Barrel Blanks

[usmc_prs]

I am planning on building a bolt gun rifle to compete in matches in the future. I am looking to get a barrel blank and contour and chamber it myself. My question is, when I get the blank, should I expect that the blank (just the cylinder) has been turned on center by the manufacturer?

For those that have gunsmithed barrels before, do you prefer it to be turned on center so the contouring is done on centers? Or, do you prefer to put it in a chuck, true the blank and then machine it?

Is there a common expectation for what I will receive when I purchase my blank in the future?

Thank you all for your help.

 

[spife7980]

Why not just buy one that’s already contoured?

 

[usmc_prs]

Why not just buy one that’s already contoured?

That is always an option and something that I have done in the past. I kinda want to take it to the next step and contour it first.

 

[Supersubes]

Contouring sucks, cant imagine why you’d want to do that yourself when the maker will do it for free. You may know this, but they’ll contour it any way you want, you dont have to pick off the menu.

 

[Frank Green]

That is always an option and something that I have done in the past. I kinda want to take it to the next step and contour it first.

Very few gunsmiths can finish contour the barrel without it being a hassle etc...and or it's not worth they're time.

The vast majority of the shooters ordering barrels are getting them finished contoured. Then the smith just threads, chambers and cut and crowns etc...

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

 

[FisherT&C]

If you are going to "contour" yourself a taperless profile is the easiest to do; like the ones Preferred Barrel does. Otherwise you have to offset the tailstock and run low speed and feed depending on how heavy your lathe is. With a CNC Lathe and correct cutter you can run a program and it can take only 9 minutes or less, depending how much material you're removing. Doing it manually is an overrated experience in my opinion. Like years ago when I made a wood stock from a blank with hand tools, never again, I only ordered duplicates after that.