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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Gunsmithing
Why dial a rifle bore within .0001"
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<blockquote data-quote="specweldtom" data-source="post: 1150313" data-attributes="member: 2580"><p>Great thread!</p><p>I am a retired weldor. Wouldn't make a pimple on a machinist's butt. I have barreled up a few rifles for myself, family, and a very few friends. I have tried to make up for a lack of machinist's skills by being meticulous at every operation in the barreling process. Not perfection, just the very best me and my lathe can do. </p><p>My only "last word" is a BestTest .0005" indicator with a .015" +/- range. I have used at least 1 each of Shilen, Hart, Lilja, Bartlein, Krieger, Brux, Lawton, and Lothar Walther (17-4 ph) barrels.</p><p></p><p>My method of checking straightness is crude compared to what many of you do. </p><p>Chuck (3 jaw with .001" built in runout) on the muzzle end and put the breech on a live center.</p><p>Roll away from me with the last word on the breech O.D. Looking for <.001".</p><p>Slide over to the middle of the barrel and indicate it the same way. Looking for <.005".</p><p>Turn the barrel around and indicate the muzzle over the live center. Looking for <.002"</p><p>Reach out again to the middle of the barrel and indicate it. Still looking for <.005". </p><p></p><p>The most concentric barrels I have measured ended up a tie between the Bartlein and the Lawton.</p><p>The most consistent were the 1/2 dozen or so Liljas. All were less than .0025" tir in the middle, and were <.0005" tir breech and muzzle. Some of them just made the needle twitch, no measurable runout. Never had to touch any Lilja, Just set up and run them. The most runout in the middle of any barrel I used was a 32" Brux @ .0075". It went into a .338 Excalibur, and belly shooting at Ft. Bliss with 300gr Smkhp's could hold 3 shots in 4" at 1000 yds.</p><p></p><p>An explanation of my methods of dealing with barrels with >.001" breech or muzzle runout would be long and laughable to most of you, but they worked. </p><p></p><p>The Liljas all tended to be tight, and Mr. Manson supplied me with alternate pilot bushings that were .0005" smaller than his standard bushing O.D.s. The Liljas were also slightly faster than other makers and broke in quickly, usually with minimal or no copper fouling. </p><p></p><p>Stastically, my experience is a very small sample population, but enough for me to prefer Liljas.</p><p></p><p>I strive for chamber concentricity, thread fit, etc., but am obsessive about headspace, tending toward tight. Also, I only used SAAMI reamers if they were available in the caliber being chambered. I required long well-sized freebore for the boomers.</p><p></p><p>Obviously I didn't make benchrest rifles, but all of them were moa or better, most 1/2 moa, some 1/4 moa, and a couple of 'teens. Best was a 7-08, 5 shots at 100 yds into .134". My best boomer is a Hart barreled .30 x .378 with 5 shots into .258" at 100 yds. 5 shots pushed it. Too hot to touch after 5 rds. Bad for the throat and bedding. Never did it again.</p><p></p><p>Good hunting, Tom</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="specweldtom, post: 1150313, member: 2580"] Great thread! I am a retired weldor. Wouldn't make a pimple on a machinist's butt. I have barreled up a few rifles for myself, family, and a very few friends. I have tried to make up for a lack of machinist's skills by being meticulous at every operation in the barreling process. Not perfection, just the very best me and my lathe can do. My only "last word" is a BestTest .0005" indicator with a .015" +/- range. I have used at least 1 each of Shilen, Hart, Lilja, Bartlein, Krieger, Brux, Lawton, and Lothar Walther (17-4 ph) barrels. My method of checking straightness is crude compared to what many of you do. Chuck (3 jaw with .001" built in runout) on the muzzle end and put the breech on a live center. Roll away from me with the last word on the breech O.D. Looking for <.001". Slide over to the middle of the barrel and indicate it the same way. Looking for <.005". Turn the barrel around and indicate the muzzle over the live center. Looking for <.002" Reach out again to the middle of the barrel and indicate it. Still looking for <.005". The most concentric barrels I have measured ended up a tie between the Bartlein and the Lawton. The most consistent were the 1/2 dozen or so Liljas. All were less than .0025" tir in the middle, and were <.0005" tir breech and muzzle. Some of them just made the needle twitch, no measurable runout. Never had to touch any Lilja, Just set up and run them. The most runout in the middle of any barrel I used was a 32" Brux @ .0075". It went into a .338 Excalibur, and belly shooting at Ft. Bliss with 300gr Smkhp's could hold 3 shots in 4" at 1000 yds. An explanation of my methods of dealing with barrels with >.001" breech or muzzle runout would be long and laughable to most of you, but they worked. The Liljas all tended to be tight, and Mr. Manson supplied me with alternate pilot bushings that were .0005" smaller than his standard bushing O.D.s. The Liljas were also slightly faster than other makers and broke in quickly, usually with minimal or no copper fouling. Stastically, my experience is a very small sample population, but enough for me to prefer Liljas. I strive for chamber concentricity, thread fit, etc., but am obsessive about headspace, tending toward tight. Also, I only used SAAMI reamers if they were available in the caliber being chambered. I required long well-sized freebore for the boomers. Obviously I didn't make benchrest rifles, but all of them were moa or better, most 1/2 moa, some 1/4 moa, and a couple of 'teens. Best was a 7-08, 5 shots at 100 yds into .134". My best boomer is a Hart barreled .30 x .378 with 5 shots into .258" at 100 yds. 5 shots pushed it. Too hot to touch after 5 rds. Bad for the throat and bedding. Never did it again. Good hunting, Tom [/QUOTE]
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Why dial a rifle bore within .0001"
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