Can swelled barrels be repaired?

[rondawg]

OK, you've all seen my bloated barrels from squib loads. :mad: I've since gotten both of them replaced with new ones.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/rinselman/guns/DSCN1784.jpg

So, my question is...can these old barrels be "fixed" somehow? The reason I ask is, Colt couldn't provide a "correct" replacement barrel for my WWII repro, they had to use a blued barrel from the WWI series, and now it doesn't match (original was parkerized, I think. At least it's not as blue as the new one). I'd like to get the original "squeezed" back into original shape, if only just for looks and not for shooting.

Does anybody know if this can be done? I read about a guy that just ground his barrel until it would clear the bushing again, and shot it for years after that, but I don't really want to do that. If it could be resized down to shooting condition, that would be cool.

Oh, this is only about the Colt barrel, on the top. The RIA barrel on the bottom, I'm not worried about. It's a paperweight now.

[toolman]

How about parkerizing the replacement?

[Tusker]

Rondawg- believe it or not, I have seen shotgun barrels swaged down using a BIG pipe cutter, with the cutting wheel removed. This might work on a smaller scale. Or, a flat piece of steel, 'railroad' track, might be used to a small degree, to 'roll it back down. ?? One can never be sure about such operations. :) Good Luck!! :) Let add, from your photos, they do not look that bad. I once had a guy come in with a Colt SA 'original', and in the end we got 5, yes 5 slugs out of the barrel. :mad: What an idiot. :sleep: :mad: :lh:

[rondawg]

I don't really want to beat it back down, I could do that myself. I'm visualizing some kind of setup involving three "rollers", that could be gradually adjusted inwards to squeeze the barrel. Even a good 3-jaw lathe chuck would be better than the hammer & anvil method.

Yeah, I could have the new barrel refinished, but I'd like to save the original if at all possible. I'll take it up with my local 1911 smith, but they're not answering right now. Probably out elk hunting.

[twin oaks]

If it could be 'rolled' down to size, you'd have an elongation issue to deal with, too. I think. Once the barrel is stressed like that, I don't think you could mash it back into place without some serious weakening of the steel. Like you said, it probably shouldn't be used for shooting. Have you considered turning it down on a lathe? There's still the strength issue at hand, but if you only want it for aesthetic purposes.....

BTW, are those barrels both for the same size pistol? I only ask because of my inexperience with 'other than fullsize' models. If they are, I'm curious about the size difference as I thought the RIAs were made to (mostly) original specs. Or is that two pic merged into one?

[gottripletsNC]

Shotgun barrel is a different story, it doesn't hold pressure like a round traveling down the rifling. I expect if the pressure were enough to swell that barrel, then the barrel would be weakened through more rolling and squeezing. I don't expect I would try to do that.

[woolybooger]

if you could find a good machinist who could make a two-piece die to use in an hydraulic press,it could probably be done. internal measurements would be critical for a shooter.

[Tusker]

Hey, if a new guy can speak up a bit. He ask about appearance, and stated he knows not to use them. The only real hold up for me would be, if I ever lost track of them, some other unsuspecting person might try and use them.? :(

[woolybooger]

gottriplets.you are right. any time a metal has been cold stretched like that ,it changes the internal composition of the metal itself more than likely weakening it. hammering or rolling could possibly cause brittleness in that area. lathe-turning,filing,or grinding would remove metal leaving the barrel wall thin in that area. the barrel would lengthen with any method mentioned except metal removal but it would probably have to be measured with a caliper. he only wants a looker with an undamaged finish so go for it. excellent point,tusker

[rondawg]

Yeah, it'll probably end up as a wall or bench decoration. I was just wondering, really. Moot point since I have already have new barrels. And both barrels are the same size, it's just the camera angle that makes 'em look different.

[Kayback]

Personally I've had a barrell rolled out before. It still functions perfectly and it still returns better than average groups.

I has been replaced by a new one, but it is still around if I need it.

Due to the extreme gunlaws in South Africa I know quite a few people using rolled barrels on everything from Glocks for IDPA, CZ52's for carry and 1911 models for IPSC.

I have never seen a rolled out barrel fail.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Kayback/DSCN0004.jpg
My poor Norinco barrel after choking on a factory squib :(

All fixed now.

[berkbw]

if you've seen the comedy channel bit with Bob Newhart..... STOP IT!!! just stop it. Squibs can kill and maim. STOP IT!!

Dump the bbl. It is toast, eh?
b-

[Hawkmoon]

Personally I've had a barrell rolled out before. It still functions perfectly and it still returns better than average groups.

I has been replaced by a new one, but it is still around if I need it.

Due to the extreme gunlaws in South Africa I know quite a few people using rolled barrels on everything from Glocks for IDPA, CZ52's for carry and 1911 models for IPSC.

I have never seen a rolled out barrel fail.
Can you explain how it's done, the machinery/equipment used, etc.? It sounds intriguing, but I have never heard of it being done.

[rondawg]

Can you explain how it's done, the machinery/equipment used, etc.? It sounds intriguing, but I have never heard of it being done.
X2! Inquiring minds want to know!

[Kayback]

Can you explain how it's done, the machinery/equipment used, etc.? It sounds intriguing, but I have never heard of it being done.

It was done by my gunsmith, he's done all my work on my pistol.

Harrison Brothers Custom Gunsmiths
Gunsmiths: Mark and Terry Harrison
PO Box 3940 Cape Town 8000
Tel (021) 423-0465 Fax (021) 423-3707 Email: mharri@mweb.co.za



They are better known for their benchrest rifles.

As for how it works, I don't have much of an idea. I've seens the press that does it, but am not very technically minded. As I understand it, it is similar to rolling metal pipes to bend them, but obviously they don't bend the barrel.

I also forgot to ask if they cold roll or heat the barrel up above the re-crystalizing temperature. Because they build their own barrels I'm fairly sure they can do that.

The machine they used has an internal die that the barrel was clamped to, which worked like a lathe, with a hydraulic press attached to the side, and they literally rolled the barrel between two side rollers that were pressed into the bulge. It looked sorta like an old school washing machine crossed with a lathe.

Sorry it isn't very helpful, I probably should have paid more attention.

The barrel wasn't lengthened nor was it simply machined down. There is a scar inside the barrel, but this does not seem to effect accuracy, and the rifling appears to be continious through the scar, with no deforming or break up. The rifling looks as sharp throuh the whole barrel as it always did.

KBK