SHOT Show 2024 has just concluded. Thousands of new products were unveiled at SHOT Show, including hundreds of new rifles. Today’s Saturday Movie showcase features a number of new (or nearly-new) rifles displayed at SHOT Show 2024 in Las Vegas. This showcase gives our readers a chance to check out some of the newest hunting, precision, and tactical rifles recently featured at SHOT Show 2024.
New Carbon-Fiber Stocked Savage Hunting Rifle
The HuntStand staff had a chance to field test the new KLYM rifle series from Savage. Based on a new carbon-fiber platform, the straight-pull Savage KLYM weighs just 6.7 pounds without optics.
Top AR-Platform Rifles for 2024
AR-platform “Modern Sporting Rifles” continue to be top sellers because of their affordability and versatility. An AR rifle can be used for Service Rifle competition, 3-Gun games, varmint hunting, and of course, home defense. This video features 10 modern-generation AR-platform rifles. Many of these rifles were on display at SHOT Show in Las Vegas this past week.
MDT Chassis and Howa Rifles for 2024 — SHOT Show Report
This video, recorded this past week at SHOT Show 2024, shows some interesting new products — both complete rifles and new components. Many notable products are featured in this 24-minute video. At 16:16 the video shows the new Howa Super Deluxe Walnut rifle. This comes with a handsome figured Walnut stock and either stainless or blued barrels. Starting at 15:04 other new Howa models are shown including a new Mini-action with carbon-wrapped barrel and hinged floor plate.
At 11:05 the video covers MDT’s Zero Stage electronic trigger. First announced in 2023, this is a unique new technology for field rifles. This operates by pressure on the trigger blade, rather than backward mechanical movement. The Zero Stage trigger adjusts from 4 to 64 ounces (0.25 to 4 pounds) without tools. Last but not least, at 00:30 the MDT ACC Premier Gen 2 Chassis is shown (photo below). This has many new features, including a shorter fore-end and new components to help with rimfire magazines.
SHOT Show 2024 “Shorts” — New CZ Rifles, New AirGun
Ten Good Bolt-Action Hunting Rifles — All Under $600
This 9-minute video provides quick looks at ten affordable bolt-action rifles, all under $600.00. If you are looking for a basic hunting rifle, perhaps for a young family member, here are some options with good “bang for the buck”. Using mostly factory footage, this video covers these 10 bolt-guns:
1:04 TC Arms Venture
1:56 Mossberg Patriot
2:28 Ruger Ranch Rifle
3:10 Howa Mini Action Rifle
3:47 Howa Hogue Rifle
4:35 Thompson Center Compass
5:15 Ruger American Rifle
6:03 Winchester XPR Compact
6:52 Remington 783
7:44 Savage Axis II XP
BONUS — Get a Howa Barreled Action for Your Next Rifle Project
Howa M1500 barreled actions are great for hunting and varmint rifle projects. These Japanese-made Howa actions are smooth running and the two-stage HACT trigger is way better than most factory triggers. CLICK HERE to learn more about Howa M1500 barreled actions.
Right now at Brownells you can get a complete Howa barreled action (with trigger!) starting around $400.00. Chamberings in stock now include: 22-250, 6mm ARC, .243 Win, 6.5 Grendel (Mini), 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .308 Win, and .300 WinMag. A wide variety of barrel lengths are offered, and some chamberings have carbon-wrapped barrels.
Thousands of firearms are on display at SHOT Show 2024, including many that are being showcased for the first time at this major trade show. Today we’re featuring four noteworthy guns — three rifles and one pistol. The new CZ 600 MDT rig could quickly become an important player in PRS/NRL factory class. A new lever gun series was introduced by Smith and Wesson, with two versions, one with a stunning wood stock. Among competition pistols, Walther’s new steel-framed PDP Match model was impressive. And we expect hunters and tactical shooters will like Beretta’s tactical version of its popular BRX1 straight-pull rifle.
