Author Topic: Range Day :)  (Read 8395 times)

Smokey Plainsman

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Re: Range Day :)
« Reply #50 on: December 27, 2019, 04:38:11 AM »
I put a patch down the bore about an inch to "catch" the grindings.
Rotate your thumb back and forth into the end of the bore, with the emery or wet/dry paper. I use 320 grit mostly
but have used 400 on occasion. Turn the rifle 90 degrees every now and then - maybe every 15 seconds. Replace the
paper or emery when it doesn't cut any more.
The proper angle is the one you end up with - it will be just fine.  You want to smooth the sharp angled cuts made by the
barrel makers cutter.
After I'm done, tweezers or needle nose pliers grab the patch for removal.


So you literally just use your thumb and rub the crown with sanding paper? Seems easy enough. I’ll need to try this.

Offline Daryl

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Re: Range Day :)
« Reply #51 on: December 27, 2019, 04:57:18 AM »
The very end of your thumb, pushing the paper or emery into the bore. Yes - it is very simplistic, but accurate in getting a perfectly symmetrically smoothed crown.

Just rotate the gun or barrel a few times. I have used cone-shaped grinders meant for hand-held electric drills to get the initial angles, but in one that's started with
a tool bit in a lathe, the end of the thumb is all that is necessary.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Smokey Plainsman

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Re: Range Day :)
« Reply #52 on: December 27, 2019, 08:06:06 AM »
The very end of your thumb, pushing the paper or emery into the bore. Yes - it is very simplistic, but accurate in getting a perfectly symmetrically smoothed crown.

Just rotate the gun or barrel a few times. I have used cone-shaped grinders meant for hand-held electric drills to get the initial angles, but in one that's started with
a tool bit in a lathe, the end of the thumb is all that is necessary.

Thanks! So I should use and in-and-out method? Or should I rub the rim of the crown side to side? And what do you mean by “one started with a tool bit in a lathe”??

Sorry, I’m not super smart and don’t want to ruin my muzzle by doing it wrong!!

Offline Daryl

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Re: Range Day :)
« Reply #53 on: December 27, 2019, 11:09:44 PM »
Push the tip/end of your thumb into the emery or paper, which will push the abrasive into the muzzle. The softness
of your thumb will make the crown polishing, smoothly rounded, rather than sharp edged as done with a lathe cutter.

Then rotate your wrist, turning it to the right, back to the left, right, left, right, left - turn the barrel 90 degrees
and continue rotating your wrist which is twisting the emery or paper in the muzzle.

When the rifle was made, there was a machined cut made at the muzzle of the barrel - like a short 45 degree angle.
The muzzle is not square, that is, it is not flat right across the top with the rifling right at the to surface.  The machining
of the muzzle with a cutter has left a sharp edge or corner at the bottom of the grooves and at the tops of the
lands.
 
Using the emery or paper will smoothly round these corners, which will make loading tighter combinations easier
and without cutting the patch.

The proper angle for moving metal, which is called "drawing", is a short smoothly radiused corner, not a long tapered
cone. When you load a tight ball and patch combination into the muzzle, you are actually drawing the metal (ball) into
a slightly elongated projectile, which is encased in the cloth patch. This must be done without damaging the patch.
Sharp crowns will cut a tight combination's patch, which promotes burn-through and poor accuracy.

This is a crown polished as I noted, using the emery and/or wet/dry abrasive 320 paper.
You can click on the next two pictures to get an enlarged view.



That said, DaveC has made a tool that actually cuts the crown with smoothly rounded edges, however he does not sell
this marvelous creation.
This is the crown cut by Dave's tool.




This is the crown (rather deep one at that) of a non-polished muzzle, simply cut on a lathe with a 45 degree cutter.
There is a sharp corner at the top of each land, and at the bottom of each groove. Those are the 2 areas that need smoothing.


