barrel bending

[cahil_2]

I have a 62 trade gun that shoots low.  The sight is about 4 inches back and is only about 1/8 inch high.  If I show too much barrel the sight is useless.  I have been told to move the sight to the end of the barrel.  Would that help?  If I bend the barrel, where do I bend it;  at the breech, in the middle, or out at the muzzle.  What is the best way to bend a barrel?

[Daryl]

So - sighting down the top surface of the barrel (as if that was the bottom of the V of a rear sight) and putting the tip of the blade in the centre of the bull, it shoots 4" low?

Moving the sight out to the end of the barrel would probably be non-PC and also make the gun shoot lower yet.

Bending the barrel is what I would do.  Do a search on bending barrels and se what comes up - this has been discussed many times here.

[blunderbuss]

I've done them. Put it in a vise and give it a tug in the direction you want it to go.The proof is in the pudding reassemble and see how she shoots You might have to do it a couple of times.
 You could see if the bore is already bent by using a string and bow .Put the string down the bore and then hook the bow to it from both ends that makes the string straight lay it along side the bore and you can see if it's bent.If you do this first you can mark your progress when you tug on it. Pretty common practice back in the day

[cmac]

I hated the thought of bending barrels at first and after tweaking about 4 myself I'm convinced it works well. I have seen it done on a bench between blocks and even the old forked tree method. I have only used the tree. It takes some good pressure to get even a bit of a bend. Just have a good plan in mind and sight down her a few times before going ahead with it. I put a taller front sight on one and it just looked god awful. Rather see the bend than a huge front sight myself, but to each his own

[Daryl]

I've helped Taylor regulate a Bess barrel.  He used only one large Aspen tree - swung the barrel held by the muzzle and "WHONK" - put it back together, tried it and found no movement. Dismantle and WHONK it again - bakc together, shoot, apart - WHONKING until it's right.

Works.

[blunderbuss]

I prefer tugging to whonking, Whonking is a much to technickel word. By the way if it gets to a 45 degree angle you've probally gone to far.