Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Looking for a re-chamber

I have a savage small shank stainless barrel in .243 and would like to have it rechambered to 6-284 any suggestions on smiths with that reamer?

4D has reamer and it's easy DIY job

Easy Job? You planning on doing it by hand? Ever done one that way? If you think it is easy you are dreaming, Find someone with a lathe!

It is a simple rechamber, not a barrel blank.

Yes I have done a bunch of minors, like std to AI.

Right tools and care are what's required.

Garage mechanic

Hmmmm, they all work fine and shoot sub MOA.

Why do I doubt you've ever done one by hand ?

Wonder how the old timers w/o modern lathes ever made a barrel ?

No doubt they also freshen your breath and make your teeth whiter.

How did you set the barrel back without a lathe?

The only AI with an accepted SAMMI spec is the 280. Many of these made back when had chambers that varied all over the place.

With any AI chambered gun, the safe way to make ammo is to fireform cases using the Zeglin methods.

In addition (belt & suspenders) I always load the first full power rounds using the false shoulder method to ensure there is no case stretch.

I would recommend you take it to a gunsmith who has a good reputation for building accurate rifles if you want the barrel rechambered.

Alternatively, you could get a pre-fit and install it yourself or have a gunsmith install it for you. Prefits can be had found for the 6x284 and are an easy install with Savage's barrel nut.

I would probably go with the pre-fit option as the barrel will probably be of higher quality, I assume your current barrel is a factory. The barrel will be new so it will offer you a longer shooting life.

If you want a gunsmith to do the install Jim Kobe (Jkob above) does excellent work, has quick turnaround at a good rate. Jim is located in Minnesota but gets USPS and other deliveries so the location is not a real issue. You are better off spending a little extra money on shipping than using a local 'smith of limited capabilities.

Just my two cents,
wade

A real Ackley Improved has the ability to fire factory ammunition, so yes, it is somewhat standardized even if not an official SAAMI cartridge. Your bastardized approach does NOT make an Ackley Improved. It makes an upthepole sorta kinda improved. I have a 22-250 that came to me used that some fugging moron ran the Ackley reamer in without barrel setback. A few new cases separated on the initial firing. All the rest had the telltale bright ring. It shoots little tiny groups once the brass is fireformed properly, but it ain't an Ackley.

While you are purist level correct, there are lots of rifles stamped AI out there of unknown background.

Using the Zeglin and false shoulder method will provide safe and long case life results.

Obviously you never checked the headspace in that 22-250 or you would have known not to shoot factory ammo in it.

One could argue that if it did not come out of P.O.s shop, it's not an Ackely.

You might want to invest in Zeglin's excellent book on P.O..

Spare me..

Loading for fubar chambers is quite different than actually chambering correctly in the first place. Do it right, and case forming is a cinch. Do it wrong, well, then you need a book... Lol.

Why incur the cost of a chambering reamer and headspace gages ? Trust the job to a Pro !

You can call it whatever you like. That doesn't make it right. I am correct in both a purist & a very real way for the reason stated... factory ammunition fit & function. You're just flapping your yap & pulling your pud. Dont get any on the rest of us.

I dont know, nor care, who this Zeglin clown is. I'm sure the method I've been using for more than 35 years on this rifle & couple others is likely the same but likely predates his book that I've never heard of. It's not that difficult to figure out with some basic knowledge.

Cant slip nothin' past this guy... Obviously I didn't check headspace, but figured it out right quick. The rifle complete with brass & dies, came from a walk-in at a gunshow along with its 30-06 brother, which is headspaced correctly, for less than the price of the bare actions at the time. It's all sorted out & works fine now. It's big brother works well too.

Only from Ackley's shop? Horseschidt! Ackley was a business man as well as a gunsmith. He named the series of improvements after himself. Is a PPC from other than Ferris Pindell's shop not a PPC?

Why would I "invest" in this Zeglin character's book when I have Ackley's books as well as a friend who went to Trinidad when PO was still teaching there. The proverbial horse's mouth, so to speak, beats second hand conjecture & bloviation. It certainly beats some 3rd hand information from some wanker on the internet who really has nothing to offer, but has already pissed quite a few members of the site off with his attitude.

I have done 1 or 2 short chambered barrels by hand. The results were fine. I have never gone from standard to AI by hand - NOT my shoulder!! Going from 243 to 6-284, I would not even entertain the thought of doing it by hand.

OP: if your 243 barrel is a premium barrel - sell it and use the funds to buy a prefit. If it is factory - buy a prefit.

Outside the box: I have a Mauser in 6-284 that comes with 2 barrels and is for sale. Barrels are 10" twist and 9.25" twist, both headspaced to this action. If the twists work for you - PM me.

Rechambering a 243 to 6mm/284 is entirely different than reaming an improperly headspaced AI. To start with, the shoulder of the 284 is larger than the base of the 243 so the reamer shoulder is cutting with no pilot engagement. There is no way to maintain alignment since there is no support at either end of the reamer.
As far as rechambering to 6/284 in general, it is a good way to reduce the length of time you have to use that barrel. Barrel life is not great. We learned this back in the '70's but it has to be relearned by each new generation. GD

right on, one tenny mistake and you have a f@@@@@ barrel