Omega cutting project: update
 

Well, nothing is as simple as it should be. My gunsmith cut the barrel off just fine, but when he put it in the lathe and started turning it, he noticed that the barrel chamber is not centered in the barrel, so when he used his bit to do the crowning, it cut further on one side than the other.

And I sent this barrel back to T/C twice to check and they said there was nothing wrong with it! He let me look at it and you can tell without even measuring that one side of the barrel wall is thinner than the other side.......

Now he has to figure out a way to make the crown without the lathe. Will let you know how it comes out!

i'd document it with a ton of pictures and email it to TC along with the old invoices and tell them that they now need to fix it.

The reason a lot of gunsmiths always hand button barrels is because very few are exactly on center. Once the cut is square to the bore it can be buttoned with a ball cutter by hand and polished out with a lead ball and valve grinding compound.

Let me see if I understand this correctly, your qualified gunsmith doesn't know enough to index the barrel in the lathe using a pin gauge ( tight fitted rod stuck into the bore to show were the center of the bore is ) the pin is usually made to fit the bore. Made in the lathe, not mass produced. then by using a 4 jaw chuck you center the bore in the lathe not the exterior. I would not have a lot of faith in your gun smith. I think you need to look for a different one or just take the leap and do your own work.

Personally I would have cut the barrel off with a hack saw then trued it by eye with a file then crowned it using a carriage bolt and lapping compound. That is if I didn't have a lathe. That was how I always did it in the past.

Well, got it back today. Doesn't look perfect, but pretty close. Decided to give it a try and was very pleased.

Shot a couple of different conicals. Mainly T/C maxiballs, which I could never get better than about a 6-8 inch group at 100 yards.

90 gr BH 209, felt wad, 370 gr maxiball. Last 5 shots at 100 yards measured 4 inches. Not too shabby! That is the best group I have ever gotten with that gun and that is with only one powder choice!

Naw.............couldn't have been the QLA???????? NOT.

thats good to hear Tx. Look forward to seeing the results and seeing how much better it shoots. Now youre up to 3 conicals it will shoot! LOL. But hey, thats better than none in my book.

UC's coming up next or?

Didn't shoot them today, but hoping it shoots Thors and FPBs better too!

if its shoot the maxis with better accuracy, you can bet the thors and fpb's will shoot even better.

Hey did the gunsmith give back the section of barrel he cut off?

no, didn't ask for it, but could probably get it.

i'd get it just to see if you can see anything odd with the naked eye now that its a lot shorter.