Turning down a barrel

S

skeetlee

Active member
I am interested in knowing if taking a 1.350 straight diameter barrel and turning it down to a 1.250 straight diameter barrel, if the turning process will cause any issues? I know how to set the barrel up and everything but i haven't ever cut anything like this, or this long. Can i do this successfully on my little machine or will i most likely run into trouble? Bartelin will do it for me for 50 bucks, but i think i can do it myself?? Any thoughts? Remember no taper just straight turning. Lee
 
No experience? Little Machine? Be a sport....spend $50 for experts to do the job and you'll be happy.
 
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Yes its a cut barrel. Bartlein. I thought i might just keep it a 1.350 but i will have to mill out the stock channel if i keep it this big. If i take it down to 1.250 then there will be no issue, and the rifle will still weigh plenty heavy, and it wont beat up my daughter while she is shooting it. I dont want any recoil in this rifle to distract her from shooting. Chances are she wont enjoy shooting much anyway, but i want to make every effort in the contrary.
So you think the bore size will increase? what would cause this? Thanks Lee
 
I can't imagine the bore increasing in size for that amount of reduction. I say go for it. Taper it even, for a real treat.
 
I'd turn down 1/2 of it at a time. Chuck up on the midpoint of the barrel, indicate in on the outside of the barrel at the chuck and run the other end in the center. Then flip it around and turn the other end. Most times when you turn down a barrel if you have it between centers chatter is the problem. Turning it down half at a time will minimize chatter. On my lathe, I use a fast feed which seems to give a better finish than taking a slow feed. I've turned down barrels for AR's doing it this way with no accuracy problems. My lathe is a pretty heavy 13" lathe at about 2500 pounds. So, you might not be able to take as fast a feed as my lathe will take.
 
Mike Bryant said:
I'd turn down 1/2 of it at a time. Chuck up on the midpoint of the barrel, indicate in on the outside of the barrel at the chuck and run the other end in the center. Then flip it around and turn the other end. Most times when you turn down a barrel if you have it between centers chatter is the problem. Turning it down half at a time will minimize chatter. On my lathe, I use a fast feed which seems to give a better finish than taking a slow feed. I've turned down barrels for AR's doing it this way with no accuracy problems. My lathe is a pretty heavy 13" lathe at about 2500 pounds. So, you might not be able to take as fast a feed as my lathe will take.
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Just use a follow rest and chatter should not be a problem...........Don
 
Mike has the right idea. I would also suggest putting 4 small pieces of copper wire or something similar between each jaw and the barrel an then dialing in. This will eliminate any stress between chuck and center. This is probably more important on a smaller lathe as you can muscle your way thru it on a bigger machine. Also as your barrel warms up don't be afraid to readjust your tailstock. Don't worry about changing bore dimensions as this is a none issue.
 
Go for it Skeet!! Just use sharp, positive rake tooling what will slice the metal off not plow it off like most commercial insert tooling. Besides, at best setup, you will get some chatter and carbide tooling wipes out quickly in interrupted cuts or chattery conditions.
 
Can I just use my 3 jaw and leave the jaws a bit loose until I have a good center on the tailstock? Also should I use the follow rest even if I do haves at a time? Lee
 
Liseo said:
What about taper barrels?
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Two choices-

1) chuck up like Mike Bryant suggests and use your taper attachment if you have one.
2) If no taper attachment then you have no choice but to run the barrel between centers and offset the tailstock.

Skeet- you gonna' what?? If you have a follower rest use it anytime you have a long unsupported shaft (barrel)/
 
skeetlee said:
Can I just use my 3 jaw and leave the jaws a bit loose until I have a good center on the tailstock? Also should I use the follow rest even if I do haves at a time? Lee
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I wasnt thinking. With the bore not being true with the outside of the barrel i can see were or how there could be some binding. I think i will use the 4 jaw chuck . with some copper wire. Actually i have some shim stock alluminum like Gordy used in his video. Thanks Men!! Lee
 
So why not turn down that portion of the barrel to fit it into the stock and leave the rest of the barrel alone?
 
Since your barrel is not tapered, just turn it between centers and forget about "dialing it in." If you need to insert a piece of scrap into your three-jaw and turn a center, that will work, too.

Clemson
 
I tapered a barrel to match a #5 Palma which is a compound, radiused taper without offsetting the tailstock nor using a taper attachment......... you just gotta' think outside the established box.

I had a customer change from a fancy Leupold scope to a fancier first-focal-plane jobby which had a fat objective. The fat objective hit the varmint taper barrel. (Which was too fat anyway) Since the gun was already muzzle-heavy I "shrank" the entire barrel and changed it to a radiused taper, manually on my useless piece-a-junk Frizzly lathe :)

Took me about 8hrs......

and I DID dial it to better center than it came with too

al
 
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