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