How to DIY a Mini with a crooked crown

Ohio NAA Shooter · November-21-14 14:11

I finally decided it was time to either send my LR Mini back for repair or to DIY to correct a malformed muzzle. About two years ago I bought the gun new and the best I could do at 7 yards was to keep most of the shots on the 12" square target. Most were high and right. I know some of this is because it's not a target gun, it's tough to grip it well and with each shot the rear of the trigger bites my middle finger like a mad Jack Russell. Still the muzzle crown looked like a potato chip, kind of an S curve, and I know that contributed too. After reading an older thread on this forum (very helpful) I decided to correct it myself. Fortunately I'm pretty good at judging plumb and level and by eyeballing and slow and careful work I was able to do a successful job with minimal tools. To square the crown I "borrowed" my wife's diamond nail file. The coarser grit side quickly squared the muzzle and the finer side finished most of the work. Next I held pieces of 600, 440 and crocus cloth on a sheet of glass and polished the muzzle rotating it against the glass. Finally to recess the crown I chucked in my Lee Zip Trim an unloaded 30-06 case with seated spire point copper jacketed bullet. A dab of polishing compound, centering of the muzzle on the bullet and a few pulls of the cord did the job. Entire job was done in less than an hour. Final result is all the shots within an 8" circle at point of aim. Now if I can conquer the Jack Russell I'll have it made. PS my wife isn't any the wiser! All kidding aside, I think this is a job that most people could do on their own, just remember to go slow and check your work frequently.

bud · November-21-14 15:11

That would be something I could really mess up!

scout · November-21-14 18:11

Before and after photos would have been great.
I would like to see your polished muzzle and recessed crown, if you can post a pic.
Thanks!

OV-1D · November-21-14 19:11

Yes ! We have to have pictures of the gun works and tools used , allot of us need to do this, some many ,some few . I would say 40% of my NAA's need tweaking to some degree . Thanks .

Ohio NAA Shooter · November-21-14 19:11

Guys I appreciate your comments. I don't have any before pics but, in a day or two, if I can figure out how to post photos (my shooting skills are better than my computing skills) I will take pics of the muzzle and the crowning tool. I was really amazed at how fast I could shape the barrel. Either the barrel steel metal (steel?) is very soft or that file was really something.EKGRPM

Ohio NAA Shooter · November-21-14 22:11

Here are the after photos. Due to reflections and the close-up photography it's hard to show how flat and smooth the muzzle really is. If your mini suffers from a crooked muzzle this is a very easy and simple way to cure it. The hardest part is that first file stroke, it's all downhill from there!

Uncle_Lee · November-22-14 05:11

"it's tough to grip it well and with each shot the rear of the trigger bites my middle finger "

Welcome Ohio NAA Shooter.
You have the same two problems with the mini that I had.
A set of Cvang grips will solve both problems wonderfully.
You get a full two finger grip that holds the grip firmly back into the palm of the hand.
Cvang keeps the middle finger out from in back of the trigger.

http://revisioncv.com/products

Dinadan · November-22-14 13:11

Ohio NAA Shooter - Welcome. That is nice description of your fix. I agree that it is hard to make the first pass with the file. Regarding grips, I had to put some bigger grips on my LR. I chose NAA's boot grip. It may not be equal to Cvang's grips (I have never tried his) but it is a lot better than the birdshead grips that came on the LR.

RogueTS1 · November-22-14 18:11

Super nice work and I can see pretty well how well you did................. Secret Service grips all the way.

Ohio NAA Shooter · November-23-14 12:11

Thanks for all the good suggestions. I would try the CVang or boot grips but I am hoping to avoid increasing the size of the gun. I'm not ruling out better grips, maybe even the folder, but while that looks to be the best for handling it really looks cumbersome to deploy. Also I'm not a fan of putting any handgun in a pocket without at least some kind of muzzle covering. When increased bulk isn't a problem I just carry my Jframe. I'm starting a new subject regarding how to modify the trigger. Hope all of you check it out and offer more suggestions.

Dinadan · November-23-14 18:11

Ohio - I understand your reluctance to increase the size of your LR Mini. But I still strongly suggest trying some boot grips. They are $35 at the NAA store, and they made a big difference in my ability to shoot my LR. Size matters, but so does control.

http://northamericanarms.com/accessories/l-accessories/l-grips/gbg-l-wood-grain-boot-grip.html