cutting & crowning barrel

[97impreza43]

I have a 700 adl with a 26" varmint barrel in 308, I want to cut down to 20" and do an 11 degree target crown. I understand how to do all of that part using special hand tools, I am just wondering what you guys do for bluing the barrel after cutting. any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Bobby Bailey]

We leave the fresh crown in the white.
Bobby

 

[ridgeway]

You could use Oxpho Blue from Brownells. Would work well for touching up a crown. Used it on a chromoly brake I installed on a Winchester M70. Blended very well.

 

[Larryh128]

Be careful with the hand tools, the only one that I've seen that looked good was the one from Manson. The others look like chatter candidates.

 

[Preacher]

No way would I use bluing on a freshly cut crown!!!!

 

[Hal]

Preacher

Why no bluing on a fresh cut crown ?

Hal

 

[Preacher]

I would be afraid the process would mess with the nicely cut crown edges...
It is a rust process after all......

 

[97impreza43]

what about the end of the barrel after you cut it? I was kind of thinking about duracoat or cerakote on the entire gun.

 

[shortgrass]

what about the end of the barrel after you cut it? I was kind of thinking about duracoat or cerakote on the entire gun.

Either coating you mentioned requires blasting the surface with aluminum oxide. Blasting the crown area will greatly effect that surface,,,,,, probably alot more than bluing ever would. I built many rifles with CM barrels stocked w/nice English walnut while I was in gunsmithing school 20 some years ago. They were either slow rust blued or 'hot' caustic blued and , to this day, shoot tiny 3 shot groups that put most hunting rifles to shame. As long as the bluing is neutralized, after it's done its job, it'll be OK. After all, any bluing is a controlled rust process. JM2C

 

[Straight Shooter Supply]

Bluing is harmless to crowns as is properly applied Cerakote.

 

[Preacher]

Sooooo, if the blueing etches into the new crown a little tiny bit, that will be OK, and not effect accuracy in any way ???

 

[shortgrass]

If the bluing process etches or 'pits' the metal it has spent too much time in the tank or too many applications of solution have been applied when rust bluing. Many other 'high precision' parts/items are black oxide finished, without ill effects, every day.

 

[Preacher]

I spent 30 + years commercial gun blueing, and have a pretty good idea of dwell time in the tanks, and I still wouldn't blue a fresh cut crown....

 

[clowdis]

I spent 30 + years commercial gun blueing, and have a pretty good idea of dwell time in the tanks, and I still wouldn't blue a fresh cut crown....

So, how do you blue a new barrel? Any way to block the crown in the tank?

 

[Preacher]

I haven't done a CM barrel in a long time, but if I did I would cut the crown after blueing, and I don't do blueing any more..
Just looking for the utmost accuracy, and eliminating all this pesky little variables that I can control..

 

[Eddie Harren]

This entire thread is a terrible waste of band width. Surely there must be more interesting subjects to discuss.

 

[shortgrass]

This entire thread is a terrible waste of band width. Surely there must be more interesting subjects to discuss.

Aren't most internet forums, anymore?(a waste of band width)

 

[Larryh128]

I use a round self stick disc over the crown if I'm coating with Cera-Cote. Normally I cut my crowns after hot bluing. I don't mind a shiney end on the barrel & rubbing a bit of CLP on it keeps it that way. I tell the critters to look at the shiney spot & smile for the flash.

 

[97impreza43]

so everyone just cuts it and leaves it bare steel? even on hunting gun.?

 

[butchlambert]

What difference does it make?