How Much to Shorten a Barrel

[rtracy2001]

I recently purchased a Savage 110 long action in 243 Win for the wife. Well she wants me to shorten the stock by about 1" (no problem).

She also mentioned that it would feel better if the barrel were about 2" shorter. This is a problem for me. While research indicates that cutting 2 inches off the barrel is neither illegal nor difficult, re-crowning the barrel seems a job best suited to specialist equipment.

So long story short, how much SHOULD it cost me to have a smith nip the tip and re-crown the barrel? If it costs more than the tooling necessary to re-crown the barrel, should I use that as leverage to purchase said equipment?

[snake river marksman]

A recrowning tool with a live pilot can be bought at both Brownells and Midway for about $50 or so. Pulling the barrel on a Savage is super easy because of the barrel nut. You really might want to give it a try yourself. If not, recrowning by a smith would likely go about $50.

[rtracy2001]

Pulling the barrel on a Savage is super easy because of the barrel nut.

Is it necessary to pull the barrel to shorten it? I Know it is easy to pull the barrel, but if experience has taught me anything, it is that some things are much much easier to take apart than put together. I would really rather not mess with taking the barrel off and then having to put it all back together, adjust head-space etc. If I were to cut the barrel down myself, I would pack the bore full of thick grease before cutting, then after all machining was done, all I would be faced with is a good cleaning.

My last search showed crowing tools running about $60 for the cutter, $10-$20 for each pilot, and then a bit more for the adapter to use the cutting tool by hand or in a drill press (depending on your preference). Not that I am opposed to trying it myself, but that is a big equipment investment for a one time use project (no future plans for barrel work yet.) Plus in the odd chance that I screw it up, I will have to either buy a barrel, or pay someone anyway.

Anyone had one done recently so I know a good ballpark. (Some smiths here like to inflate prices if you are doing a job that isn't a complete custom rifle with a solid titanium action and platinum plated barrel.)

[Heavy lead]

I've shortened barrels without removing them, I do as much work like this as I can, because the waiting time for gunsmith to do a job takes forever, and in my neck of the woods, many "smiths" are more at home with pipewrenches than with precision tools.

[DLCTEX]

IF you are mechanically inclined, It isn't too hard. If you have access to a power metal saw, so much the better. A metal square and file to square the end of the barrel and a brass round headed screw with some valve grinding compound in a hand drill. If you aren't mechanically inclined, pay a gunsmith to start with, rather than paying him to correct your mess.

[docmand]

Do you know any machinists? I had a barrel on an old 98 mouser shortened, recrowned, and front sight re installed. It was not removed from the action. I don't know how much it might cost as this was done for me as a favor. This may be an option for you. Dave

[Kraschenbirn]

IF you are mechanically inclined, It isn't too hard. If you have access to a power metal saw, so much the better. A metal square and file to square the end of the barrel and a brass round headed screw with some valve grinding compound in a hand drill. If you aren't mechanically inclined, pay a gunsmith to start with, rather than paying him to correct your mess.

+1 on the above. I've shortened several barrels using only hand tools. If you can locate a copy (public library, maybe?), MacFarland's "Introduction to Modern Gunsmithing" has an excellent description of the procedure.

Bill

[rtracy2001]

Does the brass screw trick really work to form the crown, or is it best left to polish a nicked one? I have a couple of .22s that need a crown polish, and was considering trying it (or order the $9 pilot from midway). I was under the impression that to cut a new crown would take a little bit more aggressive approach.

As far as tools, I have the usual assortment of hack saws, grinders, cutoff wheels etc. as well as a neat little mini band saw (handheld type). The grinder and cutoff wheel is out as the heat generated may mess up the temper on quality steel, but the handheld band saw seems promising.

New question I guess. is it as simple as the brass screw and polishing compund?

[Storydude]

Lee case trimmer+ Lee case gauge that fits bore+a means to turn the cutter.

;)

It works mighty well.

[Heavy lead]

Last one I did on a stainless .338 barrel I used a fine hacksaw blade, then a .338 pilot a cutter from Brownells to square it off.

[Mk42gunner]

It isn't hard to do, as long as you pay attention to detail. Look in the gunsmithing forum, there have been a few threads on cutting crowns recently.


Robert

[30hrrtt]

Nice problem to have. I wish my wife wanted a gun to want to shorten the barrel.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I have also shortened numerous barrels without removing them.
All you need is some king of vice to hold it steady.
Mask exactly where you want the cut plus 1/16 so you can finish file. I have never done any SPECIAL crown jobs. I leave the muzzle basicly FLAT. The intereior where the rifling is I sort of hone with a tapered cone shapped stone. This I do by hand with the barrel held straight up verticle. I hold the stone verticle with one finger and turn it with my hand until I have a simple bevel the has removed the rifling to exact bore diameter. All my finished barrels this way shoot at least as good as origonal. Most far better due to old muzzle damage.
I guess I also slightly bevel the outside edge so it is not sharp... just enough to make it a little rounded.
All this is low tech and can be done by anyone with a square to check the finished cut.

