A WOW on chambering a barrel

A

ArtinNC

New member
Yesterday I watched a video on chamber a barrel a popular gunsmith chamber a barrel and he only indecated off the out side of the barrel and NOT the bore . Now that scares me about having someone chanbering a barrel for me . It needs to be indecated off the bore on both the chamber and the crown to make sure it is square with the bore .YOU AGREE ???? I give my lathe and mill to my son and he lives 500 miles from me .
 
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DO SOME RESEARCH on this forum. look for jackie schmidt chambering.
the point the throat starts needs to be dialed in so the bullet starts into the lands straight, and yes it would help if the muzzle was dialed in
 
When I had my lathe I dialed in the Chamber throught the bore and I'm slow it took me a day and half ( I'm no machinist ) but when I was done chambering a .0005 indicator showed no movement . And did the same on the crown . The guns shot very good if I was not shooting in a match . So now that video that I saw of a well known gunsmith only checking the out side ID of the barrel not the bore , If I let someone chamber my berral I want it done right .
 
I never used s steady rest , but why can't the bore run true even if not true to the OD . The bore can be trued the same as truing up in a chuck . I'd say it would be hard to find a bore that is really true to the OD .
 
ArtinNC said:
I never used s steady rest , but why can't the bore run true even if not true to the OD . The bore can be trued the same as truing up in a chuck . I'd say it would be hard to find a bore that is really true to the OD .
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Art, if you are using a steady the bore can't be made true to the OD unless it is machined true to the bore first. sdean mentioned how you could get "close" by turning it between centers first. Of course the means you are relying on a great center cutting tool with bushings and hopefully a tailstock that is dead nuts.
 
I never used a steady rest , But if I did , what makes the difference if the bore is true or not to the OD ??
I think dialing in the throat area and the muzzle using a chuck and spider , then pre-boring, is one of the better ways . (( Not better )) , BUT the best way..
I have never heard of a gunsmith turning the whole OD of a barrel to get it true with the bore . They just chamber and ship that is why some barrels shoot in the .ooo's and some don't (( yes I know it has alot to do with the person that is doing the shooting )) . That is the jest of this post . I now have to have someone else chamber my barrel and I don't trust anyone to do it because I'm not a big name Benchrest shooter ..
 
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Butch Lambert , I don't know if you remember who I am but you really helped me years ago when i did my first chamber job and made my own dies ( you give me a die blank ) and my own form dies it was all a big job for a newby . But I got the gun done and was able to usely get 3 shots at 1 inch at 600 yd matches , but never could get all 5 in there . But I was only shooting a 24 power scope and most others was using 36 or 46 power scopes . But I had fun .
 
George Kelbly taught me how to put an accurate center in a barrel. Bushing fit has nothing to do with it. Insert reamer to depth then pull/push the reamer to the side and wait for it to stop cutting. For best results chambering in a steady rest use solid inserts ( no rollers ) and run on the threads. YMMV
 
I think

the way Jackie and even Gordy do them is prolly right. I've done them both ways. What I want to see is an even amount cut off the lands at the throat, Often one doesn't see that from some barrel fitters. I think on has a better chance of the bore- chamber are are lined up properly and worry about the muzzle later on.

Pete
 
ArtinNC said:
I never used a steady rest , But if I did , what makes the difference if the bore is true or not to the OD ??
I think dialing in the throat area and the muzzle using a chuck and spider , then pre-boring, is one of the better ways . (( Not better )) , BUT the best way..
I have never heard of a gunsmith turning the whole OD of a barrel to get it true with the bore . They just chamber and ship that is why some barrels shoot in the .ooo's and some don't (( yes I know it has alot to do with the person that is doing the shooting )) . That is the jest of this post . I now have to have someone else chamber my barrel and I don't trust anyone to do it because I'm not a big name Benchrest shooter ..
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Of course I remember you Art. If you don't turn the OD to be concentric to the bore you cannot indicate the throat. Art, you just turn enough of the breech to have a place for the ears on your steady.
 
Butch Lambert said:
OK, Something to think about. When chambering in the steady, how can the bore be true to the OD?
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I don't chamber in the steady, but something I've seen (I think in a Steve Acker video) was cementing (he used Bondo) an aluminum ring on the barrel. He then turned the ring with the barrel on centers and thus had an external surface for the steady to ride on that was ostensibly concentric with the bore. He later used a torch to heat and remove the ring and Bondo.

GsT
 
GeneT said:
I don't chamber in the steady, but something I've seen (I think in a Steve Acker video) was cementing (he used Bondo) an aluminum ring on the barrel. He then turned the ring with the barrel on centers and thus had an external surface for the steady to ride on that was ostensibly concentric with the bore. He later used a torch to heat and remove the ring and Bondo.

GsT
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Gene, Yes sir, turn a surface concentric to the bore and you have a way to indicate the bore er throat. Couple ways to do it. I do mine in the headstock though.
 
Well I guess I had a lot to learn . But now that I don't have a lathe anymore and have to depend of someone else to chamber my barrel maybe I will be able to shoot better ? LOL I'm not a gunsmith just a tinker I do have a couple guns that will shoot in the high .100's and sometimes get in the .000's that I chambered that I'm happy with . And I'm not going to buy another lathe at 82 , I'll find someone to chamber and I spend my time left shooting and buying $120 primers . And thanks for all the comments .
 
I have a steady for my SB 9A lathe at home that has a cathead built into it. I got the plans for it from Speedy when he was at TSJC. At work with the bigger lathes, I can chamber in the headstock.
 
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