lets say a guy with a workbench, some basic skills, a barrel vise, and an action wrench had a factory take off barrel and an action.

what would be required to make sure the headspace was correctly set to avoid potential issues?

could a guy just screw the barrel on, get it nice and tight, and try a go gauge?

what is the standard procedure here?

thanks.

That has worked perfectly many times for many people but you need to use the NO GO to ensure you don't have excessive headspace.

I just took two remington actions in to my smith to have pull off barrels installed...I took him 3 barrels and two actions. I asked him to do the easiest two of the three barrels. When I picked them up,he said to screwed on and headspaced correctly with no other work needed. When asked about the third barrel, he said headspace was excessive and would have to be set back and rechambered....so,yes it can be done...doesn't always work out.

It works for some....you do need a NO GO gage for sure. They are not all that much and a heck of a lot cheaper than all the other tools you'll need.

RH

nsaqam, so, how does it work?

screw it on, put in the no go gauge, close the bolt?

i know that somewhere along the line, the bolt is not supposed to close, right?

The bolt MUST NOT close on the NO GO.

simple and straightforward. i like it. thank you!

now, if one wanted a "minimum headspace" chamber, how would this be accomplished? a reamer and lathe?

On a 700 you'll also need a means to hold the recoil lug in position while you tighten the barrel.
Brownells and I'm sure Midway sell a tool to do just that. It's called the Klienendorst tool or some such thing.

could just have the lug pinned on... it wouldnt cost too much, and i think i know a smith who would let me use his gauges...

That'd be the start of it, yes.

A lathe at the minimum to take a bit off the shoulder.
If you're concerned about getting stamping on the barrel to clock properly you'll also likely need a lathe and usually a reamer as well.
You may get lucky with a factory takeoff and end up with a min headspace chamber without any additional work.
If the GO goes with light resistance then you nailed it on the min spec.

Pinning would be fine of course but the tool I mentioned is cheap and can be used on all your 700 rebarrels.

Finally be aware that if you screw a barrel on and the GO doesn't go you can easily deepen the chamber a bit with a HAND TURNED reamer. No need for a lathe.

nsaqam, thanks. you have been most helpful.

Here is what you need to go with the Go and NOGO gauges.

KLEINENDORST REMINGTON-700-BARREL-TOOL Brownell's has it.

Damn I almost got Kleinendorst spelled right! And off the top of my pointy head too.

I will always recommend Brownells over any other supplier of gun stuff.

They have separate ones for the Tubb's, Holland, and Standard Remington Lug.

Good advice, one last thing though, don't go gorilla when using the gages. Ease them into the chamber and don't force the bolt handle down if it feels tight

+1

I like this stuff so much I often think I should be a 'smith.










And then I remember how much my family likes to eat and I'm cured!

my buddy said that becoming a full time smith took all the fun out of it.

Precisely the same reason I didn't become a full time custom furniture maker.

If he's a good friend, ask him to walk you through your first one.

You do the work, under his guidance.

Of course, it happens when he's not busy, and will cost you lunch or a few beers, but that's cheap insurance the first time, to know that you got it right, and safe.

That right there is excellent advice.
The gaging in particular is definitely a feel thing better experienced than described.

I just had my Rem 700 muzzleloader barrel replaced with a new take off and the sight holes ended up at 3 oclock. He has to do some magic to correct that.

To get the right feel with the gauges you need to remove the plunger and spring in the bolt and the firing pin assembly.

The easiest way to correct your problem is to get a over size recoil lug and have it surfaced ground to fit until the sight holes line up.

Yep.

It helps to have a few factory recoil lugs on hand, they vary in thickness and can be used to adjust the headspace a bit either way

You don't need a tool for holding the recoil lug in position if you just make a alignment scribe mark before removing the barrel. You also don't absolutely have to have a lathe in the event you have excessive headspace (bolt closes on N0-Go), just lap (w/ 400 grit compound) the barrel shoulder to recoil lug surface. If headspace is not enough (bolt doesn't close on Go) then you lap the locking lugs. I've rebarreled a lot of Remingtons and I don't own a lathe. Good luck.

I've found it hard to keep the lug precisely in alignment when doing the final torquing of the barrel without the tool or some pins. It obviously can be done though as evidenced by Kalbrecht.
The tool is cheap and makes the job easy.
Kalbrecht, you are saying to lap the lug itself though right?

Pins can (and do) shear off - as far as I'm concerned they're worthless.. The 'tool' has slop in it..

A witness mark, coupled with a small level, works wonders..

Pins in the action wrench won't shear off because they can be as stout as you wish. They also have no slop.
When you get a separate action, barrel and lug there is no opportunity to place a witness mark.

