Barrel inletting tool

[Wyoduster]

Does anyone use a router to inlet a barrel? where can I get the proper tools/scrapers to inlet a barrel?

[Stoner creek]

I used a square bit all the way down to the oblique flat and then a V bit for them then back to a smaller square bit 3/8” or smaller to cut my bottom flat. That was back several years ago. More recently I’m using bits that are 3/4”, 13/16”, & 7/8” and I can rout the entire barrel (several passes of course) oblique flats and all. A good machinist can grind those square bits to the octagon shape for you. All of the aforementioned router bits are available commercially.
The last inlet I did took just under 2 hours. That included routing the ramrod groove and drilling the RR hole. Go slow!!

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

How do you use a router to inlet a swamped barrel?

[Stoner creek]

I don’t. Gots a buddy named Rase who does that.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

SC:  I hear you!  I've had stocks inlet by Mr. Rase, Mr. Wheland, and Mr. Weder, and they are all perfectly done.  But I often do my own too, with chisels.  Using the system described by John Bivens, it takes me between 6 - 8 hours to inlet a four foot swamped barrel.  It is certainly the single biggest job in rifle building.

[Stoner creek]

Yes. I tried that method of inletting once too! Note, once!

[flehto]

I did the bbl inletting and RR work on my first 4 LRs  and then Fred miller did it and then Dave Rase. Gladly pay the bucks for these  tedious jobs  and concentrate on the "nice, interesting  stuff". The original makers probably had an apprentice do the bbl/RR work because they didn't like it either......Fred

[Eric Kettenburg]

You can do swamped barrels with a router if you have a very finely adjustable fence (like the old micro-fence, don't know if they're still made) and you (1) cut the top of the stock to match the profile of the bottom of the barrel, adjusting for the total depth of the breech, and (2) cut the sides out to the max width (plus a little) of the side panels, and cut them to follow the profile of the side barrel flats.  With a micro fence with a short (@ 3-4") fence guide and using a combination of square/vee bits, and running the router both ways (off both sides), you can get remarkably close with very little hand fitting remaining.  If you're doing barrels with big breeches i.e 1 1/8 or so, you'll need router bits with sufficiently long shanks to safely be mounted in the router with sufficient length still in the collet.

Alternately you can do it by hand and take quite a bit longer.

Alternately you can pay one of the barrel inletting guys with the proper machinery for it, and wonder why on earth you didn't pay them to do it sooner!

[Bill Raby]

Why would you pay someone else to do the fun part?

[Eric Kettenburg]

 

[Wyoduster]

  All of the aforementioned router bits are available commercially.

 They make router bits that are the shape of the barrel? Who??? Phone?

[Stoner creek]

You’re going to have to have a machinist grind a square bit to shape.

Like these. One is for 3/4” and the other 13/16”

[Nhgrants]

I now use exacto knife and round moulding planes (1/4 and 1/2 inch) followed by half octagonal scrapers made from files.

[bob in the woods]

It doesn't take me that long to inlet a barrel ...ie a morning's work will do it. Also, it isn't what I would call "hard " physical work. I start by roughing out the channel with a plane, and then finish with chisels and my scrapers. I do this for fun, and ...yes..I do enjoy the work   

[DBoone]

I agree with Bob In the Woods............Inletting the barrel sets the pace and create a mind-set that makes the entire project a total commitment  with greater rewards.  I don't look at it as work, but merely as just part of the process.

I will agree, however, that when the barrel is in and RR drilled the rest of the work is very sweet!

I recently put an extremely "fine" kit together for a customer and finished it with light patina.  It turned out really, really good.  Absolutely amazing kit!  Odd thing is I felt no sense of accomplishment or personal reward.  This must sound strange but I don't think I would be up to do another.  After so many years of building from the stock blank the kit eliminated the essence of making a gun.  To each, his own.....I guess.

[okawbow]

I buy spade drill bits and grind them into a half octagon shape. Test cuts allow me to fine tune the grind to produce a good channel. I only cut 1/16” or less deeper per pass.

To do the actual cut on the stock blank, I use guide boards clamped  on each side of the prepared stock blank. The blank must be perfectly squared and planed so the thickness is the same all the wat down the sides. The guide boards have a fence board screwed to the outside. The distance between the fences is slightly more than diameter of the router base. That allows be to put shim strips on one or both sides to keep the router snug in the middle, and allow the channel to be opened a bit by using a thinner shim that lets the router cut more to the side.

Works well if I go slow and don’t try to take off too much wood. The bit will burn if you do that.

[KentSmith]

Just have Mark Weader do it or Dave Rase or Dave Keck.

I used to have a set up like Eric described and by the time I had everything ready to go and routed out the channel, I could have done it with chisels and gouges.  if I don't pay to have the job done, I do it manually now especially if the stock is plain maple or walnut.  A really nice piece of curly maple gets sent to someone with the equipment to do it for me.  The cost is really not that bad considering the alternative. 

[BarryE]

I bet old J.P or  Dickert had someone else inlet their barrels whenever they could.  ( Even if it was the old way.)

[Wyoduster]

I would like to buy a Gunline Bedding tool that would do the octagon barrels. Or Router bits...
I do want to do it myself..... Just want the tools to do it.

[KentSmith]

You can make your own tool similar to the Gunline Bedding Tool with some steel, a hacksaw and some imagination.  Basically, get a piece of mild steel big enough or take a length of oct. barrel suitable, cut roughly parallel slots in the steel, don't want them exactly equal distance to prevent chattering.  Weld or thread a steel rod onto the cutter and make a handle.

I have one in several sizes to use to even up my chisel cuts.  Can't use these to start the channel and for me they work best after I have cut out most of the wood.