Relineing a rolling block questions

[Wolfer]

Sometime back I acquired from Simpson’s mod 67 rolling block in 12.7 x44. The bore is pretty rough and the stock is worse and I got it for the proverbial song. I intend to make a 40-65 out of it.
Options
BRC has barrel blanks. Ive never cut square threads but I’m sure I can. Contouring is not an issue.

Track of the wolf has liners for about the same money. Their 5/8” OD so it wouldn’t take a lot of drilling since the bore is .515

I’m leaning toward lining but brownells didn’t carry a piloted bit that big.
Will I have to make my own?
Opinions and suggestions please.
Thanks
Woody

[RustyReel]

Interesting thread that I am going to watch. Can't help other than I looked at the Track Of the Wolf page and they seem to have a minimum order of 8 pieces for their liners....should make the decision easier.

[Wolfer]

Minimum order of 8” is the way I read it.

[RustyReel]

Minimum order of 8” is the way I read it.

That makes a lot more sense!!

[Bent Ramrod]

You might contact TJ’s Liners and order direct. Last I checked they were $4 an inch or something.

You would probably have to buy a drill of the proper size and grind a pilot on it with a tool-post grinder, but it sticks in my mind that Pacific Tool and Gauge might offer liner drills made larger than .22 caliber.

[Wolfer]

As I continue to read through past articles I’m beginning to lean more toward rebarreling. My old lathe will not accept the barrel throu the headstock. I would have to hand drill I believe.
I need to pull the barrel to see what is required as to threads, extractor groove etc.

[Gewehr-Guy]

Just curious, how does the old barrel shoot ?

[country gent]

If your lathe dosnt accept the barrel thru the head stock then the set up becomes trickier and you need a bed long enough to work the barrel over it with a steady rest. Most barrels come a little long so the barrel can be set up and the muzzle indicated in and the o.d. turned true to it if needed. This allows you to chuck in a 4 jaw and indicate in to the bore at the head stock then indicate in at the steady rest and machine the tub and chamber. In reality if you wanted to sleeve it a piloted drill made about 6" long and the back drilled and tapped. Drill carefully to this depth then a stepped bushing OD drill size and ID drill shank size used to support the back of the drill bit. This way you are supported on both ends and the drill motor is just turning the bit. I would stand the barrel up in a vise and square it close just so it can be eyed to make sure. In this way the pilot follows the existing hole and the bushing supports the drill from the new hole.
A cup on the back of the step bushing 1" deep and 1" in dia tapered to hole size Will allow a supply of cutting oil to be applied and lubricate the bushing and flow down to the cutting portion then lubricate the pilot. A very shallow "thread" ( .010 or so) in the working ID will allow oil flow and good lubrication thru the bushing. A can under the barrel will catch oil and any chips. Run slow and break chips often a second person to supply oil is helpful. This can be done by hand with a little care and thought.

The above bushing can be made from brass or steel. The working portion should be 1 - 1 1/2" long with a cup on the back 1" X 1" - 1 1/2" long tapered to hole size. The end should be a very light press in to the bore cut by the drill. Since this is your guide it needs to be exact in size and fit. Turn end and cup drill under .100 and bore to size with a boring bar to ensure bore is straight true and to proper size. the oil groove cut .010 deep on a side with a thread cutting boring bar. The cupped back end acts as a funnel making adding oil easier to do and giving a supply to work with.Give the Id of the bushing .0005 - .001 clearance on the drive shank of the drill.

[John Taylor]

Pacific tool and gauge sells piloted drill with interchangeable pilots. You will need to add an extension, drills are thread for the extension. I usually drill undersize and then use a reamer to get a close fit. T.J.'s liners 859-635-5560

[Wolfer]

Just curious, how does the old barrel shoot ?

Surprisingly well. It slugs .515 and I shoot the lee boolit as cast. With my old eyes and poor sights it’s hard to say for sure but seems to put a boolit where I’m looking. I would no hesitate to go deer hunting with it. It’s just that I have another in 50 cal and one in 8mm.
Both of those have been blooded this year.
Ive never owned or shot a 40-65 but I think it’s a classic caliber for a classic gun. I have some wild cherry blanks curing now but may go with walnut.
I plan to do all the work myself except case coloring the receiver.

[Gewehr-Guy]

If you do end up installing a new barrel, someone here might buy the old barrel and stub it into an old single row shotgun, and make a poor man's buffalo gun. would make for an interesting thread. I've thought of doing that, but have about three lifetimes worth of projects already:razz:

[Wolfer]

Well, I pulled the barrel off today and to my surprise it did fit through the headstock of my lathe. Ran a 1/2” chucking reamer through it which almost cleaned out the rifling.
I have a 9/16, 19/32 and a 21/64 reamers on the way.
The old barrel is 31-1/2” long but I think I’ll cut it back to 26”

[woodbutcher]

[smilie=s: This looks like it will be interesting.I`ll saddle up and go along for the ride.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[bob208]

cutting squire threads is no big deal if you get your cutter ground right use plenty of oil ang go slow.

I have also made drills out of the right size core drill and grind a pilot on the end.

[Wolfer]

Well my reamers say they will be here tomorrow. Finally ordered the liner from track of the wolf last night. I couldn’t get TJ’s to answer or return my calls.

[Drm50]

I've only done 22s. I have a Rem Rolling Block that was a 25rf. The bore was gone and I was given a new 513
Rem barrel by our gunsmith. He said if I put the barrel on he would do extractor and chamber. At school we had
limited tooling for the old military surplus lathes. What I ened up doing was stubbing of the original barrel which was octagon and breaking the corners. Chucked it up and drilled it out to accept the shank of 513 barrel we turned down and threaded on the lathe. The shop teacher was a gun nut and helped me do this. Took back to
our Smith and he did the extractors & chamber. He also fitted my stub job so barrel came up top dead center and cut dovetails for sights and D&Ted for forearm. My old South Bend is one from the School but it's getting to
worn to do any good work. The last Favorite I lined was done with hand drill.

[Wolfer]

Got the liner in and chamber cut. But I have a question. With the accurate 41-273F sized .410 and crimped in the crimp groove I have to thumb press the breech block closed. Extracted the rifling comes almost to the brass. Virtually no leade.
Is this normal?
35 gr of varget has been my best load so far. I get a few unburned kernels but fairly small deviation. Velocity hovering at 1400 fps.

I don’t know how good it will shoot. 100 yd groups tend to hover around 3” some smaller, some larger. However I’ve recently had to start shooting left handed because of degeneration in my right eye. My left eye has a bit of double vision. The front bead is a little blurry but the second bead right behind it is even more blurry.
The next time my hunting buddy is out I’ll have him run a few through it and see how it does.
I will not have a problem killing a deer with this rifle since where I hunt 50 yds is a long way.

These guns are a hoot to shoot!

[John Taylor]

Most of the 40-65 reamers do not have a throat which is the way the original chamber was designed. You could run a throating reamer in which would take care of the loading issues.

[KCSO]

Yes mine is the same but I use a Mountain Mould 320 grain bullet with a smaller front band andcan seat it out enough to get a full 60 grains of FFg Schutzen with moderate compression.