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Making a round rifle scope stabilizer for a hexagonal barrel

tundrawolf

Plastic
Joined
May 26, 2009
Location
CA, USA
Hello,

I have a small 22 caliber rifle with a hexagonal barrel. I am mounting a rather large scope on it, the mount for the scope overhangs over the barrel a bit and I need to stabilize it.

I am new to using a lathe. I just bought a small lathe. I am not new to fabrication though and until now have used a Dremel or files to shape.

I am asking the best way to do this. Basically I need to have a round piece of metal with a flat spot machined in it for the scope mount, with the center being a hexagon to fit over the barrel.

The barrel is no more than 3/4" thick top to bottom.

Would a rounded 1/32" endmill work for making the hex?

I will try to get pics of what I want.

Basically a round piece of metal with a flat portion for the scope base to rest on that slides onto the barrel smoothly with a setscrew.
 
Gun barrels are usually cylindrical or octagonal (8-sided). I don't think I ever saw a hexagonal (6-sided) rifle barrel.

As for your question, I could not figure out what you want to do. Post a picture, and you might ask on the PM gunsmithing forum. But don't mention that brand of lathe on PM.

Scopes are usually attached to old rifles by drilling and tapping two or four shallow holes in the top of the barrel and fastening on a rail or two scope mounts. I don't know what a 1/32 endmill could do in that regard. It would be a shame to mess up a good rifle.

Larry
 
Where to start?

This is hobbyist question, should be posted on a hobbyist forum.

or,

Huh, you want to put a scope on a .22 ??? Trying to terrify the squirrels? What's next, a laser range finder? How about this: hook up a chain feed with a modified receiver so you can fire 150 rounds a second. That ought to scare the little peckers shitless.

or,

A hexagonal gun barrel. HEXAGONAL gun barrel. You from Pluto, son?

or,

Wraparound hexagonal fixture for a scope, which you are putting where? At the end of the barrel?

or,

You want to secure a precision rifle scope using a set screw? The most evil, most infernal, most half-assed contraption ever invented next to the adjustable wrench. And right after you calibrate the scope, you are going to do what? Calibrate the set screw? How about this: eight set screws. Now, when those squirrels see you coming with a hexagonal .22 with a giant scope secured by 8 gigantic set screws and a green laser range finder equipped with a thousand-round chain fed ammo box, man look out...
 
tundra,

Your description is sufficiently vague that I'm not clear what exactly is overhanging the barrel. Are you saying the front scope ring doesn't fit on the scope base, or the base itself doesn't fit on the receiver?

If the barrel isn't round, I don't see how a lathe can help you. Ideally you'd need a mill and a way to index the part in a dividing head or similar. Maybe a good ol' fashioned hand file could get the job done if there isn't too much metal to remove.

Post a photo of the project in the 'smithing forum and those so inclined will likely be along to assist in due course.
 
Well the easiest way that I can think of off hand, which will not even be permenant which is a plus, is to bore an aluminum tube so it JUST slides over the barrel, then glue it on with acraglass, then CAREFULLY drill and tap the tube for your scope mounts, being careful to only drill the tube NOT the barrel.

There was a guy who made such a thing for larger rifles to mount a so called scout scope, the device was called a "ching ring". Whatever dia the outside of your tube ends up you can probably find a weaver base to fit that radius/dia.
 
jspcm,

Apparently you know less of firearms than you THINK you do.

http://www.gunvaluesboard.com/i-hav...el-pump-copyright-date-on-the...-2756140.html

What is the value of colt 22 cal rifle hexagon barrel patented may 29 1873 pump rifle

http://www.gunvaluesboard.com/1873-hexagon-barrel-winchester-6867626.html

Value of Remington rifle hexagon barrel 32 caliber

They were not all octagonal. I own a few pre 1898 BP guns. Most are octagon, some are round.

51 Colt is octagon, 60 Colt is round, 58 Rem is octagon, hell, the 47 Whitneyville Walker is round, 4 pound 9 ounces of pistol, 60 grains BP, and our military rifle used to be the 45-70.

One HELL of big pistol. I gotta go shoot mine Monday. Not quite as big as my 44 Super B, but damned near as powerful. MORE powerful, I think, than the .357.

Cheers

George
 
Leave the gun alone, its obvious you do not have the experience to do what you want to do, or need to do it in the first place. From what your saying, It sounds as if you need some loctite and some offset rings.
 
You are right, this is the wrong forum. I posted it with my smartphone, I scrolled down until I found this subforum and thought this would be a good place. I didn't scroll all the way down and I apologize.

This is the first firearm my father gave to me when I was a kid. I recently spent a year (in my spare time) refinishing the walnut stock. When I showed my father, he looked at it a few seconds and then went "Meh...".

utf-8BSU1HMDAwMDgtMjAxMDA4MTEtMDgwMi5qcGc.jpg


So screw it, I am turning it into a useable rifle. I live in the hills of the High Desert and something to cull rattlesnake, rabbit, etc is of more value than a pretty looking gun that doesn't have much monetary value.

I made a mistake, the barrel is octagonal. I think the barrel of my .54 caliber muzzleloader is hexagonal.

This is the idea I had:

scopemount.jpg


I didn't want to try to elaborate with the smartphone about the set screw, I want to cut a portion out of the bottom of the mount and have a setscrew push against the half moon which secures the scope mount to the barrel. the top of the scope mount is flat to slide underneath of the existing scope mount. (Which I paid a gunsmith to make for me, but it is not sturdy enough for my liking)

The other purpose for the scope mount is the fact that I need to shim the front of the existing mount to even get the scope on target.

I apologize, if someone wants to move this to the gunsmithing or hobby forums that would be great.