CZ 600 MDT Tactical Match
CZ is rolling out an impressive new rifle for the PRS/NRL crowd. The new CZ 600 MDT match rifle combines the popular CZ 600 bolt action with a top-quality MDT alloy stock. We think this is a good option for someone getting started in PRS/NRL competition. In addition the action can be removed and placed in a conventional stock for hunting season.
In this TFB-TV episode, host James Reeves visits CZ headquarters to check out the new CZ 600 MDT. The CZ 600 MDT is a collaboration with MDT Precision, makers of quality precision rifle chassis systems. The CZ 600 series was introduced in 2022, and this is a cool, new variant for the tactical market. TFB-TV states that: “The CZ 600 MDT takes the accuracy and ease of use from the CZ 600 family and marries it to one of two different MDT chassis to bring the CZ 600 into the tactical, military, and PRS realms.”
Smith & Wesson’s New Model 1854 Lever-Action Rifles
At SHOT Show 2024 Smith & Wesson showcased of its first ever modern lever-action rifles, the S&W Model 1854 Series. These new Model 1894 Lever Guns will be offered in multiple formats. Get the basic version with stainless barrel/action and a polymer forearm/buttstock for $1279.00. Or if you have a big budget you can get the limited-edition Model 1854 with polished black PVD finish and very handsome, fully-figured wood for $3499.00 MSRP.
In 1854, Smith & Wesson founders Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson patented their first lever gun. Honoring that historic milestone, the classic American lever gun is reborn as the Model 1854 Series, the first to incorporate the feel of Smith & Wesson’s revered large-frame revolvers, their smooth action, and iconic craftsmanship.
The Model 1854 Series rifles are built with 19¼-inch barrels, are chambered in .44 Rem Mag, and have a capacity of 9+1. The standard Model 1854 has a 410 stainless receiver and a 416 stainless barrel. Key features include M-LOK slots in the fore-end, a 4¾-inch Picatinny base for mounting optics, a flat-face trigger, and removable magazine tube. Additionally, these rifles contain a side loading gate, utilize side ejection, and include a removable mag tube for easier unloading.
Mark Smith, S&W President/CEO states: “These rifles fuse the classic craftsmanship of the iconic lever-action with modern engineering to deliver a platform built on reliability and performance. Our new Model 1854 rifles are a nod to tradition and a testament to Smith & Wesson’s legacy as an American firearms manufacturer.”
The handsome Model 1854 Limited Edition shares the same feature set, but instead of the M-LOK capable fore-end, it boasts a classic high-grade satin walnut finish on both the stock and fore-end and a polished black PVD finish on the receiver and barrel. Both rifles have a 36″ overall length, include a 11/16-24 threaded muzzle, and ship with an XS Sights adjustable ghost ring rear sight and a gold bead front sight.
Walther PDP Steel Frame Match Pistol
We like metal-framed pistols. The extra weight lowers the center of gravity, reduces muzzle flip, and allows faster shot strings. That’s all very valuable if you are shooting pistol matches on the clock. Walther has made a good thing better by creating a full metal version of its popular PDP pistol. The PDP Match metal variant features an extended ergonomic grip and optics-ready slide. The trigger is excellent. This is definitely one of the best 9mm competition pistols on the market.
Intrigued? You’ll find a very thorough review on the All4Shooters.com website. This review includes comprehensive tech details and has good close-up images. The review also includes information on the lesser-priced Walter PDP with polymer grip. As sold in the USA the Walther PDP Match Steel Frame model costs $1,899, shipped with two 20-rd and one 18-rd magazines with aluminum base pads.
Beretta BRX1 Straight-Pull Tactical Version
For 2024, Beretta has introduced a new, camo-finish version of BRX1. This has been dubbed the BRX1 Tactical. Like other BRX1 rifles, this camo BRX1 features a left/right swappable straight-pull action that is very fast to cycle.
