On December 30th, 2004 we rifled a barrel at Toad Hall Rifleshop. We used the wooden rifler and after about 2 1/2 hours with a record low number of passes: 2625! The rifle has 5 rifle grooves with left hand 1 in 48" twist in .44 caliber.  The rifling is .007" deep. 

Here is a set of photos from that day. The young man is Ron Bookout and the youngest of Steve's sons.  He's on leave from the army and must go back into training to whereabouts unknown. He's a medic. 

Here Steve (Bookie) is cleaning the cutter head. 

Here Ron is using the rifler and cutting the rifling into the barrel.

While Ron is running the rifler back and forth, I apply lard to the cutter as it enters the barrel. This lubricates the cutter and forces the metal waste material out of the barrel. 

Ron continues to run the rifler. We start with 5 cuts per groove and then shim it out .001" and then we cut another round, this time with 15 cuts per groove. We steadily repeat this process and increase the number from 15 to 50 cuts  and then up to 100 and finally 150 cuts per groove. This is really based on whether we feel the cutter is still cutting. It is stops cutting, then we will shim up the cutter.

We run a patch thru the end of the barrel before we remove it. Then with a flashlight, we examine the rifling in the barrel. Once satisfied, we remove the barrel and run a few clean patches thru it. Here Ron is holding it up to the light to examine the barrel.

Here is what I tried to capture with my camera on macro focus to show you the rifling. Hope it works for you.

Hoot AL Rifle Shop

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