When testing out the new home-made brake, I noticed that the bullets tended to wander a bit on the steel plate I was whacking. When I got home, I also noticed that the frame had come loose from the barrel. There is a small tack weld at the back of the frame that attaches it to the barrel/action. This weld had broken. After lining things back up, I rewelded it, and now things look more firm.

Anyone else have this problem? I think it was caused by the pounding I gave the brake to get it turning off the barrel. I guess I need a good set of curved vice jaws instead of using blocks of wood to secure the barrel.

Ranb