Mk1 #5 bent barrel

[Lee Enfield]

Barrel straightening is a bit like straightening scaffold tubes. Not that I have ever strasightened a scaffold tube but I have straightened a barrel using the scaffold tube principle. Because of the safety implications, scaffold tubes can only be straightened by competent and authorised (?) people who have the right kit.

Identify the START of the bend. Identify the END of the bend - and mark. These are the 'anvil points'. Press at the centre of the area. Do NOT do ANYTHING outside this area because it ain't damaged there! MANY more pages and much more than that of course but that's a start

After it's straightened, I would stress relieve the barrel....

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

stress relieve the barrel

What will that do? Reason I ask is I've done a number of barrels of different calibers and never (stress relieved) did more.

[Vincent]

After it's straightened, I would stress relieve the barrel....

Can you give some basic DIY instructions on how to do that please?

[Brit plumber]

Theres a good photo of a Bren barrel being straightened in the BGS. I'd have a go at it but as Peter said, I wouldn't go at it with a vice, I find a vice doesn't have the power or control that the correct press would have.

[nd31male]

The guy I have doing it has a full metal shop. Press cnc you name he has the tools for the job. I'm confident he can do it. The best part is I've been playing with water transfer printing and he has a cpl AR lowers he wants me to do in trade.

[browningautorifle]

We'll want to see the end result of course...

[nd31male]

Of course!

[Peter Laidler]

If he has a full workshop facility then maybe you could start by turning a 4" / 6" long .301" bar to use as a Gauge, testing, straightness of bore. We didn't use these* and it will be a GOOD benchmark for you both on the basis that neither of you will be best desrribed as 'barrel viewers' using shadow as the true Armourers were. Apologies if you both are of course, but a long exact gauge is a good start. Internally thread it at one end and you can use it to accurately find the start and end of the curve
* That's not exactly true as we did use a long gauge for testing Sten, Sterling, Owen etc and revolver barrels as they were too short to view properly for straightness

[Vincent]

* That's not exactly true as we did use a long gauge for testing Sten, Sterling, Owen etc and revolver barrels as they were too short to view properly for straightness

Do you remember the measurements of the gauge, Peter?

[nd31male]

I'll bring this to his attention. I'm not sure of the method he plans on using. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed.

---------- Post added at 01:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:35 PM ----------

Want to thank all of you for being so helpful this is all out of my relm but appreciate you willing to help out and not beating me down for lack of knowledge in this area. First goal getting it to shoot from there I will decide weather I'll go for a restore or leave it pure as it is.