Bent barrel

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   I have embarrassingly bent the barrel on my 0.22 Gamo G-Magnum. Whilst cocking the barrel slipped and swung upward - the moderator on the end of the barrel hit the top rail of a fence and broke off the site. The barrel was severely bent where the barrel diameter steps down and where the moderator is cast on to the barrel. The rest of the barrel from the breech to the moderator appeared to have remained unbent. 
I tried correcting the bend in a vice but was getting to the point where the moderator was about to break. Thinking most of the barrel was still straight I decided to simply hacksaw off the end of the barrel just before the bend started i.e., where the diameter steps down and where the moderator is cast on.

The gun was horrendous afterward - loud and firing inconsistently all over the place. After a bit of further research I realised the hacksaw fix was pretty stupid. The crown geometry is critical to accuracy.

I took the gun to Youngs and Ron said a replacement barrel was the only possible fix. The Gamo barrels have a plastic breach which means you can't heat the barrel to rebend it. If you try cold bending the thin / poor quality steel causes the barrel to crack.... He also mentioned that that a new barrel would be super expensive (about the third of the cost of the gun) if you can even find one.

Any one else had a similar experience? Were you able to fix your gun? If so how and what did it cost you? Only a gamo but was my first airgun so would like to get it repaired if I can economically.

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jwabfrog Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 12 Nov 2021 Location: Thames Status: Offline Posts: 142	Post Options Post Reply Quote jwabfrog Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Bent barrel Posted: 26 Jan 2022 at 2:54pm
	I have embarrassingly bent the barrel on my 0.22 Gamo G-Magnum. Whilst cocking the barrel slipped and swung upward - the moderator on the end of the barrel hit the top rail of a fence and broke off the site. The barrel was severely bent where the barrel diameter steps down and where the moderator is cast on to the barrel. The rest of the barrel from the breech to the moderator appeared to have remained unbent. I tried correcting the bend in a vice but was getting to the point where the moderator was about to break. Thinking most of the barrel was still straight I decided to simply hacksaw off the end of the barrel just before the bend started i.e., where the diameter steps down and where the moderator is cast on. The gun was horrendous afterward - loud and firing inconsistently all over the place. After a bit of further research I realised the hacksaw fix was pretty stupid. The crown geometry is critical to accuracy. I took the gun to Youngs and Ron said a replacement barrel was the only possible fix. The Gamo barrels have a plastic breach which means you can't heat the barrel to rebend it. If you try cold bending the thin / poor quality steel causes the barrel to crack.... He also mentioned that that a new barrel would be super expensive (about the third of the cost of the gun) if you can even find one. Any one else had a similar experience? Were you able to fix your gun? If so how and what did it cost you? Only a gamo but was my first airgun so would like to get it repaired if I can economically.

xyon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 20 Dec 2016 Location: Canterbury Status: Offline Posts: 135	Post Options Post Reply Quote xyon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Jan 2022 at 3:46pm
	Bummer dude I assume it has a plastic breech? Check that carefully for cracks. It sounds like you were kind of lucky it hit the fence, otherwise it would have bent the barrel where it enters the breech block, and with a plastic breech it probably would have broken too. You need to have the muzzle as square as possible. Ideally you would get it re-crowned by a gunsmith in a lathe. If you are careful with a file and a square to check your work you can fix it. After squaring it, you will need to crown it. Lots of youtube on using a brass screw and an electric drill.
	--- My favourites springer - Diana 52 PCP - FX Wildcat III

Myson Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Mar 2016 Location: Feilding Status: Offline Posts: 182	Post Options Post Reply Quote Myson Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Jan 2022 at 5:52pm
	A mate with a lovely old HW97 had it nicked and then thrown out of the fleeing burglars' car window! Barrel was bent and gunsmiths wouldn't touch it - can't be fixed they said! So he spent 3 months with the barrel in a jig, hammering it with a rubber hammer, little by little... Now it shoots perfectly - he just did it all by eye!!! Incredible! And he's not an engineer!!! There's hope for us all, eh?!
	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq7jVyBfFqE Air Arms S510 US .22 Air Arms S410 .22 Weihrauch HW97KT .177 Weihrauch HW95 .177

Billbobnz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 13 Jun 2020 Location: Ashburton Status: Offline Posts: 867	Post Options Post Reply Quote Billbobnz Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Jan 2022 at 8:02pm
	I have straightened a few barrels of various brands, I've only done one Gamo and I never got it 100%, the steel Sean's a little softer than the likes of crosmans. Some of the newer Gamos are prone to get barrel droop over time.