How long to chamber a barrel ?

H

Hal

New member
Roughly how long does it take to chamber a barrel from start to finish ?

Starting with the barrel laying on the bench, until it's screwed into the action, using a manual lathe.

The action is ready to go. Does it take long enough for coffee break... or two ,a lunch break....2.3.4 hrs. a weekend project.

I'm sure the time varies a lot from the guy that does one or two a year to the guy that does several a week.


Hal
 
Hal,
Most times a couple hours. Some are apain for some reason and take longer. I'm speaking a BR barrel. Some chamberings and receivers take longer. I wouldn't try to do 4 in a day either.
 
It also depends on the method, some methods take a lot longer. Chambering "between centers" (both ends id dialed to centerline) using just the reamer and a coolant flushing system is a whole lot quicker than doing it Gordy Gritters' way.
 
Hal said:
Roughly how long does it take to chamber a barrel from start to finish ?

Starting with the barrel laying on the bench, until it's screwed into the action, using a manual lathe.

The action is ready to go. Does it take long enough for coffee break... or two ,a lunch break....2.3.4 hrs. a weekend project.

I'm sure the time varies a lot from the guy that does one or two a year to the guy that does several a week.


Hal
Click to expand...

About 2.3 minutes to turn, thread, cone, predrill chamber, and rough bore a chamber on the new Mazak Intregrex. I have a stub that was done Friday. This does not include finish reaming or dialing in the barrel.
 
I can do 10 EPVAT pressure test barrels a day with a pressure flush system. The longest part of chambering is the setup. The actual reaming time is about 10 minutes.
 
chambering is only part of the barrel work.. doing the crown and polishing the barrel takes just as much time as chambering.

2-4 hours for a match grade barrel, 1-2 hours for a hunting barrel.

that is ofcourse high quality job not a Walmart rush order ;)
 
I would like to think they are all high quality jobs. Some mfgs. have the od finished better than others. It doesn't hurt or help the shooting.
 
How much time does a pressure flush oil system or drilling and boring the chamber save over your old method?


Hal
 
I dont know myself bu i have been told a muzzle flush will cut the reamer time down 4 folds. I need one for sure!! Lee
 
Chambering time..

I built my flush system in 2005. Prior to that I did my chambers lube, ream, and clean, lube, ream, and clean. I was doing gunsmithing part time and had a full time job. For the last 8 years I have chambered between 200 and 300 barrels per year.

1. Now, I clean, inspect, slug, every barrel before I chamber it.

2. Dialing in takes 20 minutes

3. Hooking up flush system and return takes 10 minutes

4. doing cunter bore takes 10 minutes

5. Reaming chamber takes 20 minutes, I stop .030" short and creep up on the headspace

6. Chamfering and polishing chamber takes 10 minutes

7. I remove the barrel from the lathe and cut the muzzle back in a band saw 10 minutes

8. Reverse the barrel and re dial in. 10 minutes

9. cut the crown

10. Polish the barrel down to 800 grit 20 minutes

11. Glass bead finish the barrel 30 minutes

12. Wash the barrel in hot water 10 minutes

13. Engrave the barrel 20 minutes.

14. Test fire barrel 20 minutes

As you can see the customer gets their monies worth at $225.00 to chamber and headspace, and crown, engrave, test fire their gun.

Nat Lambeth
 
Depending on caliber. Average day 10-15 chambers, good long day 15+ but then I have a Haas TL-1. Next day swap ends and start turning, threading and crown the muzzles.

Dave
 
Rustystud said:
I built my flush system in 2005. Prior to that I did my chambers lube, ream, and clean, lube, ream, and clean. I was doing gunsmithing part time and had a full time job. For the last 8 years I have chambered between 200 and 300 barrels per year.

1. Now, I clean, inspect, slug, every barrel before I chamber it.

2. Dialing in takes 20 minutes

3. Hooking up flush system and return takes 10 minutes

4. doing cunter bore takes 10 minutes

5. Reaming chamber takes 20 minutes, I stop .030" short and creep up on the headspace

6. Chamfering and polishing chamber takes 10 minutes

7. I remove the barrel from the lathe and cut the muzzle back in a band saw 10 minutes

8. Reverse the barrel and re dial in. 10 minutes

9. cut the crown

10. Polish the barrel down to 800 grit 20 minutes

11. Glass bead finish the barrel 30 minutes

12. Wash the barrel in hot water 10 minutes

13. Engrave the barrel 20 minutes.

14. Test fire barrel 20 minutes

As you can see the customer gets their monies worth at $225.00 to chamber and headspace, and crown, engrave, test fire their gun.

Nat Lambeth
Click to expand...

Nat,

I'm impressed with your time on step #4!

It takes me about 30 seconds...

Justin
 
Dave Tooley said:
Depending on caliber. Average day 10-15 chambers, good long day 15+ but then I have a Haas TL-1. Next day swap ends and start turning, threading and crown the muzzles.

Dave
Click to expand...
Hey Toot me and our buddy Jeff just blew the 100 yard standings!!!
 
Last edited:
Have only done 3 barrels...once of them twice..
took a long time.

Depth of Cut........ taking too little I think. twenty thou. takes long time. No barrel metal scrap to practice on.

how much of DOC are you guys taking on the first passes when taking the 1.2 Dia. down to the Major thread OD ?

I chuckle when I read the speed charts. lets see based on what was that, .120 DOC ? hmmmm.

Just running a 1.5hp Enco
 
timbertoes said:
Have only done 3 barrels...once of them twice..
took a long time.

Depth of Cut........ taking too little I think. twenty thou. takes long time. No barrel metal scrap to practice on.

how much of DOC are you guys taking on the first passes when taking the 1.2 Dia. down to the Major thread OD ?

I chuckle when I read the speed charts. lets see based on what was that, .120 DOC ? hmmmm.

Just running a 1.5hp Enco
Click to expand...

Use your brain, your calculator, your micrometers and your cross-feed dial.

For example, if you have a blank tenon that measures 1.210 and you are to finish at 1.06, your first DOC can be 0.100 with a 5hp machine like you have. That should take you to 1.110 diameter. Know whether your cross-feed dial is direct or diameter (i.e. some dials measure what you take off the diameter, some measure how much the tool moves meaning 0.050 would take 0.100 off the diameter.

Check where the first cut took you to. OK, so you are now at 1.110 and that leaves 0.070 to remove. So, take the next cut of 0.050, that should leave 0.010 to remove and that lighter cut should compensate for any springing off or deflection of the workpiece. Now, measure to make sure at what diameter you have. Then finally take the finish cut.

There, you have turned the tenon in just 3 cuts. Its all a matter of planning ahead.

Hope this helps and I hope my math is correct, I
, just getting ready to go on line and the temp os 31F here at Kelblys.
 
If I am set up with brass tipped spider bolts I don't take much off each pass. I worry I might move my set up with to much pressure. Lee
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top