Bending a shift lever (gun barrel)

I need a bit of advice. I'm using a rifle barrel as a shift lever. It's mated to a Jeep transmission shifter. I'm using the rifle barrel because it's got the hole in it and I can run wires inside it to trigger the overdrive on my car. The shift ball has a switch, so everything is hidden. I'd like to bend it sorta like a 32 Ford shift lever, or, just make a gentle bend in it. I've used heat to bend spindles for a dropped axle, etc., but am not sure how to do this. Any advice is appreciated. I realize I may have to cut it again to accomplish this.
Here's a couple of pictures of the thing
Thanks
Jim

 

I would mark out the bend I want on a steel table, weld posts to bend against, and then heat the barrel like you did your spindles, bend to posts... I don't think it would be any more difficult than that.

 

Be sure to heat the entire diameter of the tube, and bend it very slowly or the tube will kink. A long slow curve will be easier then a sharp bend, unless a kinked tube will not be an issue for you. Gene

 

naaww.. he likes em kinky.

 

Well, not the shift lever

 

call a gunsmith they could probably suggest proper way to bend gun barrel.

 

just make sure theres no bullets in it when you heat it

 

Why would a gunsmith know how to bend a rifle barrel?

Unless he was in the business of making rifles to shoot kangaroos

 

i've heard of guys filling tube with sand and closing up the ends prior to heating and bending to prevent kinks.

 

What caliber...??? If it's a .22,, the bore diameter probably won't affect the outer dimensions that much when bent... They tend to have heavy barrels anyway...

Just wondering, what is the barrel originally from..??? Usually,, shit like this ends up happening to the rarest and most desirable gun parts....

 

Tap a peice of wooden dowel into one end, use dry sand and ram it in the tube then plug up the other end with another dowel, this effectivly makes it a solid objet and it will not kink. Ive bent 3/4 s.s tube into 1 foot coils this way and never had a failure.
Hope this helps mate.
Jason.

 

go to your local autoparts store buy a spring that goes over a break line put it inside the barrel and it wont kink bend it and then take your spring out disturbing that you are going to mess up a gun barrel but it will bend right like that good luck

 

X2...Sand works really well but the bend shown in the picture is REALLY a sharp bend. Just go slow and easy. Closing or sealing the ends is the trick BTW. Why not just use moly tubing ? Happy motoring.

 

A gun barrel is a little different than tubing. I don't think you will have any problem with it kinking unless you make a severely sharp bend.
Just heat it evenly and bend it gradually.

 

x2...i think the gauge of metal will not kink or whatever.
"and the bowtie rolls on"

 

Sounds like a cool idea, but I thought there would be some :::shoot, I've been blasting through gears until my arm is shot::: jokes

 

We wouldn't. I've had to change a a few bent barrels but never was asked to bend one..

 

Ha ha, come on - really?

 

Thanks for all the help.
It's a Marlin Model 60 .22 cal barrel that I bought for $12.00 Don't think it is/was anything rare. Just wanted NOT to have wires running down the side of the shift lever. The shift ball is from a Volvo and it slides onto splines at the top. The four speed shift pattern for reverse is wrong, but I don't think anyone will notice
Jim

 

A heavy lever like that might tend to pull/yank it out of gear during acceleration or braking.
You might want to rethink this idea.

 

DrJ
It's really no heavier than a stock shift lever.