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Boring out to 20ga

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alcessapiens

40 Cal
Joined
Oct 1, 2022
Messages
366
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616
Location
Central NY
Just picked up a tc newenglander in.50cal for $35. It was in the junk pile of a gun shop that doesn’t deal in bp. Some fool had apparently shot it, then stored it (presumably in a swamp). The stock was painted brown ( oh, the humanity!) but it was complete except for the under barrel rib, ramrod and tubes. I took it apart and cleaned up the lock and trigger which work well now and am having to thin the stock down a bit to get the paint and scratches out but it’s a nice enough piece of walnut. It was a bit thick and clubby to begin with anyways. So the lock and stock will be fine. Now the barrel is another story altogether. I had to begin with a .30 cal brush to start to get the massive rust flakes out. Then .40,.45, finally .50. There’s nothing left of the rifling and the grooves are badly pitted as well. I am thinking of having it machined out to 20ga (.615) or possibly 12ga. (.729). I’m wondering if anyone here has done this and how did it work out?
 
The size of your new bore will depend on the flat to flat dimension of your barrel.

Barrel wall thickness will need to be sufficient enough to contain the explosion inside the chamber.

How wide is your barrel?

12ga is a non starter. Even 20ga will leave you with a .160 wall with a 15/16"/.937 barrel.
 
Robert Hoyt is a machinist that is widely known in our Traditional community and has done barrel work for hundreds of this forums members alone.
He's busy and usually booked out several months
He did a Renegade sewer pipe to .62 for me (1" barrel) at issue with the T/C's is the random depth of the factory holes drilled,,
,,he said none can be deeper than .125
 
I might call him to see what a .32 liner would cost. Or polish it out to a 54 smoothbore. At any rate I could always sell it, can’t lose money on it.
 
I made a boring rod ( copy of one in foxfire book) to hog out the rifling and polish it to .550 (28ga). The exterior pitting is deep as well so I made a spindle to chuck it into my wood lathe and working it down with a file then polishing with emery. If it goes poorly on the bore I’ll have it sleeved. Seems to be working well enough if a bit slow.
 
I've always been interested in boring rod/spoon bit.

Put up some pics so I can see the final shape of your bit.

My wood lathe does more metalwork than woodwork.

Thanks.
 
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It’s a piece of steel rod, heated and flattened. Drilled a line of holes then cut it with a thin disc. If it’s ragged inside it’ll hold the emery cloth better. Insert a strip and wind on whatever thickness you need. Chuck it on the drill, give it a squirt of oil and go to it. It’s slow going but it’s working. When I ge to .545 or so I’ll go to finer and finer grit until it is at .550-.551
 
You answered my question before I asked it. To hold abrasive cloth.

So no cutting edges? Just widen the gap to make the bore bigger?

Thanks.
 
This poor rifle was trashed. I’m hoping to make something useful of it. Got most of the pitting off the outside, now I just need to dress it a bit with a fine flat mill file then polish it. Just going to cold blue it and the trigger guard and breech. I may make a black walnut under barrel rib and a couple of tubes out of some thick brass I have around.
 
Al,
I did exactly what you’re talking about. Only difference was my New Englander donor was a .54 cal but in the same kind of shape and I had to pay $70 plus shipping for it. I sent it to Bobby Hoyt to be reamed to .62 and he did a great job, as he always does. He won’t go to 16ga because of the sight screw holes. I had never thought of that being a problem but having them close together it might be possible to rupture the barrel if the metal was cut too thin. Anyway, I slimmed the stock down, bobbed the fore end and put a nice piece of ebony on it, for the tip. Polished some of the metal and rust blued some. Came out kinda purty. Looks a bit like an English sporting gun. Doesn’t handle like one though, too short and heavy. A longer, lighter barrel would help that. But for < $250 I can’t complain.
I have used it in a couple of local mz shotgun shoots and have won them both. Working up loads has been an effort but still fun.

Best of luck!
 
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