Woohoo! A straight barrel at last!

[lizzie]

I finally managed to get that dang crooked barrel straightened on the model 34N

This is one of my two project guns, and it's the one that I got for such a sweet deal in a pawn shop for $28. She's ugly as can be with her nickel finish barrel and black wood stock, but she's gonna be a knock-out when I get finished with her, lol.

I was really trying to avoid taking the barrel completely off, because it intimidated me. I was afraid I would get it apart and not be able to put it back together, but now I think I can do it.  The curve on the barrel was a slow gradual bend, with a distinct starting point, so I placed three galvanized steel *eyes* (for lack of a better term and I forget what they are called, lol) along a piece of 2x4, blocked each end with additional wood pieces, and gradually pulled tension all along the curve, over-stressing it just a tad, then let it sit for about an hour. When I removed it, to my amazement, it was a straight barrel!!!
Woohoo!

[pappa]

This is wonderful news, lizzie. Congratulations! I knew you had it in you.
How does it shoot?

[Gary]

Way to go Lizzie. Now are you ready to tear into the other end and at least do a lube tune?

Gary

[ezman604]

Good job Liz. I got one I need to send you to play with.
And yep, those are called eye bolts.
Happy Shooting!!!!
Dave
 

[0351_Vet]

See Lizzie....Not only are you smart, you are becoming quite the AG Smith.
Good Gurl....Well played.

[lizzie]

Way to go Lizzie. Now are you ready to tear into the other end and at least do a lube tune?

Gary

Well, just about there.
Need to cut a couple of dummy pins, then I can proceed.

[lizzie]

See Lizzie....Not only are you smart, you are becoming quite the AG Smith.
Good Gurl....Well played.

Not a Smith yet Walt- just a woman with an attitude, lol.

[0351_Vet]

See Lizzie....Not only are you smart, you are becoming quite the AG Smith.
Good Gurl....Well played.

Not a Smith yet Walt- just a woman with an attitude, lol.

"Get Some".....

[lizzie]

This is wonderful news, lizzie. Congratulations! I knew you had it in you.
How does it shoot?

Seems to be shooting just fine. Need to get some optics on her, so I'm ordering a one-piece mount today.

[jimur]

Way cool Lizzie! I think you should post a pic of that DIY barrel straightener.
OOOPS! Just found it

[Norm_m]

Well I must say that has been one heck of a project you have had. I would have lost all my patience by now and the gun would be sitting in a corner to be forgotten about.
Great job! Keep up the good work as I sure you will.
Norm

[YankeeDude]

That tool sounds similar to CDT's "Barrel Tool" on his website . . .

http://charliedatuna.com/Airgun%20Info.htm  ( "Charlie's Barrel Tool" )

Dave

 

 

[lizzie]

Well I must say that has been one heck of a project you have had. I would have lost all my patience by now and the gun would be sitting in a corner to be forgotten about.
Great job! Keep up the good work as I sure you will.
Norm

Well, I must be honest. It did sit in a corner for quite some time, while I have been working on a room remodel, and I had contacted RWS to see about getting a new one. They said they could straighten mine if I would send it to them, for 50 dollars plus 25 for shipping. I wasn't opposed to that, just hadn't gotten around to it, because I've been busy with other things. Then for some reason, I got this attitude yesterday that by God, I should be able to do this, so I took the gun apart, and started tinkering. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, it finally came together.  So, at 2 am, I was putting it back together so that I could see if it would shoot this morning, lol.

[lizzie]

That tool sounds similar to CDT's "Barrel Tool" on his website . . .

http://charliedatuna.com/Airgun%20Info.htm  ( "Charlie's Barrel Tool" )

Dave

 

 

That's exactly where I got the ideas from.

The first three that I tried didn't work, so I kept messing with it until I got it right for my particular barrel problem

[Toolmaker]

That's great Lizzie! Keep up the great work!

[lizzie]

Thought I'd give your guys an update report on this gun.
The barrel straightening appears to have been a success. I shoot this gun sporadically, but I think it's because it doesn't shoot like my other 34's. I spent quite a bit of time with this gun at the bench just a little while ago. I've been trying to figure out what the difference is, and it finally dawned on me: this gun was tuned and trigger work was done at some point. It shoots VERY well. The trigger is very light and crisp, and seems to have no first stage. This is what I believe has been tough for me to get used to with this gun. I shot it for quite some time this morning, and the grouping is excellent. 10 consecutive shots are touching each other- no exact hits in the same holes, unfortunately, but I'm am quite impressed with this rifle (and no flyers). I'm thinking that whoever owned it before really put some time, effort, and possibly money into her, and when the barrel bent, he may have gotten disheartened and decided just to pawn her. His loss was my gain.  I love this gun, now that I am getting used to how she shoots.

[MustangMike]

lizzie havent you been working on getting that barrel straight for awhile now ?

[lizzie]

lizzie havent you been working on getting that barrel straight for awhile now ?

No, I straightened it awhile back, just haven't shot it much until this morning.

[GarthThomas]

I would like to see a picture of that device.

[lizzie]

I would like to see a picture of that device.

No problemo. Let me go take one, and I'll post it. It's a very simple device. I made mine out of a piece of 2x4 with some eye bolts and a couple of U clamps. (the u-clamps are for steadying and holding the breech block, and the eye bolts are for pulling tension on the barrel itself.