Gunsmithing/Custom manufacturing.

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

Well as some of you may know I'm going to college now for Tool and Die.

To get stright to the point I cant see myself machining car parts (Seems to be the popular one according to my teachers) for Tool and Die up here.

It got me thinking what I seriously want to do with my college training later in life. (Planning on joining the Canadian Navy after college in 2 years for a little while) Razz

I know the saying "whats the difference between a gunsmith and a large pizza". But by the time I'll think of becoming one I probrobly wont be married yet and since I'm gonna be single in the Navy I plan on saving up while in to get myself equipment for my shop. Smile

Anyways I aready have asked people what they thought about becoming a gunsmith and how I should "specialize" many tell me.

So I was thinking to myself the 2 most important parts to a rifle is its reciver and its barrel, how about making them for people as a gunsmith ?? Confused

Anyways thanks to Bushmaster I aready know my little idea about the barrels would work he filled me in in the last peice of my puzzle. Very Happy

Dimitri

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

This is my "idea" for a lathe to do the cutting what do you think ?? Confused

Sorry about the size it got cut down. Sad

Dimitri

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

There are a couple different ways to make a barrel.

1. Take a long piece of solid stock, drill a hole through the middle of it and either A: Use a special tool to cut the riflings or B: Draw a "button" through the tube that irons in the riflings.

2. Take a small short piece of solid stock, drill a small hole in it then place it over a mandril and beat the stock until it conforms to the shape of the mandrel.

Most major Mfg's currently use #2 as their technique ... they hammer forge a barrel onto a mandrel. I dont know what custom barrel makers like Heart and others do.

PS: My wife graduated college as a machinest... was rather interesting for a girl to do it. She worked as a machinest for the first 5 years we were married until she became a mom.

-DallanC

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

Neat Dallan about your wife. There is this many girls in the program at my college = 0.

I'm doing "Button Rifling" in my idea to make a barrel I belive. In away anyways. I'll have the "Button" with the cutters attached to the rod and the square stock will be pushed and turned as it gets cut to the proper twist rate. Smile

The whole machine is just to do it automaticlly for me. And with my little knowlage/use of microcontrollers (in robotics though) I think I'd be able to make this work. Very Happy

After ran through as a thick (1.5inch) Square stock then the barrel would be centered on a lathe and cut. Reason being is that I've read that some custom manufactures do it as a way to let the barrel not be stressed because of how thin it is while cutting the rifling. Smile

This in all pratical purposes for me means I can cut the barrel easyer (atleast in my mind) Very Happy

What do you think Dallan ??

Dimitri

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Sounds good.

Yes turning the barrel to get the shape should be one of the final steps. to reduce stressing the barrel.

You might want to check into local laws and whatnot. I believe there is no restrictions on barrel production but I know you need a FFL here in the USA to create actions.

Looks like you have access to some nice machinery there, I wish I did Smile

-DallanC

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

LOL Nope not really execpt school machinery Very Happy

I designed and drew that up on DesignCAD (A cheap clone of AutoCAD). Its purly my idea that machine. Not used by ANYONE. And seeing as I dont have access to a real button rifle barrel maker I'm not copying anyone. Cool

I want to save up for machinery though for a workshop I always wanted one. After I get myself a lathe and what not I'll build the machine shown above to make my first barrel Smile

I'm "planning ahead" on this project. About 12 years ahead. Shocked

I dont know about licences but I'll check it out. I do know however in Ontario you dont need a spacific license other then the Canadian version of the FFL to sell guns (not sure if it covers making recivers/actions here though) to be able to call yourself a gunsmith its not a regulated trade. Cool

Dimitri

Al_Sohlstrom · Member Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 75

Hi

DallanC wrote:

There are a couple different ways to make a barrel.

1. Take a long piece of solid stock, drill a hole through the middle of it and
either A: Use a special tool to cut the riflings or B: Draw a "button" through
the tube that irons in the riflings.

2. Take a small short piece of solid stock, drill a small hole in it then place
it over a mandril and beat the stock until it conforms to the shape of the
mandrel.

....

-DallanC

But me thinkt him talkt 'bout makin' BARREL, not STOCK! Confused

Seriously: A multihead lathe?? Man - only turning I ever did, I had a hard
time maintaining tolerances on a single cutting head doing a deep cut on a
long piece of stock.

I'm a total rookie, though. I do think that having eight followers for a
rotating object whose outer diameter you're trying VERY HARD to change
could present problems....

ANYHOW...

If you want another fair piece of design software, checkout CadStd from
Apperson and Daughters. For $25, it's a great drafting tool.

Click for larger image....

(Okokok - it's not gun-related, and I photoshopped in the, "Artist's
Conception," but the scope clamp I'm working on isn't ready for release
yet, and I used this as a learning tool.)

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

Al_Sohlstrom,

When we are saying stock we mean square stock. The metal type before its contoured for the barrel Wink

See I'm not changing the outer diameter that machine I drew up on DesignCAD is to make the rifling in the barrel. The outer contouring of the barrel will be done on a plain ol' lathe. Very Happy

See the thing all the way to the left ?? Thats to push the square stock through the cutting bit which is actually located just to the right of the central area where the engines will be installed and the turning of the square stock is done there just before it gets to the cutters.

The bar supports are to turn on ball bearings to support it as it goes through and the cutter supports just simply slip out of the way Smile

What do you think ?? Its one cutter not moving and the metal is moving instead. Very Happy

Dimitri

Al_Sohlstrom · Member Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 75

Hi

I got a VERY firm hold on the wrong end of the stick, here. I'd have to
research barrel boring and rifling before I could form an actual opinion.

Laughing

Oh - and - as for the, "stock," bit... that was a jo... I SAY that was a JOKE, son. Laughing

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

LOL Al ok

Sorry I'm sometimes kinda slow about jokes. Sad

Anyways Al even if its not about making barrels really any information relating to it will be good I've only read like a couple of articals anyways about it so I dont claim to be a expert hense why I'm asking here what you guys think Very Happy

Your probrobly more knowlagable about barrels then I am. Razz

Dimitri

longwalker

May I suggest you invest in a good used gun drill. They are fairly easy to find and relatively inexpensive. They will already have the cycles you need and your ability to purchase good cutting tools will be simplified. After the blank is drilled you will need to ream the barrel afterwhich you you will need to rifle it. Depending on the rifling you want to produce the basic machine will be again fairly easy to buy used. The good news is you are already learning the metal working end of the business, making the special tooling will save you thousands.

What will cost, is the inspection equipment. If you can't see it or measure it you won't be able to correct problems.

For the price of a new diesel pick up you should be able to get all the good used machinery you need to get started. This is what I do for a living finding machinery for people.

longwalker