So you want to....

[RMulhern]

chamber your own barrel? This will give you an idea what your RifleSmith does....if he's good:

http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2012-01-01T00:00:00%2B01:00&updated-max=2013-01-01T00:00:00%2B01:00&max-results=35

 

[webs]

The link didn't work.

 

[RMulhern]

The link didn't work.

Yep...and I can't get it to function!

 

[RMulhern]

Try this and scroll down to Chamber Throating:

The Rifleman's Journal

This will take you to the article which is 5 parts in length. There is a Link which will be high-lighted I think in the first paragraph!

 

[WildRose]

Good article. It reminds me why I chuckle when people say they want to try doing it themselves... .

Definitely not a job for the average do it yourself'r.

 

[Bullet bumper]

I chamber and build my own guns , it is not as hard as they make it sound.
I notice that they appear to be using a six jaw self centering chuck so how could you dial anything in , in a self centering chuck . It clamps up where it clamps and thats it . The truth is that most busy smiths chuck it up in a six jaw and then go at it with a floating reamer holder without dialing in anything .
Only the purists with lots of time do all the dialing in they talk about.

 

[rscott5028]

Great article.

As with most informative write ups, it's not the stuff they show you that's difficult. Rather it's the stuff they foget to tell you about like using copius amounts of lube on the reamer that'll get you in trouble.

They also completely skipped over the now common practice touted by Gordy Gritters of indicating the chamber at multiple depths to ensure that the chamber is cut directly concentric with the bore. I bet they actually did that, but decided it'd make the article too long trying to explain it all.

Then again, the intent here wasn't to be a gunsmith training guide.

Like Wildrose said, definitely not for the average DIY'er. Yet, very personally rewarding though expensive for those who do their homework and succeed. If I do a couple dozen more of my own rifles, I may just break even. Nonetheless, having learned and taught my son how to build an accurate rifle, I'm thrilled.

-- richard

 

[IdahoCTD]

Most likely he is using a independent 6 jaw or one of the adjustable backing plates for the chucks that are made now.

I've built my own for 20 years now and it isn't that tough but it is time consuming to do it right. You also need good tooling which translates into a lot of $$$.

 

[WildRose]

Most likely he is using a independent 6 jaw or one of the adjustable backing plates for the chucks that are made now.

I've built my own for 20 years now and it isn't that tough but it is time consuming to do it right. You also need good tooling which translates into a lot of $$$.

That's the key. The right equipment and the experience to use it.

 

[Bullet bumper]

Most likely he is using a independent 6 jaw or one of the adjustable backing plates for the chucks that are made now.

I've built my own for 20 years now and it isn't that tough but it is time consuming to do it right. You also need good tooling which translates into a lot of $$$.

You could be right but it don't look like an independent chuck to me .
Before I started doing my own work I used a local smith. He used to tell me all this stuff about indicating this and that but one day I caught him out.
Went to his shop and peeked in the window to see him turning a barrel between centres and then taking it over to another lathe and just chucking it up in a six jaw and going straight in with the reamer. This chance situation was a huge wake up call to me . So I decided to stay and watch . Well it turned out to be my gun he was doing . So all the sales talk about the precision setup to chamber was bull dust . I went straight out and bought a lathe and mill and have not looked back . Sure it is not cost effective and the few guns I have done have cost me a lot more , but the satisfaction is huge . I have to indicate a barrel in because I only have an independent four jaw chuck . I think that the service you get from some gunsmiths varies as to the class of work it is and how important a shooter you are but the sales pitch and cost stay about the same , that is what annoys me.

 

[bigbuck]

My next rifle will be built by my step father and I. He is about ready to retire from his original machinest Job of 29 years. He runs a very exspensive Monarch. He has written several of the programs for it (he is the only one at his company that knows thr codes) Job insurance!! I built him a shop @ his home so he plans on doing it for himself on the side. He started out on the manual lathes like what a lot of the gun smiths use for barrel instulations and action trueing. He just recently bought a Logan lathe that will work a 30'' barrel another lathe that will work 80'' and two vertical (digital) drill presses so that he don't have to continiouesly re set them all the time. More equipment to come . He said he will show me what to do. All I have to do is buy the parts.

