Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing .280 to .280 AI cost

What is the average cost to punch out a .280 to .280 AI? Assuming the smith already has the reamer.

I don't know, but make sure when you get a quote from a particular 'smith that he's taking into account setting the barrel back a thread before doing the rechambering.

I had a 280 converted to 280 Ackley Improved about 9 years ago by Ray Montgomery (970-434-6162) in Grand Junction, CO. He is an excellant craftsman and specializes in the Ackley Improved cartridges.

At that time, he charged me $170 to square up the action, set the barrel back one thread, re-chamber, recrown, lap the bolt lugs and do a trigger job. Pretty reasonable!

I'm sure he's gone up some in price but should still be a good bet for this kind of work.

Hal

When converting to a Ackley and you set the barrel back one thread..is anything else affected?..does barreled action have to be rebedded to stock?

You would only have to re-bed if the current bedding extends forward of the action under the first couple inches of barrel. Even then, you wouldn't have to re-bed if you wanted to free float the entire length of barrel.

Nothing else would be affected.

Hal

Slammer-- PM me and I will send you my smiths info-- He will square up the face, lap the lugs, set back the barrel and rechamber it for $125 or less-- He does great work and has been used by several here, but I'm not making the same mistake Painless made when he brought out Karl Feldkamp's info...