[Paul S.]

Is shortening the barrel on a Mini-14 a "do-it-yourself" job? What can I use to cut it (to legal minimum, of course), and where/ how much does a crowning tool cost? Has anybody done this? I need sugestions..thanks. P.

 

[cajungeo]

Paul I thought you already cut your barrel, remember, back in march this year. Review this thread:
http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/showthr...=cutting+barrel

 

[Paul S.]

Nah, I haven't gotten around to it. And since I've never done this before I thought I'd re-check here at the board for direction. Thx. P>

 

[bushwack]

cajungeo---I think if you'll check that post out the bold portion was Rezman's answer to a question posed by Goodorbit. Below that Paul S. was still unsure if he had to crown the barrel or not.

Paul S.---If you're determined to do the job yourself you can use a hack saw. I would use a quality fine tooth blade myself. Stainless is tough stuff. Wrap the barrel with masking tape in case your saw blade skips it won't scratch the barrel. Mark your cut (Remember--lenth is determined from the closed bolt face to the muzzle). Cut just as you would a piece of pipe but remember you will have to square the muzzle so cut as straight as possible. Now comes your time to make a decision. Cheap or correct, which one? The cheap way is to use a file to get the muzzle as square with the bore as possible. Then find yourself a round head brass wood screw that's bigger than the bore diameter. Get a tube of fine valve grinding compound from the auto parts store. Chuck the brass screw into a drill motor & apply a small amount of the grinding compound to the screw head. Put the screw head against the bore & lightly tap the trigger on the drill motor several times. Clean the compound away from the muzzle & inspect it. What you're looking for is a small even ring right around the exit of the bore. repeat as necessary until you have that small even ring. This is "Kitchen Table Gunsmithing" & you sometimes get lucky & it works for you. The correct way would be to buy a "Piloted Facing Cutter" from Brownells which would run around $50. If you're interested in going that route the part number you want is #080-586-239. Since you're going to install a flash hider or muzzle brake you won't need a regular crown.

Good luck
Bushwack

 

[Paul S.]

Great info, bushwacker, thanks (and to cajun also for the thread reference)- and your observation was correct, bush, about the quote preceding my message.

I am assuming that I can find the "round head brass wood screw" at my home depot, correct? Do you have a size for the screw I should use by any chance?

Finally, what is the difference between a "regular crown" (since I'm using a flash hider) and what I would get by using the "piloted facing cutter"? I'm just trying to learn as much as possible here!

Thanks to all, P.

p.s. great tip about the masking tape on the barrel before cutting...simple yet smart- I probably would've never thought of it before hacking away!

 

[Paul S.]

oh another thing, what exactly does "get the muzzle as square with the bore as possible"?

thanks

 

[bushwack]

Paul---The round head of the screw just has to be larger than the bore of the barrel. If you can find a screw with a 3/8" diameter head on it it'll be perfect. Barrels are crowned several different ways. They all do one thing, protect the muzzle bore from damage. Remember that little even ring I said you were looking for? That's the thing the crown is protecting. If you are using a flash hider or muzzle brake there is no need for the crown as the attachment will protect your Muzzle. The piloted facing cutter uses a pilot that fits inside your barrel & the cutter is 90° to the pilot thus giving you a muzzle that's perfectly square to the bore. And the reason for all this fuss about your muzzle is in the thread that cajungeo put up, I believe.

Good shooting
Bushwack

 

[Kalifornia Citizen]

That makes for interesting reading, about using basic handtools for a precision project. Who knows? The rifle might shoot straighter with an angled muzzle. From my own experience, it is very tedious to get a straight cut with a hacksaw. I'm not saying it can't be done, I'm saying you have to be very attentive as to what's happening on every stroke. When I see my machinist friend turn out precisely cut and centered shafts, then bore out the center and put threads in the bore, I marvel at how mankind has progressed. He does this all the time, and I am awed.

I am equally awed when I get a good results with hammer, drill, saw, and file. More tired, but awed.


KC

:ar15: :ar15:

 

[cajungeo]

The primary purpose of a firearm muzzle crown is to provide propellant gases a resistance free path away from all parts of the projectile as it exits the bore of the barrel. The secondary purpose is to protect the bore from damage caused by misuse. The third purpose is for good looks which is always achieved when the primary purpose is satisfied
Paul wheather or not you install a Muzzle Brake, you need to recrown after you cut barrel, or your accuracy will most likely suffer! The brake won't accomplish the primary purpose. Check out this link: http://riflestocks.tripod.com/targetcrown.html

 

[bushwack]

Hey I'm sorry guys, my screw up. I indicated you had to square the muzzle but I kinda left that part out. After cutting the barrel with the hack saw you square the muzzle with a file. A good single cut mill file should work well. A good pair of eyes will come in real handy here. This is why I would buy the facing cutter from Brownells.

Sorry
Bushwack

 

[Paul S.]

thanks for the info guys....excellent! can't wait for the weekend to get going...i'll keep you all posted.

p.

"Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."- Tenyson

 

[Paul S.]

I took off the flash suppresor on my Mini-14 and this is what the muzzle looks like..is this a normal muzzle or did the previous owner work on this or added something? Should I leave this the way it is or can I go ahead and cut and recrown? Thanks, P. (I'm attaching picture file, I hope it works).

 

[Paul S.]

..another view.

 

[bushwack]

Paul---That looks like a regular Mini-14 muzzle to me. Sorry I can't advise you on if you should cut & recrown that's entirely up to you. If you feel the job is a little more than you care to try any good gunsmith can do it for a resonable price.

Good luck
Bushwack

 

[Kalifornia Citizen]

Thanks Paul for those pictures. My mini-14 ranch looks like yours except mine is all blued - no shiny metal anywhere. Even in the crown. One thing I see with magnifying glass is a slight ridge at the base of the crown. Hmmm - I wonder if a little polishing here will improve things.

KC

 

[cajungeo]

Is that the back of the front site sleeve? or is it a turned step in your barrel?

 

[Paul S.]

what you see in the pics is the barrel, there is no sight sleeve. I was wondering if this step is normal in all Mini's.

 

[Mike in Oregon]

Gang,
Shortening a barrel is a relatively easy thing to do even w/o a lathe. Cut the barrel w/ hacksaw as discussed, dress it as square as possible w/ file, then purchase a piloted muzzle crowning reamer from Brownells and hand turn it to cut the target crown. Then use a large brass round head screw in a drill w/ lapping compound to finish the crown. Done.
Mike in Oregon

 

[cajungeo]

Hey Paul, I had to get a flashlight, to look thru my muzzle brake, as I installed the brake 3 weeks after I bought it. My mini has a step also, I had just forgotten it had been so long. It is a normal thang, as opposed to an abynormal thang.

 

[Paul S.]

Ok..now another question...what is the purpose of this step? what does it do? thx, p.