Tightening a barrel

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Olle

I just got a Navy barrel for a project I'm working on, so I read postino's excellent tutorial to prepare myself for the installation.

People actually read that???

One thing that worries me a bit is that the barrel can't be hand tightened to the 1/8 turn described as "just right" in the tutorial.

You could lap it in...I've used Rubbing Compound, or Polishing Compound (one is coarser than the other) to lap a barrel in that was 'almost' right...Clean dry threads, put the compound on, tighten & loosen a couple times, take it apart, clean it, put a dab of grease on the threads, and see how close it comes then...repeat as needed...

But that's just my way...there's lots of ways...even some right ways...

[Olle]

Originally Posted by postino

People actually read that???

Well, I did look at the pictures.

Originally Posted by postino

Or...You could lap it in...I've used Rubbing Compound, or Polishing Compound (one is coarser than the other) to lap a barrel in that was 'almost' right...Clean dry threads, put the compound on, tighten & loosen a couple times, take it apart, clean it, put a dab of grease on the threads, and see how close it comes then...repeat as needed...

That sounds way easier than turning it! I think I'll try and tighten it a bit with the wrench first, the surface still has some machine marks so they'll probably give me a few degrees as well. Thanks for the tip, I have that nagging feeling that I'll take off too much if I turn it...

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Olle

...the surface still has some machine marks so they'll probably give me a few degrees as well.

Exactly so!

The Rubbing Compound is coarser than the Polishing Compound...And if you really want to remove metal, Valve Grinding Compound takes off a lot of metal in a hurry (use with caution...I wouldn't use it here)...

[Olle]

Originally Posted by postino

Exactly so!

The Rubbing Compound is coarser than the Polishing Compound...And if you really want to remove metal, Valve Grinding Compound takes off a lot of metal in a hurry (use with caution...I wouldn't use it here)...

I have some different grit compounds I use for lapping scope rings, and if the going gets tough there's some valve lapping compound back in a drawer... That, a few beers and a large pipe wrench should do it!