I am fitting a barrel band swivel base to one of my rifles, and was just going to turn the compound rest on my lathe to the desired angle, and use a boring bar. However, I was wondering if there is an easier way. How do the professionals do it?

I carefully bore them to fit. You can stretch them on with force and lots of careful peening as well.

I do a combination of this. I normally bore the base and turn the barrel to fit.

I usually cut a 3/16" slot on the top then squeeze them to fit the barrel. Good enough for H&H, good enough for me.

I do nothing but solder them on; you are putting them on a very gradual tapered part of the barrel and you can't see any gaps. I feel, actually that they shrink on because they will go farther hot than cold. I know, duh.

The bands I have installed were fitted using a 1/2" dia. sanding sleeve chucked in my vertical lathe (drill press). Easy to do and tapering the band only takes about 15 minutes to fit, and that is providing the correct and close band was ordered. Not a fan of cutting, hammering, welding or any other performances requiring repair of the fit. Not necessary.
Thanks,
Stephen

Stephen

Ive seen a couple of real good old time smiths heat one red hot, tap it on to a mark, quench it, and you couldn't hammer it off withva 10 lb. sledge..Ive seen a well know smith taper the hole with files and taught me how to do that then solder them on..Not that hard to do..I like to get a good metal smith to do my rifles in the white, so I can stock them myself..but I only do one or two a year these days, end up selling it to make another..Keeps me busy enough..

I'm doing a couple right now, so took some pictures to illustrate.

I taper using a dremel and round files. Then, I've gone with effective over elegant: I use a small set screw at a 45 degree angle into a tiny divot drilled in the barrel. That holds them on without locktite, solder, or heat shrinking.

Not sure why the images don't show; if you right click and open in new tab they will open.

I stretch them using a scrap barrel with the same taper. No reason to use a scrap barrel other than something in my head says I shouldn't be hitting the new barrel I beat it down and pean where it's contacting until it slides to where it needs to be on the new barrel. Then solder or epoxy. The set screw idea is very neat, but I personally don't like the look. Just my preference though.

quote:

Originally posted by loud-n-boomer:
I am fitting a barrel band swivel base to one of my rifles, and was just going to turn the compound rest on my lathe to the desired angle, and use a boring bar. However, I was wondering if there is an easier way. How do the professionals do it?

I can't count how many I put on at Dakota that exact way. Used a 3 jaw chuck and a large parallel to square it up with the face of the chuck. Taper could be copied with an indicator on your compound and using the barrel that needs the band between centers. When I was at Dakota, we never used solder. Just heated them with a propane torch and slid them on while hot (not red hot). If it wasn't straight we would just cut it off and cut another one. Ross Seyfried had a rifle we built with a barrel band. Rumor around the shop was that he had someone with an air gauge check the barrel and there was a slight constriction at the barrel band. But... the rifle was sufficiently accurate for hunting.

I’ve always dialed them in on my 4-jaw then taper with a boring back before soldering.

I have seen studies that show a constriction of the bore as he said above. Winchester shrinks theirs on; Rugers are held on with a set screw.
On a hunter it don't matter. I solder them.

I Mark off a 2 inch section in the area I want the band to fit with a magic marker the produces two marks.
I measure on the the marks with a micrometer this produces one small number one big number.
Subtract the small number from the big number and divide the sum by two.
Example: .800 - .775= .025/2= .0125 this is your taper per inch.

Moving to the lathe with this information.
Clamp your mag base to the Chuck or tailstock, your placement must be independent from the carriage.
Mark with magic marker two spots two inches apart from each other. On the compound.

The compound will need to be set high on the right low on the left or basically tapering as if you had the barrel in the Chuck by the muzzle.

You then run the carriage back in fourth with indicator in contact with the compound and operation Mark to mark.
You will dial in the compound so you indicator needle reads .0125 gain over two inches.
I tap the compound with a soft hammer to move the compound one way or the other.

Once you have your barrel taper dialed into the compound mount your post and tool and bore it out to the size you are after.

I prefer to use a telescoping gage and a micrometer for measuring the size vs the caliper, more accurate as well, you'll want to be right up at the edge of your bore with your Tele. Gage for gauging.

I do the same process for NECG banded front ramps except I subtract and extra .002 off the taper on set up.
I've found fudging and extra .002 off the taper makes the tails of the ramps fit better no tail gap.
Makes for super easy soldering too.

Thanks Stu, some great info there.

I did a couple where the OD of the bbl matched up with the ID of a 12ga bbl well. Actually the choke section of the short section of cut-off bbl.

The choke section I figured being slightly tapered and the bbl also, I cut a short length of the choke section of the bbl out and used that as the 'ring' for a bbl sling.

Worked out perfectly. Nice tight fit. I did use a drop of LockTite as insurance when driving the unit into place.

The lug on the bottom of the ring that the sling swivel actually attaches to was hard soldered to the ring, shaped and polished before attachment to the bbl.

It makes some use for all those bbl cut-offs.