Where can I find instructions on how to stone an action?

Thanks,

Jordan

What are you wanting to do? Smooth the action? Lighten a trigger? On what type of gun?

I'd start with two single malt scotch's and a Percocet.

It's a BRNO ZKW 465 [.22 Hornet]. I want to smooth up the bolt travel and the underside of the action below the stock line. Its an early '70's gun, so the metal work is not nearly as good as guns from the 40s o4 50s [IMHO]. The gun does not appear to have been fired much. I'd like to slicken up the bolt and smooth the exterior prior to re-blueing and rebarreling [I will save the original Hornet barrel].

Jordan

They make stones just for that and they quickley take a shape of their own to fit the area that you are stoning, and you can glue 1/2 inch pieces on short lengths of welding rod to hone the rails with...Hone after you blue not before, blue will defeat your honing to a degree...I just polish the rails and inside of the bolt body that has contact, and the parts of the bolt that show wear...

I've wanted to know how to do this, too. I expect I will have to smooth my MRC action if I should ever get it. Is stoning something you would do to the visible exterior of an action or only to the unseen interior? Are there different grades/hardnesses of stones? Do you use oil, water or do you use them dry? Would a stone take a polished finish off a surface? Would a stone put a polished finish onto a surface? Will anybody bother to answer any of my questions?

I can't help you with the action stoning part.

But, if it makes you feel any better, neither of my MRC short stainless WSM bolt-face actions need any stoning to be at least as smooth as most M70 and other commercial actions I'v encountered (the ones made since about 1958, anyway).

They are not dead smooth, or polished bright and shiney, but they are smooth enough I can't make them bind when closing the bolt, and they feed flawlessly.

Given that, I figger about 400-500 cyclings of the bolt during use at the range and in the field will smooth them up just fine. That dust and carbon that gets in the action during use IS good for something besides aggravation, as long as you keep the big chunks out and clean after each use.... <G>

AC

rootbeer,
Yes you can stone the outside and inside of an action, it is preferable to belt polishing IMO..You must always use the correct stones and oil is the best medium IMO...start with 220, 360, 400, 600, but stop wherever you want. After stoning to about 220 or 360 I will beadblast and hot blue or go to 220, then put the metal on a wire cording wheel and then begin the rust blue process. I like to cord the metal prior to the first coat of rust blue as it takes the bluing solution much better and of course during the rust blue process also...This gives a neat finish. I am looking for a lighter color of blue than most and never go to black, but that is only preference

Ray, the term is "carding" and it is used after the metal has rusted and you have boiled it. The process is used to remove the loose scale and is worthless before you start the process. The stainless wire wheels turn slow and will do nothing to the bare surface of an action or barrel.

Chic, I disagree with you on the usefulness of a carding wheel. They work well for blending the finish after polishing or hand sanding. A carding wheel used after bead blasting will give the metal a nice satin finish. It makes a good looking finish when caustic blueing.

Mark,

If you use a heavy duty carding wheel whose purpose is to clean metal you have a point. But in that case the wire is around .006" and very stiff. A wheel for rust bluing is .002 to .0025 and very soft and will do nothing to blend the texture on a bead blast. If it were stiff enough to rearrange metal it would be detrimental to a rust blued finish. I have tried it. Been there, done that, woke up with the tattoo, . My rust bluing solution will work well on a high polish surface and will end up giving a very fine bead blast look to the final finish. Here is a fresh photo of one that will be in the box and back to Minnesota shortly. A bit difficult to see the texture of the finish but it is there and like a very soft bead blast. BTW, might start another topic but a bead blast is probably the most detrimental thing to do for the longevity of any caustic blue or rust blued finish. You are just providing high points of contact and they will wear off faster than if the surface is smooth.

Chic, the wheel I use is a .0025 stainless. It does a noticable job on smoothing out a glass beaded surface. At least I think it does. Maybe I should stop believing my lying eyes. If a soft wire wheel won't knock the tops off the bead blasted surface, then normal wear won't do it either. Been there, done that, too.

My MRC action will be stainless. I am wanting a shiny, bright look to it (it will not be used for hunting so spooking game is not going to be a problem). So I can stone without risk of taking the engraving off if I use a high enough grit, like 400+?

I've never had an action I hated so much I wanted to stone it although one BR action I bought came close. If I should want to though, I think I would just set it up by the front fence and throw from a distance of about 15 or 20 feet. Any further and the lack of accuracy from the thrower makes hits difficult.
As a gunsmith of moderate ability, I should be able to make up a workable cannon with which I can launch small stones with greater effect should the need arise.
For most of my action polishing I use files and emery cloth. Also I've used Cratex polishing sticks and diamond hones on some occasions. Regards, Bill.

The Gun Digest Book of "Riflesmithing" by Jack Mitchell has a chapter on stoning an action...

Very basic but should get you started. By the way, I'd practice on a beat Mauser action before I went at it on the expensive actions.