New barrel crown-before and after target pics (pics fixed)

[Happy Trails]

Further tinkering on my 1916 Spanish Short Rifle I put a new 11 degree crown on the barrel. Tool came from Pacific Tool in Oregon. Cutting and polishing crown took just a few minutes. Did it in the field with before and after target pics included here:

Group shot before crown installed

Raw sawed off barrel

11 Degree cutting tool:

On a side note, the flash hider really changes the sound. I had protection on so I did not get the full effect, but it seemed to echo around the area a whole lot more.

More pics following post.

 

[jogar80]

Can't see the pics!

 

[Sav .250]

No pic`s ...........If you say so.

 

[Happy Trails]

Fixed the pics. Sorry about that.

Here's more of the pics:

Steel wool polishing tip from an extended internet article I found on how to do this project.

Last target was a five shot group, but either there was an XM80 flyer, or I double punched one. I don't know. I called all shots on.

 

[Happy Trails]

Last pics of the project:

Group closed from before project, but I overshot the scope elevation adjustment.

 

[Walkalong]

Looks nice.

 

[wally]

I'd call it much less improvement, compared to how "conventional wisdom" often attributes bad groupings to muzzle crown problems and sells re-crowning as the solution.


This test with intentional damage suggests much larger effect on POA/POI than group size from muzzle crown issues: http://www.accuratereloading.com/crownr.html

Here is another intentional damage test that contradicts conventional wisdom: http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/rifle-crown-1.php

 

[Happy Trails]

Yes, I agree. I read the article in Long Range Hunting and was intrigued. On the opposite side of the discussion is Jim Owens who practically venerates muzzle crown.

So I had to see for myself! (and incorporate the test into the muzzle/flash hider installation project).

Next step is to put this gun in a sporter stock with no barrel bands. I suspect that will give an even greater improvement.

After all this tweaking and proving, and getting it at it's best with this basic ammo, I will spend some dough on real good ammo and see where that brings the groups.

Then again, by that time and all that shooting I might also just be a better shooter! (That's a given, I hope).

 

[TikkaShooter]

From the Long Range Hunting article:
"My first thought was that maybe the crowns were a little different, perhaps by cleaning rod wear or a less than perfect crown to begin with."

As a kid, I was taught to clean from the chamber, not the muzzle.

 

[Happy Trails]

From the Long Range Hunting article:
"My first thought was that maybe the crowns were a little different, perhaps by cleaning rod wear or a less than perfect crown to begin with."

As a kid, I was taught to clean from the chamber, not the muzzle.

That is the crown religion Jim Owens preaches in his book Sight Alignment and Trigger Control.

Makes sense. As does any carefulness. But the results of my own testing and the Long Range Article sure seemed to belie that to a measure.

 

[ThomasT]

But if I ever see a guy shorten a barrel with a hacksaw, knock off the sharp edges with a file and crown it with an RCBS case mouth chamfering tool, I don’t think I’ll tell him that it won’t shoot. I’ll just wait and see.

How in the world did he know what I use to chamfer crowns with??? I have been doing that for years and yes it really works.

 

[WelshShooter]

From the Long Range Hunting article:
"My first thought was that maybe the crowns were a little different, perhaps by cleaning rod wear or a less than perfect crown to begin with."

As a kid, I was taught to clean from the chamber, not the muzzle.

Some people can be sloppy when pulling the cleaning rod back through the chamber after the jag has exited the muzzle. This can inadvertently wear down the crown. I wonder if that's what was implied in the article.