Bent barrel-fix?

JeffJ · August 30, 2002, 15:31

OK I figured out a way to check the barrel and it is indeed bent down and to the right all in front of the gas port, should I just pitch it, or try to heat it and hammer it back???
What to do???

MM in NM · August 30, 2002, 15:40

Don't heat it and don't hammer it but you could try to tweek it back. Use your imagination on how to do it. In the old days I've read that gunsmiths used to regularly tweek bent barrels back to straight but I'm afraid it's become a lost art. If it's not going to be a match rifle, what have you got to loose?

**W.E.G.** · August 30, 2002, 15:41

By all means try to STRAIGHTEN it. No red-blooded WECSOG'r would consider anything else.

But, if you get frustrated, TAPCO is selling complete front ends, including the barrel for $40.

SMITH · August 30, 2002, 17:39

You need an arbor press and some blocks of wood. Take the barrel and press just a tad on it, you are going to have to bend it past straight just a hair as it will recover somewhat. Take a couple indicators .0001" resolution would be best, and spin the barrel to find out what is where for bends. A grease pencil works good for marking the bends and amounts, and a shot of brake cleaner will take it off for the next round of bending. An arrow spinner would work fine for this, or roll it on some parallels on a gauge table. Keep bending until it is back straight. NO HEAT!!!!!! You may find that it will try to work back crooked a little but I doubt it, barrel steel is really soft, it should stay.

A MANUAL arbor press is the only way to do this unless you do it all the time.

Hope this helps.

gunsmith_tony · August 30, 2002, 22:20

If it were a bent axel on your car...would you be heating it and trying to hammer it str8? Or would you go to the local salvaged parts place and just get another one for a few bucks?
If you insist on str8ening your ballel...str8en it for a spare. But put another str8 barrel in your receiver.

gunsmith_tony · August 30, 2002, 22:21

I know...I know...BLASPHEMER!!!!!

slash-5 · September 22, 2002, 21:54

Really, I think the only way to do this is to shoot it untill its red-hot. Then, put the barrel thingy on a rock or something and stand on it. Got to do it quick before it melts through your shoe...

SMITH · September 22, 2002, 22:42

Another point is that most production barrels are made and THEN straightened. VERY few barrels are made straight and you pay big $$$$ for them. Straightening a barrel is not a big deal, and really common.

PCSinc · September 23, 2002, 06:46

Get a new barrel!

gunhead · September 23, 2002, 21:14

At this point you really have nada to lose, its bent anyway, right?
Try to straighten it, if you have a machine shop at your disposal, lay it between a coupla "V" blocks & the end of the barrel against a stationary point. Put a .001 indictator on it & locate the bent area, mark it, remove & bent it with a big raw hide mallet, recheck!
If the "V: blocks are junky ones or someone elses

, just hammer it in place

GL.......
Oh, Probably buying another barrel is less trouble as some said & Most barrels have to be straithened by "EYE", especially Italian Shotgun barrels

The Gun Drill usually gets close to concentric with the outside, its hit & miss but rest assured, they use em all

Rich

Pluribus · September 24, 2002, 00:37

Tree fork. I bought a 512 Remington for $5 from a neighbor when I was 15. I'ts got a bent barrel son, it shoot's way to the right. After eyeballin' it real good, I stuck it in the fork of a tree, bent, shot, bent, shot,....... finally got to point of aim with the sight's centered on the barrel. The old man I bought from didn't believe me, so he went went with me to shoot it. He just shook his head, couldn't believe it. Offered me $10 for it. I still have it and all four of my kid's have started on it. The moral to this story? If a sappy, don't know nuthin', 15 yr. old kid can, so can you. You have nothing to lose, and something, maybe, to gain. Good Luck, Hope you can pull it off just so you can say you DID!

DB

August 30, 2002, 15:31	#1
JeffJ Registered FALaholic #: 5212 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 1,971	Bent barrel-fix? OK I figured out a way to check the barrel and it is indeed bent down and to the right all in front of the gas port, should I just pitch it, or try to heat it and hammer it back??? What to do???

August 30, 2002, 15:41	#3
W.E.G. Administrator Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 1211 Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Virginia Posts: 31,052	By all means try to STRAIGHTEN it. No red-blooded WECSOG'r would consider anything else. But, if you get frustrated, TAPCO is selling complete front ends, including the barrel for $40. __________________ . . . Ask me about the Mason-Dixon FAL Collectors Association.

