# Straightening a shotgun barrel



## thomasr

My SIL just picked up a vintage Winchester 1200 shotgun from a family member.  Gun was never hunted with and seldom shot...was bought as a "just in case."  Anyway, somehow along the line the barrel got bowed.  The metal is not kinked, but the bend/bow is noticeable and really pronouned when you look down the barrel.  Anybody know a good trick to straightening this thing out?  I did a google search and wound up with a youtube video of a guy wailing on a piece of fire wood to strighten his out.  I'd like something a little more controlled and predictable than the cave man method.  Appreciate any help.


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## holler tree

Read where alot of gunsmiths slap them against a sandbag to change the point of impact it worked for me on one that was a little off


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## Early-14

Just some thoughts,  Make a JIG.  Brownell use to sell these JIGS but don't see them now.  Go to a metal scrap yard,  for iron. Get  a heavy 3X4 or 4X4 box tubing about 36" long.  You will also need two metal straps 1 1/4" wide by 20" long. These straps should be bent into a U shape  and should be thin enough to go under the Vent Rib.  Drill holes in the 3X4" by 36" box tube and in the straps so the UP SIDE Down U shaped straps can be bolted or pinned to the box tubing.  Drill the holes in the long tubing far enough apart that the major bend in the barrel is located equal distents between the straps. Place a screw jack, (or car jack will work)  on the box tubing with the barrel under the straps  and operate the jack until the barrel is straight.  Be sure to pad the barrel with an old leather belt around the U shaped straps and under the jack.  Also clean the bore before you start.  RULE OF THUMB,  When you feel the barrel is straight, look through the bore.  You should see rings Inside the barrel,  If the ring look to run around the barrel it's straight,  I they are elong gated or oval shaped it's not straight.  Really the only way to be sure is to shoot the gun at 10 yards, from a rest, and see where it shoots.  All this stuff will cost maybe $45.00.  Go the e-bay and see what a used barrel will cost the go from there.


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## dawg2

http://www.corsonsbarrels.com/


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## fishtail

I've witnessed and done some corrective patterning with shotguns but not to the point of the barrel being noticeably bent.
The sandbag, vise, bending on a bumper hitch method does work in a patterning situation with no visible damage. 
Not sure about an evident bow.


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## JustUs4All

There was a three fingered fellow we hunted with many years ago.  He hunted with a double barreled shot gun that had a hole in the right barrel where the load exited early.  

I wouldn't trust my own work in that area.  A new barrel would still make for an inexpensive gun it the rest were free.


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## WishboneW

Curtis Wilbanks has straightened 2 fo me several years ago.

They are absolutely perfect.  Took him about 15 minutes each time.


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## pine nut

I seem to recall someone filling the barrel with sand and plugging the ends to protect from colapsing the barrel as it is bent.  I have no idea as to how to plug it or do it otherwise, but perhaps someone else might know.


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## Lukikus2

Once a barrel on a gun has been bent it's worthless in my eyes. And I'm working on keeping my eyes.


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## jigman29

find a machine shop that does tubular work they should have a way to do it.we have done a few here where I work with no problems


_Posted  from Gon.com  App  for  Android_


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## Clemson

You can generally straighten one with a rubber mallet.  Remove the barrel, hit it on the outside of the curve just hard enough to get it started to move, then continue this until the barrel is straight.  Hold it up to the light and look for the shadow line down the center of the tube.  When it is straight you are finished.  It is easier to do than to describe.

Bill Jacobs
Bolt&Barrel Gunsmithing, LLC


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## thomasr

Thanks all for the inputs.  I forwarded your info to the SIL and he chose to try the rubber mallet method with good results.  After a few well placed wacks you can't tell it was ever bent. Thanks again to all.


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## Built

straightened a-5 barrel using sand a dime to plug end and a.729 rod inserted in breech,amazing results,Thanks for help.


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## Semi-Pro

I got an emt bender yall can use


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## killerv

I personally wouldnt shoot one that had a noticeable bend in it no matter how it looked afterwards. 1200 barrels are cheap, a doctor or funeral isn't


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## Lukikus2

Holy resurrection. Bent barrels go in the recycle bin. Hope y'all are shooting straight


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## Built

A word to the wise is sufficient...thanks


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## Para Bellum

With my own eyes, I saw an old timer miss a rabbit one morning.  He cussed, found a small tree with a fork in it, laid his shotgun barrel inside the fork and snatched on it HARD.  It noticeably bent the barrel and he smoked the next 2 the dogs ran by us.  I agree with the others here though.  I ain't shootin a bent shotgun.  I'd buy a new barrel for it myself.


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## Built

wether  tis noblerto suffer theslings  and arrows of outreageous fortune or fate ,or to pick up arms and fight.to be or not to be.


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## Built

before


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## rosewood

Zombie thread resurrected.

Won't a bent barrel shoot around corners?  Might be a good one to have.   LOL

Works in movies anyway...


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## rosewood

As long as the chamber isn't damaged, I don't see how a formerly bent barrel could be a safety issue.  It isn't holding much pressure, just guiding the payload.

Rosewood


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## Donal

rosewood said:


> As long as the chamber isn't damaged, I don't see how a formerly bent barrel could be a safety issue.  It isn't holding much pressure, just guiding the payload.
> 
> Rosewood


A long radius bend and cold bending are your friends.


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## Built

after


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## Jester896

someone gifted my an old Brownell's too to straighten or get dinks out of a shotgun barrel last week.


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## rosewood

rosewood said:


> As long as the chamber isn't damaged, I don't see how a formerly bent barrel could be a safety issue.  It isn't holding much pressure, just guiding the payload.
> 
> Rosewood


Although, I did get to thinking, it may affect accuracy of slugs through the bore if you don't get it perfect.

Rosewood


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## Jester896

it wasn't perfect to start with


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## Built

straight shooting


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