Home Lathe Recommendations (small size, custom reloading brass)

Machine Shop
#1

Might be a cross with @Team_Hatchers here.

I’m looking to get a small lathe for my home. About the size of the sherline we have perhaps, but not looking at that price tag. I’ll be using it to make custom brass for some very old firearms that have oddball ammo (our Werndl will be a fun one).

I like the sherlines, but I feel like the tooling may get the best of me in terms of budget with something else for my use case (prove me wrong)

Bonus points for something with a feed through chuck so I can thread small barrels once in a blue moon without killing my footprint.

Cheers,
-Jim

#2

Problem is if you go cheaper, the lathe you end up with likely won’t hold the necessary tolerances you’d want. You could drop $500 at harbor freight for their hobby mini-lathe, but it won’t hold to the 1000nth of an inch tolerance you need with any reliability.

If your inclination is to find a cheap lathe for firearms part and ammo machining, I’d say the best recommendation for you is - don’t.

Ask yourself - would you go up in an aircraft made with parts that were “close”?

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#3

Actually, a little love and I’ve heard great things about the harbor freight lathe. I’m considering one. Won’t repeat within .0002” but will definitely hold +/-.0003-4” reliably from what I’ve read on machinist forums. Now granted, that’s all with a decent operator.

#4

If it were me, I’d set an alert on Craigslist for a used Sherline or Taig lathe. There aren’t any right now, but sometimes they come up at really good prices. And typically they include the accessories because very little else uses the 3/4-16tpi thread on the headstock.

EDIT: Here’s a used Taig for auction on eBay. You’d have to pay shipping, but this is a sweet machine with the upgraded 5C collet headstock.

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#5

Read again what this is for. An 1800s weapon’s chamber the brass will be made for is not exactly what you call a tight tolerance.

I forgot about the taigs. I’m still keeping eyes open for used sets for everything, but was also hearing good things about other lines like grizzly’s. Having the compound saddle at their price is nice.

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