Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing The Future of Reboring Rifle Barrels

I spoke to Danny Pederson recently and he told me he tried to assemble a reboring guild 20 some years ago. Back then there were a number of smiths offering that service to include: himself, Jesse Ocumpaugh, Wayne York, Randy Selby, Norm Johnson, Al Siegrist, Cliff LaBounty, and Randall Redman.

Nowadays I'm only aware of Jesse, Wayne, Al, and Danny regularly doing that work.

Of that bunch, Danny has announced his retirement, Al is in his mid to late 70s, Wayne is 72, and Jesse is 65 this year.

How many of them will be doing this work in 5-10 years?

I know of a few machines that may be available for purchase in the next few years and I'm interested in learning the trade, but I have concerns for the future.

Will the cost of reboring still be cheaper than buying a new barrel?

Will the shipping carriers make it too difficult or costly to ship a rifle for reboring?

Will business insurance be too costly to operate?

What are other things one should consider before delving into this trade?

Thanks, Dinny

I'd entertain the idea. I would like to stay in producing shooting related products, but not have to deal with the legal side of transfers and such. I have a couple lathes and a mill now. I have entertained the idea of building barrels as the market sure seems to support them.

That's another benefit of having the drilling and rifling machines. When one's reboring orders are slow they could be cut rifling custom twist rate barrels alot easier and cheaper than button rifling them. Those buttons are not cheap.

Reboring will
Always be a cheaper option for a customer
Saves the cost of the steel and heat treatment also that new barrel will need threaded and chambered and finished

After having 2 rifles rebored in the last two years, one turned out great and the other not so great. There is only one good person reboring rifles right now and his name starts with J and end with S.

Your experience of two?

Yes, how much more do I need? One did good work and the other didn't.

It's no secret that as mentioned one reboring smith's work has been less than stellar. I personally know of no less than 3 barrels that were recently botched during the reboring process from what seems to be a lack of basic tool maintenance or replacement. My sample may be small too but I'm sure I'm not alone.

This and other factors have led me to researching the reboring process with the end goal of starting a reboring business.

Anyone care to comment on my original questions?

Sorry, didn't mean to take away from the original question. Yes, we need some new blood in the reboring business. If anyone has any information please help Dinny out.

Will the cost of reboring still be cheaper than buying a new barrel?

Will the shipping carriers make it too difficult or costly to ship a rifle for reboring?

Will business insurance be too costly to operate?

What are other things one should consider before delving into this trade?

Will the cost of reboring still be cheaper than buying a new barrel? - CONCIEVABLE SHOUDL BE YOUR DOING LESS WORK THAN A BLANK.

Will the shipping carriers make it too difficult or costly to ship a rifle for reboring? - SHIPPING NO MATTER ANY BUSINESS IA ALWAYS A FACTOR I DOUBT SHIPPING OF GUNS WILL EVER BE ENDED, SOUNDS LIKE A COURT CASE WAITING TO HAPPEN, RESTRICTIONS YES.

Will business insurance be too costly to operate? MALKE THE CALL TO THE INSURNACE PEOPLE, AN AIRTIGHT LLC FORMED IN NON COMMUNIST STATE WILL HELP THE MATTTERS

What are other things one should consider before delving into this trade? IS THIS A LABOR OF LOVE OR A BUISNESS WHEN I HAVE BEEN THRU THIS PROCESS I ALWAYS DEFER TO THE LATER, IF THE NUMBERS WORK ONWARD.

Good points CaptJohn, thanks!

here's a tidbit for you , I know someone that shipped a rifle out for a rebore .. of course it has to go through a dealer now as ups, fedex have new policies
so the dealer has to enter this in his book .. bingo background check when its returned .. guy got delayed and still having an issue over his own firearm .
older gentlemen clean as a whistle .. but now your dealing with the ATF .. total PIA .. they will continue to make anything firearm related more and more difficult for us all .. little by little our rights are being infringed upon .

plab

I don't think a background (NICS) check is required when returning a gun to it's original owner.

when a dealer ships a firearm. it has to be put in they're book .. so ya ..

plab

No background check required, he just shows that it was returned to the original owner.

Exactly what my gunsmith just told me.

All the more reason to ship via USPS insured.

👍👍