Fixed bad crown/muzzle on my mini today

akman · May-18-15 22:05

Have had my mini for about a year now and only had it out twice. Both times it grouped fairly well but point of impact was about 10 inches low and left from point of aim at 15-20 feet.

After hearing about and seeing pics of similar issues I decided it should be fixed. Now I could send it in for repair but don't want to be without this little guy for the couple weeks it may take so decided to fix it myself on break at work today.

First off are some pics of how bad it was. Holding a piece of precision ground key stock on muzzle face you can see the angle both downward and to the left. Viewing from muzzle it is clear where the problem is.

I started by turning out a guide to align an endmill to bore. Was pressed in and I ended up just turning endmill by hand. Marked up muzzle with dykem layout fluid to see progress.

After squaring up I smoothed out face with 3M scotchbrite pad and touched up crown with the old brass screw and lapping compound trick.

All I have for camera is cell phone so bear with me.

adp3 · May-18-15 23:05

Well done. Looks like an outstanding job. Excellent pics too! Please let us know how it performs on paper.

Best Regards,
ADP3

cwlongshot · May-19-15 04:05

That's how its done!!

I'll bet its a straighter shooter now!

CW

To Old To Run · May-19-15 05:05

You got my curiosity on this one also, when do you plan on taking it for a test shoot?.
I also would like to hear the results, looks like you did a nice job.
I stood behind a machine for many years, and oh the side jobs we would do for each other.

akman · May-19-15 11:05

Not sure when I will get a chance to take it out for some target shooting. Am confident it will shoot better than it did. Now that I have done some work on it though I want to do more. Thinking of bobbing front sight, subtle melt down of sharp edges, and maybe getting rid of matte finish around frame. Maybe even trying my hand at making a set of grips.

Yes working at a machine shop has its advantages. I wouldn't own the only .32 guardian with threaded barrel if I didn't have this job.

akman · August-27-15 22:08

Forgot all about fixing this one up until cleaning it tonight.

Since fixing the crown I decided to put a different finish on it. Took it from the two tone polished sides with matte outer surfaces to something different. Closest thing I can describe it is a brushed satin finish. Just disassembled completly and worked it over with progressive grit 3M scotchbrite pads. When that was done I bobbed the front sight at an angle.

After it was finished I put the factory imitation stag grips back on to see if they looked right. They broke.

So time to buy a set of rosewood grips of ebay cheap.

Here are some pics of grip failure and after all the work was done with its new grips. BTW this thing shoots to point of aim now and groups even better than before. Not to mention I like the look of it much better also.

bud · August-28-15 06:08

Looks great I could easily mess that up.

OLD and GRUMPY · August-28-15 08:08

Looks good. Is the sight soft enough to dress down with a good file?

Uncle_Lee · August-28-15 09:08

TAPE

Don't forget to put tape around the barrel.
The file could slip..... (been there, done that)

tumbleweed40 · August-28-15 18:08

Quote from: akman on May-19-15 11:05
Not sure when I will get a chance to take it out for some target shooting. Am confident it will shoot better than it did. Now that I have done some work on it though I want to do more. Thinking of bobbing front sight, subtle melt down of sharp edges, and maybe getting rid of matte finish around frame. Maybe even trying my hand at making a set of grips.

Yes working at a machine shop has its advantages. I wouldn't own the only .32 guardian with threaded barrel if I didn't have this job.

can you take a picture of your .32

To Old To Run · August-29-15 05:08

Your polish job looks real nice, and glad to hear that the crowning took care of your point of aim issue. I was hoping that would take care of the problem, always makes me smile when something like that turns out well

Thanks for your update.

Shovel-ready project · August-29-15 14:08

Quote from: OLD and GRUMPY on August-28-15 08:08
Is the sight soft enough to dress down with a good file?

I'll jump in because I did the same mod. Yes, a fine-tooth flat file and layers of tape around the sight to protect the barrel. I think the sight is aluminum, it cuts very fast.

OLD and GRUMPY · August-29-15 15:08

Thanks. I like the profile akman used. will try it. The original just gets in the way. Now that you have shot it would you make it shorter?

akman · August-29-15 17:08

Yes the front is soft enough to cut down with a file. I used a mill to cut mine and deburred with needle files and a honing stone. I like the profile I did and probably won't cut it down anymore. I might do serrations on ramp of sight still but am also just as happy with it as is.

akman · August-29-15 17:08

Tumbleweed, pics of my guardian can be found here.
http://naaminis.com/smf/index.php?topic=4295.msg68047#msg68047

bill_deshivs · August-29-15 21:08

The front sight is stainless steel-just like the rest of the gun.

theysayimnotme · August-30-15 01:08

The grips broke just like the old plastic grips they used to use. (or maybe it was Freedom Arms) If you tighten them too much they break just like that. I suppose you could damage the wood or rubber grips but it would take a lot more.

Shovel-ready project · August-30-15 10:08

Quote from: OLD and GRUMPY on August-29-15 15:08
Thanks. I like the profile akman used. will try it. The original just gets in the way. Now that you have shot it would you make it shorter?

I think the shorter profile is a huge improvement. A dot of orange paint helps too. Akman's looks about right, his might even be a hair shorter than mine.

Quote from: bill_deshivs on August-29-15 21:08
The front sight is stainless steel-just like the rest of the gun.

Bill, if you know for certain it's SS, I accept it. But mine was very soft. Anyone who does this should go slow.

akman · August-31-15 22:08

Yes bobbing the front sight like this is a huge improvement. It allows better accuaracy as I can see more of the target and am not trying to look around it as much. Plus I think it looks better.

I'm pretty *** sure the sight is stainless like the rest of gun, definitely not aluminum. When I was milling it didn't create the gummy burrs that you get with aluminum.

I will eventually try my hand at making some grips for this one but am horrible working with wood. Metal is more my thing.

Has anyone done grips from mokume gane? I can get slabs of that in some really wild color combos and with differnet grains.