Ruger Bent Barrel

[fnbrowning]

I bet most readers are here to find out how he bent a rifle barrel!

To tell the truth, I don't know. I'm doing research for a friend, and he sez it was once a Teamster's truck gun. . . let your imagination wander.

That being said, what we've got is a Ruger 44 magnum carbine from ~1967.
I will contact Ruger regarding a barrel replacement. But, I'd like to provide my buddy with options.

(1) If you wanted to self R&R the barrel, is it possible with this gun?

(2) Where would you get a barrel for a niche rifle like the Ruger 44?

(3) Any shops specializing in this type of repair?

Thanks in advance!

 

[98Redline]

I would say that if the barrel is bent then it is toast. Even if you get it straight, the act of bending it back will work harden the material possibly causing an unsafe condition/barrel rupture. You may also be left with a significant constriction in the barrel at the point of the bend that could cause other bad things to happen when the gun was fired.

Unless you or your buddy were a competent gunsmith (which I assume you are not based on asking the question here) then the best bet would be to either send it back to Ruger for repair or take it to a gunsmith.

The most preferable would be to send it to Ruger. They should have replacement barrels and will have all of the tools to swap the bent tube with a straight one. Probably no more than 2 or 3 weeks turnaround. A gunsmith would probably be more expensive and take longer.

 

[rcmodel]

It is very unlikely Ruger has a barrel for a .44 Auto made in 1967, although it sure wouldn't hurt to call and find out.

But, how bad is it bent?

If just slightly sprung it can be straightened.
Firearms manufactures use a big screw press to straighten every barrel they make.
The military arsenals did the same with every barrel they made.
Heres how:
http://www.nij.gov/training/firearm...k=module04/images/fir_m04_t06_04.flv&slides=0

You could do the the same with some hardwood V-blocks and a shop press.
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-shop-press-33497.html


If it is bent so bad it is kinked or creased, there is no fixing it.
If you do search for a replacement barrel, be aware there were at least 5 different variations of the .44 Carbine before it was discontinued, so finding out which model it is will be the first step.
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Products.aspx?catid=8363

rc

 

[dprice3844444]

be great for shooting around corners

 

[dprice3844444]

http://www.westerngunparts.com/


http://www.shootersforum.com/rifles-rifle-cartridges/18795-ruger-44-carbine-parts.html


http://search.aol.com/aol/search?query=ruger+44+magnum+carbine+parts&s_it=keyword_rollover

 

[fnbrowning]

be great for shooting around corners

Actually, great for shooting under yer target! <LOL!>

Thanks for the links everyone, I'm writing the parts suppliers for more infor.

Update: First word of bad news:

Sorry we have almost no parts for that model, have not seen a used barrel in over 10 years now, Ruger long, long out. Wrecking another gun is your only chance. Thanks.
Western Gun Parts Ltd.

 

[rcmodel]

Is it truly bent / kinked?

Or just sprung down some?

If sprung, it can be straightened as I outlined in post #3.

rc

 

[fnbrowning]

The rifle barrel is not kinked, or sprung, it is bowed. Readily observable, but I cannot not say how many millimeters off center it is curved.

While I won't dispute the claim that (some, or one?) firearms manufacture use a big screw press to straighten barrels, when I called Ruger, they never heard of it.
With all due respect, I think that if you posted the name of a barrel manufacturer that sold new barrels, thay had straightened in a screw press, they'd never sell another to the accuracy, or sport shooting crowds - and they're the only shooters that drive the aftermarket barrel business.

I'm not suggesting a Ruger 44 carbine was designed as a tack-driver. And while I appreciate suggestions, some hardwood V-blocks and a shop press at an auto repair shop is not going to produce a straight barrel. Less bent, maybe; more likely would be less bent with a new curve or wave.

 

[rcmodel]

Well O.K. then.

Did you watch the Savage video link I posted above?
http://www.nij.gov/training/firearm...k=module04/images/fir_m04_t06_04.flv&slides=0


Or this from the Springfield Armory museum website:

BARREL-STRAIGHTENING MACHINE
After going through the great heat of manufacturing, gun barrels needed to be straightened. A barrel that was not perfectly straight would not be accurate. This type of machine was in use for most of the 20th Century. One may be seen at work in the video located nearby in this Museum.

rc

 

[NCsmitty]

+1 rc.

