Shortening a barrel
 

I have the strong urge to cut the barrel down on the Pro Hunter. To have it done professionally runs around $100 to cut/recrown. I keep thinking I could do that myself for a lot cheaper but I can't quite gather up the testicular fortitude to make the cut.
It seems I remember reading where someone did their own QLA removal but can't find much about it.
So my question is, has anybody actually taken a hacksaw to their barrel? Is it possible to get a professional looking job done on it or is going to look like someone took a hacksaw to the barrel?

i've chopped some shotgun and centerfire rifle barrels. It's important to get a straight cut. The crowning is done with a steel ball bearing that has short piece of welding rod attached. The rod is chucked into a drill, the ball bearing coated with abrasive and away we go.

That gun cost a lot of money: Best have it done by a good gunsmith.

I cut and crowned a lot of guns when I was building rifles. The most important thing about it to remember is that you must square the barrel from the bore not the outside the bore is not dead center of the barrel very often.

SuperKirby,
What is causing this incredible urge to shorten your barrel? As an alternative maybe you can find a good used barrel for sale that someone has already chopped for the same amount of money!
-dan

The last couple years I've been trying to get out of the stand and spend more time walking in the woods to hunt. I've also noticed that it seems like the end 3-4 inches of the barrel end up getting hung up and caught on everything. So, a shorter barrel would in theory help with this.
Plus I just like the looks of carbines better anyway. I know TC makes a 20" ML barrel, but at $400 it's not an option right now. I will probably end up waiting awhile until I can afford that one, I just don't want to have to wait.

Not to get off the subject or side lined, but does MLs have any restrictions as to length for a rifle? You know as to federal laws? I was thinking of having my bugled Hawken .54 barrel cut down and crowned, but it would end up around 15" overall. Would that be legal?

It would be an awesome little woods carbine!!! What do you guys think???

Not totally sure but I believe it's the same as rifle/handgun regulations. I would check with your state and BATFE, but I believe it's 16 or 16 1/2 inches for a rifle. I don't know that for sure though.

Yeah, I know the rifle law, but a mL or BP gun is not supposed to be a gun. That is why I asked. Just an idea to toy with. ;)

I used a carriage bolt chucked in my drill with abrasive to cut the crown on the muzzy barrels I have done

Check out the video SuperKirby. You can substitute a piece of angle iron for the guide shown.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=.../1/b43odFm0mrI

Semi,
Well that looked easy! However, that reamer looked beyond my checkbook!!! But, I do like the angle iron idea!

-dan

The reamer is nice DROX, but not at all necessary.

I use a ball that's larger than the bore (a large marble, lead ball for the next caliber up, a wood furniture knob, etc.) and progressive grits of emory paper. Cut the paper into inch-and-a-half squares and use the ball to rotate it against the bore. You have to change the paper fairly often. Start with something like 150 or 200 grit and move progressively to finer grits. I usually finish up with 600 grit with a little oil or water on it. You'll be done in about fifteen minutes.

The thin angle iron used for bed frames works well as a guide because it's very hard stuff, (heat treated or something).

you mean like this Pro Hunter shorty? http://frontiermuzzleloadin.powergui...ghlight=shorty

Link doesn't work for me chaded. Don't you just hate forums that won't let you look at something without registering? :rolleye0011::biggrin::s2:

Oh sorry Semisane. Its a Pro Hunter with a bergara barrel cut down to 19 3/4 inches by Mike Bellm and its range report. It did pretty well at 100 yards.

This one Chaded?

Ah-ha! Yeah thats the one. :D

Something like that, but probably an inch or two longer. I think I could do it, but I'm not sure I really want to chance a $400 mistake.

Check your state laws and with environmental conservation LEO's.
Most states simply follow the Federal laws for firearms. But here in CT there's a state law that defines a rifle/long gun as one with a barrel 12" or more. That's important because even though muzzle loaders aren't a firearm under Federal laws, the EnCon Officers use that state law to determine the legality of weapons for use during hunting seasons. So even if the muzzle loader has a pistol stock, if the barrel is 12" or more it's still legally a rifle and can be used for deer hunting. But not if it's under 12 inches.
It's the same for small game muzzle loader hunting on state land where the hunting regulations specify rifle for using the maximum size .36 single projectile for black powder hunting. And using this same definition, a shotgun must also have a barrel 12" or more or it's considered to be a pistol and not a shotgun.

Folks,
I do believe the Encore although in this case has a blackpowder barrel is in fact a rifle for the purposes of ATF. This is because the receiver is capable of discharging a centerfire round with the change of a barrel. Remember its the receiver not the barrel that gets ATF interested. This is not the case with my humble CVA Accura or any other solely dedicated blackpowder rifle. So in this case, I believe the limit is 18 inches!

Talk to carlos, i asked him the cost for doing those shorties and if i remember correctly, it's $80.00.

I thought you could go as short as 16-1/2"?? And still be classified as a rifle?? Any good gunsmith would know.

I think it is a good idea if you are a woods hunter. You will probably burn a little less powder. But I don't think you would be giving up too much. Or at least not enough that it would make any difference in woods hunting distances.

I like a shorter rifle. That is one reason I like the Encore. They are 3" or 4" shorter to start with since there is no action.

Take a look for one of the Katahdin MZ barrels. I don't remember how long they are. But they are shorter. Tom.

He would be fine. The pro hunter shorty in the picture Omega provided is 19 3/4 inches and Kirby was wanting a inch or two longer.

His is fine, but not talking about his. Mine would be 15" in a rifle stock. Now for a center fire or rim fired rifle, it must be a minimum of 16 and 1/2".

I did find out I will be good to go with the less then 16.5" barrel. It will look good if anything!!! :lolabove: