Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing need suggestions on a re-crowning job...

I've used nothing but a hacksaw and file on a rifle barrel for a square, flat crown and it worked out great.

Update: after looking at the brass laps mentioned above (sold by Brownell's)... I found a very similar piece of brass with a rounded end and used that with the valve grinding compound and the power drill. Still need to do some polishing on the beveled edge on the exterior of the muzzle before it gets re-blued, but the top of the muzzle is perfectly flat and mirror smooth, and it's now got a 2-3mm crown that is uniform all the way around and then ends with sharp rifling all the way around.

I still think the SS screw would have worked on softer steel, but appreciate the input (on the compound sticking to brass better) and the nudge to just suck it up and do it from the non-lathe responses.

Stainless is a horrible metal to rub on anything. It either hardens or galls.....sometimes both.

Brass is the ticket if you want to lap it.

Personally, I like sharp crowns.

Me too. Hint.




Fhuqking LAUGHING!.............

11 degree crowning tool $54
Guide $14

From Brownell's, what more do you need?

Oh, they make different kind of piloted cutters that will square the bore. The more cutting flutes the better.

I also made a 45 degree with a pilots and a stop clamp, works on big bores.

TELL 'em Tiger. Hint.



Fhuqking LAUGHING!.............

Most guys have a drill press and a file...If you have something like an RCBS case trimmer, you can make a pilot to fit your bore on a drill press with the file, strip the hand crank off the trimmer, install your well fitting pilot you just made and cut a nice square muzzle face that will look like it was done on a lathe.

Appreciate the advice still coming in, but already made a lap from brass and it's all done/good to go.

Good job then. Allot of things can be done with hand tools. Not always the best or most efficient but it gets the job done. Years ago to be considered for an apprenticeship in the tool and die trade you were given a block of steel, micrometer, square and a file. You were to make a perfectly square 1" cube with those tools.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh...the oft repeated Anschutz Yarn. Hint..................

4D Reamer Rentals rents crown cutters.

I've had really good luck with a Dave Manson crown cutter. Cut the barrel on a band saw that left it pretty ugly. Used the flat cutter to face it off. Then switched to the 11 degree cutter. Came out with a really good edge that wouldn't pull a thread off a quetip. Is a little pricey but then you have it.

It is hard to use a file to get the face of the barrel square with a tapered barrel. Bill

"Columbian" style: