Barrel latch

[Rangeball]

I apologize as I'm sure this info is somewhere, but I come up empty searching or in the faq.

Does anyone know a source for an H&R barrel latch that can be welded to a barrel blank?

If not, can anyone tell me the breech end diameter of either a 12 or 20g barrel for a possibly stub project?

Thanks

[quickdtoo]

If you mean the underlug with the shelf, no one offers them. All H&R barrels are 1.1XX" at the chamber swell except the 10ga based barrels which are 1.2XX".

Tim

[Rangeball]

That's what I meant, thanks

I wonder if SMI is making their own for their smokeless ML conversions?

[quickdtoo]

Could very well be, but getting an underlug welded on straight wouldn't be the easiest thing to do without some engineering to set up a jig. 2yrs ago I was wanting a 6.5x55 H&R, I talked to site sponsor Wayne York at Oregunsmithing about having a 1.2" Shilen 6.5mm blank turned down and welded to a donor underlug from a donor Handi barrel which he said he could do, but when he got down to actually doing it, he said it wasn't practical due to the setup required, he did a stubbing instead.

Tim

[Rangeball]

I'm also looking at a 1.2" shilen blank.  Did you stub to a 10g barrel to match the diameters, or something else?  Tap the stub and thread the blank then screw together?

How'd the project turn out?

[quickdtoo]

He did the stub using a 300WSM barrel I sent him, it was a 308Win barrel originally. High pressure stubs should only be done using centerfire donor barrels, shotgun barrels are 1137 mild steel, centerfire rifle barrels are 4140 alloy. I've only had it to the range once so far, shooting the 139gr Lapua Silver Scenar.

Tim

[Rangeball]

Nice

Any chance you have a close up pic of the stubbed area of the barrel?

[quickdtoo]

I do, but there's not much to see, the difference is mainly in the texture of the two pieces, the mating point is hard to see.

Tim

[Rangeball]

You're right, real hard to see.  Thanks though

I was trying to get a feel for where they mated, to see how he handled the 1.2" diameter of the shilen barrel with the 1.1xx" of the donor stub.  I assume they are mated somewhere in the taper?

[quickdtoo]

The blank is turned down to match the stub diameter, joint is ~1/8" back from the front of the spacer.  $300.

Tim

[Rangeball]

Gotcha.

Thanks, and Merry Christmas

[Rangeball]

Tim, or anyone, have you ever seen a schematic of the barrel underlug?  I'd like to take a closer look at how it's put together.

Thanks

[peternap]

Tim, or anyone, have you ever seen a schematic of the barrel underlug?  I'd like to take a closer look at how it's put together.

Thanks

Just pull a barrel out and take some measurements. There isn't much to them. I had the same idea you did and did mill a lug. That was simple.

The hard part is welding it on and that's well beyond my equipment and skill.
From what I understand, SMI is laser welding theirs on.

There's always a way to do it but it would be inferior to just stubbing it.
I'd rather spend the time revising the ejectors to full camming extractors. Some of the very heavy loads I use stick just enough to require the CRE (cleaning rod extractor).

[Rangeball]

I did take a look at the lug on my USH barrel, but it's hard to tell exactly what's going on internally.  I figured a schematic would clear me up nicely if there's one out there.

As for welding it on straight, from looking at it, I thought that it was basically two parallel side pieces that form a channel.  Assuming they are square and the barrel bulge is in round, thought that it would automatically be centered when you put the barrel on it, then it would just be a matter of adjusting to make sure it locked up tight on the action, which could be tested by clamping it on, adjusting to get the best fit then weld it.  Assuming has gotten me into trouble before though, so...

This is for a ML project I am contemplating.  At this point my options are get a .45/70 barrel and tap the chamber for a BP, get a barrel for a stub then add an aftermarket shilen or douglas blank or use the blank with an underlug of my own making or perhaps SMI would sell me one.  The first option would be the cheapest for sure, but the accuracy potential may be better with the other two.

[peternap]

If it's for a ML, you don't need the innards in the lug anyway.

All you need is the block to dimension with a shelf on one end and the pivot recess on the other.
Damn....now you've got me thinking about doing it again.

[Rangeball]

If it's for a ML, you don't need the innards in the lug anyway.

All you need is the block to dimension with a shelf on one end and the pivot recess on the other.
Damn....now you've got me thinking about doing it again.

So the innards are for the ejector system?

So if I match the outer specs and the outside of both ends, I'll be good to go?

That opens up a whole new world...  I'll look at what SMI did, don't have that barrel handy here, its cased up and still hunting

[peternap]

If it's for a ML, you don't need the innards in the lug anyway.

All you need is the block to dimension with a shelf on one end and the pivot recess on the other.
Damn....now you've got me thinking about doing it again.

So the innards are for the ejector system?

So if I match the outer specs and the outside of both ends, I'll be good to go?

That opens up a whole new world...  I'll look at what SMI did, don't have that barrel handy here, its cased up and still hunting

Yep, it's all ejector/extractor.

[Rangeball]

Sweet

And Thanks