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Crowning a rifle barrel
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Graybeard
posted
I watched this video that said crownng was only necessary for making it easy to load a muzzeloader. Having read many years worth of articles in Muzzleloader Magazine Muzzleblasts and more recently a section n Eric A. Bye's "Flintlocks: A Practical Guide for their use and appreciation" that accurate coning was even more crucial for accuracy. Any insights here? https://youtu.be/ZTuJbdXkOrk
 
Posts: 210 | Location: Fingerlakes | Registered: 02 August 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hivernant
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Are you confusing coning and crowning? Big difference in the 2. Crowning IMO is very important. Coning can assist in loading but not important and again IMO likely to be detrimental to best accuracy.
TC
 
Posts: 138 | Location: Cedar Valley, Travis Co., TX | Registered: 24 December 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Graybeard
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Rocklock,
No definitely not confusing the terms coning and crowning. I understand the differences and reasons for doing both processes. Crowning also protects the muzzle from beng damaged
 
Posts: 210 | Location: Fingerlakes | Registered: 02 August 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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First one must remember that everything on YouTube is there only because it was posted, not because it was vetted. Wink

However, the video does show him doing a very nice job in squaring and crowning his barrel. BTW that barrel came with a factory crown..., he didn't show that to you and would have made his point even more had he shown that his DIY job was as good as the factory job.

Some pointers...., the back of my head would have been hurting if I used my files as he did because my gunwork-mentor would be slapping the back of my head if he caught me using my file on steel in a back and forth motion. Roll Eyes I was taught to stroke the steel in the direction of the cut...LIFT the file..., and return it to the starting position..., and cut again. I was also taught to dress the file with chalkboard chalk, to prevent tiny steel filings from becoming stuck in the teeth of the file and marring future work. He's also been doing such work for a while, but I would have put the barrel into the vise when dressing the exterior edges of the barrel flats at the muzzle. Big Grin

As for his coning..., he's right. That round ball is great, though I put a few drops of cutting fluid on the edge of the interior of the bore (same stuff one uses for cutting threads with a tap), and I use a brace and bit so mine is done by hand, and do say 10-20 strokes in one direction, and reverse the ball for the same number of strokes.

All in all a pretty good video, though Take Your Time when squaring the end of the barrel after cutting. Haste makes Waste is especially true when working on black powder guns. Eeker

My loads would still be tight, so if he's pushing the patched ball down flush with the edge of the muzzle with his thumb..., he's either using a thin patch, OR using a slightly undersized ball...such as using a .520 ball instead of a .530 in a .54 rifle. Some guys like that..., and I confess I have yet to try it.

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Graybeard
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Loyalist Dave,
Thanks for the thoughtful reply.
I must admit when I heard him started filing back and forth I winced. He did a great job on explaining how to square the muzzle. I would have also used brace for better control.
 
Posts: 210 | Location: Fingerlakes | Registered: 02 August 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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I must confess that I use one because power tools around black powder guns (except for a drill press and a soft, buffing wheel) scare me. I turned more than one part into worthless steel with power tools. Eeker

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hivernant
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Just a friendly thought. The purpose of back filing isn't to file, but to pull the filings out of the teeth. When you back file you should use light pressure, only to remove filings. Heavy pressure can chip the edges of teeth. By not back filing, metal filings tend to build up in the teeth, that can cause galling which can chip teeth also.


"I don't know where we're goin', but there's no sense bein' late." Quigley
 
Posts: 104 | Location: The Beehive State | Registered: 12 April 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
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Filling the "teeth" of a file with chalkboard chalk will reduce the need to "back file", at least in my meager experience.

doggoner


The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government. --Thomas Jefferson
 
Posts: 31 | Location: Perkinston, MS | Registered: 13 April 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hivernant
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I agree. I've even used welders soap stone.


"I don't know where we're goin', but there's no sense bein' late." Quigley
 
Posts: 104 | Location: The Beehive State | Registered: 12 April 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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quote:
The purpose of back filing isn't to file, but to pull the filings out of the teeth.


What I was taught and what I've found is that as you reverse the file, and those bits of metal drop, they fall onto the area where you just passed the file, and fill some of the teeth with already removed metal, thus reducing the effectiveness of your file. IF you then move from a piece of metal that was of a certain hardness, and to a softer piece of metal, say from steel to brass, and forgot to check your file, those bits of steel stuck in the teeth of the file will mar the surface of the softer metal inconsistent with the file. I've seen gouges made by uncleaned files in brass that were a devil to remove. The use of chalk, and tapping the file to shake loose the bits of steel that have not become jammed, and the liberal use of a file card and rechalking, saves a lot of time and headaches.

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Graybeard
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Just picked up a new (used but in great shape) file card at a garage sale this weekend. $2!
Lucky me
 
Posts: 210 | Location: Fingerlakes | Registered: 02 August 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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i always keep a box of chalk and a file card (brass file scrub brush) next to my files.
 
Posts: 353 | Location: Pocono Mts. in PA | Registered: 12 June 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
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A cheap brass BBQ brush from the Dollar Store makes as good a file card as you can buy.
 
Posts: 47 | Registered: 04 March 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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GEE Thanks Eric.... Could've use that info about 20 years ago, but it will work just as well today. LOL

Big Grin

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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LOL, Big Grin


Beer is proof that God loves us,and wants us to be happy-B. Franklin
 
Posts: 2014 | Location: Oreegun Territory | Registered: 24 March 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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I once went to the hardware dept in Sears looking for a file card. The clerk told me to check over in office supplies.
 
Posts: 332 | Location: South Coast (MS) | Registered: 16 September 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
Picture of Hanshi
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Sounds just like a typical sales clerk, Pete.


*Young guys should hang out with old guys; old guys know stuff.*
 
Posts: 3559 | Location: Maine (by way of Georgia then Va.) | Registered: 26 January 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Graybeard
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LOL Pete. thought even Sears hired knowledgeable people in the hardware department.:-( Sad state of the economy.
 
Posts: 210 | Location: Fingerlakes | Registered: 02 August 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hivernant
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File cards are over beside the left handed crescent wrenches..
 
Posts: 101 | Location: Davidsville , PA | Registered: 10 August 2016Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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