[corvette8n]

I shortened a .22 bbl with a made in the USA 40 year old tubing cutter. I wanted to get a straight line I could cut on so I thought I would scribe with the tubing cutter then cut with the hacksaw. Well the cutter made such a deep groove on the first pass I thought I would just keep going, I only needed the hack saw for the last bit.
I then used a combo of stones on hand, and my drill to crown.

[DLCTEX]

I guess the Lee trimmer cutter would work for recessing the crown, I am a little apprehensive about the pilot turning in the bore, though. I'd probably just leave the crown flat. Use a course compound first and then graduate to finer. You may want to replace the brass screw a few times.

[rtracy2001]

Well, looks like the boss has spoken, but all is not lost.

The word from the local smiths is about 1/2 the price of a crowning tool (excluding the brass screw idea). As a result the SWMBO says let the smith do it this time. (Her gun her rules).

I do have permission to pick up the necessary tools, once Midway sends me my birthday discount (July). Once I have the tool, I have at least three 22s to practice on

[gray wolf]

See if you can watch the smith do the job, Then ask yourself "could I have done that?"

[Cactus Farmer]

Shop rates:
$60.00 per man hour
$90.00 if you wait
$120.00 if you watch
$250.00 if you help

Do you do your own dental work?
Auto repair? Surgery? Plumbing?
Gunsmiths earn their money too.

[44man]

IF you are mechanically inclined, It isn't too hard. If you have access to a power metal saw, so much the better. A metal square and file to square the end of the barrel and a brass round headed screw with some valve grinding compound in a hand drill. If you aren't mechanically inclined, pay a gunsmith to start with, rather than paying him to correct your mess.
This works as good as anything. A hacksaw, good file and a square will do it even with a taper on the barrel. Just allow for the taper with the square. You can cut a square from thin brass or aluminum at the correct angle too.
I silver soldered rods to different size ball bearings to lap crowns, about the same as lapping valves. They don't wear as fast as brass but screws are cheap.
This is all I ever done with all the muzzle loaders I built and my Swede will do 1/2" at 100. No need to spend a dime.
Now for shortening a stock, lots to play with. I drilled for pins first then cut with a THIN, fine tooth blade. I used a spacer to allow for blade thickness on the cut off piece and installed a rifle pad on it. I put in pins for alignment. Then I installed a pad on the gun so it fits the wife.
Now when the stock needs to be longer for me I remove the pad from the gun and put the cut off piece back on. The pads you choose can adjust length of pull for each person.

[barrabruce]

Yep go for it.!!!!
I ended up just wrapping masking tape around the muzzle for a line to cut.
File the cut off smooth and take the burr off the edge.
I don't like anything in my bore that may scratch cut or otherwise wreck the rifling.
Iv'e used a small round ball type stone from the hardware store to grind the initial crown with a hand drill with slight even pressure. keep it concentric to the bore.
Being round it should locate itself.
I like to follow that with a brass screw in a piece of wood or tube and spin it like a I would grinding a vavle seat by hand. Twist like making a fire then turn the srew a bit and repeat. Keep the slot of the screw filled with compound.
I poke a bit of cotton ball or what ever in the end of my barrel to keep stuff out or at least up the working end.
You need not take much off.
Check by eyeball to see if it looks even.
I start with vavle grinding paste followed by a metal polish/toothpaste/sodium bicarb.

Clean the bore well by pushing a patch though and letting them drop out.

Iv'e only done a few and even with a lathe it aint that much easier.
Fifteen minute job!!!


If you can see the ends of the lands thought the bore you done well as far as I can tell.

Go out and shoot it!!!


nine times out of ten it will shoot as good if not better than how it came.

Check the crown and if its done right you should get a nice even star pattern of gun soot on the crowns suface.
If not just slightly hone it and test it again to even it up.
Its not hard nor as scientific as they make out..unless you are into the benchrest caper!!!

Well mine does and one of the top national .22lr bechrest shooters told me that!!!
I belive him cos it turned me 1 1/2 inch 50yrd .22rl into a 1/2"er. Nowfor the trigger..and the chambering....and the bolt lock up ..n....n.yeah whatever!!!!
Ohhh Iv'e heard seral people at the range whinge obout the crown job that some smith had done and had to get them to re-fix it!!!
Depends if you like 10 deg straight or rounded I suppose. If you like the lands to end in neat and sharp stop.


Barra
Know nuthin!!!