re-crown barrel

G.T. · 04-19-2018, 01:22 PM

Hi Molly dodger, You can always do it the shade tree gunsmiths way, use the lathe to cut a chamfer or radius on the end of a (short!) steel rod. Then using a small drill, coat the end of the barrel, or tool, with lapping compound and holding the drill and tooling you just made straight off the end of the barrel, slowly and lightly resurface/recut the crown! It only takes a little and you can track your concentricity by the polish marks and depth...
If you decide to go the lathe route, you will need a boring bar to cut the taper for the aluminum barrel sleeves... It would only need an inch plus to hold for that type of job... you could probably modify a tool to bore with in that short of distance...Good luck, til...lat'r....GT

sheepherder · 04-19-2018, 02:04 PM

If you have a barrel vise and a Luger receiver wrench, it can be a quick & easy job. The barrel vise insert can even be used in the lathe chuck. The pic below shows a member doing something with a barrel that has been removed from the receiver. The aluminum insert is a two-piece part, and the chuck is a 3-jaw. I assume the member centered the bore before machining.

G.T. has considerable experience in Luger barrel work of this kind.

G.T. · 04-19-2018, 02:19 PM

Rich has it pictures perfectly!!!!! That is Exactly how you do it, although the "less" lathe you have, the closer to the chuck jaws you want the work to be?...

.... Excellent pic Rich! ...til...lat'r...GT

Rick W. · 04-19-2018, 05:23 PM

Being able to have a lathe with a large spindle is close to heaven, kinda odd statement, but having fussed with lesser machines; the thought sticks.

As you know one cannot chuck up tapered stuff too well, hence the suggestion for a tapered bushing. After all, the taper is in front of you on the actual barrel.

I could see an adjust true 6 jaw chuck being a nice thing(kinda a 6jaw faced with a 4 jaw). A set of deltronic pins or an Interapid test indicatior. Perhaps for those of us so inclined, an English bell chuck; but all in all, one uses what one has.........

The less the barrel extends from the holding mechanism(chuck, bushing) the less deflection the work will have during the light touch with a very sharp tool.

The ball shaped tool coated with valve compound is an old method..........does work if the crown is not messed up too badly.

The crown to me is the minute section that last touches the bullet upon exit. The flare etc is for looks and or protection. So if the dink on the flare does not get to the actual crown, the job can become more easy................sometimes.....

04-19-2018, 01:22 PM	#1
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,541 Thanks: 1,342 Thanked 3,743 Times in 1,020 Posts	I can do it, but so can you! Hi Molly dodger, You can always do it the shade tree gunsmiths way, use the lathe to cut a chamfer or radius on the end of a (short!) steel rod. Then using a small drill, coat the end of the barrel, or tool, with lapping compound and holding the drill and tooling you just made straight off the end of the barrel, slowly and lightly resurface/recut the crown! It only takes a little and you can track your concentricity by the polish marks and depth... If you decide to go the lathe route, you will need a boring bar to cut the taper for the aluminum barrel sleeves... It would only need an inch plus to hold for that type of job... you could probably modify a tool to bore with in that short of distance...Good luck, til...lat'r....GT

04-19-2018, 02:19 PM	#3
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,541 Thanks: 1,342 Thanked 3,743 Times in 1,020 Posts	picture is worth? Rich has it pictures perfectly!!!!! That is Exactly how you do it, although the "less" lathe you have, the closer to the chuck jaws you want the work to be?... .... Excellent pic Rich! ...til...lat'r...GT

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

04-19-2018, 05:23 PM	#4
Rick W. User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 339 Thanks: 81 Thanked 359 Times in 198 Posts	Being able to have a lathe with a large spindle is close to heaven, kinda odd statement, but having fussed with lesser machines; the thought sticks. As you know one cannot chuck up tapered stuff too well, hence the suggestion for a tapered bushing. After all, the taper is in front of you on the actual barrel. I could see an adjust true 6 jaw chuck being a nice thing(kinda a 6jaw faced with a 4 jaw). A set of deltronic pins or an Interapid test indicatior. Perhaps for those of us so inclined, an English bell chuck; but all in all, one uses what one has......... The less the barrel extends from the holding mechanism(chuck, bushing) the less deflection the work will have during the light touch with a very sharp tool. The ball shaped tool coated with valve compound is an old method..........does work if the crown is not messed up too badly. The crown to me is the minute section that last touches the bullet upon exit. The flare etc is for looks and or protection. So if the dink on the flare does not get to the actual crown, the job can become more easy................sometimes.....