Spent the day working on stuff for this rifle. Sean has been waiting for a long time. He posts here as "Rotor". He spent a lot of time doing rescue work in Alaska in Helos.

Sean's 62 Woodsman is to incorporate as much non-ferrous metal as is practical for the cost. We've discussed this at length. It will need to be in a rifle sleeve when on the snowmobile ... but will take severe weather for limited bursts.

The barrel is also stainless steel. You will have heard me curse the stuff on many occasions. It's just not enjoyable to work. I like the look. I like the "stainless" part. It just does not like tools. It wants to grab drill bits and mill cutters. It wants to fuse to anything spinning - wants to gall.

I went nine rounds with it today over the barrel interior. It's a 62 smoothy. It will also sport the ability to take a rifled insert. I don't rifle stainless. I don't think I can with my tooling. Well, seamless stainless steel tubing is pretty expensive stuff. I've had this material for the barrel for years now. The interior of tubings can vary wildly. This was very good. Wasn't mirror perfect. I wanted to improve it. So; I set out to make tooling to refine the surface with a button polish set-up.

It's been .... fun. By which I mean it's ..... been fun. I've made three tools. All lathe turned, polished, hardened, tempered, welded, refined. The last one correct. Second was real nice too .... and "thiiiiiiisssssss" much too small. I even altered my rifling bench to pull the tooling, And, it was soooooommmmme pull too. And, the barrel is now round and uniform with a real nice interior finish. Best I can do in my shop with my technology ... and stainless steel (hahaha).

So, Sean; the gun is progressing. I'll never be the same (and some will be glad of that) .... but I'm on the case.



Gary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/08/2010 11:41PM by barnespneumatic.

"Fun"

It sounds like you are having a lot of fun.

This is like a milestone in your gun smithing career. In the future when you start writing about your memories they will go like this...

Yes, I did that before or maybe it was after Sean's Stainless 62 Woodsman...Hehehe

Now you've gone and let the cat of the bag, Gary. Whats next titanium????????

Whoops, I first read Julio's note as "MiLLstone. Somehow that fit Gary's description better, as in, around the neck. Now I know Gary can polish any old stone into a gem, working from something as shiny as stainless should be a piece of cake.

Gosh Gary, I had no idea you were having so much "fun" with my barrel. I sincerely hope that the rest of the project goes a bit more smoothly, since I'd hate to think that I was somehow responsible for the last hair on your head turning grey or falling out. I hope the coonskin hat shots aren't any indication...

So...I guess it's no coincidence that Sheridan stayed with the brass barrel for their pump-up models for so long.

thanks guys. .... i'll be ok.


well ............ it's morning ...........


guess ..... ..... i'll go back to the ....... shhhh ......ssssshhhhp ....... shop.





hehehe

Gary

stainess ,,, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ,,, oops ,, guess you can guess whats coming next ,,,