Which barrel makers use a Sunen hone machine on their barrels?

[AckleymanII]

I know that Brux, Krieger, Hart, Shilen do, but others?

 

[Janeau]

Why is that matter ? I don’t think there is many manufacturer of barrel making equipment..availability probably dictates choice more than anything else..
It seem they last a very long time..some manufacturer still use barrel making equipment dating back to WW2..
For me - as a barrel consumer end product - quality and accuracy is the only factor that matter..what they use for equipment ..to give me that..I couldn't care less.

 

[AckleymanII]

I care about bore uniformity from breach to muzzle, that is why it matters.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Manufacturers like Krieger and Bartliens guarantee no more than .0001 variation in the bore and the muzzle end will never be larger than the chambered end.

How they arrive at that I cannot be sure . Reaming then honing the bore is certainly a good option, followed by lapping the finished product.

All of the barrels you listed are certainly premium, and the cost for a blank reflects their due diligence.

 

[D-4297]

As a former Aerospace Die-maker ; if one has to ask why a Sunnen Hone is relevant to Barrel making accuracy , then one should do a bit of research into "WHY" they are a necessity , and "WHY the top makers use them .

 

[D-4297]

Manufacturers like Krieger and Bartliens guarantee no more than .0001 variation in the bore and the muzzle end will never be larger than the chambered end.

How they arrive at that I cannot be sure . Reaming then honing the bore is certainly a good option, followed by lapping the finished product.

All of the barrels you listed are certainly premium, and the cost for a blank reflects their due diligence.

Guessing they are "checked" with a air-guage , Jackie . It will 'read the diameter as it's being run through the tube .

 

[DaveTooley]

Bartlein pioneered the development of the equipment with Sunnen. I remember seeing the prototype machine in their shop.

 

[tobnpr]

Guessing they are "checked" with a air-guage , Jackie . It will 'read the diameter as it's being run through the tube .

Yup.
There's two standards being measured. For Shilen Select Match, groove must be within .0003 of standard, and uniformity must be within .0001 then entire length of the barrel.

 

[rjtfroggy]

ABC does run a Sunnen and he hand laps all of his barrels, but it has been aloooong time since his barrels have hit the market, like since before covid and then he moved to a new state and the building needed a lot of work. So here we stand with our hand in back pocket holding on and waiting.
Some of us are loyal customers and do with what we have but need new barrels, like now. I have 1 that may not make another season but wait I do.

 

[gme]

Benchmark

 

[gme]

did not know Brux had one?

 

[AckleymanII]

Brux are dead nuts from front to back.

 

[ELR LVR]

I care about bore uniformity from breach to muzzle, that is why it matters.

this is why I lead slug and lap my barrels
even the highest quality ones
I have often found a tight spot somewhere
---
if not, then stop and call it good
---
Lead slug lapping is a good check for full length uniformity

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

ABC does run a Sunnen and he hand laps all of his barrels, but it has been aloooong time since his barrels have hit the market, like since before covid and then he moved to a new state and the building needed a lot of work. So here we stand with our hand in back pocket holding on and waiting.
Some of us are loyal customers and do with what we have but need new barrels, like now. I have 1 that may not make another season but wait I do.

I absolutely LOVE their bbls but if you need a bbl and you can't get what ya love, ya gotta do something else sometimes. I do know that Anthony is getting there but is NOT back to full production yet and hasn't been for a long time. So, I feel ya but I also feel that since he's not fully operational, it may take longer now than it will when he's at full speed. Aside from all of that, ABC has made some of the best bbls we've ever seen in the world of BR. That's either worth the wait to you, or it's not and I would completely understand either way.

 

[gme]

I spoke with Kevin Liebetrau, the pro does the lapping work at Brux, confirmed they do not have a barrel hone

 

[PatMiles]

Why is that matter ? I don’t think there is many manufacturer of barrel making equipment..availability probably dictates choice more than anything else..
It seem they last a very long time..some manufacturer still use barrel making equipment dating back to WW2..
For me - as a barrel consumer end product - quality and accuracy is the only factor that matter..what they use for equipment ..to give me that..I couldn't care less.

Maybe, just maybe because he wants to know?

 

[AckleymanII]

I use a long Grizzly rod that takes Reamer pilot bushings. My large crude set is only in .0002 increments, but you can feel the uniformity, loose spots, sections in the middle that just open up, then tighten back up, and you can measure if the bore opens up as it goes to the muzzle. I catch more of what seems like very loose spots in the bore than I do tight spots using this method. No doubt that the lead lap gives the ultimate feel.

For me, a bore that opens up in the middle of the barrel and then tightens back up toward the muzzle is a barrel to be culled, and I have seen this is some top-name barrels. A barrel that opens gradually from the breech to the muzzle, I call a Trombone barrel, which are tomato stake. Tight and loose spots throughout the length of the barrel are found in older factory barrels.

After they pass this uniformity test, then comes careful examination with a bore scope. Jez, some of the top-name cut rifle barrels are unbelievably rough, guaranteeing you to work your azz off with copper solvents, plastic, and bronze bristle brushes.

 

[hoz53]

I use a long Grizzly rod that takes Reamer pilot bushings. My large crude set is only in .0002 increments, but you can feel the uniformity, loose spots, sections in the middle that just open up, then tighten back up, and you can measure if the bore opens up as it goes to the muzzle. I catch more of what seems like very loose spots in the bore than I do tight spots using this method. No doubt that the lead lap gives the ultimate feel.

For me, a bore that opens up in the middle of the barrel and then tightens back up toward the muzzle is a barrel to be culled, and I have seen this is some top-name barrels. A barrel that opens gradually from the breech to the muzzle, I call a Trombone barrel, which are tomato stake. Tight and loose spots throughout the length of the barrel are found in older factory barrels.

After they pass this uniformity test, then comes careful examination with a bore scope. Jez, some of the top-name cut rifle barrels are unbelievably rough, guaranteeing you to work your azz off with copper solvents, plastic, and bronze bristle brushes.

what percentage make the grade Ackleyman?

 

[hoz53]

I absolutely LOVE their bbls but if you need a bbl and you can't get what ya love, ya gotta do something else sometimes. I do know that Anthony is getting there but is NOT back to full production yet and hasn't been for a long time. So, I feel ya but I also feel that since he's not fully operational, it may take longer now than it will when he's at full speed. Aside from all of that, ABC has made some of the best bbls we've ever seen in the world of BR. That's either worth the wait to you, or it's not and I would completely understand either way.

life goes on but whatever happens I think Anthony will always have a backlog.

 

[jimmymac]

I wouldn’t be waiting around for an ABC barrel. My shooting partner got a gift certificate at the UBR Nationals several years ago and that order is still unfulfilled.