« Last Edit: December 27, 2019, 11:15:44 PM by Daryl »
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Smokey Plainsman

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Re: Range Day :)
« Reply #54 on: December 28, 2019, 10:44:38 AM »
Push the tip/end of your thumb into the emery or paper, which will push the abrasive into the muzzle. The softness
of your thumb will make the crown polishing, smoothly rounded, rather than sharp edged as done with a lathe cutter.

Then rotate your wrist, turning it to the right, back to the left, right, left, right, left - turn the barrel 90 degrees
and continue rotating your wrist which is twisting the emery or paper in the muzzle.

When the rifle was made, there was a machined cut made at the muzzle of the barrel - like a short 45 degree angle.
The muzzle is not square, that is, it is not flat right across the top with the rifling right at the to surface.  The machining
of the muzzle with a cutter has left a sharp edge or corner at the bottom of the grooves and at the tops of the
lands.
 
Using the emery or paper will smoothly round these corners, which will make loading tighter combinations easier
and without cutting the patch.

The proper angle for moving metal, which is called "drawing", is a short smoothly radiused corner, not a long tapered
cone. When you load a tight ball and patch combination into the muzzle, you are actually drawing the metal (ball) into
a slightly elongated projectile, which is encased in the cloth patch. This must be done without damaging the patch.
Sharp crowns will cut a tight combination's patch, which promotes burn-through and poor accuracy.

This is a crown polished as I noted, using the emery and/or wet/dry abrasive 320 paper.
You can click on the next two pictures to get an enlarged view.



That said, DaveC has made a tool that actually cuts the crown with smoothly rounded edges, however he does not sell
this marvelous creation.
This is the crown cut by Dave's tool.




This is the crown (rather deep one at that) of a non-polished muzzle, simply cut on a lathe with a 45 degree cutter.
There is a sharp corner at the top of each land, and at the bottom of each groove. Those are the 2 areas that need smoothing.



Thanks so much! I just found my weekend project!

Smokey Plainsman

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Re: Range Day :)
« Reply #55 on: December 28, 2019, 09:27:12 PM »
Mr. Daryl,

I did as you suggested and found a pack of 400 grit in my workshop (kitchen). This is the result:



Does this look okay?? Hope I did it right. Before I started I ran my finger around the crown and it was sharp. Now, it’s buttery smooth. I went around in a circle around the gun with the sandpaper to finish it off to make sure it was concentric, and nearly passed out and vomited I got so dizzy! Wasn’t paying attention to how dizzy I felt.

Online smylee grouch

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Re: Range Day :)
« Reply #56 on: December 29, 2019, 04:55:46 AM »
Buy 1 or 2 of those Quick clamps to clamp on the edge of the shooting loading bench, clamp the towel or rug to the bench. Then you can lean the gun against the bench and clamp when you load or clean or look through your spoting scope.

Smokey Plainsman

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Re: Range Day :)
« Reply #57 on: December 29, 2019, 05:14:12 AM »
Buy 1 or 2 of those Quick clamps to clamp on the edge of the shooting loading bench, clamp the towel or rug to the bench. Then you can lean the gun against the bench and clamp when you load or clean or look through your spoting scope.

I’ve been doing just that! I bought two 6” clamps from the Home Depot and it’s been working an absolute treat.

Offline Daryl

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Re: Range Day :)
« Reply #58 on: December 29, 2019, 05:58:26 AM »
Interesting, I answered this post and my answer is missing now.
Yes - the muzzle now looks just fine, Smokey.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Smokey Plainsman

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Re: Range Day :)
« Reply #59 on: December 29, 2019, 06:11:53 AM »
Interesting, I answered this post and my answer is missing now.
Yes - the muzzle now looks just fine, Smokey.

Yay!!  ;D

My heart soars like a hawk to learn this news. I have some .400 balls coming and hope to try them soon. Plus, I have a new rifle rest and bags to really see what it can do vs shooting off the trunk of my car.