In another installment on the Low Budget Trainer project, LOW BUDGET .22 TRAINER - start to "finish" this addition deals with shortening the barrel.
Barrel length - many say shortening the barrel increases accuraccy by reducing the "whip", harmonics, or even the velocity and the amount of drag on a bullet as it has to go through the rifling once the powder is burnt up (usually said in the first 16" of length). I decided I wanted to find out firsthand myself, so I decided to cut the barrel on my Savage MKII "F" model which was a rifle intended on "doing it yourself" with many projects - this one no exception, but a little riskier.
Once I convinced myself that I can do it with simple tools and accepting that I may in fact ruin a barrel and have to purchase another, I started the project. Qualified gunsmiths and the weak of heart may be forewarned, this is truly primitive way to do it.
The MKII F used came with an advertised barrel length of 20". When measuring with a cleaning rod and a closed bolt it measures 21 1/8", and from the muzzle to the receiver 19.75". Pick how you want to measure it, I shortened it by 2", and it improved group size.
First some tools I used - hacksaw with new blade, a reloading case chamfer tool, a metal file and sandpaper (for smoothing out the saw marks), a pip cleaner (for keeping debris from going down the barrel), a fuel injector fuel line clamp 13-15mm (to put on the barrel to help guide the saw blade for a straighter cut), a slotted screwdriver, and of course "Perma Blue" blueing pen to blue the modification on the muzzle.
I measured where I wanted to start cutting (-1" from muzzle as I was also doing aan ammo / FPS / group test for every inch cut), placed and tightened the clamp with a slotted screw driver, then inserted the pipe cleaner (doubled over). I made the cut toward the muzzle side of the clamp so as not to mark any finish on the main barrel (between the clamp and front sight was 1" and where I would cut).
I then used the file and sandpaper to get an even flat muzzle and to get rid of any saw marks. With the file I lightly (at a 45 deg. angle) went around the outside of the barrel to take off any burrs and sharp edges. I then took the chamfer tool to crown the muzzle opening and to remove burrs. I did some testing with the -1", then repeated it all again to cut off another 1" for a total of 2".
(This picture is from a previous crowning)
Note the "STAR" from the even crowning - had I thought about it earlier, I would have painted it white to help show this better.
I cleaned the bare metal with acetone to remove any oils and residue, then touched it up with the Perma Blue pen, which did an excellent job, this photo does not do it justice.
A side benefit (other than reducing groups by 1/4" at 50 yards and 1/2" or more at 100 yards) is that the shorter barrel seemed to balance the rifle better and gave it a more "custom tacticool" look, which is actually tough to capture in a photo of the "improved" stance.
So to get a "sleeker, meaner stance" and IMHO a better shooting and handling rifle, it took at the most an hour to cut, file / sand, and finish the barrel. Of course most of us have these things on hand which would lower the cost, but if had to be purchased:
Hacksaw - $4.99
Saw Blades - $2.99
Presto (Perma) Blue pen - $5.25
File / sandpaper - around $5.00 for both
Chamfer tool - ranges from $2.00 to $18.00 - calling it $10.00.
Fuel infector line clamps - $ 2.99
Pipe cleaner - $ ? (can use paper towel, cotton ball, etc. also)
Flat blade screw driver - $3.25
Total for the barrel shortening: $34.47 - if having to buy all the tools used.
Does the shorter sporter barrel perform as well as the bull target rifle barrel? Not quite, HOWEVER it is an improvement on how the sporter barrel performed before - link to the test Shortening barrel length
Barrel length - many say shortening the barrel increases accuraccy by reducing the "whip", harmonics, or even the velocity and the amount of drag on a bullet as it has to go through the rifling once the powder is burnt up (usually said in the first 16" of length). I decided I wanted to find out firsthand myself, so I decided to cut the barrel on my Savage MKII "F" model which was a rifle intended on "doing it yourself" with many projects - this one no exception, but a little riskier.
Once I convinced myself that I can do it with simple tools and accepting that I may in fact ruin a barrel and have to purchase another, I started the project. Qualified gunsmiths and the weak of heart may be forewarned, this is truly primitive way to do it.
The MKII F used came with an advertised barrel length of 20". When measuring with a cleaning rod and a closed bolt it measures 21 1/8", and from the muzzle to the receiver 19.75". Pick how you want to measure it, I shortened it by 2", and it improved group size.
First some tools I used - hacksaw with new blade, a reloading case chamfer tool, a metal file and sandpaper (for smoothing out the saw marks), a pip cleaner (for keeping debris from going down the barrel), a fuel injector fuel line clamp 13-15mm (to put on the barrel to help guide the saw blade for a straighter cut), a slotted screwdriver, and of course "Perma Blue" blueing pen to blue the modification on the muzzle.
I measured where I wanted to start cutting (-1" from muzzle as I was also doing aan ammo / FPS / group test for every inch cut), placed and tightened the clamp with a slotted screw driver, then inserted the pipe cleaner (doubled over). I made the cut toward the muzzle side of the clamp so as not to mark any finish on the main barrel (between the clamp and front sight was 1" and where I would cut).
I then used the file and sandpaper to get an even flat muzzle and to get rid of any saw marks. With the file I lightly (at a 45 deg. angle) went around the outside of the barrel to take off any burrs and sharp edges. I then took the chamfer tool to crown the muzzle opening and to remove burrs. I did some testing with the -1", then repeated it all again to cut off another 1" for a total of 2".
(This picture is from a previous crowning)
Note the "STAR" from the even crowning - had I thought about it earlier, I would have painted it white to help show this better.
I cleaned the bare metal with acetone to remove any oils and residue, then touched it up with the Perma Blue pen, which did an excellent job, this photo does not do it justice.
A side benefit (other than reducing groups by 1/4" at 50 yards and 1/2" or more at 100 yards) is that the shorter barrel seemed to balance the rifle better and gave it a more "custom tacticool" look, which is actually tough to capture in a photo of the "improved" stance.
So to get a "sleeker, meaner stance" and IMHO a better shooting and handling rifle, it took at the most an hour to cut, file / sand, and finish the barrel. Of course most of us have these things on hand which would lower the cost, but if had to be purchased:
Hacksaw - $4.99
Saw Blades - $2.99
Presto (Perma) Blue pen - $5.25
File / sandpaper - around $5.00 for both
Chamfer tool - ranges from $2.00 to $18.00 - calling it $10.00.
Fuel infector line clamps - $ 2.99
Pipe cleaner - $ ? (can use paper towel, cotton ball, etc. also)
Flat blade screw driver - $3.25
Total for the barrel shortening: $34.47 - if having to buy all the tools used.
Does the shorter sporter barrel perform as well as the bull target rifle barrel? Not quite, HOWEVER it is an improvement on how the sporter barrel performed before - link to the test Shortening barrel length
