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Filing Pits Out of Round Barrel
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You shouldn't be working on a gun!
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I do agree with what other's have said if this is a gun you want to keep if it is a practise gun then go for it. but with that being said I will try to answer your question because I am sure you will be trying it on you own.
Some pitting will never be safe to take out (to deep) You only have so much steel you can take off before your barrel becomes to thin.
I NEVER use a file on a barrel I only use wet/dry paper starting with 150( for really bad pitting)or i start out with 220 grit and working up to 400-600 grit(higher for fine polish finish).
You need to feather out the pits (blend) and need to know when to stop.Sometimes you say "I cant get it all the way out"so you have to blend it in.
Sometimes leaving it at a matt finish(350 grit) is the best way to hide the pitts you can not safely get out.
Some people use a buffing wheel (most people do not do there steel by hand) I have found it easier to control what I am doing by doing it by hand.(the old fashion way).
So if you are doing this on a gun you want to keep then take it to a smith if it is a practise gun then go at it but keep in mind you are probably going to ruin the gun.
And how are going to finish it?If your anser is cold blue then you wasteing your time.
Mike
BulletArc47,
One way this can be done is by "draw filing". Any old time smith would be able to explain the method to you.
Basically, the use of a large mill smooth file drawn carefully sideways will work if modern polishing equipment is not available.
Sprint
One way this can be done is by "draw filing". Any old time smith would be able to explain the method to you.
Basically, the use of a large mill smooth file drawn carefully sideways will work if modern polishing equipment is not available.
Sprint
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There have been times were I used a file to remove pits on a barrel by it how sprint described. Its called draw filing and it take tons of practice. Many times I'll use it in conjunction with my lathe to turn the barrel while I do it. You need a good smooth cutting file, a file brush and a smooth even pressured stroke. Ill even use chalk to keep the cut pattern light. And yes you can go way to far. Waves in the barrel can easily be cut and you can go to thin, If the pits are that deep, they should be tig welded or just left alone. There is no fast alternative to bluing prep.
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259 Posts
Respectfully:
I'm not working in any gun my good sirs. I'm just curious, so instead of screaming, "don't work on gun!" just explain what you have to do, as others have already done. I'm extremely interested in gunsmithing, but I'm just beginning to learn about the trade and what's involved; hence why I'm asking.
I saw a video of a smith draw filing on an octagonal barrel, but I wondered if this work on a round barrel; I had the line of thought it would leave filing flats.
I would like to think that I'm smart enough not take on such an endeavor without thoroughly studying what is involved and practicing on something that is not worth a quarter of a grand, or more.
I'm not a "kitchen gunsmith", and I take the hobby very seriously as I hope to go professional one day as a side business. I also understand the Internet is not the place to properly learn gunsmithing, but as of now I can't afford to go to (Or buy anything gun related for that matter.) gunsmithing college, so I try to get as much reputable info as I possible from reputable places.
Good day gentlemen.
Much appreciated Helix, goofy and Sprint. It seems as difficult as I thought it would be. So light pits can filed out if you have proper skill, and if they're shallow enough it would be better to polish it. Really deep pits and gashes require tig welding, or a barrel replacement.
To goofy:
Since I'm not actually working on any gun there won't be anything to surface finish, but if I was, and I wanted a good durable finish, I would ship to someone who could hot blue the barrel, as I do not a safe environment for caustic substances that are involved in the bluing process
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I spent a year, and a half, working with two very skilled gun smiths, as an apprentice. Maybe you could find a smith in your area that would teach you. There are also gunsmithing courses that you can take from your home. But they can not teach you how to draw file. That takes time, and experience, to learn. Best of luck with learning gun smithing! It is a rewarding hobby/job.
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I have to correct what I said I do draw file when needed but was apprehensive to say this with out having to go into how to do it. This is to be done slow and you must have experience in doing it if not you can end up worse off then just having to deal with the pitting.You can take off allot of steel real quick with the wrong file and no experience.
Mike
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1,100 Posts
People gotta start somewhere. Here close to the bottom.
Take a scrap barrel or a piece of tubing or water pipe. You know something about drawfiling, on a octagon barrel the idea is to keep it as flat as possible. Do some drawfiling on your pipe, with each stroke change the angle you are holding a little. You can keep it looking round altho it is really a series of tiny flats. When you get your area uniform, go over it shoeshine fashion with strips of emery which will tend to take off the side ridges of the flats.
Take a scrap barrel or a piece of tubing or water pipe. You know something about drawfiling, on a octagon barrel the idea is to keep it as flat as possible. Do some drawfiling on your pipe, with each stroke change the angle you are holding a little. You can keep it looking round altho it is really a series of tiny flats. When you get your area uniform, go over it shoeshine fashion with strips of emery which will tend to take off the side ridges of the flats.
