Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Turning a Cut rifled barrel to a #2 douglas contour

I got a bore scope and have been looking at all my barrels. Well I have a 250AI with a button rifled barrel that is the worst of all 20 barrels I own. It looks like there is lots button chatter ( if that the right term) on both the lands and grooves. Its also not much of a shooter running about MOA with my best loads.

I would love to rebarrel, but its a Douglas #2 contour and the only cut rifled manufacturer that I know of that will make that in stainless is Rock Creek and they are totally occupied with a government contract. So...

Do you think if I have a Bartlein turned down by my smith from a #2B or 3 to a Douglas #2 in 25 cal it will be safe?

Douglas countours are the most common, if not universal to the barrel making industry. If you're ordering a barrel, you should have no issues specifying the Douglas #2 from any of the major barrel makers.

Krieger made me a #1 in SS. I told him i didn't hunt where it was real cold. I think the muzzle is .550" on a 30 cal.
I'll bet Rocky mountain will make you one

Just one man's opinion, but a lot of unpredictable things happen to re profiled barrels...nobody in the industry will own up to it but barrels are straightened as part of the process. Then you take significant metal off it's profile, and there's a very good chance stress will have it's way. However, straightening a 4140 cm barrel is not a big deal, and they tend to stay straight. In my experience, just tapering the Mauser stepped barrels is a task fraught with peril. Seldom if ever do they shoot as well as the original profile. No experience on stainless.

I had a NOS '03 Springfield barrel turned to a Winchester FW contour by a guy who knew what he was doing. Shot quite well. But, the '03 barrels are not stepped like the Mausers.

Most of the cut rifled barrel makers wont make a SS as light as a #2 douglas, I am impressed that DennisinAZ got Krieger to make one. They turned me down when I asked for a #2 some years ago. I could of course get any of the button barrel makers to do it, and I have had some very good button barrels. Its just that on average I just have had better luck with cut barrels than button barrells. My smith will turn a cut rifled barrel blank for me and I am not to worried about the accuracy. For many years he stocked many Krieger 1.25 straights and would turn them to suit, but mostly to different target contours, he had quite a few customers in the pamla, BR and F-class games so he must have been doing ok. But what I am looking for is something much lighter than what he used to do. Just more of a question if .620" is safe enough in a SS cut rifled 416R barrel.

I have piles of them. Seldom do I NOT recontour a spout. Hint.

I simply shop by boresize and RPM,then contour to suit,very often well below Douglas #2. Lotsa pards have done same and NEVER anything close to an "issue". With the advent of the Montucky and Fieldcraft,there's now OEM moves,that are tough to whip. Shortening the shank and contour duping in a Cut Spout,is Montucky Donor 101. Mainly because it's easier to score a Cut ready and waiting on the shelf,wearing the bore and RPM I need. Hint.

Which Reupold and how tall are the LW's on the 250AI?!? HINT..............(grin)

Stick.. its worse than you think Its old push feed MkII ruger. ruger rings and a 3-9 conquest in a mickey classic. I keep thinking about doing the new barrel in 6BR or one of the close cousins, but I have all the 250AI dies etc and enough brass to wear out a couple of more barrels so probably stick with the AI, although I will twist this one tight.

I've yet to see a Conquest that was worth a fhuqk and Ruger rings can be TOUGH on frail scopes. Hint.

I don't cuss Rugers,because I've had/have lots. Were the PF round top 77's in S/S,they'd easily by my pick of the litter. Hint.

Go Seex Kreed,twist 7" and NEVER look back. Hint.................

The answer to the OP's question is, no problem.
As to the original barrel, what you are seeing is not actually "button chatter, but is the result of running a button through a barrel which is not reamed smooth. I would pull that barrel off and send it to Douglas for replacement.
Regarding the cut vs buttoned thing, I consider it to be a non-issue in most cases. All buttoned barrels are stress relieved as part of the process. Most cut-rifled barrels are made from stress relieved stock but not all are relieved as part of the process. This generally works out fine , but sometimes not. If made from stock which was not properly stress relieved, a cut barrel will warp as badly as any other made from the same material. As for safety concerns, at a #2 Douglas contour, there are none.
So, by all means, replace that barrel with whatever you like but do give Douglas the opportunity to replace it. I believe they will. GD

I've never had good luck recontouring a barrel. I buy the contour i want .
The pressure had dropped off by the time the bullet gets to the muzzle anyway

A buddy of mine has great success with shortening shot out 30" target contour Kriegers at each end and turning them down to hunting rifle contours. We just did one up for my 6.5-06. I will be surprised if it doesn't shoot well. If buying new, I'd probably hold out for the contour I wanted depending on lead time.

I've had it done on 50+ Custom Rifles and nary a glitch. Fluted lots afterwards too. Hell...even then recontoured,after the flutes. Hint.

There's NO fhuqking way I'm going to wait,when the bore and RPM set on the shelf,laying in wait. Hint................

I generally have a fitted barrel (or at least a blank) already on deck which eliminates downtime. My installs are free and take all of a day or two, so I'd try not to abuse that generosity with a recontour of a virgin barrel...

I don't tend to linger and as a WORST case scenario(not having an extra blank in hand),Greg ships FAST. Hint.

My Favorite Plumber fhuqking HATES recontouring things,so I make it a point,to have him do same. Hint.(grin)

I've lonnggggggg enjoyed quick turn arounds,because I'm a good Customer and know enough folks,I can swap 'em with business. Hint..............