Range Trip- - - Custom FN 98' Mauser , 7X57mm

[Ben]

I finally had some good weather to go to the range today.
My last attempts ( 3 weeks ago ) with this rifle were a dismal failure . It shot all over the paper, after 10 rounds, I put the rifle back in the case and took it home. Didn't take too long to find the problem- - a bad barrel crown.
I took the 24" barrel and cut it back to 22" and re-crowned it.
Today was my 1st opportunity to see if the re-crown fixed the accuracy problem.
I think the new crown fixed my earlier problem.

Ben

Here is the " Thor " bullet that you see in the group below.
Notice the clean holes it cuts in the target.
Would probably do that to flesh also.......

 

[JWFilips]

It Shoots as good as it looks now!

 

[Ben]

Thanks JW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Good lookin Rifle Ben!!

Love those Mauser 98's!!

CW

 

[Trapperscott]

Now THAT’S more like it. I’d say it’s fixed. Beautiful rifle Ben.

 

[Uncle Grinch]

Ben, you have a way with those 7x57 Mausers!
Very nice !

 

[Ian]

Been waiting for this one, it was worth it!

What tool do you use to recrown your barrels?

 

[Jeff H]

WOW! I've been waiting too and agree with @JWFilips on shooting as good as it looks!

Beautiful gun that shoots beautifully.

Also interested in the means of achieving the cut/crown. I have one to do and if I hear a better way to do it than I've done in the past, I'm all ears.

 

[Ben]

Been waiting for this one, it was worth it!

What tool do you use to recrown your barrels?

The 1st tool is carbide, I've crowned several barrels with the tool and it is still razor sharp:

A " light entry cut " is made with the tool above held as close to concentric as my eyes and hands will allow. Then I use the brass screws ( below ) with coarse and fine valve grinding compound .

Once everything looks good-----------
The final test is to take several cotton " Q tips " and drag them across the ends of the rifling . If no strands of cotton are pulled from the Q tip, I consider the rifle ready to go to range for testing.

Ben

 

[oscarflytyer]

Ben

Heard the brass screw head/compound method. Ever used a marble? Heard about that one somewhere on one of these...

 

[L Ross]

Ben, did you take a pic of the bad crown?

 

[Ben]

L Ross :

Here are the photos you requested.

I have no idea who tried to crown the barrel originally.
It looks like maybe it was done in 2 separate steps ?
In my opinion, what ever tool they chose was not sharp.
There was far too much pressure put on the tool and it
wasn't cutting very well.
The 1st 1/32" of an inch inside the barrel has metal displaced into it.
When you push a patch from the breech end, when you get
to the end of the barrel, the displaced metal was very easy to feel.

 

[Jeff H]

@Ben, how did you cut that 2" off?

I hesitate to admit that I've used a hacksaw to shorten and and files to square-up to good effect, based on the targets. Not sure how much of that has been luck though.

 

[Ben]

@Ben, how did you cut that 2" off?

I hesitate to admit that I've used a hacksaw to shorten and and files to square-up to good effect, based on the targets. Not sure how much of that has been luck though.

USA made , fine tooth, hack saw blade.

Ben

 

[Jeff H]

Beautiful! I'm on the right track then, and feel the urge to now push on with my project - once again inspired by our soundest mentor.

Thank you, Ben.

 

[Ian]

Big difference between Ben using a hacksaw, files, and improvised lapping tools and Bubba using a lathe with an improperly profiled cutting tool.

 

[JWFilips]

I have crowned a few centerfire barrels and about 30 Muzzleloading barrels ( & also coned a number of them)
I most times use a ball type grindstone for course and finish with Brass screws , aka Ben! I also have used different sized ball bearings with valve compound finished up with xxx fine diamond dust! They all work! I, many times in the past, just used the Ball Grindstone to carefully turn pieces of Carborundum papers to finish the crowns...it grabs the paper very well but do not apply much pressure or you will be back where you started if it cuts through the paper

 

[Jeff H]

Big difference between Ben using a hacksaw, files, and improvised lapping tools and Bubba using a lathe with an improperly profiled cutting tool.

Big difference between Ben using a hacksaw and ME using a hacksaw is that I substitute stubbornness for skill and just keep at it until I get it right.

I WILL have to remember to mark the barrel at 16" so I know when to give up though.

 

[Ian]

Nah, if you get down to where it looks like you have to go under 16" it's okay, just be sure and saw the other end off behind the pistol grip before you resume whittling on the barrel.

 

[Jeff H]

Nah, if you get down to where it looks like you have to go under 16" it's okay, just be sure and saw the other end off behind the pistol grip before you resume whittling on the barrel.

Innovative thinking!

Always a work-around.