.22 RF barrel drill?

[velocette]

Considering a new project. Relining an old .22 RF rifle barrel. Found rental chamber reamers & muzzle crowning tools but no
rental piloted barrel drills. Found them new at Brownells along with the liners. Was thinking that finding a once used or rental piloted
drill would save me a few dollars.
Anyone aware of such an item?

Roger

 

[Col. Harrumph]

I can't help, but this looks like it could be a profitable side gig if you'd spring for your own drill.

 

[Jim Watson]

Somewhere there are instructions on how to grind a pilot and add an extension to a drill for relining prep. Gunsmith Kinks, MAYBE.

 

[troy fairweather]

Weld or braze a extension for the drill bit you use, only needs to be just over half the length of the barrel since you drill from both sides. Think midwayusa on YouTube had a good video on doing this.

 

[SC45-70]

What is the diameter of the liner? Irwin makes 12 inch long drill bits from 1/8 to 1/2 inch. My local Fleet Farm store has them in stock.

 

[Kp321]

You really need to have a piloted bit that will follow the original bore. Rather than buy the bit, I ground a bore riding pilot on a standard 5/16” drill bit using a tool post grinder on a lathe. I soldered the bit to a 24” piece of 1/4” drill rod. While I was set up, I ground two extra bits to use when the original got dull or broke. Still on the original. Rather than use a tail stock chuck, I mount the drill in a boring bar holder and use the power feed on the lathe. The short flutes on the bit get chip bound quickly, requiring withdrawing the bit every .100” or so to clean chips.

 

[doubleh]

I have never seen any for rent or used for sale.

I made a drill to reline a 22 rimfire barrel several years ago. I purchase a brand new 5/16" bit (USA made), and a 36" length of 5/16" drill rod which was less expensive by quite a bit than purchasing a piloted drill from Brownells. I first centered the barrel in my lathe and drilled a deep as possible with the new bit. Then I centered the bit and tuned a 60 degree angle on the chuck end. I did the same to the drill rod and then cut it to where it combined with the bit would extend slightly through the barrel length. I faced the cut end and center drilled it. Chucking the bit up and using a steady rest and dead center in the tail stock of the lathe to keep things straight I brazed the bit and drill rod together. Then I filed the brazed joint smooth while the lathe spun it. Then I set up and drilled as deep as I could using the lathe. I finished up with the barrel in a vise and a battery powered drill to finish. This took a lot of time drilling and pulling the bit back to clear cuttings. Tap Magic, drilling and tapping fluid extraordinare, was applied liberally to the bit with each run. The drill came out in the center of the barrel. Once a deep enough trued hole is established the bit cannot wander. It's slow and requires a lathe but is an inexpensive way to drill a barrel. I did this quite a few years ago and the rifle is still in use by a grandson. If I hadn't had the tools on hand I would have gone with the Brownells bit.

 

[velocette]

Good advice above, I ordered a nice new barrel drill along with the proper cutting oil and the barrel liner from Brownells.
Followed that up with one of my prone shooting friends that I discover has a metal turning lathe, (HAH!! the good news!)
Now all I need is a barrel that has not been clamped in a vice to beat out a bore obstruction. I hope that this is the last bad news I get with this winter project.