Newbie Here

[parshal]

Hi guys, first post here. I've been shooting most of my life but mostly for hunting (a lot of bird hunting) and I don't have a lot of experiencing target shooting. Last year a friend's brother built me a 6.5 WSM (replaced my 264 WM) and has since built me both a 6mm and 22 Creedmoor. Now I'm kind of hooked. I made bamboo fly rods for a few years with a little Atlas lathe but a few months back decided to go bigger. I picked up a little bench mill and a South Bend 10K. I really wanted a 10L but didn't find a good one and this 10K is in pristine shape with a 48" bed. So far I've made a hog saddle, a tripod mount/clamp for my Leica range finder and a few other tools and indicators for the lathe. I'm learning as I go.

The 22 came on a chassis which I decided I didn't like so I bought a stock and milled it to fit the barrel and bottom metal and bedded it. I also drilled and tapped the receiver to 8-40 for my bases. I was a little nervous cutting on two expensive items but all went well even with a broken tap. I've also been playing around with the air dry Cerakote and am amazed at how well that works.

In any case, I've got a Bartlein 5R M24 barrel to put on the 22 when it's shot out and I'm kicking around the idea of chambering it myself. I've done a little searching on methods with a steady rest and even built myself a little spider bushing for the steady rest to run on around the barrel. I'd love to find someone in the Denver area that's willing to show me a little. When I was making fly rods I showed people the process a number of times and am hoping someone here might be willing to teach someone.

Worst case I guess I'll have to start looking for some shot out barrels and play around with setup and cutting chambers.

Thanks and sorry for the long post!

 

[JerrySharrett]

There is enough info on this site about the different methods of rifle barrel chambering to get you started. Since you have the machinery, the lathe, if you feel comfortable cutting metal, by all mans have at it. So, use the search feature on this site and go through the various methods of chambering. Some of us will violently defend the method we use but that doesn't mean some of the other methods will not get the job done.

Since you apparently don't have a lathe with a spindle bore large enough to do most rifle barrels you are stuck with one of the steadyrest methods. Many winning barrels have been chambered by this method. Main thing, be careful, wear eye protection, go slowly and think of what you are doing and what comes next.

We'll try to help as you go along.


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[parshal]

I'd like to find a 10L in the shape my 10K is in and I'd trade in a heartbeat. The prices have gone through the roof! Setting everything up through the headstock with a spider just makes sense to me. I've only monkeyed around with the steady rest.

I'll do more searching and see what I can figure out.

Does anyone have any shot out barrels they'd be willing to part with? I'd like to practice on one before I cut a new one.

Thanks for the reply!

Brian

 

[jackie schmidt]

As Jerry stated, there is nothing wrong with chambering barrels using a steady rest.

Many gunsmiths/machinist/enthusiast do barrels predicated on the equipment on hand.

The things to remember are following the basic machine shop practices that are in play regardless of the method used. Be aware of what you are trying to accomplish, and be willing to check your work.

Here is a thread that ran a while. But there are COUNTLESS threads discussing this very subject.

http://benchrest.com/showthread.php...ot-method-of-barrel-chambering-(kind-of-long)

 

[parshal]

Thanks Jackie. I've been reading threads all day!

 

[parshal]

I completed the rifle today in .22 Creedmoor and took a test shot to be sure it worked as expected. I've cerakoted the barrel and, as soon as it's dry, I'll be taking out to work up a load and see how it shoots.

Thanks for the links and advice!

 

[parshal]

I couldn't be more pleased from my first chamber. The first three shots at 100 were .371". I didn't bring my comparator to measure the land depth so this set at whatever it was on my old, much shorter throat. It's got promise.