P.S. this is my first time even touching a metal lathe (Used a wood one in woodshop in high school) and so far I am have fun with it. I have cut down the thickness of a metal washer and increased the ID (For a washer for the screwcutting feature of the lathe) machined out the ID of some rubber washers for an air compressor, trued and cleaned the mounting spindle of a 3 jaw chuck, and flat faced another 3 jaw chuck (To better grab the thin edges of the washer). I have always used a Dremel, and now I wonder how I got along without a lathe.

I had a basic idea of how I might go about making this scope mount, I just wanted to see if anyone had any ideas for me. Thanks.
 
jspcm,

Apparently you know less of firearms than you THINK you do.

http://www.gunvaluesboard.com/i-hav...el-pump-copyright-date-on-the...-2756140.html

What is the value of colt 22 cal rifle hexagon barrel patented may 29 1873 pump rifle

http://www.gunvaluesboard.com/1873-hexagon-barrel-winchester-6867626.html

Value of Remington rifle hexagon barrel 32 caliber

They were not all octagonal. I own a few pre 1898 BP guns. Most are octagon, some are round.

51 Colt is octagon, 60 Colt is round, 58 Rem is octagon, hell, the 47 Whitneyville Walker is round, 4 pound 9 ounces of pistol, 60 grains BP, and our military rifle used to be the 45-70.

One HELL of big pistol. I gotta go shoot mine Monday. Not quite as big as my 44 Super B, but damned near as powerful. MORE powerful, I think, than the .357.

Cheers

George

The Savage .22 pump action had a choice of octagonal or round barrel. The idiots making the sales pitches quoted above are simply making the same mistake as the OP.

No such thing as a hexagonal gun barrel. Try to make a gun with a hexagonal barrel and you will find out why.
 
back on topic,

I dont see any reason you cant turn a ring, and (AB)use the lathe as a poor man's hand operated shaper or even file it octagonal enogh to drive it over the barrel. THEN machine the top flat at whatever orientation needed.

you spent months re-finishing the stock so you can't be afraid to spend an evening or so filing a round hole to reasonably fitting octagon.

a mill with rotarty table would be far more convenient

I would forget the setscrew business and blue locktite or bearing mount it in place.
 
You are right, this is the wrong forum. I posted it with my smartphone, I scrolled down until I found this subforum and thought this would be a good place. I didn't scroll all the way down and I apologize.

This is the first firearm my father gave to me when I was a kid. I recently spent a year (in my spare time) refinishing the walnut stock. When I showed my father, he looked at it a few seconds and then went "Meh...".

utf-8BSU1HMDAwMDgtMjAxMDA4MTEtMDgwMi5qcGc.jpg


So screw it, I am turning it into a useable rifle. I live in the hills of the High Desert and something to cull rattlesnake, rabbit, etc is of more value than a pretty looking gun that doesn't have much monetary value.

I made a mistake, the barrel is octagonal. I think the barrel of my .54 caliber muzzleloader is hexagonal.

This is the idea I had:

scopemount.jpg


I didn't want to try to elaborate with the smartphone about the set screw, I want to cut a portion out of the bottom of the mount and have a setscrew push against the half moon which secures the scope mount to the barrel. the top of the scope mount is flat to slide underneath of the existing scope mount. (Which I paid a gunsmith to make for me, but it is not sturdy enough for my liking)

The other purpose for the scope mount is the fact that I need to shim the front of the existing mount to even get the scope on target.

I apologize, if someone wants to move this to the gunsmithing or hobby forums that would be great.

P.S. this is my first time even touching a metal lathe (Used a wood one in woodshop in high school) and so far I am have fun with it. I have cut down the thickness of a metal washer and increased the ID (For a washer for the screwcutting feature of the lathe) machined out the ID of some rubber washers for an air compressor, trued and cleaned the mounting spindle of a 3 jaw chuck, and flat faced another 3 jaw chuck (To better grab the thin edges of the washer). I have always used a Dremel, and now I wonder how I got along without a lathe.

I had a basic idea of how I might go about making this scope mount, I just wanted to see if anyone had any ideas for me. Thanks.

We all start somewhere. I guess you're entitled to make the same mistakes that others do, if you insist. However, considering that 22 isn't going to kick hard enough to jolt the scope much, and if I understand you right your going to mount something out on the barrel to "stabilize" the scope? Mounting something out on the barrel to contact the scope means (to me) that your probably contemplating a lot more scope on your gun than a 22 needs. Plus, putting the "stabilization" out there is most likely going to transfer shock from the barrel touching anything directly to the scope and it's mount, probably to the aggravation of the scope staying sighted properly. In other words, I think you're going to make your problem worse. But it's your gun. I would go to a smaller, shorter scope, likely something similar to the scores made for the AR type rifles. Probably still WAY more scope than you need for a 22, and you're probably trying to use what you have instead of spending big bucks on a plinker. But a little 2.5 power scope would have great field of view, plenty of mag for a 22, and gather light in a low light situation like you wouldn't believe. Plus be so short a to negate the need for further stabilization.
If you insist on your current path, and it is still a free country for you to do whatever you want in that regard, you need a vertical mill, aka a Bridgeport, or one of the myriad clones out there. And if you think that lathe is handy, your gonna get all romantic over that mill. Lathes are fine, for lathe work. But often a good machinist can do lathe work on a mill, with certain limitations. Slower than on a lathe, but gets it done. Doing mill work on a lathe, not so much.
 
Thank you, Coalsmok. I am actually intending to use the iron sights as well. You can't see it, but the scope mount has a deep groove in it to allow me to use the iron sights. That is a great idea.

About the mill: I can see myself being romantic around a mill. I already find myself talking to my lathe like I talk to my motorcycle.

Next up for me is a small mill.
 








 
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