# gunsmith cut and crowning barrels?



## jbp84 (Sep 29, 2010)

was looking at buying a 7mm-08 having the barrel cut down to 20" looking for someone near macon i checked someone here in town they were talking $100-$110


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## germag (Sep 29, 2010)

How much did you think you should pay?


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## jbp84 (Sep 29, 2010)

germag said:


> How much did you think you should pay?



i didnt know i did a search some people were saying 50-75 bucks i didnt know if that was high or not i guess i should have asking if $100 is the going rate to cut and crow a gun barrel


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## germag (Sep 29, 2010)

I would guess anywhere from $75 to $100 would probably be about the normal rate. It's something you want done right (assuming you want the rifle to be accurate). It's not a difficult job...in fact with the right tools just about anybody could do it themselves (it might be tough to match the blueing up, but you can do it), even so I have most assuredly seen a "gunsmith" screw it up royally. 

I've learned the hard way that sometimes what money you might save by going to the cheapest smith you can find just isn't worth it in the long run. Now, rather than to shop prices for gunsmithing services, I look for the best I can find and pay a little extra if I need to.


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## gtparts (Sep 30, 2010)

I'll go with germag on this.

The results of some gunsmithing jobs have gradations, i.e. perfect, good, neutral, poor, unacceptable. Other jobs can only be graded as pass-fail or perfect-absolute trash.
Cut and crown is one that is right or not right, imo. The finish work may allow for three grades, perfect, acceptable, trash.

If your expectations are high, does it really make sense to trust the least costly provider? I wouldn't unless I was convinced by the quality of the smith's previous work.

The fact that you want the work done at all is a good indication that you want to make improvements to a piece you already find desirable. Like most things, if it is worth doing, it is worth doing right. Conversely, if it isn't worth doing right, why do it?


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## Gunplumber Mike (Sep 30, 2010)

Find the best, most honest gunsmith you can and take your work to him.  You are shortchanging yourself and the gunsmiths if you shop each job independently.

BUT:  Some of the worst gunsmiths I know charge the most.


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## 1022 (Sep 30, 2010)

Go with someone that has done a bunch of them,some gunsmiths may not have cut barells.


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## jbp84 (Sep 30, 2010)

thanxs for info i know the old saying you pay for what you get thats what im up against now. i found a guy that does it i wish i could deal directly with him instead of going through this shop that makes there cut off the deal to. i bought a rem 700 7mm-08 from another member on here i want to have cut down and have a trigger job done on, never owned a custom rifle. i own a ruger 30-06 now my dad bought it for me and for as much as it cost to do any work to it i fig id buy a rem 700 they seem a lot cheaper to modify and 90% custom guns out there are built on that action


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## WGSNewnan (Sep 30, 2010)

cutting and crowning a barrel is really no big deal. you can buy everything you need from brownells or even midway. ive done many using nothing more than a couple tools from PTG and a drill. really - its no big deal.
http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/#crown____-_1-2-4_8-16-32


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## Clarke123 (Oct 7, 2010)

Look at the "Crown Ball Lapping" PDF on this link:

http://drop.io/unclenick

Sometimes all one needs is a little "tune-up" of their crown to 
get the absolute besst performance from their weapon ...

Good luck, and Good Hunting!

Earl Clark - Cumming, Georgia


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## frankwright (Oct 8, 2010)

I cut a rifle barrel off with a hacksaw. I used a file and a square to level and contour it.
I used a round head brass screw and lapping compound to crown it.
A few years later I was at a gunsmith with a friend and got him to check my hacksaw job and he asked me if a gunsmith did it and that it was fine and didn't need anything else.


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## SiRed94 (Oct 8, 2010)

Yeah, I have always done them myself and nobody can ever tell.  And if I didn't know I did the work myself, I wouldn't be able to tell, because they shoot just as accurately, if not more accurately than the factory length/crown.


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## Jason280 (Oct 11, 2010)

I believe there are a couple of online smiths who do cut/crowns for $50, but you have to pay shipping both ways.  Basically, you are looking at $75-100 no matter what.  

Reality is, anyone with a lathe can do it in under 10 minutes.  The only issue is, making sure they do it without marking the barrel with the chuck.  The cutting and crowning portion is very straightforward, and difficult to mess up on a good lathe with the proper tools.  But, like I said, the issue is the finish on the barrel.  

I'd do it for you for free, but I haven't gotten quite enough time on my lathe yet to feel 100% about doing someone's rifle.


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## JKnieper (Oct 11, 2010)

Mike over at Ingleside would do a good job.


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## weagle (Oct 12, 2010)

frankwright said:


> I cut a rifle barrel off with a hacksaw. I used a file and a square to level and contour it.
> I used a round head brass screw and lapping compound to crown it.
> A few years later I was at a gunsmith with a friend and got him to check my hacksaw job and he asked me if a gunsmith did it and that it was fine and didn't need anything else.



That's basically what I do.  I do use an 11 degree crowning tool (inexpensive from brownells) so it looks a little more professional.

Weagle


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## killerv (Oct 18, 2010)

JKnieper said:


> Mike over at Ingleside would do a good job.



I needed a good laugh today.


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## LawnStalker (Oct 18, 2010)

From the snickering, I take it Mike might not be the best idea... Any other local suggestions? I hear rumors of other smiths in macon+30miles, but only Oak Ridge Custom Finishes out of WR doesn't get snickers and has contact info...


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## rayjay (Oct 20, 2010)

My suggestion would be to leave the thing alone. The ultimate crowning job would require removing the bbl from the receiver so both ends can be indicated in on the lathe with a spider at one end and the 4 jaw chuck at the muzzle end.  

Just throwing the bbl into a 3 jaw chuck and whacking it off will end up with the bbl the length you want but I don't think I have ever seen a bbl that had the bore perfectly centered with the od of the bbl. Even the highest quality aftermarket bbls will have a bit of runout. This is why a quality gunsmith will spend a lot of time getting the BORE indicated in.


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## olchevy (Oct 20, 2010)

I don't know mine only charged 125 to cut and crown, and mill down the barrel and thread it....I had my .308 Varmit barrel cut down to 20'' and threaded 5/8-24 so it could accept Ar-10 accessories/suppressors...

But if it was just a cut and crown job i have done that myself and it has turned out great before....It according to what you are comfortable with.


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## 2bbshot (Oct 20, 2010)

killerv said:


> I needed a good laugh today.



Bitter aint ya! If your gun is brought to Ingleside Gun Works and cut and crowned you will get a fine job. But for the record Mike doesnt cut and crown anything. The store has a great machinist that they use and he does top quality work.


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## johnnypantz (Oct 27, 2010)

check with the guys at firearms traders on pio nono, i've used their guy a few times with good results.


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