A question I'm commonly asked is if I can Freak-bore a Trracer barrel. (The older PMI Trracer, not the later Empire one.)
Unfortunately, the answer is no, and here's why: On the Trracer barrel, right at the base of the threads, it's only 0.757" in diameter.
And "Freak" boring usually takes the bore out to around 0.747" to .750".
That would leave the barrel walls literally paper-thin, and way too fragile to actually use.
So what are our options? The old standbys, of course, of a strip of tape, a few dots of fingernail polish, etc. But what else? Bore the body out to take 'Cocker barrels? That's possible, but the bigger barrels won't fit through the pump grip. If you're going to pay to have the body bored, and replace the pump, you might as well just buy a Phantom or something.
One idea that came up in the Freaking the Unfreakable thread, was a Trracer-Traccer adapter, like the LAPCO sizers, that has a tighter bore. I was loaned a Trracer a few months back, and finally worked my way down the list and had a chance to give it a quick try today.
It is, of course, a fairly simple turning operation, with the only trick being that, as designed, the root of the thread is actually below the OD of the breech. 🙄
But apart from that, it didn't take long before I had the first Trracer-Spacer!
Which, of course, works like any other barrel adapter or sizer:
You technically don't even need to take the snap-ring off the barrel, since that's actually a forward stop to keep the pump bolts from beating on the front edges of the slots. That's moved forward by the spacer, and so no longer really does its job, but also doesn't interfere with the pump motion.
I made this one .675", but oddly enough, I don't actually have any paint that small. The last I had, when I cracked open the case- fresh, unopened bags- had fused into a square lump, and I had to toss out the case. Most of what I have on hand is in the .685" range.
Regardless, it's a bore adapter, not a rocket engine.
Now, here's the question: I can make these, of course, but to what bore? .680? .675? .670?
One option is I can make a set of three in that ballpark- but that starts making the set kind of expensive. This is already a project I suspect there's limited interest in, and by the time I get them machined and annoed and all that, I can easily see needing to price a set in the $90 range. I could also sell them separately, but I can also see getting stuck with one or the other sizes after the 'popular' one sells out.
A second option is to make the adapter, but with something like 'Wedgits" built in. Although the idea there is if we can apply Wedgits- another project I'm working on- why not just Wedgit the original barrel?
A third option is I could make a batch all at .670 or so, and not anno them, so if you want one a bit bigger, I can simply bore it to order. Less cost on the anno, but also more cost on the extra work.
Thoughts? Comments? Options? Spare change? Spare change, lady? [rattles cup]
Doc.
Unfortunately, the answer is no, and here's why: On the Trracer barrel, right at the base of the threads, it's only 0.757" in diameter.
And "Freak" boring usually takes the bore out to around 0.747" to .750".
That would leave the barrel walls literally paper-thin, and way too fragile to actually use.
So what are our options? The old standbys, of course, of a strip of tape, a few dots of fingernail polish, etc. But what else? Bore the body out to take 'Cocker barrels? That's possible, but the bigger barrels won't fit through the pump grip. If you're going to pay to have the body bored, and replace the pump, you might as well just buy a Phantom or something.
One idea that came up in the Freaking the Unfreakable thread, was a Trracer-Traccer adapter, like the LAPCO sizers, that has a tighter bore. I was loaned a Trracer a few months back, and finally worked my way down the list and had a chance to give it a quick try today.
It is, of course, a fairly simple turning operation, with the only trick being that, as designed, the root of the thread is actually below the OD of the breech. 🙄
But apart from that, it didn't take long before I had the first Trracer-Spacer!
Which, of course, works like any other barrel adapter or sizer:
You technically don't even need to take the snap-ring off the barrel, since that's actually a forward stop to keep the pump bolts from beating on the front edges of the slots. That's moved forward by the spacer, and so no longer really does its job, but also doesn't interfere with the pump motion.
I made this one .675", but oddly enough, I don't actually have any paint that small. The last I had, when I cracked open the case- fresh, unopened bags- had fused into a square lump, and I had to toss out the case. Most of what I have on hand is in the .685" range.
Regardless, it's a bore adapter, not a rocket engine.
Now, here's the question: I can make these, of course, but to what bore? .680? .675? .670?
One option is I can make a set of three in that ballpark- but that starts making the set kind of expensive. This is already a project I suspect there's limited interest in, and by the time I get them machined and annoed and all that, I can easily see needing to price a set in the $90 range. I could also sell them separately, but I can also see getting stuck with one or the other sizes after the 'popular' one sells out.
A second option is to make the adapter, but with something like 'Wedgits" built in. Although the idea there is if we can apply Wedgits- another project I'm working on- why not just Wedgit the original barrel?
A third option is I could make a batch all at .670 or so, and not anno them, so if you want one a bit bigger, I can simply bore it to order. Less cost on the anno, but also more cost on the extra work.
Thoughts? Comments? Options? Spare change? Spare change, lady? [rattles cup]
Doc.
.
Comment