it. They can also look good as well. The main problem with the crowns is the erosion or burning away of the crown from the hot gases escaping the end of the muzzle. That possibly has a more detrimental effect on the barrels performance.

The serious competitors in shortrange Benchrest will quite regularily touch up there crowns. They leave nothing to chance.
 
How do you do?

How do various people that crown barrels at "home" do what they do (do well)? Curioys as to what innovative methods are out there - read somewhere about using a brass round head screw and valve grinding compound - Does that work properly??
 
Brownell's sells a tool that refaces a muzzle and allows the user to place a countersunk crown at a fixed angle on it. They work ok on many barrels... the refacing cutter will chatter on some barrels (notably older Remingtons) perhaps because of the hammer forging..not sure. It is best to get the barrel properly crowned by someone who knows what they are doing...I think it is also important that the crown be square to the bore...not the barrel exterior .. others may not agree.

I have also seen a rifle with a pretty ugly muzzle ... that shouldn't shoot well.. but did!
 
You probably could use a brass screw and valve lapping compound if you knew how to do it properly. I don't.
I remember reading about that in a home gunsmithing book years ago.

The reamers and other tools being sold are designed to recrown the barrel by the average gun owner. The crown is the last part of the gun that the bullet touches as it leaves the gun. It can make a big difference in accuracy.
 
I ordered a

chamfering cutter from Dave Kiff @ Pacific tool and gauge. It took some nerve to do my first one but after that I was not to concerned. I just turn it by hand to touch up the crown.

Guntech gave me the idea when he built my 6BR for me.

The only drawback is that you require different pilots to fit the inside of the barrel. The pilot that came with my 6PPC reamer will not fit in either of my match barrels so I have to order a couple that are progressivly smaller. I was able to touch up my new Rem700 SPS in .243 very well and a older Midland .243. I got some chatter on the Midland but it still shoots very well.

I have also done a few rimfires. The rimfire pilot fit into my Green Mountain barrel but would not fit in my CZ 452. It definately has a tighter bore. No wonder it shoots so well.

From what I have been hearing lately the trend is going towards a flat crown, no recess at all. I would think that would be fine in a competition gun but not one that would be slung thru the woods.
 
Simple methods sometimes work!

oldstarfire said:
How do various people that crown barrels at "home" do what they do (do well)? Curioys as to what innovative methods are out there - read somewhere about using a brass round head screw and valve grinding compound - Does that work properly??
Click to expand...

Well, I used an upside down carriage bolt chucked into my drill with some lapping compound to re-crown a cheap .22 I bought at a gunshow a couple of years back. After grinding it to an angle I liked, I polished it with progressivley finer and finer sandpaper, and then used a little cold blue on it to finish it up nice.

Had a damaged crown and was sending flyers all over the place at first, but after I was done it was a tack driver!

Cost me practically nothing too...

TFC
 
You risk spoiling your accuracy more by trying to counter bore the rifling back behind the crown as the high velocity gases can bypass the bullet seal if the concentricity is out the smallest amount. This is why accuracy gurus worry about shell casing alignment at the other end of the reaction, the occasional need to recrown is the better bet
 
All these power tools who needs them, there is nothing more satisfying than getting out your 12" half roung Nicholson bastard file and giving it to her.
bigbull
 
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