Cutting the cocking ring segments ?

I know I ask a lot of questions but I\'m old and inexperienced! What is the best method to cut the cocking ring segments? I have a vertical mill and a metal cutting bandsaw. I was thinking I could use an end mill, slitting saw, cut it on the bandsaw or even use a hacksaw. How did you cut yours?  Thanks
Bob

HI Bob,
 I cut mine with a vertical band saw for the individual pieces. Before I cut the pieces, I turned a V groove between the pieces on the bottom and filled it with weld, then cleaned the weld up on the lathe. Then if you have a rotary table for your mill, remove the stepped area that leads up to the BDC enough degrees to give you your cocking switch piece also. Then cut your pieces on the vertical band saw. I screwed the cocking ring segments to the recoil plate locating them with the plug jig and BDC line. If you are going to silver solder them to the plate, then the welding of the V groove must be done with a wire feed or similar. That is how I did mine and it works so far anyway. When the time comes to fit the bolts so there end cap just rubs on the high step of the rings. I removed the recoil plate with the ring segments on it and chucked it up in the lathe turning true removed very little amounts at a time from the high step to get the clearance needed.
bruski

Hi  Bruski,
I\'m not sure what you are talking about with the V groove and I don\'t have a welder.  My horizontal bandsaw has a vertical option if I can find the parts to put it together. I was going to mark them off on my rotary table and leave enough room to cut them.  I\'m holding off on cutting my box cam until I get the recoil plate assembly done as it seems that so many of the parts are dependent on each other. I have been looking at welders so I guess its time to buy one and learn to use it.

Bob

HI Bob,
 You don\'t need a welder to do this if you don\'t have one. I just welded the 2 cocking ring pieces (inner and outer) together to make them one piece which was easier to screw them to the recoil plate. The V groove is turned between the inner and outer cocking rings where they meet on the bottom. That just made things easier for me with one hand and all.
 If you are going to silver solder your ring segments to the recoil plate, you won\'t need to weld the pieces togther beforehand.
bruski

Bob,

I struggled with the concept of making the inner and outer rings separately and fitting, bolting, pinning, welding and soldering, etc. the pieces together and to the recoil plate and just decided to make the recoil plate and the cocking ring as one piece. I had some 4340CD slugs laying around and used one of those (three times). I used a CNC mill but a manual mill with a rotary table would also work.

I believe that Cutter also makes the rings as one piece but separate from the recoil plate. Seems to be a lot easier to get the correct relationship for the T-Slot.

This does require making on special cutter to cut the groove for the mushroom on the end of the hammer but this wasn\'t too bad and I could loan you my cutter if you want.

gary

Thanks for the offer Gary. I need to study this problem and see what I can come up with for now. Who said the box cam was the hardest part? This thing looks a lot harder to me.

Gary,
 You said that you had some 4340CD slugs laying around and used one of those (three times). Does this mean that you made 3 guns orrrrr?
bruski

I wish it meant that I have three guns in process.

Actually means that the first two did not come out so well. First one turned undersize on the OD and it died.  :cry:  Second one was finished until I cut the Hammer Clearance Slot too large (one of the last steps) and was really sick.  :roll:  It will work but the the bearing under the Hammer Screw is reduced.

Third one turned out pretty good.  

gary