Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Question about rebarreling

This is about the cost of changing out a barrel. I have a 700 BDL from the late 70's that ha been driven hard for over 5000 rounds and shot out. I purchased a new takeoff from a new rifle that was used as a donor, it is definitely a new barrel unshot.

Getting estimates has been interesting and frustrating, all I want here is the barrel changed out, no action work, no blueprinting just change the fricking barrel. One guy acted like he was working on a precision rifle and another low balled so bad and presented himself like a total screwball.

What do you think this work would be costing without machine work. I realize that there may be lathe work involved but without that what do you think?

Dave at ITD Custom Gun will do a proper job for $65 plus shipping.

Isn't this statement a bit contradictory?

Machine work IS involved so how can you say "WITHOUT THAT", how much would it cost?

Unless I am misunderstanding your statement, "WITHOUT THAT", the work can't be done so no price can be quoted.

It isn't a Savage, you don't just unscrew one and screw on another.

I personally would never change one out without taking the time to do basic truing of the action face and locking lugs as well as changing the recoil lug to a precision ground lug - you're only looking at about $125 with the lug and that would include setting back the shoulder on the new barrel which would also allow adjustment to headspace properly. It MAY require opening up a little in the stock for the thicker lug.

One thing to consider is that very likely, the stamping on the the new barrel will NOT be located in the correct position like factory original and if there are sights or tapped holes for the sights, they will not be indexed properly either (once in a while you get lucky).

Also, I would think it goes without saying but the contour from old to new if different can be an issue with the stock fit - I am sure you already considered this when you got the barrel.

The last thing to consider is that the new barrel may or may not shoot worth a damn.

I do this for a living so just my 2 cents worth - your mileage may vary.

Deadeye,

I understand what your saying, and yes I am taking into account that such additional work may be involved. I do realize there can be quite a bit more involved but there was the BASIC question and it has been answered in three PMs and one on the thread.

I do appreciate your input, thanks.

To swap a barrel $50 but there will be no guaranty the headspace is anywhere near correct, so your statement of no machine work as previously mentioned by Dan said is completely erroneous,

The problem with using a take off barrel is it was meant for one action not one model of action. So fitting and head spacing may line up perfect it also may not and it may require all kinds of additional work.

Personally with as inexpensive as a Shilen pre turned and threaded barrel is and they are long chambered too so really all you need is to face the shoulder a bit, there is no reason to pay someone to monkey with a factory barrel

I've switched out take-offs and not had an issue w/ headspace.

I had my model 7 rebarreled with a take off from an SPS and it ran me right around $120. The smith did it right and it is super accurate! I am more than satisfied.

Ever?

Buy a LOTTO ticket - today..

If I,T,& D will do it for under $100, that sounds like a deal to me, particularly if Dave will "time" the barrel.

I have found that many, but not all, Remington barrels will screw on and headspace without any machine work, but few will do so in a manner such that the existing barrel stamps will "time", line up, where they were intended to be. If you don't mind how it looks with the barrel stamps out of place, and the barrel doesn't have open sights, the job is usually quite easy.

Professional 'smiths generally don't like to install take-off barrels because of the unknown quality of the barrel that they are installing and the fact that, if the rifle doesn't perform as well as the owner expects, the 'smith is generally blamed, even if his work is flawless.

Very well stated. This goes for many other aspects of gunsmithing as well.

I had Dave at IT&D put a Remington .223 VSSF barrel on my Remington .17 action and punch it out to .223 AI. His work is superb and the rifle shoots better than I could have hoped even from a barrel from a custom maker. Sometimes the factory take off barrels can be very good and save some real money. And IT&D's prices are usually more than fair.

Bob

I REALLY need to know how to punch one out.

Eggsactly

I've switched about 7 -8 of them. All but one headspaced just fine. None had the stampings line up where they were supposed to be. A Shilen pre-fit is nice but they are $300. A brand new take-off can be from $25-$90 depending on caliber. They are also already blued if CM barrels.

I have a box of recoil lugs that are slightly different thicknesses. I can fit 99% of the Remington barrels to headspace fine just swapping lugs. I know a couple of 'smiths that do just that when I guy wants a cheap job done. I wouldn't leave a customer's barrel with the stamping not visible but no law against it.

I can't quote a price on it however as I don't do it for $.

+1

If timing/indexing has to be right the cost goes up. Cut a partial thread and perhaps a finish reamer. Otherwise take off one barrel and install new. You'll need an action wrench if you're doing it yourself. Also get the wrench as close to the barrel as possible so as not to twist the action.

Going to a good smith is a better idea though.

Man, I must be the most unlucky smith in the biz...

In the dozens or so that I've switched out only ONE that I can recall had headspace within SAAMI range and that was about a year ago.. That one also aligned just right too...and that was a M70 classic barrel.

Every now and then a blind squirrel finds an acorn..

Screw the old one off and screw the new one on, you have an 50-50 chance that everything will be ready to go. If it doesn't then you can get a better quote from someone who is will to make it fit for you.

It only works with Remingtons for me. I bought a couple of barrels from Jeff (260remguy) a few years ago; 222 and .223. I screwed the .222 barrel on my 600 at Danny Pederson's shop in Prescott. We had previously determined that my current 222 barrel was the worse Remington barrel he had ever bore scoped! It screwed on, I tightened it up and looked at the stamping- not where it should be at all. Got out a go-gauge and it was closing but not just dropping shut. No-go wouldn't go! Took it off and tried the .223. Same thing. Took the 223 back off and reinstalled the .222. That was 5 years ago and 500 rounds ago.

The stainless barrels are much better quality than the CM barrels - at least from Remington.

There's a bunch you need to know.

I milled out a Mauser safety shroud for a Chapman horizontal safety.
I had one Jkob sold me with a Wisner horizontal safety.
I kept taking his apart to see how he did it.
There was a bunch that Jkob knew that I needed to know.