22 hornet barrel heft

[Matt3357]

Anyone else notice how heavy their 22 hornet barrels are?  The one I have has the standard profile but I wish it was the light version.  Short of cutting it off, is there any way to lighten it?  Change the profile? flute it?  What I want is a nice light weight squirrel/varmint rifle.  Plan on shooting mostly cast from it if I can get it to group well.  Now that it has finally warmed up some, it wont stop raining.  Gotta love southern Illinois weather, if you don't like it, wait 5 mins. 

Thanks,
Matt

[S.E.Ak]

I cut my barrel to 16 1/4" and put a ati plastic stock on it

[eskimo36]

Cut it off and get a good crown on it.

[gcrank1]

Barrel turning and/or fluting is a time consuming process (to do it right and not warp the barrel). Unless you or a buddy has a lathe or mill, and the skills and knowledge to do it right it would cost a bunch.
Cheapest and easiest is to get some weights and get into working out......

[Matt3357]

Haha, now that's funny.  Get some weights... ha
It's not as though I cant' pick it up, it is just heavier than I had imagined.  If I do anything I will cut it down to 16 and some change.  Did you notice any increase or decrease in accuracy? 

Thanks,
Matt

[guns-o-fun]

I have  noticed that it is pretty hefty, too.  Shortening should not effect accuracy except maybe to improve it.  However, some small centerfire calibers do tend to loose a lot of velocity per inch.  Chuck Hawks' article indicates that velocity loss is also a function of the original velocity for the caliber - the higher - the more loss per inch.  22 Hornet is not all that fast, so maybe the loss would not be too severe.  If that is not an issue - why not cut and recrown?

[hotrunner]

 I solved my Hornet problem: traded it for a CZ. Solved the heavy-trigger problem at the same time. Got a detachable box magazine and a set trigger, too...

[Matt3357]

I wish I had such luxuries to trade for a better gun.  My current economic situation is bleak to put it politely.  Plus I like the shortness and simplicity of the handi platform.  I also solved the heavy trigger problem with a little TLC.  I took it from over 6lbs down to around 3.  It could stand to go a bit further, but I'm going to shoot the crap out of it first to see what it goes down to.  I will do some more research into cutting it down.  I do not have a lathe, has anyone found a quick easy way to cut a thick barrel like the hornet down accurately?  I might just have to spend a few bucks and have my machinist do it.  Shouldn't take long to chuck it, part it, face it and crown it.  I really want to do it myself though. 

Thanks,
Matt

[gcrank1]

It can be done with a hacksaw, a square and a fine file. Tape the barrel up good so if you 'skate' the saw it wont mess it up. If you use masking tape at the cut line you can get it pretty square with the wrap that you make. Cut with slowish, even strokes, let the teeth do the cut, not your down pressure. Control the saw. After the cut, check for square and file the high side. As you do this it will even up as you smooth it out. A file is the basic, 'machine tool'. You can square it!. Then 'break' the outer sharp edge to a nice chamfer.
The crown doesnt have to be recessed, but the sharp burrs now within need to be carefully removed. I think there is something in the FAQs about that.
Hey, if you get to this point we will talk you through it!

[quickdtoo]

Lots of help in the FAQs on DIY cutting and crowning, it ain't rocket science, just cut it a tad longer to leave some wiggle room,  H&R pistol barrels aren't legal!! 

Tim

[jeepmann1948]

Look around your area and see if there is a machine shop that will taper turn your barrel .A three jaw chuck and a taper attachment on the lathe can put your barrel on a diet real quick.It can be tapered down starting from the original taper to the end of the barrel .After it is tapered a new crown can be done in no time. I personally like a recessed 11 degree crown .It protects much better than a flush crown.

[gcrank1]

But beware.....a general 'job shop', where machine time is money, is not a gunsmith. Chuck up a barrel and indifferently hog it off will result in a warped barrel. The thinner the barrel gets the more critical this gets. Light cuts and keeping the turning temp down is what you want. I wouldnt want somebody 'learning' how to taper a gun barrel on my gun.
FWIW, Ive worked in the job shop, and I do my own machine work, so I know a little something about this.

[jeepmann1948]

Thats good advice from gcrank. I forgot an important part about asking if the machinist was familiar with turning a tapered rifle barrel. Be gentle how you ask them though, good machinists can be real temperamental , I know my son is a master machinest and a master at temperamental too! 

[guns-o-fun]

Careful use of a hacksaw will go a long way to getting the job right to begin with.  Some barrels are much more difficult to do than others.  I really don't think this one should be all that bad.  You can get a 90 degree piloted facing cutter from Brownells - if I recall, however, the cutter plus a 22-cal brass pilot plus a drill adaptor or a t-handle will run you around $100 or a bit more.  Frankly, a good quality square file, a careful sawing and checking with a small (six-inch) adjustable square should work fine.  Just move the square blade around the muzzle and stop when it matches up evenly all around the barrel.  I recently used a 90 degree facing cutter on my 500 S&W - which is a tough barrel to square up right - but in the end, I still ended up using the file and a the square.  It came out fine and is finally apparently up to shooting accurately (combined with a lucky change of forend).  At any rate - it is a very good idea to at least get brass muzzle lap (it will be the smallest that Brownells carries) and some 600 grit paste.  They are not very expensive - and will give you a very even break back of the lands and grooves so that the gas comes out evenly around your bullet as it leaves the barrel.  Of course - do all your filing, squareing and polishing of the squared off muzzle first.  When you use the muzzle lap, you have to gently wobble it a bit so that you do not dig into the lap.  Move it as evenly as you can in all directions.  I am sure there are details in the FAQs.

[bagdadjoe]

Hmmm, you look like a young man.  Knuckle down and carry that sucker.... Damn...it ain't that heavy.  I've got one as well, and it just adds a little extra ballast and makes it steady to hold. Heavy is your friend.  At least you ain't humpin' it through enemy territory...are you?  Oh, they make them slings you can carry it with. Get a wide one.  
How many ounces are you going to save cutting the barrel off?  Just take the Hershey bar out of your pocket instead...and that twinkie, and that can of stinkin' skoal.
If I can drag my ol' dead butt out at 62 and hoss one around, you shouldn't have a problem.
(disclaimer)  just ol' bagdadjoe's twisted opinion.
But..if you insist on cutting it off...ignore these other pretenders on here and mark it with a magic marker and use a cutting torch, then polish the cut up with a flat bastard and/or a chain saw file.  I love being able to say "flat bastard" in a legitimate way!!  On the other hand, don't mind me..I'm in Kentucky and there's lots of Bourbon here...and UK is kickin' everybody's behind in basketball!!  

[gcrank1]

I should have mentioned, hacksaw 101:
Use a new, fine tooth blade
Mount it in the best hacksaw frame you have or can borrow, snugging up the adjuster to just get the play out, then 3 full turns more for proper tension, all the while ensuring the blade stays straight
It cuts on the forward stoke only, dont drag it back through the cut, stroke forward, lift and back, repeat with smooth, even strokes, no rush, keep your eye on the line of cut.
Always hold it with both hands in a cut, standing somewhat sideways for good control
Have the barrel clamped firmly in a solid bench vice using soft jaws to hold and not mare the finish