Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Any interest in levergun rebarrel service

I’m about to file for my FFL to start taking on a little bit of gun work outside of my regular job. I was a full time gunsmith/machinist for over a decade and just in the last 18 months or so moved and took up a different occupation to make ends meet. Now that I’ve been able to save and buy some machinery I’m looking to get back into gun work at least part time. Maybe going whole hog and back to full time in a few years if everything goes well.

In exploring options for gunsmith work that requires me to have less specialized tooling I have hit upon the idea of a rebarrel service. Not wanting to only handle lever action work but I know that guys who will rebarrel or do caliber conversions on lever action rifles are not terribly common. I have literally rebarreled hundreds of Marlins, a couple dozen Winchesters from 92’s 94’s 95’s 86’s 71’s and 88’s, and a half dozen or so Savage 99s.
I have done conversions to 25/35, 30/30AI, 348AI, 35/348, 450AK, 50AK, 44mag, 45 Colt and others, I’m intimately familiar with the aspects of timing and feeding.

I don’t deal in BS, if I quote you a time you will either have your gun by then or if there’s unforeseen circumstances you’ll be in the loop. In my personal experience working for a shop that did a bunch of lever gun stuff and my research online I’ve found that of three or four shops that specialize in lever action work there are basically three problems. Price, insanely long lead times, and lack of communication, as well as plain old refusal to do the work or some combination of the above. I grew up in a small business that my dad owned and I was taught the importance of quality and customer service.

Do any of you guys have any interest or any suggestions you feel like I may be able to offer? I’d appreciate any feedback. Thanks

I have a savage 99 model H. That has a large diameter barrel. It is in 30 /30.

If I do not sell it, I am thinking about making it a 38/55 or 375 to replace some of the steel in the barrel with air.

There are many dedicated levergun fans over on Marlinowners that would love to hear about your plans. There are a very few Gunsmiths that specialize in rebarreling leverguns. Some other interesting rebarrels would be 219 zipper, 7x30 Waters as well as the ones you already mentioned. Good luck and keep us informed on your journey!

Go for it. By everything you’ve said, you’re going to do great. I bet you’ll be covered up with work.

This...

Oh yes, interested! Need a Win 71 converted to .50AK right now!

I've a NIB Browning 1886 Saddle-ring Carbine that wants to become a 50 Express. I also have the .50 barrel, a Green Mountain 1:54 (the original 50EX twist for 300 grain bullets). I know this takes more than just a rebarrel job as the"GUTS" need to be changed.
Can you do this work? And if so,......Where do I sent said Ordnance?

It is hard to get this kind of work done.. I had a Marlin redone to .25-35.. Well done, but a long process. Plus this guy is gone.. Best of luck!!

TheKid, where are you located at?

Sounds like you have a good plan, and a waiting pool of patrons just waiting for your doors to open. Good luck.

I’m located in SW Oklahoma and it will be a bit yet before I can get the doors opened but I’m working on it as we speak. It’s nice to see some enthusiastic feedback to give a guy some hope. Thanks guys.

That’s very good. I’m in central Texas. That’s a nice little road trip. Please keep us informed of your progress partner

I need a new barrel on a Winchester 1892 in .357, it was re-barreled with a Model 53 rebore that is almost shot out. Wife's family is near your location so a road trip is in order ....

I'm looking for a 1-20 twist for my Marlin 1894 44 mag to better stabilize bullets larger than 240gr., along with action mods to match.

Oh - and a Savage 99 that needs a new barrel and stocks :-)

Have had two or three .44 Marlins and even the best of them was so-so although one shot the Lyman 215 SWCGC pretty well. The slow twist and Marlin's propensity for barrels with loose dimensions and tight spots never helped. I've always thought a properly twisted, dimensionally uniform .430" barrel from even a semi-decent maker could turn one of those little guns into a real tack driver.

I rebarreled one with a cut rifled 20”twist Badger barrel once and worked over the internals to feed LFN bullets. It was a whole different animal from the factory 1894.

do you do marlin rimfire barrel on a mod 57 22 mag ?

Hmmm...
BLR 81 358 converted to 450BM?

sounds like you got a good plan and direction.good luck