In this video, released just last week (1/17/24), the TFB-TV team tests the new Beretta BRX1 Tactical: “This tactical edition, a standout with its multicam finish, is a specialized variant of the Beretta BRX-1, which has gained popularity in Europe for its precision and reliability. The BRX-1 Tactical is enhanced for practical functionality with a 3D printed magazine adapter, allowing it to accept Magpul P-Mags, adding to its versatility.” This video covers the BRX1’s notable features including smooth action, adaptability, and stock ergonomics. The video also compares the new BRX1 Tactical to the original European BRX-1 model, highlighting the main changes — principally the stock configuration and the new bigger magazine.
The new BRX1 Tactical rifle features the same advanced straight-pull action as shown in the BRX1 hunting model below. But the tactical model has a more rugged stock and will hold larger-capacity Magpul P-Mags.
Every wondered how modern rifle actions are designed and crafted? Want to know the fine details of firing pin function and bolt lock-up? Then you should definitely watch this highly informative YouTube video. Top F-Class shooter Eric Cortina of Cortina Precision interviews Jim Borden, an engineer whose Borden Accuracy company produces some of the best rifle actions ever made. This is one of the better Eric Cortina video interviews. You’ll learn quite a bit from watching the video. The full video runs over two hours, so you may want to watch in segments over a couple of days.
Viewers have praised this interview, saying it has a wealth of information:
Gunsmith Alex Wheeler observed: “I consider Jim a friend even though we have never met. Definitely one of the guys that really gets actions. There’s not as many of them as you would think. He was the first timed action out there that had good ignition, at least in my opinion. It was a great interview. I do hope he has him on again.”
“Agreed. Jim is full of information and really does a good job on his actions. This [Cortina] interview with Jim Borden was excellent.” — Jud96
“I really like Jim’s explanations on why ductility is so important in an action. Especially in the critical areas that basically form 90 degree surfaces, such as where bolt lugs meet the bolt body. There is a lot of great info in this interview.” — Jackie Schmidt
“I have enjoyed all of Erik’s interview videos, which are very informative. But I agree [that] this interview with Jim Borden is the best. I learned a lot. Thank you Erik and Jim!” — Alexander-M
About Jim Borden and Borden Accuracy
Jim began shooting high power silhouette and benchrest matches in the mid 1970s while working for a Fortune 500 company as an engineer. In the early 1980s he began building rifles for himself and then for others. Jim has a background as a gunsmith, machinist, registered mechanical engineer, engineering instructor, project manager, hunter, and benchrest competitor.
In benchrest competition Jim has set ten world records and won 11 National Championships thereby earning induction into the Benchrest Hall of Fame. Jim also served six terms as President of the International Benchrest Shooters (IBS).
Jim operates Borden Rifles/Borden Accuracy with his wife Joan, sons Jim Junior and John, daughter Andrea Mecca and son-in-law John (Mike) Mecca. Jim is also an outstanding photographer. Below is a stunning eagle image photographed by Jim Borden.
Borden Accuracy — A Success Story
Borden Accuracy/Borden Rifles has been a source for precision benchrest and hunting rifles for many years. Jim started doing his own gunsmithing while competing in benchrest and High Power silhouette matches. Jim launched his business in 1987, working nights and weekends while still employed at P&G. The business became full-time in 1995 with Jim and his wife Joan doing the work. The business was expanded in 1999 with the construction of the new Springville, PA facility and the addition of sons Jim Jr. and John to the staff. Daughter Andrea Mecca joined the staff in May 2016 as machinist and machine operator and Son-in-law John Mecca came onboard in January 2000.
Jim and company began making Rimrock benchrest and Rimrock hunting actions in 2001. They added Borden Alpine and Timberline actions in 2006. These actions are made in an advanced manufacturing facility which has three CNC vertical machining centers, 1 CNC lathe and 2 CNC turning centers, three manual lathes, a manual knee mill, a surface grinder, a cylindrical grinder and wire EDM machine. To learn more, visit BordenRifles.com, call 570-965-2505, or send email to info [at] bordenrifles.com.
