Muzzle re-crown issues?

[kagia]

So I may have slightly damaged the crown on my new rifle yesterday. I haven't shot it since, so I don't know if it will affect my accuracy, but knowing there's a little ding there definitely bothers me. I'm thinking avout getting it re-crowned regardless.

Seeing as it's a new gun and I paid a lot for it, I'm kind of scared to give it to somebody to cut up.

Are there any potential risks? Has anyone ever had their muzzle re-crowned and it wasn't done properly, or it was somehow screwed up?

 

[Warden70]

Any competent and reputable gunsmith worth their salt should be able to do one of the easiest tasks in gunsmithing. NO risks using reputable sources. I would be confident taking any gun to those in the professional business. Seek them out, lots of reputable "smiths" in BC and AB.

 

[elkhuntr]

And if you feel handy you may be able to DIY.
First shoot it and see the results. If your 0 has shifted then likely you have managed a significant issue.

May also depend on where you damaged the crown. If you have marred the surface where the bore meets the cutting edge of the crown then I have used the brass screw and lapping compound method to great use in bringing a barrel back, even on my LR target rifles. It may help you in the short term before you spend $50 or so to have a crown job done by a gunsmith.

If you managed to ding the outside of the crown/barrel, then shoot it and try. May just be cosmetics and a conversation point.

Search the net for ideas and videos of folks using the brass screw method.
Elky.....

 

[kagia]

Thanks gents.

We have a local guy who seems pretty reputable. I'll likely just take it to him.

It's a tiny ding and it's right on the inside edge of the muzzle. It's in a groove, not on a land, so I'm guessing that may be a good thing.

 

[elkhuntr]

Sorry, that's a bad thing either way unfortunately. However, you may be surprised at the impact on accuracy in real hunting rifle terms. There was a fellow who cut down a barrel using a hacksaw and grinder to prove the point that even that bad of a crown can still shoot. The big thing is a ding could change point of impact many inches or even feet from your starting 0.
So you really do not know until you shoot it.

If it were me, and I had your issue a day before a hunt....out would come the brass screw.

Elky's two cents.

 

[AP]

you really should shoot it before doing anything with it. At least a hundred rounds at a slow rate of fire or over several range visits with careful cleaning. The simplest way to ‘recrown’ a rifle barrel is with a tool that uses a cutter that is kept perpendicular to the bore with a pilot that enters the muzzle and rides on the rifling. This must be done carefully or the rifling can be further effected. Most gunsmiths would recommend for optimum results that barrel be removed from the action in order to use a lathe to cut the crown. Depending on how far down the offending ‘mark’ is there may be a requirement to cut a small amount of the muzzle off. IDK .... in theory it is entirely possible that your rifle might shoot better now without any treatment than it will after a new crown is cut.... you just never know.

 

[kagia]

Lol It just sucks that I don't reload yet and 45-70 is a bit expensive for me to just be plinking away 100 rounds.

 

[AP]

Lol It just sucks that I don't reload yet and 45-70 is a bit expensive for me to just be plinking away 100 rounds.

hmm ... I would like to hear other peoples thoughts but thats a pretty big bore and a heavy slow bullet that may not be as effected as other smaller, faster calibres. Of course I dont know your definition of ‘tiny ding’ but I would still shoot it before condemning it and as it is new - recognize that many new rifles dont shoot their best until after a number of rounds have gone through the barrel.