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I have had good accuracy with the deep target type crown cut on a couple varmint rifles and a flat recessed crown on a magnum. Is there an easy way to cut these type of crowns on standard sporter radius crown barrels. I have 2 .30 rifles that are in need of new crowns cut.

Round, flat recessed, 11°, it don't matter as long as it is perpendicular and concentric to the bore.

agree with it does not matter. you can't hold still enough on your best day to measure the accuracy difference.

down the road, a deep crown may be your friend as it is less likely to get dinged.

A deep recessed crown is best if your rifle rides muzzle down on the floorboards of a pickup truck.

LOL, if you reload and use the Lee case trimmer tool to trim your brass, you could use it to re-crown a barrel. Have done around 5 or so barrels using my Lee Case Trimmer, with good results. Problem is having a variety of spindles for various caliber cartridges. For a 30 cal barrel, I'd use a 7mm(.284) spindle for my lee trimmer to recrown. Mind you, the spindle will be loose in the bore, so shimming is necessary to tighten the fit of spindle (also protects the lands in bore). I usually use the aluminun cut from side of a beer or cola can for my shim stock to wrap around the spindle.

In past, I've always clamped down my barreled action and inserted spindle into bore, with a small vice-grip attached to it. I apply pressure to end of case trimmer with palm of one hand and then turn the case trimmer with other hand. Depends on how deep you want to go, how long it will take when doing it by hand....you can use a drill with a 1/2" chuck to speed up the work.

I posted this on www.surplusrifleforum.com in their gunsmithing forum a number of years ago and it became a sticky. Decent comments by those who've tried it.

You may win the "Blacksmith of the year" award, keep up the good work!!

Thanks, accidentally discovered using the Lee Case trimmer when I'd acquired a decently sporterized/scoped 1903A03 rifle that still had its military barrel. Began shooting it and 1 1/2" was about best 100 yd group it would shoot. Tried various powders/bullets and etc., with it. Bore of rifle was too nice and darn if I could see anything wrong with the crown put on it by whoever sporterized it. Suspected the crown was not level, but never could figure out how to accurately check it.

Then one day had the rifle on my workbench and happen to have my case trimmer near the rifle. Curious if the crown was level, came up with idea of inserting the trimmer into the muzzle just to see if it was. Figured how to shim up the spindle so no wobble and just wanted to check how level crown was to the bore. A few twists later with just a enough pressure to scratch the metal, confirmed the crown was not level. Ate lunch and came back to my workbench and case trimmer was still inserted in the muzzle. What the heck, let's see if I can level the crown with the case trimmer. Was kinda surprised by how well the case trimmer shaved the barrel metal. About 20 minutes later, I'd removed the roll crown, leaving a flat crown and since the diameter of barrel at muzzle was slightly larger than diameter of crown, had a thin ring around its now flat muzzle. Would then take a rubberized dremel polishing cone and bevel the sharp edge of bore left by the trimmer.

Went to range and promptly shot a 4 round 100 yd group I could pretty much cover with a nickle. Bingo! Crown was the problem. Ever since then, I've used the case trimmer to crown a barrel whenever I didn't want to use a gunsmith to do it.

Blacksmith of the Year! Laffin, but great idea, Huff, for a fast and dirty fix. Still want that crown recessed, however.

"Blacksmith."

Sheeesh, that's classic.

Link Here for the Brownells tool, you'll need appropriate pilots and the adapter to chuck it in a drill.

I have seen the hand tools. Just not in the profile I would prefer. I'll keep looking

Give the rifles to a gunsmith with a lathe, not a blacksmith. He will (should) be able to cut any shape crown you may desire and not risk damaging the bore at the same time.

If i don't want to use my Lathe to recrown a barrl then i use the Manson Crowning tool with the carbide cutter.

I have an old 98 with cleaning roditis that nees some whacked off to keep it on 8 1/2X11 Paper at 25 yards so . . .

I see some brass rod chucked up, spun to perfect fit, prepped for the case trimmer and follow-up experiment coming on.

DANG, yet another RoundToIt