Would Like To Learn

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skeeks03

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Hey guys, I am brand spanking new to machining anything. I would potentially like to learn how to chamber and thread rifle barrels. I shoot "tactical" competitions around the US, but have never touched a lathe. I would like to learn how to cut external threads, proper set up for threading and chambering, chambering, measurements for proper headspace and similar gunsmithing related things on a lathe.
I would really like to find someone around the Tulsa, OK area who knows how to do these types of things to help educate me and maybe mentor/show me how stuff like this is done. For now I shall sit back and read and watch videos and such and hope to pick up all I can.
 
Welcome to the forum.

You want to watch this guys videos for rifle work. he does extremely good work.
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheViper6506/videos

Don't go near your nice Hart barrel though until you have mastered the basics.

Tubalcain has a video for just about every thing in the shop. He is very good and very popular. He reminds me of my old high school shop teacher who I hated, so I avoid his vids for the most part.
https://www.youtube.com/user/mrpete222/videos

My favorites for basic shop techniques are Tom's Techniques
https://www.youtube.com/user/Figbash3/videos
and That Lazy Machinist
https://www.youtube.com/user/THATLAZYMACHINIST/videos
Both are professional tool makers and really know their stuff.

My two favorite channels though are Stephan Gotteswinter
https://www.youtube.com/user/syyl/videos
and Clickspring
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCworsKCR-Sx6R6-BnIjS2MA/videos
both are very anal about their work, and do really amazing work with cheap Chinese machines.
 
Thanks a ton! I will be up for who knows how long checking out all those channels and videos on youtube. I have seen some of Viper's work/videos. They are good stuff.

I primarily use Bartlein and Broughton barrels on my rifles.

Question for you guys: Most of the video's I've watched on cutting barrel threads show the work done at relativally low speeds 100 rpm's or less and usually take a very minimal first pass around 10 thou or so. I was told about a guy who threads at a much higher rpm (around 400 rpms) and takes his cuts at 40 thou to start off. He stated that this gave a very nice finish. Why are most video's I've seen cut at low rpms?

Question #2: After watching some videos on chambering I've seen guys without pressurized systems (lube flowing form the muzzle toward the reamer) making cuts with the reamer anywhere form .125" to .25". How deep are you comfortable making your reamer cuts? Also, I do understand that those cuts are after one as slowly worked past the shoulder of the reamer.
 
It would depend on how your machine is set up for cutting speed. If you have a way to automatically kick your leadscrew out you could cut faster but if not you need time to react. .040" is a really deep cut that would flex the part in my chuck. The last questions I assume you mean each pass before cleaning your reamer. You need to clean it before it is fully loaded. If you run it to full your going to oversize your chamber or at least gall it & probably break your reamer.
 
Hi skeeks,

You will find many like-minded people here. You already have some great responses above.
I just wanted to say: Welcome to the site!

-brino
 
Threading at higher speed does leave a better finish... if you have the nerve for it. 0.040" sounds pretty heavy though.

I suggest you pick up a couple of cheap barrel blanks and a cheap reamer in something cheap, short and tapered (.223 maybe). Then just go through the entire process of centering, threading, and reaming the barrel. Chop off the end, and repeat until you run out of barrel.
I suggest a blank rather than a take-off because you can practice the whole process over and over. You might be able to get a cheap blank from your barrel supplier if you tell them it is for practice - they might have a reject they will sell you.
You will find many of your questions answered, and new questions will emerge.

Do not let yourself get caught up in what ever is in fashion in the shooting community. Shooters are like sheep, they get one good idea and stick to it until someone like Viper comes along with a different idea and they all follow en masse
 
joshua43214 said:
Welcome to the forum.

You want to watch this guys videos for rifle work. he does extremely good work.
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheViper6506/videos

Don't go near your nice Hart barrel though until you have mastered the basics.

Tubalcain has a video for just about every thing in the shop. He is very good and very popular. He reminds me of my old high school shop teacher who I hated, so I avoid his vids for the most part.
https://www.youtube.com/user/mrpete222/videos

My favorites for basic shop techniques are Tom's Techniques
https://www.youtube.com/user/Figbash3/videos
and That Lazy Machinist
https://www.youtube.com/user/THATLAZYMACHINIST/videos
Both are professional tool makers and really know their stuff.

My two favorite channels though are Stephan Gotteswinter
https://www.youtube.com/user/syyl/videos
and Clickspring
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCworsKCR-Sx6R6-BnIjS2MA/videos
both are very anal about their work, and do really amazing work with cheap Chinese machines.
Click to expand...

Ditto and +1 on the recommendations!
 
kingmt01 said:
It would depend on how your machine is set up for cutting speed. If you have a way to automatically kick your leadscrew out you could cut faster but if not you need time to react. .040" is a really deep cut that would flex the part in my chuck. The last questions I assume you mean each pass before cleaning your reamer. You need to clean it before it is fully loaded. If you run it to full your going to oversize your chamber or at least gall it & probably break your reamer.
Click to expand...

The smith in question here is a very good smith and has rifles that many of the top shooters in my sport are shooting. I was just curious as to what the pros/cons were of cutting threads at such a high rate of speed.

That is exactly what I meant, forgot to include that part.
When cleaning the reamer I noticed in multiple videos that some guys ran it .125" deep before cleaning and others only .025". That seems like a lot of variance.

I've also seen floating reamer holders and fixed with what looks like a handle sort of sticking off of it. It that so one can feel the load and/or tension on the reamer or is that just a simple stop that one can adjust with the set screw?

What are the pros/cons of each?
 
joshua43214 said:
Threading at higher speed does leave a better finish... if you have the nerve for it. 0.040" sounds pretty heavy though.

I suggest you pick up a couple of cheap barrel blanks and a cheap reamer in something cheap, short and tapered (.223 maybe). Then just go through the entire process of centering, threading, and reaming the barrel. Chop off the end, and repeat until you run out of barrel.
I suggest a blank rather than a take-off because you can practice the whole process over and over. You might be able to get a cheap blank from your barrel supplier if you tell them it is for practice - they might have a reject they will sell you.
You will find many of your questions answered, and new questions will emerge.

Do not let yourself get caught up in what ever is in fashion in the shooting community. Shooters are like sheep, they get one good idea and stick to it until someone like Viper comes along with a different idea and they all follow en masse
Click to expand...

That's a really good idea. I may have to send an email to some of the barrel manufactorers that I use! Thanks for the idea.
In the shooting sport I compete in we shoot almost nothing but 6.5mm and 6mm's from 10 yards to about a mile. It's lots of fun and we will never shoot off a bench.
I don't get caught up in what's cool and what's not cool but I do run absolutely top of the line equipment- Badger M2013 action, Broughton barrel, Manners stock, Jewell trigger, Vortex gen 2 Razor.
I run what I know works and have full confidence in my gear.
 
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