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I wish, really wish, there was someone like that here
. The smith in my local area is crook in my opinion.I had badly pitted Marlin 336, this before I caught on to gunsmithing, and took it to him to clean up and refinish; it also had a problem of rounds hanging up in the magazine.
He told me he could only duracoat, I should've of walked away right there; but I didn't know any better at the time.
Charged me 200 dollars. Now I waited a month for the finish to cure before firing, or any rough handling.
When I took it to the range it still had a hanging issue; when I brought it home to put up on the rack brushed the barrel on side of the wall on accident. The wall was fine, but the barrel flaked slightly, and it only got worse as time wore on.
Some of the best gunsmiths, and gun manufactures started as machinists.
There's saying I've read "A good gunsmith is good machinist, but a good machinist is not always a good gunsmith."
There's a college that's a ways from me ,but still in state, that offers machine tooling courses, and I've been giving a heavy amount of thought of moving down there and taking the course as my first step towards gunsmithing, and having a trade skill.
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Bulletarc, dont be discouraged by the ones who say you shouldnt be doing this. One learns by doing. Not all gunsmiths have been to school to learn the trade. I have been smithing for 20 years and never attended a school. I get asked all the time how I can do this having not graduated from a proper school. My results speak for themselves. I started with repairs not involving safety issues and worked my way up. You have to know your limitations. As for the internet, I use it all the time for info. No gunsmith knows every firearm that is presented to him and there is a wealth of information there. A perfect example would be Larry Potterfield of Midway USA.
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Type "learn gunsmithing at home" into your search engine, google, bing, or what ever you use. You will get a list of schools that will teach you how to smith, with out leaving your house. I don't know enough about the schools out there to make a recomendation, but there are some here, on the forum, that will know.I wish, really wish, there was someone like that here
I had badly pitted Marlin 336, this before I caught on to gunsmithing, and took it to him to clean up and refinish; it also had a problem of rounds hanging up in the magazine.
He told me he could only duracoat, I should've of walked away right there; but I didn't know any better at the time.
Charged me 200 dollars. Now I waited a month for the finish to cure before firing, or any rough handling.
When I took it to the range it still had a hanging issue; when I brought it home to put up on the rack brushed the barrel on side of the wall on accident. The wall was fine, but the barrel flaked slightly, and it only got worse as time wore on.
Some of the best gunsmiths, and gun manufactures started as machinists.
There's saying I've read "A good gunsmith is good machinist, but a good machinist is not always a good gunsmith."
There's a college that's a ways from me ,but still in state, that offers machine tooling courses, and I've been giving a heavy amount of thought of moving down there and taking the course as my first step towards gunsmithing, and having a trade skill.
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AGI(American Gunsmithing Institute) is one of the best.
It can be expensive to get threw all the courses but it is worth it. Then you need experience doing it. So you will need to get some guns that you can mess up without freaking out about.Remember you need to practise on something other then your good guns so yard sale guns or part guns that are not worth anything is the way to go.
Mike
It can be expensive to get threw all the courses but it is worth it. Then you need experience doing it. So you will need to get some guns that you can mess up without freaking out about.Remember you need to practise on something other then your good guns so yard sale guns or part guns that are not worth anything is the way to go.
Mike
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barc --
Check into your local HS for tech courses -- I see gwinnett county, NE of atlanta, has a tech high school that seems to provide tech courses - perhaps your county does as well--
As others have said, pay no attention to the nay sayers -- likely they have difficulty tying their shoes.
packet has an excellent point as well, nothing wrong with being self taught. There are plenty of books, videos, and junk guns to learn on.
Acquire tools as you need them, and learn to make what you can't buy.
good luck to you --
Check into your local HS for tech courses -- I see gwinnett county, NE of atlanta, has a tech high school that seems to provide tech courses - perhaps your county does as well--
As others have said, pay no attention to the nay sayers -- likely they have difficulty tying their shoes.
packet has an excellent point as well, nothing wrong with being self taught. There are plenty of books, videos, and junk guns to learn on.
Acquire tools as you need them, and learn to make what you can't buy.
good luck to you --
I think that question could have been answered without insults and an "attitude."
Yes, filing (draw filing) with a flat file will leave flats on the barrel. But by spacing the filing so the file marks overlap, and keeping them close together, the result will be a round barrel. Any small flat areas that may be left over will disappear when the barrel is polished. Draw filing flats, as on an octagonal barrel, is harder and requires more skill, which is why many gunsmiths use a milling machine on those, either to make them or to remove pitting.
Jim
Jim
Yes, filing (draw filing) with a flat file will leave flats on the barrel. But by spacing the filing so the file marks overlap, and keeping them close together, the result will be a round barrel. Any small flat areas that may be left over will disappear when the barrel is polished. Draw filing flats, as on an octagonal barrel, is harder and requires more skill, which is why many gunsmiths use a milling machine on those, either to make them or to remove pitting.
Jim
Jim
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Yeah, I apologize. I guess I was crabby that day.
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