He told me years ago he wouldn't touch a ruger American wife had won. Flipping 270. Still 270.
I suspect your ruger is set up differently since he is willing to do it.
I'd say a good barrel is a better bet than a rebore but it depends on how picky you are. Our rebore 06 to 338-06 is an ok shooter. Hovers at 1.5 inches basically at 100 yards. Normally thats worthless in my eyes but it was a fun thing to try and its use is as a backup to moose while guiding. Doesn't take much to kill a moose RE size of groups. Even way on out there they are big.
I have no idea whats different with the American but he told me he does the M77's all the time.
I'm leaning towards a pac-nor at this point in time but still not settled for sure...im real curious to see how a super lightweight rebored barrel would handle and shoot so im still tempted to do it just to see.
I used McGowen for my last 9.3 rebarrel and the smallest barrel they would put on it was a #4, it was a total pig even at 20 inches.
Last edited by TheDude; 11/14/22.
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Ok, sad to say, but that Gun Smith has passed, but J E S Reboring in Cottage Grove Or., or www.35caliber.com, or 541-942-1342, give him a call, he does great work, and is pretty quick at getting the Gun back to you, and depending on how much Barrel-dia you've got, he will tell you what other Calibers you could choose from, so it's a win-win anyway you look at it. Lj in Alaska.....
Both JES and Wayne York trained with Bob West at his home gunsmith shop. Wayne's machine was built by Bob. JES built one himself using Bob's machine as a template.
Both JES and Wayne York trained with Bob West at his home gunsmith shop. Wayne's machine was built by Bob. JES built one himself using Bob's machine as a template.
Dinny, Yes you are Correct, Bob was one hell of Guy, he had some Good Stories about P.O., and the Colorado School of Guns back in the day.....
I had a Model 70 in 270, rebored to 338/06 by Bob West up in Eugene....
What a guy! I felt honored to talk with him face to face, much less him being so personable.
I was asking Chick Donnelly down here in Southern Oregon to do it, but his mother was ill, so he wasn't taking any work at the time, but recommended Bob West up in Eugene. Said he'd even call Bob, and let him know he was sending me up that way.
So a couple weeks later, I had to make a business trip up to Eugene, so after that I stopped by his home. I'm standing at his front door, and I am in a white shirt with a tie on. He half shuts the door and demands who in the hell I am, and what in the hell do I want? I told him I was here to get a rebore on a rifle barrel.. . "Sure you are, I don't do any type of work like that! Who in the hell told you I did anything like that?"
Well I was referred to you by Chick Donnelly down in southern Oregon, he told me he would call you and let you know he was sending me up. "What the hell is your name then? and how do you know Chick?" I've had a couple of barrels done by Chick, plus I've been in a group elk huting and Chick was one of the other guests. " you live in Grants Pass and your name John?" Yessir.... " Oh hell, I'm sorry John, come on in.. yeah Chick called me and told me he was sending ya up. What in the hell are you dressed like someone from the government or the IRS??"
I had a few business appointments for my business... "oh hell, my apologies. I normally don't get people show up here in a White shirt and a tie on".
"Minus the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the Country" Marion Barry, Mayor of Wash DC
“Owning guns is not a right. If it were a right, it would be in the Constitution.” ~Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
I bought a model 700 in .270Win from Cabelas for $275. I sold the scope for $120 and the wood stock for $100 and then bought a used Bell & Carlson for $100. I sent it to JES for a rebore to .35 Whelen and cut and crowned at 20”. I installed a Trigger Tech trigger ($100) set at 2.5#. I bedded a Murphy Precision 20MOA rail and mounted an illuminated Athlon BTR 2-12. I’ve only had the time to do some light barrel break in and case creation by firing and cleaning about 30 rounds.
JES was very timely and his work was excellent! His prices are reasonable and his communication is without peer in the world of gunsmithing. I’m sending at least 1 more to him but I’m not sure which Winchester 70 gets the nod but I’m relatively certain that the unfired 1965 7mag needs to be something other than a 7mag and since I like my 20” .338wm so much I might do that….I don’t want one more caliber to feed and I’ve tried to standardize all our rifles around commonality. The Whelen is an itch I’ve always wanted to scratch for sentimental reasons and I found enough ammo for a lifetime.
I have a 1953 (iirc) model 70 in 30-06 that has some pitting in the chamber. I traded my buddy for it since he isn’t into rifles as much as handguns and shotguns and was going to send it to JES for rebore to another 35 Whelen but then a month or so back Phil Shoemaker had mentioned that the Pre-64 model 70 in 30-06 is the official state rifle. I decided I better see how it shoots first and then I’ll decide what makes sense. If it’s accurate then I’ll keep it and work up a 154gr Hammer Hunter for everything and that’ll accompany the Whelen for its new home in SE AK. The 7mag is the one that won’t get used if it stays in that caliber so that one definitely needs to become a .338WM since I have a lifetime supply of ammo for that caliber as well.
�Politicians are the lowest form of life on earth. Liberal Democrats are the lowest form of politician.� �General George S. Patton, Jr.
No experience with Mr. York but I couldn’t be more confident about recommending JES. His work is quality, fast and reasonable priced.
Wayne offers many more reboring options than JES and all his rebores get lapped afterwards. He runs a full-service shop so that affects turn around time.
No experience with Mr. York but I couldn’t be more confident about recommending JES. His work is quality, fast and reasonable priced.
Wayne offers many more reboring options than JES and all his rebores get lapped afterwards. He runs a full-service shop so that affects turn around time.
Each of them have their place.
Do you have a contact number for Wayne?
I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first
Reboring your existing rifle barrel is an economical way to get a high quality barrel. The only acceptable process of re-rifling a barrel is to cut the rifling, button rifling will not work on tapered barrels. Cut rifling has been around for years and is a proven method of producing highly accurate barrels.
We will rebore rifle barrels that are 18 inches or longer. Minimum muzzle diameter for rebores up to .375 is .550. We do not rebore double rifles.
Relining is available for low pressure cartridges. We make step liners for tapered barrels that require reduced outside diameter at the muzzle. Muzzle Brakes - Seamless We can install a muzzle brake for you that appears seamless. The gas holes in the muzzle brake have a 7 degree forward pitch which takes noise away from the shooter. The brakes are contoured to the taper of the barrel and when finished the brake is indistinguishable from the end of the barrel.
email me
Oregunsmithing
Pendleton, OR 97801
Phone: 541-278-4177 Fax: 541-278-4797 Please Note: If you are considering having your rifle rebored to a larger caliber you need to know that there is some customer assumed risk! Seldom are there any problems associated with the process, but, you need to understand that occasionally we do lose a barrel during the rebore. Issues such as porosity or slag inclusions are beyond our control. We do not know exactly what the steel content is in factory barrels. Each manufacturer specifies their own mix of steel, and seem to change those specifications at irregular intervals. Most modern steels cut smoothly and clean
�Politicians are the lowest form of life on earth. Liberal Democrats are the lowest form of politician.� �General George S. Patton, Jr.