When I worked at the Remington Arms in Ilion, NY in the late 60's, early 70's, they had a line of screw type barrel straighteners that they used, similar to the picture. Many of the old-timers were very skilled with those machines.

The OP should be able to find someone to repair the barrel, maybe using an arbor press setup. It's no good the way it's bent now.



NCsmitty

 

[barnetmill]

There is an ole timer way of straightening barrels. I saw my gunsmith do it once at the request of customer. An unscoped 220 swift caliber rifle had gone through a truck fire. The gunsmith judged that the steel had not been "burnt". If steel gets hot enough not only does it loose its temper, but it apparently its carbon get burned out and it has no strength. I once brought him some remnants of guns that went through a house fire and he would not touch them.
Anyway he took the barrel which was warped and beat it against a huge stump to straighten it. Now maybe he was just pulling my leg, but he claimed the barrel was straight enough for the customer and that customer was happy with it. I am not saying this is ok, it is something that I saw and heard.

 

[fnbrowning]

Well O.K. then.

Did you watch the Savage video link I posted above?

rc

Yes I watched the Savage video. The barrel straightening I see looks crude at best.
However, Krieger, Lilja, Shilen, Hart, Lothar Walther? I THINK NOT!

Rather than rustic films of a "savage" barrel straightning, I've watched vids of the modern machinists turning out barrels. I've spoken to a barrel maker at the NRA Convention. Never, never, do I hear of or see these guys straightening a NEW(!) barrel with a screw press.

I'm serious as a heart attack, should word of one of them straightening a barrel with a press make it to 1 the big gun sites, they will never sell another bore. I know I wouldn't put up with it!

If Remington Arms uses screw type barrel straighteners on their model 700 or model R-15 please do tell. I'm sure it'll be no surprise to the guys at the Snipers Hide or ARFCOM?

 

[fnbrowning]

Thanks for all of your advise.

I give my friend the news parts are scarce/non-existant for his Ruger.

I'm not convinced that rifle barrel straightening is something that a casual hobbyist or even most gunshops can do effectively. I do however concede now, that the only choice is to try to straighten the barrel with careful work.

A couple of blocks with a half round cut out for support and a hydraulic press, or I might hang the action on a beam, tie a heavy weight to the muzzle, and use heat with the pull.

 

[rcmodel]

However, Krieger, Lilja, Shilen, Hart, Lothar Walther? I THINK NOT!

Those guys aren't dealing with a 40 year old Ruger .44 mag carbine you can't get parts for either.

I bet if they had yours though?
They would try to straighten it before going to the trouble of making a barrel for it, gas block & all.

No heat!!

If you look through a barrel you will see a set of concentric rings of reflections if the barrel is straight.

If you don't see the concentric rings of reflections, the barrel is not straight.

So far, nobody has found a better method of measuring the optical reflections then the old fashioned human eyeball.

rc

 

[BBBBill]

Savage still uses the process. As pretty as the "premium" rifle brands are are, I've seen/owned/shot more accurate Savages than the others over the years. There's gotta be a message in there somewhere. I've used Shilen, Hart, Douglas, etc to rebarrel some Mausers as well as surplus 03A3 barrels. Not building benchrest guns, but the 03A3 was as accurate as some of the above. And Krieger, Lilja, Shilen, etc ain't building for mass production.

 

[1SOW]

The optical/eyeball concentricity method works for shotguns and rifles.

On the other hand, high quality steel that has been stretched on one side and compacted on the other isn't a sure thing to return to straight in the same condition it once was.
In the OPs situation, I would try it. Verify visually, and if it appears to be straight load lightly until the shooting characteristics are found consistent with a straight bbl.

Interesting thread.

 

[Striker Fired]

I don't think it is possible in this case but at work we've straighted pies and tubes by pressing.To keep the bore from distorting ,the pipe is filled with water or oil and the ends pluged so there is no air inside.The liquid can't compress so it doesn't allow the bore to change.