Thread: Making a Sharps Barrel in my lathe.

Been watching this whole project with amazement....you have a awful lot of patience HB, thats for sure......well done mate!

I have just sent the receiver and breech block to be nitride, so in about 2/3 days I can put it to gather. I`m getting clucky about this gun, , have made up a nest egg of ready to go cartridges for the gun, three are for the proof testing , 58grs of 2208 with a 405gr cast lead bullet, should make it sit up and take notice. Then 20 at 50grs 2208, same bullet, a normal load and eight with the holey 2f black powder 60grs, this should get the barrel working , it is good to go as I have just gave it a good lead lapping. Also having a practise run at acid etching on some scrap, will use my battery charger to etch it, so will see how it goes before I do the side plate. Good things take time, Cheers, Homebrew.357
, My nest eggs all in the same 45-70 basket!

Spanners will be along any time soon ,so you can clamp him onto the recoil pad and we'll all take a seat with an ale to watch the 45-70 show.

Hi, Recoil pad?, Who said he could have one, no pain no gain and I will be able to judge my loads by his yells.. The last bits to do, milling a dove tail slot for the under lever breech block spring, a small block fits in and the spring is screwed to it. The block has two holes, the other one is to hold the back of forearm stock and there is one at the front to. The last bit will be setting up the sight`s , I think you line them up to the bore so will have to pack up the front sight to clear the receiver and line up the back sight. It`s coming into the home strait, not much more to do, well there`s still the stock to make. . Cheers, Homebrew.357.
, This is where the slot needs to go. , Barrel set up for fly cutting slot. , Barrel is mounted on angle bracket. , Change to dove tail cutter.

Hi HB, being a Toolmaker by trade, and having used Lathes, Milling machines, surface/cylindrical grinders and Drill presses in their own right i am 'blown away' you have done all this on a lathe....Kudos mate.....

Hi Scouser, Pal old mate!, I love toolmakers, they have lots of used milling bits that are gold to a hobby machinist!!, yes that's all I`m doing this with, second hand mill bits, new ones are to pricey. Any way I keep trying the d/ tail block for fit and when it just starts to go in, that's it, it will be a nice press fit in the barrel. With that sorted I made up the small screw to holed the spring, assembled it all and had a test and it works OK, The other hole in the block is to hold the forearm stock at the back and there`s one at the front, will have to mill one for the front sight on top of the barrel with a spacer so it will line up with the back tang sight and inline with the bore. So two more dove tails should finish work on the barrel, or maybe I should do one for the back sight on top of the barrel as well just encase the tang sight is no good, like a rifle with a scope on., Cheers, Homebrew.357.
, And it just starts in.
, All tests OK.

Hi all, I`m milling the second slot for the forearm and then will be doing the back and front sight slots, when all this is done I can fit the barrel, I think, there`s always some thing I forget but its getting there. Xmas is here, so I will be away in our caravan for a few months on our South Island holiday in the new year, so will come back then and hope you all have a great Xmas, Cheers, Homebrew.357.

I can keep your sharp in my safe while you are away if you want ;-) have a good Christmas .

Originally Posted by homebrew.357

Hi all, I`m milling the second slot for the forearm and then will be doing the back and front sight slots, when all this is done I can fit the barrel, I think, there`s always some thing I forget but its getting there. Xmas is here, so I will be away in our caravan for a few months on our South Island holiday in the new year, so will come back then and hope you all have a great Xmas, Cheers, Homebrew.357.

well if youre in chch in january -pm me id like to meet someone with so much bloody talent and a yearning for a brew or two!

Hi Kotuku, Well, if you have a good drop I never say no to a beer or two, my wife and I will probably be in chch end of January - February, leaving AK on the 18 Jan and slowly making our way down the east coast to chch. By that time will have worked up a good thirst for some cold ones, , so check your pms, Cheers, Homebrew.357.

Originally Posted by homebrew.357

Hi Kotuku, Well, if you have a good drop I never say no to a beer or two, my wife and I will probably be in chch end of January - February, leaving AK on the 18 Jan and slowly making our way down the east coast to chch. By that time will have worked up a good thirst for some cold ones, , so check your pms, Cheers, Homebrew.357.

not brewing at present -probasbly not tillour new homes complete in april-may 2016 ,but i do know a dandy wee local bar&bottle store which has a great range of nice priced local brews to savour.FYI-Ipay $9.00for a 2litre flagon of harringtons!

Hi, I suppose I had better explain the three pic`s, after my deer hunting stuff up I reamed and lapped the barrel on my Hawken .45 and went to check it out on Sunday at the range shoot. I all was get weird looks as I carry it onto the range but one guy was jumping up and down, Hi ,I`m Tommy, I know you Homebrew, Is that your home made Hawken, I couldn't get a word in side ways. He ups with his yuppie phone/Ipox thinge, "Can I take some photos", , he was dribberling every where. So he posted the pic`s and now not a word out of him, so I have to explain it all. I tried eight shots with 270g bullets with 70grs 3f black powder first, not very flash, minute of elephant, all over the place. Then I loaded P R Ball with 50grs b/powder, shot ten shots on rapid fire, big surprise , not only did I hit the target, It looks like I was trying to cut it in half. I`m still thinking I may make a new barrel for it one day. Hey, it`s all about having fun, , and thanks for posting the pic`s "Tommy", here`s my pic the best one!, Cheers, Homebrew.357. , While there`s bullets in the air there`s hope.

Originally Posted by homebrew.357

Hi Kotuku, Well, if you have a good drop I never say no to a beer or two, my wife and I will probably be in chch end of January - February, leaving AK on the 18 Jan and slowly making our way down the east coast to chch. By that time will have worked up a good thirst for some cold ones, , so check your pms, Cheers, Homebrew.357.

Hi Homebrew. If you are coming as far as Cromwell give me a PM. We can swap notes and have a beer in my 'cave'.

Hi boys, Coming right down to bluff, hop over to Steward Island and back up the west coast, about 3/4 months on the road, and will be taking my computer with me so I can pm you guys with the watering hole stops. I`m packing the Hawken and a .22, on the look out for a Bugsy hunt and a bit of b/powder shooting at some clubs down there, like the Wakanui beach B/P club, or maybe Bugsy on steroids. Along with my fly rod, surf casting rod I won`t get bored. Hmmm, I thought mainlanders where a bit back country ,but I diden`t know you live in caves!!,, See you guys on the road, Cheers, Homebrew.357.