I have a confession to make. I have more trouble with rimfires than I ever have with centerfires. When I barrel a 308, it's usually just a wham bam thank you sort of a thing. When I work on a .22 though, it seems like the micrometers quit working, the lathe dials lie and steel disappears and re-appears of its own volition. When I add in my tendency to let projects snowball, the old 22 can be a real struggle.
The rifle, in this particular case is a model 52 Winchester, slightly abused, which I bought just because I always wanted one. I figured to fix it up a bit and see if I couldn't set it up for both silhouette and prone shooting. The original stock is a decent, if old school, prone stock but not great for off-hand shooting and I didn't really want to modify it. I decided to build a silhouette stock. I had a piece of myrtlewood up in the ceiling so I used it to make a stock (took a month). The rifle was too heavy so I turned the barrel down. It was then I noticed the chamber was just a little burnt at the throat so I decided to set it back and rechamber. I set it back one inch. Everything worked out fine and the rifle shot well but the headspace was just a little tight and it was still too heavy. I took it apart and took a .025 cut along the barrel and gave it another .002" headspace. When I screwed it back together, I cranked on the wrench and had a look at the witness marks. Crap! it had gone past by a sixteenth inch. I backed it off and turned it back up to register but it just wasn't as tight as I would like. I decided I would have to set it back again. I elected to set back .047" which would be just short of a full turn. Fifty would be a full turn (20tpi). So I cut it back 47 but it ended up at 46. I faced it off and re-chambered. Screwed it back together and, set up tight, it was 1/16 shy of register. Headspace was perfect and I didn't want to try and cut .001". What to do? I smeared some JB compound on the threads and screwed the barrel on and off a couple dozen times then cranked it tight. At about 80 pounds the lines lined right up. Jackleg gunsmithing at it's finest. Maybe not the best way to do it but it's done.
Again, I never have to go through all this with centerfires but, when it comes to 22's I'm just barely competent. I'll get it together and shoot tomorrow. Wish me luck. WH
The rifle, in this particular case is a model 52 Winchester, slightly abused, which I bought just because I always wanted one. I figured to fix it up a bit and see if I couldn't set it up for both silhouette and prone shooting. The original stock is a decent, if old school, prone stock but not great for off-hand shooting and I didn't really want to modify it. I decided to build a silhouette stock. I had a piece of myrtlewood up in the ceiling so I used it to make a stock (took a month). The rifle was too heavy so I turned the barrel down. It was then I noticed the chamber was just a little burnt at the throat so I decided to set it back and rechamber. I set it back one inch. Everything worked out fine and the rifle shot well but the headspace was just a little tight and it was still too heavy. I took it apart and took a .025 cut along the barrel and gave it another .002" headspace. When I screwed it back together, I cranked on the wrench and had a look at the witness marks. Crap! it had gone past by a sixteenth inch. I backed it off and turned it back up to register but it just wasn't as tight as I would like. I decided I would have to set it back again. I elected to set back .047" which would be just short of a full turn. Fifty would be a full turn (20tpi). So I cut it back 47 but it ended up at 46. I faced it off and re-chambered. Screwed it back together and, set up tight, it was 1/16 shy of register. Headspace was perfect and I didn't want to try and cut .001". What to do? I smeared some JB compound on the threads and screwed the barrel on and off a couple dozen times then cranked it tight. At about 80 pounds the lines lined right up. Jackleg gunsmithing at it's finest. Maybe not the best way to do it but it's done.
Again, I never have to go through all this with centerfires but, when it comes to 22's I'm just barely competent. I'll get it together and shoot tomorrow. Wish me luck. WH
