Steyr Chilean model of 1912

[FrankCVA42]

Have a Steyr Chilean 7mm mauser 98 and it's crown is badly pitted. Anything a do it yourself fix I can do to either recrown or slightly cut the muzzle back to restore it?. Do have a lathe with a 1 1/2" hole in the headstock. Seems a perfect chance to do it myself when the weather cools down as the garage right now is like a sauna. Frank

 

[Matt]

I’d shoot it first to see if the pitting actually affects anything. There are fixes for a bad crown that can be done at home. A lathe makes just about anything possible.

 

[Mitty38]

Dressed many a crown with a round head slotted brass screw. The proper size, to put the crown back, close to the original. Put it in a drill and put some valve lapping compound on it. (The slot holds the compound)
Keep wobbling it around a bit and keep adding compound till it is nice and smooth. The compound will break down if you add a little water to what is left when you get to where you want to go. It will have a nice mirror smooth finish.

Have also done this with a marble by hand , and compound. On a Beretta 92 fs Leo 9mm. It was a long tedious prosses, but I had a half a day to kill.
Then touch it up with a little cold blue.
PS. Shove modeling clay down in the barrel before you start, to keep the abrasives out. It will move instead of catch the screw, so you can fill it up all the way to the crown. Then just push it out and clean your gun when done.
But if it shoots good, as Matt says. I would not worry about it, just adds character.

 

[oscarflytyer]

Dressed many a crown with a round head slotted brass screw. The proper size, to put the crown back, close to the original. Put it in a drill and put some valve lapping compound on it. (The slot holds the compound)
Keep wobbling it around a bit and keep adding compound till it is nice and smooth. The compound will break down if you add a little water to what is left when you get to where you want to go. It will have a nice mirror smooth finish.

Have also done this with a marble by hand , and compound. On a Beretta 92 fs Leo 9mm. It was a long tedious prosses, but I had a half a day to kill.
Then touch it up with a little cold blue.
PS. Shove modeling clay down in the barrel before you start, to keep the abrasives out. It will move instead of catch the screw, so you can fill it up all the way to the crown. Then just push it out and clean your gun when done.
But if it shoots good, as Matt says. I would not worry about it, just adds character.

Been led to believe that an old school glass marble will work as well (I have used the brass screw method). Have not tested the marble method, but I did get a double handful of glass marble assortment. Happy to send you a cpl if you want to try.

 

[Joshua]

Somewhere on the web is an article about using a Lee style case trimmer to hand crown a barrel.

Josh

 

[oscarflytyer]

Somewhere on the web is an article about using a Lee style case trimmer to hand crown a barrel.

Josh

That would scare me! Lapped valves with plastic dart/compound. Basically same as I would be comfortable with the brass screw/marble/compound. But all hand and certainly nothing that as harsh as a cutter. just my chicken nature with things like this...

 

[Joshua]

That would scare me! Lapped valves with plastic dart/compound. Basically same as I would be comfortable with the brass screw/marble/compound. But all hand and certainly nothing that as harsh as a cutter. just my chicken nature with things like this...

I recall that the trick was to find a trimmer shaft that was undersized enough that a aluminum or brass shim could be wrapped around the shaft. This was done to protect the rifling.

As I recall the guy was happy with the results. Instead of shooting sideways before it was recrowned, it shot straight after the cutting was done.

Josh

 

[Mitty38]

WHEN I USE A DRILL WITH THE BRASS SCREW I RUN IT SLOWLY, WOBBLE IT A LOT, THEN FINISH BY HAND.

 

[Mitty38]

Been led to believe that an old school glass marble will work as well (I have used the brass screw method). Have not tested the marble method, but I did get a double handful of glass marble assortment. Happy to send you a cpl if you want to try.

IF YOU TRY THE MARBLE METHOD. Best have plenty of porch sittin' time aside, and be willing to have cramped sore fingers when done.
Trick is with all polishing type methods. Do not put heavy pressure on the crown just kinda let the tool float over it. Just enough pressure to give you contact. Ye Takes a while but everything will self aligne, giving you a perfectly concentric crown.

 

[Bret4207]

A muzzle chamfer tool was a standard accessory for every gunsmith I ever knew. We had one my dad made in our shop, still have it in fact. If there is a decent 'smith nearby, I'd get it done for the few bucks it would cost. If it's really, really bad, as in "won't shoot no matter what", the muzzle can be recessed back to decent rifling. That's a ticklish job for a man that has a good lathe and knows when to STOP. Don't let a shade tree gun fixer upper go at your muzzle with a 3/8" drill and Chiwanese drill bit!

But like that man said, try it before you assume it is a problem. In fact, give it a couple range trips. Sometimes things aren't as bad as you think they'll be.

 

[Mitty38]

Here is a professional hand tool, often used to remove dings or gouges in the crown. It is called Hand crowning tool, or hand muzzle canfering tool.
If you must do it yourself, and it is more then just pits. Then this can be got, caliber specific for about a hundred.
I have rented one for a chop down I did once, but, not sure if you still can or if it would be cheaper to just pay a smith.
That is if you can find a good one in your area. In my area we have a lot of armorers, but all the good smiths have either died, went gun brand or type specific; or retired.
But if it is real bad. Like where you need to cut it. I would have to go with Bret on the gunsmith with a lathe thing. Even if you have to mail it, or part of it.
I have shortened a barrel and crowned it with this type of cutter before, worked out real well. But I was taking a chance with a $75 dollar Sears and Roebuck gun.

 

[Ian]

Frank has an adequate lathe.

The crowning tools chatter and give you a true "crown" if you aren't careful; the effect may still be perfectly good but it gives new meaning to "lube star". Counterboring is done with a piloted drill and finished with a piloted cutter, lap, or boring bar.

 

[oscarflytyer]

IF YOU TRY THE MARBLE METHOD. Best have plenty of porch sittin' time aside, and be willing to have cramped sore fingers when done.
Trick is with all polishing type methods. Do not put heavy pressure on the crown just kinda let the tool float over it. Just enough pressure to give you contact. Ye Takes a while but everything will self aligne, giving you a perfectly concentric crown.

eh - good excuse for a cpl good bourbons!

 

[462]

I'll confess to using a brass screw. The Swede's accuracy fell off, and I thought it was my vision fighting its sights and losing, but I finally found a wee nick in its crown. I have no idea how it happened, but there it was. I jammed a bunch of cleaning patches in the muzzle, to keep the lapping compound from seeping into the barrel. All is well, now.

 

[FrankCVA42]

The Chilean model of 1912 has a 29" long barrel but the crown is deeply pitted. Think we are way beyond using a brass screw which I have used in the past. Soon as I get my 77mm shell casing cleaned up will have to remove about 1/4" to get down to good metal. It's that badly pitted. If you are wondering about the 77mm shell casing I sorta kinda collect them. Basically got it down to bare brass with most of the pits out. Couple small dents but when polished shouldn't be all that noticeable. Frank

 

[462]

77 mm -- French?

 

[FrankCVA42]

Well I was told it was German and the headstamp proves it measures about 3 3/8" where the projectile goes. Picked some at a junk yard,antique shop, family and some just bought online. Funny no British or Japanese ones though. Oldguns.net or heavy ordnance usually has a good selection. Frank

 

[FrankCVA42]

Thanks all, for your information,suggestions and comments. All are greatly appreciated. Frank