- Location
- In lalaland, that is Ottawa.
Crowning a muzzle must be done if a barrel is cut back. It also must be done if any damage has been done to the barrel rifling at the muzzle.
When a bullet exits a barrel, it is critical that the bullet emerge "squarely" from the barrel. The gases escaping must not tilt the bullet. Imagine a rocket taking off and the jets propelling it not being equal - it will go off track. It is the same with a bullet. The heal of the bullet must be perfect for accuracy.
Generally speaking a new rifle does not need crowning after leaving the factory.
Crowning will not make a shot-out barrel perform much better. It will not decrease the accuracy however.
Crowning is a simple operation, a do-it-yourself project that takes very little time. More time is needed to make your abrasive tools.
Tools Needed - A hand drill, a hack saw and perhaps a grinder or file, a few small drillsand the lead balls mounted on the srews.
Material Needed - Some appropriate round lead balls, some fine valve grinding powder and some oil.
The first image below shows the set that I made up last weekend for Louthepou. The balls are .380, .45 and .57 caliber, soft lead. The screws are appropriately sized common wood screws.
If you don't have any balls
yourself, cultivate a few black powder shooters for a few of assorted sizes. There is nothing critical about the diameter of the balls but I have found that a .380 works well for .30 calibers. I am sure that any ball between .35 and .45 will work.
Drill a hole into the sprue mark of a ball or into it deep enough to receive a screw. Insert and set the screw tight, saw off the screw head, cleaning up the end with file or grinder.
Make a slurry of some valve grinding compound and the oil. I used some heavy chain saw oil.
Shove some cleaning patches down the barrell to keep the cutting compound out of the barrell.
The barrell in the image is a .308 (actually a .30-30) and I first used the .57 ball loaded with the cutting compound, chucked into the power drill. I applied it to the muzzle and rotated it or rather swivelled it as the drill worked away. I reapplied the cutting compound several times. After the .57 ball, is used the .45 and finally the .38. The latter was used the longest to ensure a proper job.
When finished, be sure to remove the patchs and clean the barrel well from the chamber towards the muzzle.
Now I can't explain the physics involved but this procedure will ensure that the exit hole of the barrell is perfectly square.
And don't forget to use some cold blue on the bare metal.
In the image below, notice the shiny lip at 6 o'clock, the result of my work.
Lou, this set of balls is for you.
SOF
When a bullet exits a barrel, it is critical that the bullet emerge "squarely" from the barrel. The gases escaping must not tilt the bullet. Imagine a rocket taking off and the jets propelling it not being equal - it will go off track. It is the same with a bullet. The heal of the bullet must be perfect for accuracy.
Generally speaking a new rifle does not need crowning after leaving the factory.
Crowning will not make a shot-out barrel perform much better. It will not decrease the accuracy however.
Crowning is a simple operation, a do-it-yourself project that takes very little time. More time is needed to make your abrasive tools.
Tools Needed - A hand drill, a hack saw and perhaps a grinder or file, a few small drillsand the lead balls mounted on the srews.
Material Needed - Some appropriate round lead balls, some fine valve grinding powder and some oil.
The first image below shows the set that I made up last weekend for Louthepou. The balls are .380, .45 and .57 caliber, soft lead. The screws are appropriately sized common wood screws.
If you don't have any balls
yourself, cultivate a few black powder shooters for a few of assorted sizes. There is nothing critical about the diameter of the balls but I have found that a .380 works well for .30 calibers. I am sure that any ball between .35 and .45 will work.Drill a hole into the sprue mark of a ball or into it deep enough to receive a screw. Insert and set the screw tight, saw off the screw head, cleaning up the end with file or grinder.
Make a slurry of some valve grinding compound and the oil. I used some heavy chain saw oil.
Shove some cleaning patches down the barrell to keep the cutting compound out of the barrell.
The barrell in the image is a .308 (actually a .30-30) and I first used the .57 ball loaded with the cutting compound, chucked into the power drill. I applied it to the muzzle and rotated it or rather swivelled it as the drill worked away. I reapplied the cutting compound several times. After the .57 ball, is used the .45 and finally the .38. The latter was used the longest to ensure a proper job.
When finished, be sure to remove the patchs and clean the barrel well from the chamber towards the muzzle.
Now I can't explain the physics involved but this procedure will ensure that the exit hole of the barrell is perfectly square.
And don't forget to use some cold blue on the bare metal.
In the image below, notice the shiny lip at 6 o'clock, the result of my work.
Lou, this set of balls is for you.
SOF
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