Determining barrel diameter

[layusn1]

I went hunting for cerrosafe so I could measure my barrel. MidwayUsa had it for $10 but they were out. Sinclair International has it for $20 and some guy on ebay has it for $30. Kinda steep for something I only plan on using once but I will pay the price if I have to. I have heard people talking about using a fishing weight. Has anyone done that or know how that is done? I have some Speer LRN bullets which are fairly soft. I was wondering if I could push one of those through the barrel and measure it that way but I don't know how accurate that would be.

[Buckshot]

...............That's about the best way to do it. Be sure the barrel is clean. Run a lightly oiled patch through the barrel, then upset a soft lead slug in the barrel and push it through.

.............Buckshot

[Texasflyboy]

...............That's about the best way to do it. Be sure the barrel is clean. Run a lightly oiled patch through the barrel, then upset a soft lead slug in the barrel and push it through.

.............Buckshot

Push it through.....how? From the receiver end (I assume) or the barrel end (which sounds a little harder).

I've done pistols before, but not rifles. What do you use to push the slug? Brass round stock? Cleaning rod? I'm interested in this too since I have two new rifles I'd like to slug this week.

[jack19512]

I use egg sinkers that I buy from Walmart for this. If you can get some that are just a little bigger than the bore you are doing. Then I use one foot sections of dowel rod to tap the sinker from the barrel end.

[layusn1]

...............That's about the best way to do it. Be sure the barrel is clean. Run a lightly oiled patch through the barrel, then upset a soft lead slug in the barrel and push it through.

.............Buckshot

By "upset" do you mean maybe give it a slight whack or two with a mallet to make it a little wider? Would Imperial Sizing Die Wax help it on its way down the barrel? I would much rather do that then buy fishing weights since those bullets don't work very well in my gun anyway. They lead like nobody's business at the end of the barrel after about 15-20 rounds using a moderate load of HP 38. Might as well get some use out of them.

After some research...you feed it from the barrel end and push it through with a wood dowel so you don't harm your barrel...or at least that is what my limited "research" turned up.

If it is ok to post this link it was very informative...
http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinSlug.htm

[Buckshot]

Push it through.....how? From the receiver end (I assume) or the barrel end (which sounds a little harder).

I've done pistols before, but not rifles. What do you use to push the slug? Brass round stock? Cleaning rod? I'm interested in this too since I have two new rifles I'd like to slug this week.

...............To just slug the barrel on a rifle, best to start at the breech end as the throat and leade act as a funnel.

A brass rod is best. A good hardware store (Lowes/Home Depot may have aluminum rods) has brass rods in 3" lengths. Lowes/Home Depot and most any hardware store will have steel, also in 3' lengths. Buy 2 lengths of 1/4" OD, then wrap a ring of duct tape around one rod at either end and about every 2" down the length to keep it off the bore.

As for the other one, cut a 3" piece off (this length will handle 80% or more of the rifles we'll deal with) and set the remainder aside. It will come in handy for other stuff later on. Wrap a layer of duct tape around either end as you did the long one. The beauty of the fishing sinker is that it is normally of pretty soft lead. You may increase it's OD easily by squeezing with pliers.

For a rifle drop the slug in the chamber with the muzzle on a piece of wood and use the long rod to tap it forward about an inch. Take a penny and file down it's OD so it lays flat on the bolt face. Or use a cartridge with a split neck, a spare, or whatever. Put the short rod in the breech and against the boltface and close the bolt.

Upend the piece and set the long rod down the barrel till it stops against the lead slug. Give the rod a couple smart whacks. Open the bolt or remove the bolt and remove the short rod. With the long rod drive the slug back out and measure it. You will be assured of a good solid precise barrel impression for the area just ahead of the chamber.

For the muzzle end use the short piece to drive in a slug till the short rod is about flush. Remove the rod and place the muzzle on a piece of wood. Put the long rod down the barrel from the breech end and tap the slug forward till it stops against the wood block. Give the rod a couple good whacks, lift the muzzle and tap the slug out. You'll now have one to measure for the muzzle end if you want.

The 2nd rod you bought can be used to make various length pieces for other firearms.

For a throat slug put a cartridge case over an end of your spare rod, and mark the rod at the casemouth. Cut off the rod at that point. "Load" the cartridge case with the rod in place and close the bolt. Drop 2-3 sinkers down the barrel from the muzzle then put in the long rod and hit it until you feel it come up solid. Open the bolt and remove the cartidge case. The throat slug may or may not come out with it. If not then gently tap the rod and it should come out easily. You now have a throat impression.

................Buckshot

[ron brooks]

Buckshot,

Great directions.

[VTDW]

Small suggestion from here:

If you use a sinker get the ones that have the hole thru the middle. That way once the lead compresses while being pushed thru the barrel it does not spring back even a little bit.

Let us know your results please.

Dave

[Texasflyboy]

Thanks...great directions!!!