Ever wish you could look inside your rifle, to see how the trigger and fire-control system work? Well now that is possible with the magic of 3D computer graphics. Modern software allows detailed “cutaway” side-views (see below), as well as 3D views with 360° rotation. The software can also provide X-Ray-type views into the gun’s internals — as you can see above. And computer animation can show the complete firing process from trigger pull to chambering of the next round.
Rem 700 Cutaway View from Right Side
This article provides some very cool 3-D “Cutaway View” animations of the popular Remington 700 action, probably the most successful American bolt-action ever created.
READERS — Take the time to watch the video! The Rem 700 animation is really outstanding! EVERY bolt-action shooter should watch this video all the way through.
Cutaway 3D Animation of Rem 700 Action — Watch Video
The Model 700 series of bolt-action rifles have been manufactured by Remington Arms since 1962. All are based on basically the same centerfire bolt action. They are typically sold with an internal magazine depending on caliber, some of which have a floor-plate for quick-unloading, and some of which are “blind” (no floor-plate). The rifle can also be ordered with a detachable box magazine. The Model 700 is a development of the Remington 721 and 722 series of rifles, which were introduced in 1948.
The Remington 700 is a manually-operated bolt action with forward, dual opposed lugs. It features “Cock On Opening”, meaning the upward rotation of the bolt when the rifle is opened cocks the firing pin. A cam mechanism pushes the firing pin’s cocking piece backward. The bolt face is recessed, fully enclosing the base of the cartridge. The extractor is a C-clip sitting within the bolt face. The ejector is a plunger on the bolt face actuated by a coil spring. The bolt is of 3-piece construction, brazed together (head, body. and bolt handle). The receiver is milled from round cross-section steel.
This video was made with the help of the World of Guns: Gun Disassembly interactive encyclopedia with 3D rendering. This remarkable web-based software allows users to view the inner workings of hundreds of different rifles and pistols — everything from a .22 LR Ruger to a .55-caliber Boys Anti-Tank rifle. There are also 25,000+ parts diagrams. This is a remarkable technical resource. SEE MORE HERE.
Are you seeing unpredictable changes in Point of Impact on your target? Think you may have a scope issue? Well maybe not — when was the last time you checked your BARREL?
Yes scopes do fail, and scope bases/rings do get loose. But sometimes problems with erratic POI shifts are caused by a LOOSE BARREL. This issue came up a while back in our Shooter’s Forum. One member complained that his zero was shifting from day to day — by as much as two inches at 100 yards. He was convinced he had a scope problem, based on erratic POI:
“I think my scope loses 1 to 3 MOA per day. When I shot my rifle Monday it was dead on. On Tuesday it was 1″ low. Then on Wednesday it was 1 or 2″ lower. I don’t get it. — the elevation knob never touched. Scope will track and return to zero that day perfect. Yes EVERYTHING has been checked, nothing loose. What is the chance the erector tube spring has gone south? For the record this is a Vortex GE. Never had a bad scope, but this has me wondering”. — LB
On Forum member told LB to send the scope right back to the manufacturer. Two other members suggested mounting the scope on a different rifle to test. Good advice. That’s generally a smart strategy before you conclude a scope has gone bad…
Could Problem Be the Scope Base?
