relining my barrels

[camerl2009]

ok guys so getting around to my double project im going to need to reline the barrels i have 2 choices there 12ga rifle now and the od at the muzzle is .800 or so im going to be reaming them to .750 to reline them (do the math that only leaves a .025 wall)

i can go with 3/4" od tubing that has a .028" wall and a .693" bore(about 14ga ) or i can go with 3/4" od tubing with a .065 wall and .620 bore (just about 20ga)

now id like to be able to hunt with buckshot for deer and still be safe here in ontario i need no 1 buck(SG for the rest of you canucks  ) and i only have so many buckshot molds 0 being the smallest i have (none of witch work well in 20ga) 

witch size to go with my plain was to go 14 at first but getting around to measuring my barrels i dont know what i should do 

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

This sounds like a very interesting and perhaps difficult project.  Check out the old posting under "rifle barrel liner".   Here I lined a barrel where the muzzle wall thickness went down to 0.037 and I found that working with a thin walled barrel to be rather difficult.  I did not do it by hand, but used a lathe for the work.  Thinking of working with an even thinner wall would give me nightmares.  Understand that I almost always do hand work so my skills using a modern reamer and lathe are not the best, and I hope that you are better at this than I am.

Here is a suggestion.  Leave the original barrels alone and do all of the work on the liners.  Measure the actual bore inside diameters and modify the liner tubes on the outside diameter to fit.  I assume the 12 g bore will be near 0.730.  Think about this.  If you mess up working on the original barrels you are finished and very sad.  If you mess up on the liner tubes you can always try again with some new material.  I think that it would be easier to turn the tube O.D. to 0.728 that it would be to ream the bore to 0.751.

Another thought.  Check out the "rifle barrel liner"  posting and see that I used stainless steel to line a smoothbore (but don't tell anyone - it is a well kept secret).

Good luck on this and let us know how the project progresses.

Jim Everett

[LynnC]

Good advise Jim.

Unless reamed by hand with the old square reamer (Tons of Work) I can see disaster if the barrels are power reamed out and the bit hangs.  Twisted and torn...
 
You might consider turning down modern shotgun tubes for the liners.  No seams and the bores would be ready to go.

Lynn

[camerl2009]

well i dont have a lathe so no turning can be done i have a 3/4" bridge reamer and have guides made from shaft collars im just going to go slow turning it by hand

i want more modern steel then the old damascus and the old barrels need to be reamed out as theres pitting

the tubing im using is seamless 4130 made for use on aircaft

[James Wilson Everett]

I would be very interested in how the "guides made from shaft collars" are used.  I envision the this setup is to guide the reamer to keep it on bore center.  Can you post a description and photos.  I have always thought that it would be very beneficial if some modern reamer was available with a threaded hole on front center to attach some sort of guide bushing, but I have never seen one of these.

Jim Everett

[Hudnut]

Here is something you might try. Mount one of your collars using anut and bolt in your drill press. Use a file to turn the collar so that it just fits the bore. Put the collar on the shank of your reamer. Add an extension to the reamer shank. Pull the reamer through the barrel with a slow turning electric drill. Use lots of cutting oil, clean the reamer often. Just might work and not ruin a barrel. If it does you have to find another barrel. You want to use a 1 inch tap to cut the breechplug threads. What is the size of the barrel breech? How thick will wall be over the threads? Would not even think about using a 1 inch tap in a 1 1/8 inch barrel, 1 1/4 would be a lot better, 1 5/15 better yet.

I think Pacific Tool and Gauge can supply piloted reamers with pilots in whatever size is desired.

[camerl2009]

Here is something you might try. Mount one of your collars using anut and bolt in your drill press. Use a file to turn the collar so that it just fits the bore. Put the collar on the shank of your reamer. Add an extension to the reamer shank. Pull the reamer through the barrel with a slow turning electric drill. Use lots of cutting oil, clean the reamer often. Just might work and not ruin a barrel. If it does you have to find another barrel. You want to use a 1 inch tap to cut the breechplug threads. What is the size of the barrel breech? How thick will wall be over the threads? Would not even think about using a 1 inch tap in a 1 1/8 inch barrel, 1 1/4 would be a lot better, 1 5/15 better yet.

I think Pacific Tool and Gauge can supply piloted reamers with pilots in whatever size is desired.

too much work and money
my set up uses a bridge reamer(look it up) witch will be soldered on to a 1/2" round bar the guides go on this and work after the reamer has past through to keep it centered

im using the chambers for the breech plug a 7/8x20 tap will be used

im asking witch would be safer of the two tubing choices

[Hudnut]

Too much work and money?  How so?

The guides are going to follow the reamer? How are they going to guide the reamer?
 How are you soldering the drive bar to the reamer? Butt joint? Sleeve?
7/8-20?  7/8-18 is a standard. But if you have the taps and matching die already, it doesn't matter.

The thicker tube will be safer. Less stress will be transferred to the original barrels..

Are you going to fit the breechplugs first, and then set the liners hard against them, or sleeve the barrels and then fit the plugs?

How are you making your plugs without a lathe? The plugs have to fill the remains of the chambers completely. Unless you cut most of the breechend of the barrels off, the plugs are not the same as typical plugs.

Please do a photo tutorial on lining your barrels. Your experience will be valuable to others.

Go to gunpartscorp.com, and have a look at item 584990.  Might be a better start than what you are dooing.

[camerl2009]

Too much work and money?  How so?

The guides are going to follow the reamer? How are they going to guide the reamer?
 How are you soldering the drive bar to the reamer? Butt joint? Sleeve?
7/8-20?  7/8-18 is a standard. But if you have the taps and matching die already, it doesn't matter.

The thicker tube will be safer. Less stress will be transferred to the original barrels..

Are you going to fit the breechplugs first, and then set the liners hard against them, or sleeve the barrels and then fit the plugs?

How are you making your plugs without a lathe? The plugs have to fill the remains of the chambers completely. Unless you cut most of the breechend of the barrels off, the plugs are not the same as typical plugs.

Please do a photo tutorial on lining your barrels. Your experience will be valuable to others.

Go to gunpartscorp.com, and have a look at item 584990.  Might be a better start than what you are dooing.

i cant buy barrels from the US that are not from a muzzleloader as the UA export laws will not allow it and i already stent $100 on these barrels

also the bridge type reamer if you look it up will guide it self the "guides" will be there to keep it centered after the reamer passs through im only taking .010 or so off the walls

[Ky-Flinter]

Camerl,

Sounds like you have it all figured out.  Be sure to post photos of your progress.

-Ron

[tallbear]

Cam
Once again you've come to ask a question and disregard everything that has been told to you by people with experience.While it is not the intent of this board to discourage anyone from their projects it has become painfully obvious that you have neither the tools or experience to complete your project.It is my fear that you are destined to injure yourself or others.In the very least you will destroy your barrels.

I have run a bridge reamer it is not a precision tool.It is designed to ream misaligned holes in structural steel not ream a tube.The torque necessary to turn it will wring your barrels in two.Please find another option.

I am locking this thread please don't re post as even when advice is given you insist on ignoring it.I wish you luck in your projects and you are welcome to post when you complete something.

Please be safe!!!

Mitch