Looking to try some basic gunsmithing

[Road_Clam]

Been buying home shop tools for the past several years creating DIY independence as i near retirement. Im currently a cnc machinist by trade (more on the vertical milling) im good with lathes , but not great) . Looking to try barrel threading and chambering . Confident i can handle the threading ops but not sure if i have adequate equipment to precision chamber. Ive gotten mixed feedback on other forums so i guess all i can do is chuck up a test barrel and try my best. I ordered the highly advised "the complete guide to precision rifle barrel fitting " by John L. Hinnant.

Ive done many upgrades to my lathe with the intent of barrel work. Added a 2hp VFD, DRO scales, and a modded the tailstock to utilize a 2" travel indicator for precision depth work. Heres a pic of my lathe, i know its smallish for true precision but im very limited on space in my basement . I fabbed a spindle spider, and modded my steady rest for ball bearings.

 

[SKWERLZ]

If you can thread you can chamber
I cut my barrels on a hardinge HLV-h
Mostly use a long stem interapid indicator to indicate in and peck .050 and flush with reamer till done.
I’d really like to fab up a pressurized flush system, there’s a great thread here on it.

 

[LVLAaron]

Do you have a 4 jaw for that lathe? Looks like you can fit a 1.25 inch barrel through the headstock no problem.

 

[SKWERLZ]

Do you have a 4 jaw for that lathe? Looks like you can fit a 1.25 inch barrel through the headstock no problem.

If he doesn’t he could fab up a front spider like I use.
Mine is obviously on a taper be he could easily grab it with his 3 jaw.

 

[Road_Clam]

Do you have a 4 jaw for that lathe? Looks like you can fit a 1.25 inch barrel through the headstock no problem.

Yes, i have a 4 jaw, and a 5C chuck. The max i can pass through spindle is 1.04" . But on my to do list is bore the spindle to 1.13" . I have a pretty robust spindle as far as wall thickness.

 

[ridgeway]

No doubt, that machine is capable of doing good barrels. If you can't fit through spindle...looks like you have a steady. Either way...it's quite doable.

 

[Road_Clam]

No doubt, that machine is capable of doing good barrels. If you can't fit through spindle...looks like you have a steady. Either way...it's quite doable.

Thanks, i hold +/- .0001 precision honeing and surface grinding at my job and im pretty confident i'll be able to successfully chamber. The key right now is research , and feeding off the knowledge of the "home shop masters" here on the forums. I have a pending sale here on the forum for a few shot out "donor" barrels to practice on. My initial 1st learning task will be threading and verifying that i'm holding concentricity.

 

[SKWERLZ]

I can only fit 1.15ish in my lathe but I can still do a MTU contour barrel because the fatter shanks is in my my spiders.
I had to create a special profile to do 1.35 shank barrels that’s similar to a Palma contour.

 

[boltfluter]

Chambering is really no big deal. 95% of the job is getting the barrel dialed in correctly and stress free. You should be fine with your abilities as being a machinist puts you way ahead of the curve. Good luck and have fun!
Paul

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Good luck and we’re here to help. Get that spindle bored to 1.210 or so or just use the steady. Look in the advanced gunsmithing forum at the top post by butch lambert. Theres some steady rest chambering in there. Biggest tip for steady chambering is a well free floated reamer pusher

 

[Road_Clam]

Good luck and we’re here to help. Get that spindle bored to 1.210 or so or just use the steady. Look in the advanced gunsmithing forum at the top post by butch lambert. Theres some steady rest chambering in there. Biggest tip for steady chambering is a well free floated reamer pusher

1.21 on my spindle might be pushing the limits of wall thickness but ill look into this suggestion . My spider can accommodate 1.85" (i can open up the spider bore more if need be). The nice feature i learned with my smaller lathe is the fact that from my outboard face of my spider to my inside spindle nose is only 16" so ill have some work-ability with shorter 20" barrels as well. Im also researching the rigid / floating reamer setups . I like the way guys have designed collet fixtures clamped in the toolpost. Ideal means to dial in your centerline dead accurate. I have some ideas to try building on this method.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

1.21 on my spindle might be pushing the limits of wall thickness but ill look into this suggestion . My spider can accommodate 1.85" (i can open up the spider bore more if need be). The nice feature i learned with my smaller lathe is the fact that from my outboard face of my spider to my inside spindle nose is only 16" so ill have some work-ability with shorter 20" barrels as well. Im also researching the rigid / floating reamer setups . I like the way guys have designed collet fixtures clamped in the toolpost. Ideal means to dial in your centerline dead accurate. I have some ideas to try building on this method.

When you chamber on centers you leave the steady a bit loose and the barrel will float and the reamer follows the bore. You dont want to have all that locked down with your reamer on the toolpost. Lots of tips and tricks in that book you have and on that thread i mentioned. If you cant get past 1.200 bore you may as well not even bore it and concentrate on chambering between centers. 1.85 aint going to help you at all

 

[Will Henry]

There is hardly a more basic machining operation. If you have experience as a machinist, you can easily handle this. Don't over-think it. Many thousands of superb chambering jobs have been produced on machinery much more rudimentary than what you have. WH

 

[X Count]

1.21 on my spindle might be pushing the limits of wall thickness but ill look into this suggestion . My spider can accommodate 1.85" (i can open up the spider bore more if need be). The nice feature i learned with my smaller lathe is the fact that from my outboard face of my spider to my inside spindle nose is only 16" so ill have some work-ability with shorter 20" barrels as well. Im also researching the rigid / floating reamer setups . I like the way guys have designed collet fixtures clamped in the toolpost. Ideal means to dial in your centerline dead accurate. I have some ideas to try building on this method.

And remember those gears are going to be keyed onto the spindle so you won't have the full thickness to work with.

 

[DaveTooley]

I much prefer to chamber through the headstock but if I had your lathe I would do everything between centers before I went to the trouble of opening up the spindle bore. If you can get slightly above 1.2"then it would be worth the trouble, MAYBE. I can get just as good results between centers, it just takes a little longer. There are a few tricks I learned. PM me if you want to have a chat.

 

[linebaugh]

Go with a savage/remage nut style barrel if you are having spindle bore limitations. Everyone who has ever chamered a barrel has opinions and likely thinks their method is best. Dont get caught up in too much overthinking. Keep from stressing or binding your barrel. Dial the bore into zero at the neck/throat depth and simultaniously at the breach after you cut a half inch off the breach. Now it is concentric and square. Thread and chamber after its zero'd out and go shoot bugholes.
Contrary to what you might hear or think I would suggest buying a good blank, not a cheap one, even for your first try. You have the background so you will be fine and a good blank will just make that first barrel a sure thing.

You will figure out how to work around the limitations of that machine so dont sweat it. Its not a big machine so go slow and small cuts.

Report back please

 

[DaveTooley]

Thanks, i hold +/- .0001 precision honeing and surface grinding at my job and im pretty confident i'll be able to successfully chamber. The key right now is research , and feeding off the knowledge of the "home shop masters" here on the forums. I have a pending sale here on the forum for a few shot out "donor" barrels to practice on. My initial 1st learning task will be threading and verifying that i'm holding concentricity.

I'm sure I have barrels I can donate to the cause.

 

[jtflyer]

watch the videos from Bob Pastor ( The Viper ) they are GREAT, If you need more help take one of his chambering classes !!

 

[DickE]

True the face of receiver first.