Two Forum members, ExPiper and Dickn52, suggested checking the scope base, recounting their past experiences with troublesome bases. This was intelligent — anyone with a POI problem should check all the optics attachments:
“Went crazy one day chasing my impacts on a 100-yard target. Shots would group fine for three then go nuts for 4-5. I cranked and un-cranked for about an hour. Then I reached up and the base wobbled on the rifle. Removed scope, tightened base screws and back in business.” — Dickn52
“Years ago I had a problem [where] shots were climbing with almost every shot. I was blaming the scope. However, when removing the scope I noticed that the 20 MOA base was cracked and getting wider with every shot. Needless to say I replaced the base and the problem was solved. — ExPiper
Eureka Moment — The problem was the BARREL, not the Scope
There were many helpful suggestions, but member PirateAmmo steered LB to the real problem — a loose BARREL: “We had a problem on a home-built AR-platform rifle once, barrel was loose a tad…”
Member Snert chimed in: “Yep — I had a PPC that suddenly went 19″ low. Picked up gun off bench by barrel and felt a wiggle. I tightened the barrel and the POI went 19 inches up”.
Problem Solved — Barrel Tightened up and POI Back to Normal
The gentleman with the POI problem took the advice of PirateAmmo and checked his barrel. BINGO! Low and behold, the barrel WAS loose.
LB posted: “Barrel loose by about 2%, checked it twice before and didn’t find it the first two times”.
After LB re-tightened his barrel, his rifle started shooting normally again. No more shooting low by 1-2 inches. Problem solved. The fix didn’t cost a penny and now LB doesn’t have to send a perfectly good optic back to the manufacturer.
Lesson learned? Check ALL the variables before you assume a scope has gone bad. Along with the barrel, also check your action screw tension, and of course the scope base and rings.
The folks at Sierra Bullets asked a few staff bulletsmiths a classic question about guns: “If you could own only one firearm which one would you choose?” There were many interesting answers including a “cheater” response — the drilling — which is really two guns in one. The most-often mentioned chambering was the venerable .30-06. Respondents cited its versatility, hunting prowess, and ready availability of ammo. The popular .308 Winchester, as expected, got mentions as did its cousins the .243 Win and 7mm-08. There were quite a few votes for classic lever guns, as well as 12-gauge shotguns. Two bulletsmiths cited the .22 LR, and we can certainly see the logic in that answer. The little rimfire cartridge is versatile, quiet, and inexpensive. SEE All Answers.
We ask our readers the same question — if you could only have one long gun, what type of firearm would it be? List the gun type and chambering in the comments section.
If You Could Have Just One Long-Gun — ANSWERS:
Media Relations Manager Carroll Pilant answered: “I would NEVER own only one gun. If I HAD to pick one, it would be a drilling in 12 gauge over .30-06.”
Ballistic Technician Rich Machholz answered: “The early tang safety Ruger M77s pretty much have all you could want in a bolt gun, but I do like the Winchester lever guns and the combination guns, particularly the drillings. Since I have the first two, I’m going for a Doug Turnbull 1886 or a side by side 20 gauge over .223 drilling.”
Ballistic Technician Philip Mahin answered: “More than likely it would have to be a bolt action .30-06. The reliability is legendary on a wide range of game animals and factory ammunition has still been available at my local stores even in these tough times.”
Ballistic Technician Duane Siercks answered: “If I had to boil it all down to one gun, it would probably be a .30-06. I have a Remington 700C (custom shop gun) that has worked very well for anything and everything I have ever wanted to do with it.”
Ballistic Technician Paul Box answered: “A .22 Rimfire.”
Chief Ballistician Tommy Todd answered: “Remington 700 in .308 Winchester.”
VP – Sales & Marketing Matt Reams answered: “A light weight Kimber in 25-06.”
Production Toolsetter Brad Vansell answered: “Savage weather warrior 7mm-08 is my rifle of choice.”
Production Toolsetter Dan Mahnken answered: “The .308 Winchester rifle — [based on the] wide range of bullets made and the wide range of things that one can hunt with it.”
Process Engineer David Palm answered: “Savage action 243 Winchester.”
Ballistic Technician Gary Prisendorf answered: “Probably a .22 LR. It may not be the best choice, but you could use it for about anything if you really had to.”
Production Manager Chris Hatfield answered: “Beretta A300 Outlander 12 gauge.”
