Relining the Mauser C96 Pistol Questions

Gazz · Mar 15, 2019

I have one of the beat up Mauser C96 or commonly known as the Broomhandle pistols that needs some new rifling. I had originally sent it off to Redman's Rifling with a check for the work and return shipping that I got from his website which was shown to be $215.00 total - $195.00 for the work and $20.00 return shipping. A couple of weeks later I received a letter from him telling me the barrel had a bow in it and he DIDN'T KNOW if this would be a problem and that the price on the website is old and he needs more money to do the job! The new price was $250 total. The letter also stated that if I did not him to do the work, It would cost me $40.00 for his time and $38.00 return shipping for a total of $78.00 to get my barrel back! I replied that I did not want the work done (I will straighten the barrel first) and that he should return it to me based on costs detailed on his website. He returned the barrel to me and charged me $50.00 which included his examination of the barrel and return shipping. He also requested that I do not send him anymore work as he does need customers like me! The feeling is mutual.
So now I am going to attempt to do the job myself and wonder if anybody here has done this job before. I have a plan worked out in my head how to do it but wonder if anybody here would or could provide me with any tips or suggestions?
thanks for any ideas!

GGaskill · Mar 19, 2019

Website prices may be out of date but that is his responsibility, not yours. Might be interesting to see if he has corrected the website prices or he is false advertising to fish in customers.

akajun · Mar 19, 2019

dunlops book pistolsmithing has a chapter on this very subject iirc.

Gazz · Mar 19, 2019

It's been nearly two months since I sent the barrel to him and there is no change to his website for the C96 reline prices.

Thanks Akajun - I do believe I have that book and will check it out.

AVON · Mar 22, 2019

I would suggest that you file a complaint with the attorney generals of both your state and Redman's. They probably have an online complaint form. You can also make a complain with the FTC, Federal Trade Commission concerning the bait and switch tactics.

Claude Wright · Mar 23, 2019

I just drill out the old barrel and glued in the liner.

Gazz · Mar 25, 2019

That is what I intend to do but first have to determine which way the barrel is bowed. I made a dummy "bolt" and have that in the 4 jaw in the lathe but it is just a smidgeon to loose. Once I get that issue resolved, I'll put a pin gauge in the muzzle and indicate off of that to figure out which way the bow is. Next, I am guessing that I will need a stepped diameter liner, the large end to accommodate the chamber and a the smaller diameter to slip inside the existing barrel contour.

AVON · Mar 27, 2019

Gazz said:
Next, I am guessing that I will need a stepped diameter liner, the large end to accommodate the chamber and a the smaller diameter to slip inside the existing barrel contour.

This is often referred to as a rim or lipped liner. So done to keep the barrel liner from moving forward in the barrel.

Oliver46 · Aug 20, 2022

What ever happened with your Broomhandle, I had contacted the same guy about the same issue, although my issue is more with the chamber. He said he wouldn't do mine because it's nickel. Did you get a liner & if so where?

Gazz · Aug 23, 2022

By nickel, do you mean that it is plated? Mr. Redman does not want any problems for himself and so avoids the unknowns.
I made my own stepped or lipped liner from a piece of stainless 30-06 barrel that I had from a cut off job. I determined how much the barrel was bent by clamping two parallels to the flat sides of the extension. They extended out to the muzzle and with heat to the barrel and steel rod in the bore I was able to center the muzzle. I bought some long drill bits (I can't remember the sizes but will go out to the shop later and check) and with my tool post grinder made step drills out of them. One drill was made with a pilot diameter of the existing bore and a cutting diameter of the liner I had made. The other drill had a pilot of the diameter of the now bored out barrel liner diameter and a cutting diameter of the chamber portion of the liner. After drilling the liner had to be tapped in place with a brass rod but could also be removed the same way so fit was just snug. The liner was chambered when I made the liner so I made some careful measurements to arrive at an acceptable headspace and cut the chamber end of the liner to be in the same place as the original breech end of the barrel was. I glued the liner in place with green loctite. I took it to the range and loaded one round which fired and ejected properly. Then I loaded the magazine and proceeded to shoot the entire mag full with no issues other than a eroded firing pin hole in the bolt face. The soft primer material of current eastern Euro PP or S&B ammo like to flow into that eroded space while some old US made Mauser ammo I had did not show this issue. Now I have to bead blast the whole thing and do a rust blue and maybe a French grey finish as it it looks nice in the white with the bone grips I made. I have a 1930 Commercial that will also get a liner (I made two liners while I had possession of the rented chamber reamer) but no refinish and is currently in the project que.

