Cutting a shotgun barrel with a vent rib

[HKUSP45C]

What do I need to cut a barrel down on a shotgun that has a vent rib?

I have a radial arm saw, I'm sure I'll need a special blade for it, any suggestions. Any smiths out there have advice for dealing with the vent rib so it doesn't look shoddy when the product is finished?

Finally, aside from filing the crown down to remove any burrs and smoothe out the edges are there concerns with barrel strength that I should consider before moving ahead.

All advice is appreciated.

"For the sake of this post lets not discuss NFA regs and assume I know how not to commit a felony"

 

[Ditchtiger]

Try Bubba's little helper, a Dremel tool.
Just kidding!

 

[twice barrel]

I've no doubt you'll be able to cut it with a metal blade in your saw. But don't be surprised if the point of impact shifts because shotgun barrels whip when fired and cutting sometimes effects that.

Why not just purchase another barrel?

TB

 

[highorder]

Simply use a hacksaw with a fine tooth blade. No need for power tools.

Use a guide to make a straight cut, or cut by hand and square with a file. Debur, and a dab of cold blue. Of course you'll want to cut the barrel to a length that coincides with a solid portion of the rib. Drill and tap for the new bead. I like a big green tru-glo bead on a 18.5" barrel.

It's as simple as you think it is. Take care, measure well, and that's about it.

 

[HKUSP45C]

Simply use a hacksaw with a fine tooth blade. No need for power tools.

Use a guide to make a straight cut, or cut by hand and square with a file. Debur, and a dab of cold blue. Of course you'll want to cut the barrel to a length that coincides with a solid portion of the rib. Drill and tap for the new bead. I like a big green tru-glo bead on a 18.5" barrel.

It's as simple as you think it is. Take care, measure well, and that's about it.

The only reason I suggested the arm saw as opposed to the hack saw was to save the half an hour raking back and forth. If I were going to use a hacksaw I'd need to buy one anyway so I thought getting a metal cutting blade for the arm saw would be just as good a deal.

Is there a compelling reason not to use a power tool for the job?

Why not just purchase another barrel?

I'd love to, what's the best way for me to give you my contact info so you can send me the money? I look forward to your charity.

 

[highorder]

Is there a compelling reason not to use a power tool for the job?

It's absolutely unnecessary.

With a $8 dollar, 22tpi hacksaw, you'll be thru the barrel and rib in about 20 seconds.

Too much power is worse than not enough, most times. If I were forced to use power tools, I'd use the thinnest cut-off wheel I could find (1/16") and go very slow. Any excess heat will brown the bluing. (if your gun is blued of course)

I'd be afraid of a metal saw ripping my barrel out of whatever workholding device I had it in. A cut-off wheel will eliminate the "grabbyness", but then heat is a problem... Not to mention, what else are you going to use your special metal cutting blade for when this job is done?... Cut-off wheels are cheap, hacksaws are cheaper yet.

Really, just use a hacksaw.

 

[HKUSP45C]

See? I knew somebody would talk some sense into me.

I do truly appreciate the "reality check" and the helpful replies, I'll stop and get a hack saw on the way home.

 

[highorder]

No problem.

The fancy-metal-cutting-radial-arm-saw-blade manufacturers are drafting cease and desist papers as we speak.

Too bad Chinese legal papers don't carry much weight in southern Ohio.

 

[BMW2]

A hose clamp around the barrel makes a great cutting guide if your using a hacksaw, even with the vent rib. Cutting along the edge of the clamp is a lot easier than using a piece of tape.

 

[HKUSP45C]

A hose clamp around the barrel makes a great cutting guide if your using a hacksaw, even with the vent rib. Cutting along the edge of the clamp is a lot easier than using a piece of tape.

Brilliant, that's the kind of tips and tricks I came here for. Thanks.

 

[evert]

you have gotten good tips on the hacksaw, and using tape or something else as a guide to make the cut square. i would cut maybe 1-2mm away from the guide tape, and the file it down to the tape, deburr, and polish the fresh cut surface with fien emerypaper.

if you wanna do this real cheap, clamp your drill in a vise, fasten an old brass screw in the chuck, and use a file to turn a new brass bead in the drill. can be threaded, glued or staked in place. good luck!

 

[The Gunman]

If you want a good finished look to the barrel, run it on a buffing wheel. Run the crown against a wheel so that the wheel is turning toward the barrell. With a bit of compound on the wheel(loose wheel) it will give the barrel a slightly rounded over finish. Gives a bit more professional look to a "hacksaw" job. Remember to cut on a post so the rib isn't hanging in the middle of nowhere. And measure carefully, the BATFE is watching.

 

[Riss]

I use a Harbor Freight 7" wood model chop saw with a metal cutting blade. Throws lots of sparks and chews up the saw a little. Would hate to do that to the good radial arm saw. Then after cutting a little lathe work, or piloted cutter to face off the barrel and all is well.

 

[kanook]

Oil the blade. Helps prevent the "sticking" you were talking about.

 

[FM12]

Get a hacksaw with a "Sandvick" blade if you can, really neat blades.

 

[highorder]

Sandvik is a Swedish (global) company that manufactures cutting tools.

One of their blades is certainly better than a Chinese hacksaw blade.

 

[FRJ]

I use a square and tape to mark the line around the barrel. Cut to the tape and you've got a nice clean cut. FRJ

 

[jjk308]

Leave it alone unless you absolutely MUST cut it. A frequent problem with cutting the vent rib is breaking it loose from the barrel and depending on how its installed it can be an expensive mess. Plus the shotgun value will drop like a rock if its cut.

A fine tooth hacksaw blade will go right through any gun barrel metal and a file or bench grinder can square and smooth the muzzle off easily but you still may end up at a gunsmith with the front of the rib flopping around when you shoot.

 

[navyretired 1]

You don't mention model or make of shotgun but most stop vent rib a fraction of an inch before end of barrel. You need to make the barrel look the same when done as before if you want a professional looking job, so decide on length, find solid pillar closest to that length, then match cut point to pillar distance from end of barrel on original length barrel. Cut rib first then cut barrel with fine tooth hack saw, dress square with file both rib and end of barrel. Touch up with cold blue and install front bead. It has worked every time.