This thought-provoking article is one of the 15 most popular Daily Bulletin features over the last 12 months. We are republishing this story today for readers who may have missed it the first time around…
Here’s a little known fact that may startle most readers, even experienced gunsmiths: your barrel wears out in a matter of seconds. The useful life of a typical match barrel, in terms of actual bullet-in-barrel time, is only a few seconds. How can that be, you ask? Well you need to look at the actual time that bullets spend traveling through the bore during the barrel’s useful life. (Hint: it’s not very long).
Bullet-Time-in-Barrel Calculations
If a bullet flies at 3000 fps, it will pass through a 24″ (two-foot) barrel in 1/1500th of a second. If you have a useful barrel life of 3000 rounds, that would translate to just two seconds of actual bullet-in-barrel operating time.
Ah, but it’s not that simple. Your bullet starts at zero velocity and then accelerates as it passes through the bore, so the projectile’s average velocity is not the same as the 3000 fps muzzle velocity. So how long does a centerfire bullet (with 3000 fps MV) typically stay in the bore? The answer is about .002 seconds. This number was calculated by Varmint Al, who is a really smart engineer dude who worked at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, a government think tank that develops neutron bombs, fusion reactors and other simple stuff.
On his Barrel Tuner page, Varmint Al figured out that the amount of time a bullet spends in a barrel during firing is under .002 seconds. Al writes: “The approximate time that it takes a 3300 fps muzzle velocity bullet to exit the barrel, assuming a constant acceleration, is 0.0011 seconds. Actual exit times would be longer since the bullet is not under constant acceleration.”
We’ll use the .002 number for our calculations here, knowing that the exact number depends on barrel length and muzzle velocity. But .002 is a good average that errs, if anything, on the side of more barrel operating life rather than less.
So, if a bullet spends .002 seconds in the barrel during each shot, and you get 3000 rounds of accurate barrel life, how much actual firing time does the barrel deliver before it loses accuracy? That’s simple math: 3000 x .002 seconds = 6 seconds.
Gone in Six Seconds. Want to Cry Now?
Six seconds. That’s how long your barrel actually functions (in terms of bullet-in-barrel shot time) before it “goes south”. Yes, we know some barrels last longer than 3000 rounds. On the other hand, plenty of .243 Win and 6.5-284 barrels lose accuracy in 1500 rounds or less. If your barrel loses accuracy at the 1500-round mark, then it only worked for three seconds! Of course, if you are shooting a “long-lived” .308 Win that goes 5000 rounds before losing accuracy, then you get a whopping TEN seconds of barrel life. Anyway you look at it, a rifle barrel has very little longevity, when you consider actual firing time.
People already lament the high cost of replacing barrels. Now that you know how short-lived barrels really are, you can complain even louder. Of course our analysis does give you even more of an excuse to buy a nice new Bartlein, Krieger, Shilen etc. barrel for that fine rifle of yours.
Check out that bolt assembly. It features a fluted stainless bolt body, laser-engraved Titanium shroud, and Titanium dragon-scale bolt knob with polished stainless handle.
You haven’t seen a Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR) like this before. Forum member TerryH has customized his Second-Gen 6.5 Creedmoor RPR with a wicked purple finish, snazzy stainless/titanium bolt, and slick HDPE (polymer) bag-riders front and rear. The mods on this Hot Rod Ruger don’t stop there. Terry added a Seekins hand rail, Timney trigger, ergonomic grip, and more…
For his Hot Rod Ruger, Terry has the right skill set, learned on the job: “I work in a body shop and have pretty much custom-painted all my stuff for many years. For this 6.5 CM RPR, colors of choice are House of Kolor PBC-65 Passion Purple and black covered with Cerakote MC-161 matte clear.” Terry even painted his Bald Eagle rest purple to match his Hot Rod RPR.