September 22, 2002, 21:54	#7
slash-5 Registered FALaholic #: 5076 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: AZ Posts: 1,105	Really, I think the only way to do this is to shoot it untill its red-hot. Then, put the barrel thingy on a rock or something and stand on it. Got to do it quick before it melts through your shoe... __________________ “I credit a large amount of my success to vending meat snacks.” ---My Boss

September 23, 2002, 06:46	#9
PCSinc Registered FALaholic #: 4167 Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 181	Get a new barrel! __________________ Jim Meredith FAL, CETME/HK, AR, GALIL Builds and Machine Work PCS Inc. pcsjam@sbcglobal.net Protect the Second Amendment!!!

September 23, 2002, 21:14	#10
gunhead Registered FALaholic #: 2820 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Port Charlotte, Florida Posts: 2,395	At this point you really have nada to lose, its bent anyway, right? Try to straighten it, if you have a machine shop at your disposal, lay it between a coupla "V" blocks & the end of the barrel against a stationary point. Put a .001 indictator on it & locate the bent area, mark it, remove & bent it with a big raw hide mallet, recheck! If the "V: blocks are junky ones or someone elses , just hammer it in place GL....... Oh, Probably buying another barrel is less trouble as some said & Most barrels have to be straithened by "EYE", especially Italian Shotgun barrels The Gun Drill usually gets close to concentric with the outside, its hit & miss but rest assured, they use em all Rich __________________ Gun-Head "Who ever said that Common Sense was so Common?"

August 30, 2002, 15:40	#2
MM in NM Registered FALaholic #: 5720 Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: East mountains of New Mexico Posts: 461	Don't heat it and don't hammer it but you could try to tweek it back. Use your imagination on how to do it. In the old days I've read that gunsmiths used to regularly tweek bent barrels back to straight but I'm afraid it's become a lost art. If it's not going to be a match rifle, what have you got to loose?

August 30, 2002, 17:39	#4
SMITH Registered FALaholic #: 6750 Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 170	You need an arbor press and some blocks of wood. Take the barrel and press just a tad on it, you are going to have to bend it past straight just a hair as it will recover somewhat. Take a couple indicators .0001" resolution would be best, and spin the barrel to find out what is where for bends. A grease pencil works good for marking the bends and amounts, and a shot of brake cleaner will take it off for the next round of bending. An arrow spinner would work fine for this, or roll it on some parallels on a gauge table. Keep bending until it is back straight. NO HEAT!!!!!! You may find that it will try to work back crooked a little but I doubt it, barrel steel is really soft, it should stay. A MANUAL arbor press is the only way to do this unless you do it all the time. Hope this helps.

August 30, 2002, 22:20	#5
gunsmith_tony Registered FALaholic #: 6564 Join Date: May 2002 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 2,521	If it were a bent axel on your car...would you be heating it and trying to hammer it str8? Or would you go to the local salvaged parts place and just get another one for a few bucks? If you insist on str8ening your ballel...str8en it for a spare. But put another str8 barrel in your receiver.

August 30, 2002, 22:21	#6
gunsmith_tony Registered FALaholic #: 6564 Join Date: May 2002 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 2,521	I know...I know...BLASPHEMER!!!!!

September 22, 2002, 22:42	#8
SMITH Registered FALaholic #: 6750 Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 170	Another point is that most production barrels are made and THEN straightened. VERY few barrels are made straight and you pay big $$$$ for them. Straightening a barrel is not a big deal, and really common.

September 24, 2002, 00:37	#11
Pluribus Registered Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 5600 Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wichita, America Posts: 3,259	Tree fork. I bought a 512 Remington for $5 from a neighbor when I was 15. I'ts got a bent barrel son, it shoot's way to the right. After eyeballin' it real good, I stuck it in the fork of a tree, bent, shot, bent, shot,....... finally got to point of aim with the sight's centered on the barrel. The old man I bought from didn't believe me, so he went went with me to shoot it. He just shook his head, couldn't believe it. Offered me $10 for it. I still have it and all four of my kid's have started on it. The moral to this story? If a sappy, don't know nuthin', 15 yr. old kid can, so can you. You have nothing to lose, and something, maybe, to gain. Good Luck, Hope you can pull it off just so you can say you DID! DB __________________ W. W. J. W. D? (What Would John Wayne Do) Were it not for ignorance, thus we would remain. Never hate your enemy, it only clouds your judgment. Last edited by Pluribus; September 24, 2002 at 10:33.

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