Method and apparatus for rifling a firearm barrel

A method of rifling a barrel comprising the steps of:

• providing a computer controlled rifling machine, the machine including:
• a frame, the frame having a first end and a second end;
• a rod holder coupled to the frame;
• a chuck box coupled to said frame, the chuck box being located near the second end of the frame;
• a programmable control unit;
• a user interface electrically connected to the programmable control unit;
• a rotational motion control servo coupled to said frame;
• a linear motion control servo coupled to said frame;
• a feed block assembly coupled to said frame, the feed block assembly having a feed collet rotatably coupled to the feed block assembly, the feed collet having a indentation, the indentation sized and configured to matingly engage the end of a rod mounted in the rod holder and hold the end in a stationary position relative to the feed collet;
• and
• wherein said programmable control unit is electrically connected to said rotational motion servo, said linear motion servo, and said feed box assembly;
• mounting a rod in said rod holder;
• selecting a cutting tool;
• mounting said cutting tool in said rod;
• mounting a barrel in a chuck box;
• calibrating the machine for said barrel;
• entering operating parameters;
• and
• executing a predetermined CPU program.

A rifling apparatus comprising:

• a frame, the frame having a first end and a second end;
• a ball screw coupled to the frame and extending along at least a portion of the length of the frame;
• a servo box slidably coupled to the frame, the servo box in rotatable engagement with the ball screw;
• a linear motion control servo coupled to ball screw;
• a rod holder rotatably coupled to the servo box;
• a rotational motion control servo coupled to said rod holder;
• a rod, the rod having a first end and a second end, the first end of the rod being removably coupled to the rod holder, the rod having a threaded endpiece removably coupled to the second end thereof;
• a cutting tool disposed in a slot near the second end of the rod, at least a portion of the cutting tool projecting outward from the rod, the cutting tool being in camming relation with the threaded endpiece;
• a chuck box attached to said frame, the chuck box being located near the second end of the frame, the chuck being sized and configured to hold a barrel stationary;
• a programmable control unit;
• a user interface electrically connected to the programmable control unit;
• a feed block assembly coupled to said frame, the feed block assembly having a feed collet rotatably coupled to the feed block, the feed collet having an indentation, the indentation sized and configured to matingly engage the threaded endpiece of the rod and hold the threaded endpiece in a stationary position relative to the feed collet;
• and
• wherein said programmable control unit being electrically connected to said rotational motion servo, said linear motion servo, and said feed box assembly.

A method of rifling a barrel comprising the steps of:

• providing a computer controlled single point cut rifling machine, the machine including:
• a frame, the frame having a first end and a second end;
• a rod holder coupled to the frame;
• a rod having a first end and a second end, the first end of the rod being coupled to the rod holder;
• a cutting tool at least partially disposed in a slot near the second end of the rod, at least a portion of the cutting tool extending radially outwardly from the rod;
• a threaded endpiece rotatably disposed in the second end of the rod, the threaded endpiece in camming relation to the cutting tool whereby the depth of the cutting tool is changed by rotating said threaded endpiece.
• a chuck box coupled to said frame, the chuck box being located near the second end of the frame;
• a programmable control unit;
• a user interface electrically connected to the programmable control unit;
• a rotational motion control servo coupled to said frame;
• a linear motion control servo coupled to said frame;
• a feed block assembly coupled to said frame, the feed block assembly having a feed collet rotatably coupled to the feed block assembly, the feed collet having a indentation, the indentation sized and configured to matingly engage the end of the rod and hold the end in a stationary position relative to the feed collet;
• said programmable control unit being electrically connected to said rotational motion servo, said linear motion servo, and said feed box assembly;
• mounting a hollow barrel in said machine, the barrel having a first end and a second end;
• cutting a spiral groove in the inside surface of said barrel with a cutting tool, the spiral groove extending from the first end of the barrel to the second end of the barrel;
• returning the cutting tool to a precutting position at the first end of the barrel;
• indexing the cutting tool to cut a second, spaced apart groove;
• and
• cutting a second spiral groove in the inside surface of said barrel with said cutting tool, the second spiral groove extending from the first end of the barrel to the second end of the barrel.