Terry reports: “I’m shooting an RPR in 6.5 CM. It has a Patriot Valley Arms 26″ barrel. Josh at PVA is making a thread protector for me so I can remove the Mad Scientist brake. The butt stock has a V-Tab adjustable butt plate and Wiebad check rest pad. Glass is a currently a Vortex Gen I PST 6-24x50mm but I have a Golden Eagle on layaway”. To learn more about this rifle or ask TerryH questions about the build, visit this AccurateShooter FORUM THREAD.
Ruger Precision Rifle Modifications: Chassis and Handguards Painted Passion Purple
Patriot Valley Arms 26″ Barrel with Brake
Timney Trigger with Ambi Safety
Custom HDPE (Polymer) Bag-Riders front and Rear
V-Tab adjustable butt plate and Wiebad cheek-pad
Seekins Rail
Good Accuracy with Factory Ammunition
Terry reports: “The RPR is shooting .3 MOA @ 100 with factory Fed American Eagle 140s.” Terry plans to start handloading for the rifle with the goal of shooting F-Class matches next year: “I’ve successfully shot steel out to 1140 yards on the range but [I don’t know] if that will actually translate well in a match. I’m committed to practicing as much as I can and starting to shoot some matches in 2018.”
Front and Rear Bag-Riders with Protektor Rear Bag and Upgraded Bald Eagle Rest
Terry has engineered a slick set-up for F-Open competition and load testing. Up front is a Bald Eagle rest upgraded with windage knob mod, stainless F-Class feet, and longer adjusters. Terry also “changed the hardware to all stainless and added a couple of levels”. In the rear, Terry runs a Protektor Doctor rear bag with 1″ ear spacing.
Impressive additions are the custom HDPE bag-riders Terry crafted himself: “I realized that the butt stock wasn’t going to cut it on the rear bag and even though I got the 2 1/4″ front bag and the Seekins rail is 2″ wide and flat that it wasn’t as stable or smooth as I’d like.” So Terry made his own front and rear bag-riders from HDPE, a material similar to Delrin. Currently the front unit is 2.25″ wide, but Terry will be changing that to a 3″-wide front sled: “I decided that I’d get a 3″-wide front bag and mill a new front bag-rider. I’m going to recess the center to fit around the hand guard and I’ll mill a recess on the bottom of that one.”
Shown below is the Hot Rod Ruger before Terry added the HPDE Bag-Riders front and rear. Terry says the rifle now handles much better with the bag riders, and he plans to upsize the front sled to 3″ width.
Bling’s the Thing. Below is the Hot Rod Ruger’s bolt assembly. It features a custom flat-fluted bolt shaft, laser-engraved Titanium shroud and Titanium dragon-scale knob with polished stainless handle. Terry confesses: “I simply can’t resist anything shiny!”
Some custom barrel makers are now honing barrels (after drilling) to improve bore diameter uniformity, smooth the interior finish, and reduce barrel lapping times. For years, large-scale manufacturers of hammer-forged barrels have employed honing. Now the process is being used by smaller, “boutique” barrel-makers. This article explains how and why barrel honing is done. Take the time to watch the video. For anyone with an interest in barrel-making, this video from Sunnen Products Co. is an eye-opener.
Barrel Honing Process Demonstrated (Worth Watching!):
For custom barrel makers, honing is a time-saver and cost cutter. A few minutes on a honing machine can cut lapping times in half, leaving a cross-hatched surface finish in single or low double-digit Ra. Honing is the same process used to make diesel fuel injectors with bore roundness and straightness controlled to fractions of a micron (<0.000040"), with surface finish Ra ≤0.15 µm (6 µin).
A key manufacturing process used for hammer-forged barrels is now getting attention from the makers of custom button-rifled barrels. This process is precision bore-honing. Honing produces a high-quality bore surface fast, which is critical to hammer forging. (Why is honing so important with hammer forging? Surface finish is the one feature of the barrel that cannot be controlled in hammer forging. Surface imperfections in a barrel blank tend to be amplified as the blank is formed on the rifling mandrel. And if the bore is chromed afterwards, imperfections in the surface finish become even more obvious.)
