Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Interarms Mark X rebarrel advice

Hey guys
I've got a rebarrel question for you, but first a little history on the rifle.
This rifle started out as my grandfather's rifle, and he put it to good use. It was originally chambered in .2506 and it shot pretty well. I inherited it when he passed and the rifle began to not shoot as well as once did so I decided to spruce it up with a new tube. I had it rebarreled in .2506 with a 24" hart barrel #2ish contour (can't remember truthfully), ordered a McMillan stock, Timney trigger and had it cerakoted. To say I was excited at the end of this two year process would be an understatement... that is until I shot it. It's an honest 1.5 MOA gun with everything I feed it.
I am at a crossroads here.. I could put the rifle up and just use it when hunting in the woods (but I know me I'll pick up something that shoots better) or have it rebarreled. The problem I run into here is that most gunsmiths don't want to work on a Mauser style action. Do you guys know of anybody that you would recommend using ?
Appreciate the advice
Eli

Kevin Weaver did good work for me. Weaver Rifles on Google should bring up his site. Great dude to work with.

What Bullets have you ran through it? Seems like most 25-06's are usually darned good and not too fussy. Sounds like a great set up. Hope you can get it to turn a corner.

ER Shaw or Douglas Barrels will put on one of theirs. Shaw does a fantastic polished blue job, the Shaw barrels I have all seem to shoot well and clean easy..

Who did the rebarrel?

Local guy that usually does good work did it. I hate to name him, but it took him over a year just to barrel it so I won't go down that road again. I've shot a variety of bullets in it from Sierra, Barnes and Nosler in a variety of weights from light to heavy. Thanks for the suggestions so far guys.

Do you know what the barrel's rate of twist is?

I ask this because I got a great deal on a .257" bore barrel because it was cut 1-14" ROT and the guy who originally ordered it was unhappy that it wouldn't stabilize the bullets that he wanted to shoot.

What does the 'smith say?

9 twist. I haven't asked him because I don't want to open that can of worms. Just ready to cut my losses and use somebody else.

You haven't shared with us the sort of grouping you are getting. Are you getting perfect circles/triangles? Or perhaps vertical or horizontal groups? I would dig in a bit into the way the mauser action is bedded and try a few things before I went through the hassle of rebarreling.



The way the bottom metal and the front lug meet IMO could be a potential issue. The two pieces can touch if not bedded properly causing a false tightness.


Other considerations:

Check front action screw hole if it is a blind hole for epoxy

Action screw bottoming out in blind hole (too long)

Leupold windage style base windage side screws not tight

Forward screw of front base touching threads of barrel shank

Poor crown, optimal way is to check with bore scope

Action screw holes in stock too small, drill larger so sides of action screw won't touch

Bolt handle touching stock

Mag box must not bind

Recoil lug making early contact in bottom of bedding (rocking action)
Trigger group must not touch stock

Trigger guard must not touch trigger

Uneven bedding--- tightening one action screw to see if the action pulls up at other end.

Action screws properly torqued

Barrel having adequate clearance where it is supposed to be floated

Clean bore

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Have you tried any factory ammo?

What AZshooter said above. Check absolutely everything before rebarreling.

Even if everything is check and you're still getting 1.5 MOA performance I'd hunt the heck out of it. That is more than enough out to 400 yards and if you're like me that'd be a super long shot... my max is almost always around 300.

Good luck!

I would have the guy who rebarreled it to a least look at it. Have him shoot it...have him fix it. That is the only way to cut your losses.

Having it rebarreled...and paying someone else to do it...is opening a can of worms.

+1

+1

Good advice.

I would think the original smith may like to know what's going on, it's his work and reputation.

I would if I was that guy.

You're aggravated, just take a deep breath and give him a call. IMO, he deserves the courtesy, deserves a shot at making it right.

He must have something going for him or you wouldn't have hired him in the first place.

I would seek an alternative ONLY after the above efforts fail.

DF

If you don't want the original smith looking at it again is there another smith that you have faith in? I'd have him check it out before dismissing the barrel.
Had a quality 25 caliber barrel put on a good shooting pushfeed winlite. I could not get that rifle to shoot decently with the new tube, though it was very accurate as a 30-06 fwt. I tried several different bullets/powders from 100 grains and up, and all the tricks I knew. Best I could get was 2". Original smith was absolutely no help, though he has a reputation for accuracy work.
In the end I wrote it off as a bad experience and sold the rifle with full disclosure. I learned a couple things from that expensive experience!

Hill Country Rifles has an accurizing service. Not sure if they still do it but if they couldn't get a rifle to shoot they would pro-rate their fee towards a re-barrel job. This is about half the cost of a new barrel job.

Hey guys
I appreciate all the advice and experience. I am going to make contact with the original gunsmith and go from there. If we can't get it worked out I will contact a few of the folks mentioned here.
Thanks again

Good.

Let us know how it works out.

DF

Please do post a follow up. I have had only one bad barrel but it still shot OK. Had one factory rifle with the barrel screwed on wonky the Winchester custom shop got it shooting really well, all the others were bedding issues that could easily be fixed. Had one ruger with a bad barrel & chamber and just re-barreled it.

Yep, we all benefit and learn from these experiences.

DF

Will do. Contacted the gunsmith and let him know what was going on. I will post a follow up asap.

After I bought my Interarms Mark X action, I had Krieger true the action, build a 6.5-06AI barrel and mount it. Super accurate rifle. It is my favorite and most reliable 600-yard clay pigeon shooter.

I fire-form .25-06 brass and even the fire-form loads are awesome accurate.