Works for me anyhow.

I've also made my own alignment tools and they have no slop either.

I was merely suggesting the easiest way to get alignment.

With a Savage there is no need for anything however as they have a slot in the action for a projection (on stock lugs) or a pin on aftermarket lugs.
Never broken a Savage pin as they are rather stout.

Nsaqam, I usually lap the surface between the barrel shoulder and the recoil lug, at the same time I also apply some lapping compound between the lug and the action face. By lapping both surfaces at the same time (just rotate the lug back and forth while slowly tightening up the barrel) I speed up the process a little.

Just imagine you're doing a drive-by, and shoot it gangsta style, yo.

I've found the best way to fit a factory barrel, is to have it done by a qualified 'smith. I know at least three within 60-70 miles of my home that will do it for $50-$75... I've had many done, and have yet to come even close to the price of a lathe.

And, before you ask... NO, I am NOT divulging who...

GH

Some people enjoy the satisfaction of doing it themselves. Different strokes for different folks.

I quite agree with that assessment!

That said, however... Many of the folks who want to do it themselves do it because of the expense... Which, unfortunately, is more often folly than frugal... If you don't believe me, just wander around a gun show... You'll find plenty of examples of "Wannabe" gunsmiths.

I couldn't count the times I've seen rear sling swivels mounted waaay to close to the end of the stock, or grossly off center... And many, many grossly unfit recoil pads. Heck! I've even seen recoil pads made out of old car tires... UGH! I shudder to think what would happen if one of these "Bubbas" tried to rechamber a rifle...

Speaking only for myself... I'd much rather pay a professional to do a job than fubar it myself... I figure a wise man knows his limitations...

(" 'Course, a man never knows his limitations 'til he exceeds them...") (that's a quote from 'me')

Look at brownells page and go to the gun tec section and type Remington 700. The article name is how to build your own Remington 700 part I to v

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=10506/learn/How-To-Build-Your-Own-Remington-700-Part-I

There is an article on how to rebarrel your Own "custom" rifle with hand tools and of course a pre threaded pre chambered barrel.. It is of course an article on how to buy expensive tools (good tools but expensive) like for Trueing your action and other Manson tools.

I like the hand turned reamer tools I always thought a lathe was needed for that stuff. I have not done it but I'm considering it.

You can do a lot of work by hand, no question.....but without a lathe, how do you gauge your work? In a lathe its a pre-op requirement.

ok, so my smith buddy says i can use his guages. i told him plan is to torque the barrel onto the action and try the no go gauge. if it closes, then i will take the gun to my smith. i hope he will let me work on it under his supervision just so i can get it changed out.

if it doesnt close on the no go gauge, then i will try the go gauge. hopefully it wont require any reaming, but if it does, he has a reamer as well.

i can hand turn it to get it close, and try the gauges again. im sure i will get er done.

thanks for all the good advice guys.

Well.... Obviously your personal values are different than mine...

I would NEVER ask a professional mechanic to borrow his tools to work on my car... I would NEVER ask my Dentist to borrow his tools to work on my teeth. AND I would NEVER ask a professional gunsmith to borrow his tools, either. Perhaps that breach of good taste is acceptable in the society that you grew up in, but it sure wasn't in the society that I grew up in....

Headspace gauges are relatively cheap. Somewhere around $10 each for them. I don't believe I've ever paid more than $12 for a h/s gauge. I've seen LOTS of folks that spend more than that in a month just buying Latte's or Soda's...

while i understand what you are saying, i went up to him to ask where he recommended i look for them. we got to talking, and he told me i could use his instead of buying them. he is a professional smith, but he is not full time at it. he chooses to share his knowledge willingly to, as he put it..., "help others learn what they love"

also, where are you buying them that they are $10 a piece. if you can show me, i will buy them. i looked at brownells, and they are like $60 for the two, for 30-06.

Well... I've not bought any for a couple of years, but most of them were purchase off flea-bay. Some are used, but most are new...

By your posts, I took it that your buddy was a professional. There are thousands of "Hobby" gunsmiths in this country. I have alot of tools, but I wouldn't even rate myself that high... (I'm just a tinkerer...)

I guess everyone has to start somewhere.... You likely have more resources than I had at your age... How far you go with it will be up to you. I truly hope you can fulfill your dreams...

GH

thanks GH, i didnt mean to confuse.

Dale used to be a full time smith in another state, then he moved, tried his business here, and found he had to go to full time work to keep the bills paid.

he is a good guy, and always willing to lend a hand. i really appreciate the help he gives, and he knows it. i pay him for his services, and advice. just my way of saying thanks.