Oliver46 · Aug 26, 2022

Gazz said:
By nickel, do you mean that it is plated? Mr. Redman does not want any problems for himself and so avoids the unknowns.
I made my own stepped or lipped liner from a piece of stainless 30-06 barrel that I had from a cut off job. I determined how much the barrel was bent by clamping two parallels to the flat sides of the extension. They extended out to the muzzle and with heat to the barrel and steel rod in the bore I was able to center the muzzle. I bought some long drill bits (I can't remember the sizes but will go out to the shop later and check) and with my tool post grinder made step drills out of them. One drill was made with a pilot diameter of the existing bore and a cutting diameter of the liner I had made. The other drill had a pilot of the diameter of the now bored out barrel liner diameter and a cutting diameter of the chamber portion of the liner. After drilling the liner had to be tapped in place with a brass rod but could also be removed the same way so fit was just snug. The liner was chambered when I made the liner so I made some careful measurements to arrive at an acceptable headspace and cut the chamber end of the liner to be in the same place as the original breech end of the barrel was. I glued the liner in place with green loctite. I took it to the range and loaded one round which fired and ejected properly. Then I loaded the magazine and proceeded to shoot the entire mag full with no issues other than a eroded firing pin hole in the bolt face. The soft primer material of current eastern Euro PP or S&B ammo like to flow into that eroded space while some old US made Mauser ammo I had did not show this issue. Now I have to bead blast the whole thing and do a rust blue and maybe a French grey finish as it it looks nice in the white with the bone grips I made. I have a 1930 Commercial that will also get a liner (I made two liners while I had possession of the rented chamber reamer) but no refinish and is currently in the project que.

Thank your the reply, yes it is Nickel plated, not a new job, maybe always had been. I've been thinking of doing just what you've done but will need to find a .30 barrel. what OD did you make the liner?

Gazz · Sep 5, 2022

When I made the liner, I made two as I have another Broomhandle, a 1930 Commercial that needs a reline. I looked for it yesterday but could not find it! Hopefully it is with the modified drills and that I put them in a safe place so as not to lose them but I can't find them either! In any case I made the liner diameter as large as I thought I could safely and practically. I measured the barrel diameter just behind the front sight band and figured that I could drill the bore to leave at least .030" wall thickness. I had a bit more room at the chamber end and made the liner stepped. I'll look for the stuff again today so that I can provide dimensions.

Oliver46 · Sep 7, 2022

I can never find something when I need it. I already bought bits for the job but am too busy to start it with firewood & the garden needing attention. I'm finding the shoulder between the barrel and chamber of the liner being kind of small with what I'm thinking of doing, which is why I'm bugging you~

Gazz · Sep 9, 2022

Ha! It took me maybe 25 years to get the reline accomplished! Along the way, I filled some of the deeper pts with weld and then polished the welds out. Finally bead blasted it but its been so long since I did that the bare metal needs it again so that I can put some kind of finish on it, most likely a rust blue or maybe a french gray. I'll be looking in the shop for the stuff too.
And yes, the shoulder/step in the barrel is small, maybe .050/.060" difference in diameter if I recall.

Gazz · Jan 12, 2023

I found the drills I used but not the second liner! The drills are a 12" long 13/32" and a 12" long 7/16", both were made into step drills on the lathe with a tool post grinder. I made the step in the smaller one to follow the existing .30" caliber bore and the larger one was stepped to 13/16" to cut the chamber end of the bore. I drilled the barrel while it was clamped in a bench vise with a hand held drill motor and relied on the bits following the bores that were already there.

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Relining the Mauser C96 Pistol Questions

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