Crown barrel

ammo.crafter · November 28, 2023, 09:35 PM

Does anyone know of a competent smith in the east central PA area who can either counter bore or crown a Contender 14-inch barrel?

**Aguila Blanca** · November 28, 2023, 09:39 PM

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw...g+tool&_sop=12

https://www.brownells.com/tools-clea...owning-cutter/

rc · December 1, 2023, 12:50 PM

No I can't recommend a smith, but I know you can buy a crowning tool and pilot from Midwayusa and probably do it yourself if you are careful. The pilot for your caliber should align the cutter and allow you to dress the crown. I had a local smith put an 11 degree target crown on a marlin 22 mag when he shorted the barrel and it turned out nice.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1007273822?pid=684575

tangolima · December 1, 2023, 01:32 PM

I do that myself. Occasionally the barrel has certain hard coating or surface treatment that would defeat the cutter. Also I found the usual brass crown lapping tool suboptimal. It is softer than steel, so after a few uses grooves are worn on it. I make my own tool with ball bearing and glass marble.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

**JohnKSa** · December 1, 2023, 02:30 PM

Interesting this is about a TC. When I bought my TC Encore .223 barrel, years ago, the crown was really rough.

I recrowned it using a large ball bearing and some sandpaper. I placed the sandpaper on the muzzle, then pressed the ball bearing down over the bore, pressing the sandpaper into place and pulled the sandpaper up around the ball so I could get a grip on it. Then I pressed and twisted the ball bearing/sandpaper a few times, turned the bore a quarter turn, pressed/twisted it again, turned the bore a quarter turn, and kept that up until the sandpaper quit cutting from wear. Then I moved the paper slightly to use a new section and started again.

When I could see that the paper had cut all around the crown, I went to a finer grade of sandpaper and went through the process again and kept it up until I was happy with the result. The barrel is stainless and after shooting, the muzzle blast made a perfect star pattern on the muzzle and the three shot test group was under half an inch.

tangolima · December 1, 2023, 02:48 PM

Sandpaper over ball bearing. Sounds like a good idea. I will give it a try next time. I just use JB compound at the moment. Cuts a bit slow and slow is good. I don't turn the tool in circular motion, but rather in a random swiveling motion to even out the wear.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

**JohnKSa** · December 1, 2023, 03:05 PM

Since it's all done by hand, it's important to keep turning the barrel every so often to try to keep things even. If you just turn the ball bearing with the barrel in one position, it's very hard to keep from cutting unevenly.

Also, although I didn't mention it, this will put grit down the bore from the process as the sandpaper wears out. Maybe blow it out first, then run one or two very loosely fitting patches down the bore, then a tightly fitting one to get all the abrasive waste out of there without causing any damage.

tangolima · December 1, 2023, 03:27 PM

Good point about the grits. That's why I prefer JB compound to regular lapping compound. I also plug the bore with patches. When done, I just push everything out of the muzzle.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

**JohnKSa** · December 1, 2023, 10:46 PM

Quote:

I also plug the bore with patches. When done, I just push everything out of the muzzle.

Smart.

November 28, 2023, 09:35 PM	#1
ammo.crafter Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2006 Location: The Keystone State Posts: 1,970	Crown barrel Does anyone know of a competent smith in the east central PA area who can either counter bore or crown a Contender 14-inch barrel? __________________ "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading". --Thomas Jefferson

November 28, 2023, 09:39 PM	#2
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,476	https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw...g+tool&_sop=12 https://www.brownells.com/tools-clea...owning-cutter/ __________________ NRA Life Member / Certified Instructor NRA Chief RSO / CMP RSO 1911 Certified Armorer Jeepaholic

December 1, 2023, 02:30 PM	#5
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,994	Interesting this is about a TC. When I bought my TC Encore .223 barrel, years ago, the crown was really rough. I recrowned it using a large ball bearing and some sandpaper. I placed the sandpaper on the muzzle, then pressed the ball bearing down over the bore, pressing the sandpaper into place and pulled the sandpaper up around the ball so I could get a grip on it. Then I pressed and twisted the ball bearing/sandpaper a few times, turned the bore a quarter turn, pressed/twisted it again, turned the bore a quarter turn, and kept that up until the sandpaper quit cutting from wear. Then I moved the paper slightly to use a new section and started again. When I could see that the paper had cut all around the crown, I went to a finer grade of sandpaper and went through the process again and kept it up until I was happy with the result. The barrel is stainless and after shooting, the muzzle blast made a perfect star pattern on the muzzle and the three shot test group was under half an inch. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

December 1, 2023, 03:05 PM	#7
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,994	Since it's all done by hand, it's important to keep turning the barrel every so often to try to keep things even. If you just turn the ball bearing with the barrel in one position, it's very hard to keep from cutting unevenly. Also, although I didn't mention it, this will put grit down the bore from the process as the sandpaper wears out. Maybe blow it out first, then run one or two very loosely fitting patches down the bore, then a tightly fitting one to get all the abrasive waste out of there without causing any damage. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

December 1, 2023, 12:50 PM	#3
rc Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2001 Location: CA Posts: 1,769	No I can't recommend a smith, but I know you can buy a crowning tool and pilot from Midwayusa and probably do it yourself if you are careful. The pilot for your caliber should align the cutter and allow you to dress the crown. I had a local smith put an 11 degree target crown on a marlin 22 mag when he shorted the barrel and it turned out nice. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1007273822?pid=684575

December 1, 2023, 01:32 PM	#4
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,833	I do that myself. Occasionally the barrel has certain hard coating or surface treatment that would defeat the cutter. Also I found the usual brass crown lapping tool suboptimal. It is softer than steel, so after a few uses grooves are worn on it. I make my own tool with ball bearing and glass marble. -TL Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

December 1, 2023, 02:48 PM	#6
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,833	Sandpaper over ball bearing. Sounds like a good idea. I will give it a try next time. I just use JB compound at the moment. Cuts a bit slow and slow is good. I don't turn the tool in circular motion, but rather in a random swiveling motion to even out the wear. -TL Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

December 1, 2023, 03:27 PM	#8
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,833	Good point about the grits. That's why I prefer JB compound to regular lapping compound. I also plug the bore with patches. When done, I just push everything out of the muzzle. -TL Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk