I've done this with ribless shotgun barrels, but never a rifle barrel. Like someone already said, it is pretty cheap to have it done.

Most gunsmiths will charge only 25 to 45 dollars for such work, why risk screwing it up? You'll spend more on tools to do it yourself.

It depends on your definition of a decent job. If you're looking for moa or better accuaracy, I'd defer the job to a good gunsmith that will zero the bore on a 4 jaw check and cut a concentric crown.

If you're talking beater gun and you're happy with 2-3 moa, have at it. If the crown on the gun is messed up, you won't hurt anything. I've used the hacksaw, mill file and brownells crowning tool on a few revolvers and a few beater rifles, and the results were good enough for the uses of the guns. I haven't messed with a gun that shoots really well. If you're not happy with the results, you can always have a smith fix it later.

If it is a gun that is a good shooter, I'd be leary though. I have occasionally broken things that didn't need fixing, and have always regretted such moves.

Why laugh? I've done at least a half dozen over the years and they all came out just fine. Make sure the cut is square. For the crown I use a cone shaped stone first and then the brass screws and lapping compound to finish it up. Accuracy never suffered on any, a couple got better.

I wouldn't recommend it but it can be done.....the way I'd suggest is to use a hack saw to cut to length and then clamp a "Vee" block to the end of the barrel and file over the "Vee" block to attain a reasonably square muzzle.....that is square to the OD of the barrel. Then using a chamfer tool and very slow RPM chamfer the ID of the bore and go to the range to see how it shoots......be certain to clean any metal chips from the bore before shooting.

If it shoots well use some cold blue and reblue the muzzle and be happy. If it doesn't shoot well see the nearest "smith" for a correction and bite the bullet, pay to get it properly crowned.

I'd see a smith first however because shortening a barrel is not expensive if you don't have to have the barrel reblued.

At the risk of taking a lot of flak here goes: Is there any chance of doing a decent job shortning a barrel at home using simple tools like a hack saw and file, and then crowning using brass round head screws in a hand drill and lapping compound?

Advice on technique is requested after you stop laughing...........