The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - A DIY-barrel-turn-down kit?

Harry Bonar · July 1, 2006, 08:58 PM

Dear Sir:
If you are truing to turn the bbl. to THREAD MAJOR DIAMETER you won't do it with a tool that indexes in the muzzle without ruining the rifling in the muzzle.
I wouldn't put a spud in my rifles muzzle.
Now, if your muzzle is already at major thread dia. then this tool will work to get your die started straight - possibly. I know of no hand held tool that would locate in the muzzle that would have the stability to do this. (to turn metal off of 0.d.)! As Nick says you're wanting a "neck-turning" type tool to reduce the muzzle to Major thread dia. so you can die thread it.
There is only one way to do this. In a lathe - and you'll need to strip it to get it through the headstock in a lathe. You will have to pull the bbl. (hard) and either get it through the headstock with the rear zero'ed - or catch the chamber end in a chuck and use a steady-rest to gain acces to the muzzle. Then you have the problem of concentricity of o.d. to i.d.
You would be better to catch the chamber end in a chuck and use a live center to accurately turn to major thread diameter. Then you must also clean up that crown where the live center has run! Then you still have the alignment problem and threading - all braked must bear on a shoulder! Do not tighten over tight or you'll stretch the I.D. of bbl. near the bullet exit.
As you can see, if that tool would work it would be great but I fear it wouldn't!
Dear Sir:
I would not try to pull this bbl. either on the Siminov or AK. I don't care for muzzle brakes unless put on al the factory of origin for combat use only.
Bullet wipe, alignment, hole size - all these thing mitigate against brakes unless installed in the armory or point of mfg!
Sorry - Harry B.

July 1, 2006, 08:58 PM	#6
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	bbl. turning kit Dear Sir: If you are truing to turn the bbl. to THREAD MAJOR DIAMETER you won't do it with a tool that indexes in the muzzle without ruining the rifling in the muzzle. I wouldn't put a spud in my rifles muzzle. Now, if your muzzle is already at major thread dia. then this tool will work to get your die started straight - possibly. I know of no hand held tool that would locate in the muzzle that would have the stability to do this. (to turn metal off of 0.d.)! As Nick says you're wanting a "neck-turning" type tool to reduce the muzzle to Major thread dia. so you can die thread it. There is only one way to do this. In a lathe - and you'll need to strip it to get it through the headstock in a lathe. You will have to pull the bbl. (hard) and either get it through the headstock with the rear zero'ed - or catch the chamber end in a chuck and use a steady-rest to gain acces to the muzzle. Then you have the problem of concentricity of o.d. to i.d. You would be better to catch the chamber end in a chuck and use a live center to accurately turn to major thread diameter. Then you must also clean up that crown where the live center has run! Then you still have the alignment problem and threading - all braked must bear on a shoulder! Do not tighten over tight or you'll stretch the I.D. of bbl. near the bullet exit. As you can see, if that tool would work it would be great but I fear it wouldn't! Dear Sir: I would not try to pull this bbl. either on the Siminov or AK. I don't care for muzzle brakes unless put on al the factory of origin for combat use only. Bullet wipe, alignment, hole size - all these thing mitigate against brakes unless installed in the armory or point of mfg! Sorry - Harry B.