Gunsmithing Chronicle of my first build

[cast1]

Hey everybody. I wanted to put a thread together detailing my first build. I've been prepping to do this for 5 years, three spent looking for the right lathe, and two restoring it. I'll update it as I move along. Many thanks to Greg Tannel and Ozzie Suarez.

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[cast1]

Dialing in the receiver.

 

[birddogsx3]

Nice work on the SB I am getting close to finishing a Sheldon 10L. I will be following along and hopefully will be able to add to some of my learning (mistakes). Is that a 42 inch bed? How do you plan on reaming your chambers? I copied a post from the old site and pasted it here about reamer holders. Lots of good info. I ended up using a method Chad Dixon posted in that thread. Unfortunately the pic is no longer available but the text is there and is a good description. For me it worked way better than chambering between centers on the little 10k I have now. I had to buy some extra tooling but it was worth it in the end.

 

[cast1]

How the heck do you embed a video?

 

[cast1]

Got the embed function! Truing results.

 

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Barrel

 

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Tenon

 

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Chamber job

 

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Headspacing

 

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Muzzle

 

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[DeauxJoe]

So I am where you are 5 years ago. I picked up a south bend model A 9 inch and am currently restoring it. I am getting pretty close to the end of that process and want to learn to do this. I would appreciate any leads to resources for information you found helpful? Or any advice you have.

 

[ugsly]

Looks good Cast might put a tad more chamfer on your counter bore if you have problems with feeding. Keep up the good work bud.

Casey

 

[powdahound76]

Awesome. I followed your rebuild from the trailer picking it to putting in the true bar to check it out so this is extra cool to see. Good on ya and looking good.
I suspect we will see a range report soon!

 

[cast1]

So I am where you are 5 years ago. I picked up a south bend model A 9 inch and am currently restoring it. I am getting pretty close to the end of that process and want to learn to do this. I would appreciate any leads to resources for information you found helpful? Or any advice you have.

The videos that Ozzie Suarez has on youtube are a wealth of information. I'd start there. I bought Greg Tannel's action truing video and the fixture he uses will be a must for you since working through the headstock will not be an option. I have one made by Viper benchrest that I did my bolt with. The setup I used on my receiver is similar to that William Roscoe at Louisiana Precision uses, which I think he stole from Mike Bryant. You will have to chamber in the steady, which I would like to try, but there is a book out there on amazon written by John L Hinnant that describes the process very well. I have it but ended up using the through the headstock method.

 

[DeauxJoe]

Great info thank. Is that a 10K? I'll definitely have to look up info on chambering in a steady because that doesn't make sense to me lol.

 

[cast1]

Great info thank. Is that a 10K? I'll definitely have to look up info on chambering in a steady because that doesn't make sense to me lol.

Any time. My lathe is a 10L or heavy 10. They have a larger spindle bore, big enough to cram an action or shank of a barrel through. Your lathe will do the trick too, you'll just have to go about it a little differently.

 

[cast1]

Looks good Cast might put a tad more chamfer on your counter bore if you have problems with feeding. Keep up the good work bud.

Casey

Thanks for the tip on the counterbore. I'll touch it up.

 

[Murica]

Good job

 

[Pan]

Really awesome work!

 

[Danny1788]

Awesome work cast be careful with the tape on the go gauge after full torque on the barrel and action it can be tighter than you think. I use round disk shims now that are .002 and .001" thick.

Just an idea but your work looks awesome what turning and threading tools are you using ?

 

[chipsfan]

Great job!

 

[parshal]

I picked up a south bend model A 9 inch and am currently restoring it. ... I would appreciate any leads to resources for information you found helpful? Or any advice you have.

I do mine on a 10K with a 4.5' bed which is going to be the same process you use on the 9A. You'll get more creative with ways to hold things the more you do it. I've been finishing my barrels at 25-26" and nearly run out of bed working between centers. Hopefully you've got a long bed, too. Send me a message and I can help you out.

Oh, and cast, nice finish work!

 

[cast1]

Awesome work cast be careful with the tape on the go gauge after full torque on the barrel and action it can be tighter than you think. I use round disk shims now that are .002 and .001" thick.

Just an idea but your work looks awesome what turning and threading tools are you using ?

It's all Arthur R Warner HSS. Great stuff.

 

[cast1]

Still gotta cerakote it, but can't wait to see how it shoots. Will post test target soon.

 

[cast1]

First three shot groups! These are 1/2" squares.
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[Bully]

Phenomenal work. Beautiful work on restoring that lathe as well. Got any before pics of it?

 

[cast1]

Phenomenal work. Beautiful work on restoring that lathe as well. Got any before pics of it?

 

[Bully]

^^^ That's a beaut! I'd give a small body part for something like that. ^^^

 

[cast1]

Already did my second one. This could get out of hand.

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[cast1]

Can't seem to edit my previous post on an iPhone so here is a shot with some dimensions on it:

 

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This is all with boxed Hornady 140 ELD match.