 

[Bullet bumper]

My next rifle will be built by my step father and I. He is about ready to retire from his original machinest Job of 29 years. He runs a very exspensive Monarch. He has written several of the programs for it (he is the only one at his company that knows thr codes) Job insurance!! I built him a shop @ his home so he plans on doing it for himself on the side. He started out on the manual lathes like what a lot of the gun smiths use for barrel instulations and action trueing. He just recently bought a Logan lathe that will work a 30'' barrel another lathe that will work 80'' and two vertical (digital) drill presses so that he don't have to continiouesly re set them all the time. More equipment to come . He said he will show me what to do. All I have to do is buy the parts.

You are very lucky to have a father that is a machinist and has all that equipment .
I had to teach myself and it's been a hard slog and I've made quite a few mistakes but I am getting there bit by bit. A Monarch is a very nice lathe indeed .
Mine is just a Taiwanese lathe very similar to the G9036 13 x 40 Grizzly lathe .

 

[IdahoCTD]

You could be right but it don't look like an independent chuck to me .
Before I started doing my own work I used a local smith. He used to tell me all this stuff about indicating this and that but one day I caught him out.
Went to his shop and peeked in the window to see him turning a barrel between centres and then taking it over to another lathe and just chucking it up in a six jaw and going straight in with the reamer. This chance situation was a huge wake up call to me . So I decided to stay and watch . Well it turned out to be my gun he was doing . So all the sales talk about the precision setup to chamber was bull dust . I went straight out and bought a lathe and mill and have not looked back . Sure it is not cost effective and the few guns I have done have cost me a lot more , but the satisfaction is huge . I have to indicate a barrel in because I only have an independent four jaw chuck . I think that the service you get from some gunsmiths varies as to the class of work it is and how important a shooter you are but the sales pitch and cost stay about the same , that is what annoys me.

It didn't look like it to me either but I didn't look that close at the pictures. It wouldn't surprise me that he was using a adjustable back plate though. They are a lot more popular now days.

After 20 years I'd be lying to say I haven't got my moneys worth out of my lathe and mill but I'm still constantly buying more tooling. I just spend the money I saved buying more barrels, actions, reamers, dies, brass, etc. . So in reality I probably didn't save any money at all (and could have easily spent more then I would having others build me rifles) but I have way more guns and way more knowledge. I've probably chambered 100+ barrels for myself and screwed up plenty in the beginning too so don't feel alone. I bought my lathe new 20 years ago. It's a Frejoth made in Taiwan.

 

[Bullet bumper]

I can't afford too much expensive tooling so I make what I can .
At the moment I don't need super match quality so I keep it as simple as possible and still get a good job . Things are way more expensive over here and getting dearer by the day. I am told electricity is going to rise 42 % in the next year or so thanks to our stupid Labour Government putting on a carbon tax . This is on top of high petrol prices . In India fuel is subsidised but over hear it's taxed to hell. No wonder we have no real manufacturing industry left . One Aluminium smelter has closed already because of electricity increases and eventually they will all go overseas.
I was borrowing a floating reamer holder from a friend but I eventually made my own and it worked out fairly good so after that I decided to have a go at making the smaller stuff I needed. So far I have made QC tool post with 8 holders, Steve Bedair ball turner , sine bar taper setting tool , another floating reamer holder , barrel spider , lots of mandrels and setting up stuff , insert tool holders and the latest a bolt holder for fitting tactical bolt knob , not quite finished yet.
You may well be right about the adjustable backing plate but I would not be surprise if it is just the same old story as my old gunsmith , they tell the customer what he wants to hear and then do something else .
I am not familiar with the Frejoth lathe but I have seen a Frejoth mill and it looked very good , kind of like a Bridgeport .
I can only dream of the kind of equipment that you can buy in the US at very reasonable prices compared to this place.
I have not been doing machining as long as you but I have been making my own bullets for about 25 years now and reloading for much longer .
What I really like about having a lathe and mill is the things that you can fix that might be quite simple like a broken pin or simple part that before where a real nightmare to try and locate and buy . Now I just knock up a new part and even if it is not as perfect as the original and not as well heat treated , it still works and gets me out of trouble .