Lt3097 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I have a spare barrel for my SBE that is not drilled and tapped for a weaver base. Can anyone tell me what the proper drill and tap size are to complete this job ? Any special preparations that would need to be followed prior to drilling the barrel ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucker301 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I believe it's 8-40, but call Weaver or Benelli to confirm before drilling and tapping. You could also buy the base first and go from there. Weaver 93 Do the obvious things regarding good machine work. Press, padded vise, measure twice, cut once, punch to index.... Weaver Mounts P.O. Box 39 Onalaska, WI 54650 1-800-635-7656 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Full Bore Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Tucker is quite right on thread size and advise. I would add a gunsmith/machinist that knows what he's doing if you can't do it yourself. SBE receivers are very hard and in my experience will most likely require carbide tooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt3097 Posted February 6, 2007 Author Share Posted February 6, 2007 Did a little extra homework. A friend who owns a gunshop told me I need a Cobolt drill bit and a tungsten tap. Benelli CS told me it was an 8-40 tap. Thanks for the info. I have the padded clamps a drill press, and drill bit guides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Full Bore Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Good Luck. Let us know how it turns out. I would also suggest you use a mill for drilling. How will you index your work on a drill press? Or will you simply guess. A drill press will allow the bit to walk on you. Especially on hardend steel. Cobalt is hard but it is also very brittle. If your friend can do it for you paying him is money well spent and you don't end up with off center holes or worse. If he does mess it up its his problem. Just my 2 cents. Best of Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt3097 Posted February 7, 2007 Author Share Posted February 7, 2007 I'm using the weaver #93 base as a hole guide. I'll dimple the drill site with a spring loaded punch. I will chuck the barrel in a padded vice block to keep it from moving around too much. I also have a special drill oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Full Bore Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 As I said before Good Luck. Let us know how it turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt3097 Posted February 12, 2007 Author Share Posted February 12, 2007 Ok, ok, so I chickened out. Got the drill, got the tap and some special drill oil. Got my drill press and chuck all ready and then I got to thinking about that Crio barrel.......Nah, I decided to let a real smithy do it. I pick it up this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Full Bore Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 I believe that was a wise move. Speaking from experience it is not an easy job to do if you are not well versed on drilling hardened steel. Tapping can be very difficult also. I have seen many botched up jobs and didn't want you to do it to yours. Thats all I was trying to tell you. Its money well spent and a lot of frustration avoided. Glad you changed your mind. Post some pics if you can when you get it done. Enjoy your SBE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt3097 Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 Well I have good news and I have bad news. The bad news first. I went to my pick up my SBE barrel today and after two weeks the gunsmith and only drilled one hole. He said he started to tap it but stopped for fear of breaking off the tap. I think maybe the job was a little more than his tools and abilities would allow but he did come highly recommended. Anybody got the name of a good smithy who canb finish this job for me ??????? Now, for the good news. I just ordered my M4 11707 this morning and it should be here by the end of the week............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Full Bore Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Lt3097 I tried to tell you it was hard. Aren't you glad you didn't attempt it yourself? Many people don't know hardend steel parts such as receivers have most all of the machine work done before they are hardened when the steel is in a softer state. Ask an engraver. It can be done and I suggest you take it to a good machine shop in your area. They will have the proper tooling (carbide) and milling machines that many gunsmiths simply can't afford to do it right. It is an expensive investment to be seldomly used and takes many years to pay for itself. Enjoy your 11707. I also have one. They are awesome! Good luck with your barrel. As for Hogwild "did the first guy work from his home shop or was he a reputable smith at a gun dealer? " There are many excellent (reputable) smiths that work from their home shop. Do you have to work at a dealer to be reputable or good? I have redone quite a few repair jobs done by (dealer gunsmiths) and even a few the factory smiths couldn't seem to get.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt3097 Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 He only got the back hole drilled and taped and must have gotten a little nervous, and he quit the job. Maybe his time was more tied up on other projects. I have a local Tool and Die shop that I am going to check with. I'll keep ya posted and thanks for the advice. I am definitely glad I didn't try it myself at this stage. As for the M4 11707. I purchased the last one from a small gunshop in Kansas. I got the last one they had of this model. I'm now looking for an extended tube and the retractable tube stock. Anybody have a source ? Not concerned about the LEO/Military-Govt issue just yet. I am a current LEO. If the ATF sends me a letter telling me I can't have it, I'll stop buying it, sell it, or buy a stamp to make it legal.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucker301 Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 If the local guy doesn't pan out, I'd contact Briley and see if they will do it. See posts in these forums regarding the mag. tubes. There's a guy making and selling them here and he does excellent work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt3097 Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 Hog Wild, Ya missed that one too. I never said he botched the job. He did get the first hole drilled and taped. He noticed condsiderable flex in his tool as he was taping, and I think he got scared a tap would break off and botch the job so he opted to quit before he ran into trouble with the second hole.. At least he had enough common sense to stop and recommend I use a tool and die shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucker301 Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Just to maintain clarity... "Taped" would be the way most of us prefer Hillary's mouth. "Tapped" is what Bill did to... well you can get it from there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Full Bore Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 LT3097 I noticed you have contacted Joe about his tubes. I have one and they are excellent. You won't regret it. He is off to the service soon so don't wait. Good one Tucker! I couldn't agree more. Heres a glimpse of mine with the collapsable stock. I have the standard field stock which is usually on it to be legal and it changes things up a bit to shoot an M4 like a field gun. They are fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt3097 Posted February 23, 2007 Author Share Posted February 23, 2007 Here is what I said wiseguy. "Well I have good news and I have bad news. The bad news first. I went to my pick up my SBE barrel today and after two weeks the gunsmith and only drilled one hole. He said he started to tap it, but stopped for fear of breaking off the tap." If ya want to be a critic get your facts straight. You see anything in there that indicates I said he did, then didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt3097 Posted February 23, 2007 Author Share Posted February 23, 2007 That was a good one Tucker, I have to admit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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