Honing dramatically improves bore diameter size uniformity and accuracy, surface finish and roundness throughout the length of the barrel. It can certainly be used in place of a pre-rifling lap. The chief difference between a lapped and honed bore is the direction of the finish lines in the bore. Honing leaves fine spiraling crosshatch lines, while a lap leaves lines going longitudinally in the bore. After rifling the manufacturer can remove the crosshatch finish with a quick lap if desired. Honing is fast, accurate, and can be automated. Its surface quality and geometry can duplicate lapping, except for the longitudinal lines of the lapped finish.
In 2015 Frank Green of Bartlein Barrels told us: “We worked with Sunnen and we did all the initial testing on the prototype machine for them. The machine works great! We ordered and received … a new manufactured machine with the changes we wanted on it and [subsequently] ordered a second one.”
The Sunnen hone secures the barrel blank in a 3-jaw chuck, with honing oil pumped into one end while the tool works from the opposite end. Sunnen’s specialized Long Bore Tool uses metal-bond diamond or CBN superabrasives to quickly remove reamer marks, waviness, tight spots and other imperfections left by upstream processes.
Sunnen states that: “Honing is an ideal replacement for hand-lapping barrel blanks before rifling. It quickly removes reamer scratches and surface waviness without labor-intensive hand lapping. By producing a consistent bore diameter (±0.0001″ or less), parallelism, roundness and surface finish end to end, honing yields more consistent performance from rifling buttons and cutters, resulting in a constant groove depth. The ideal bore geometry reduces distortion of the bullet shape.”
Computer-Controlled Bore-Honing
Honing can be done with great precision through the use of advanced, computer-controlled honing machines. Sunnen Products Company offers an advanced machine for .17 to .50-caliber barrels (see control panel below). The spindles on this machine can correct bore size imperfections so small only an air gauge can measure them. The consistency this allows improves bore uniformity, which, in turn, produces more accurate barrels for the precision market.
Sunnen Products Company is the world’s largest vertically-integrated manufacturer of honing systems, tooling, abrasives, coolants, and gauging for precision bore-sizing and finishing. Sunnen’s customers include manufacturers of diesel and gas engines, aerospace components, hydraulic components, oil field equipment, and gun/cannon barrels. Sunnen employs more than 600 people worldwide.
Readers who have just recently discovered the Daily Bulletin may not realize that AccurateShooter.com has hundreds of reference articles in our archives. These authoritative articles are divided into multiple categories, so you can easily view stories by topic (such as competition, tactical, rimfire, optics, shooting skills etc.). One of the most popular categories is our Technical Articles Collection. On a handy index page (with thumbnails for every story), you’ll find over 120 articles covering technical and gunsmithing topics. These articles can help you with major projects (such as stock painting), and they can also help you build more accurate ammo. Here are five popular selections from our Technical Articles archive.
Stress-Free Pillar Bedding. Richard Franklin explains how to do a top-quality bedding job, start to finish.
OnTarget Software Review. Our Editors test free software that measures shot groups with great precision. We explain how to use the program and configure advanced features.
Savage Action Tuning. Top F-TR shooter Stan Pate explains how to enhance the performance of your Savage rifle by optimizing the torque settings of the action screws.
Complete Precision Case Prep. Jake Gottfredson covers the complete case prep process, including brass weight sorting, case trimming, primer pocket uniforming, neck-sizing, and, case-neck turning.
Stock Painting Instructions. Step-by-step guide for stock painting by expert Mike Ricklefs. Mike shows both simple coverage and fancy effects.
About Jim Borden and Borden Accuracy
Borden Accuracy — A Success Story
This video was made with the help of the 
Gone in Six Seconds. Want to Cry Now?
