Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing 'SMITH LEFT A RIDGE IN MY CHAMBER

I picked my Ruger no. 1 up from a gunsmith in OKLA. saturday.I took it to him to re-barrel to 7 mm RUM. After he had it a few days, he called and talked me into letting him re-chamber it from 7 rem mag to 7 stw.My regular guy in the next town would have done that, but the guy made a good case so I told him to go ahead.I took it and a box of shells he had loaded for it and fired 12 rds to zero the scope. My chrono showed close to the vel he claimed but when I looked at the brass I saw aridge reaching over half the circ. at just the spot where the rem mag shoulder used to start.The ridge is deep enough to catch my fingernail.I havent tried re sizing them to see if it goes away.I didnt want to full length size any how.I think he ruined my barrel.Was this sloppy work or is it inevitable when you make this conv.He claimed to have done dozens of these.I havent been able to talk to him yet.I would like some opinions from yall.I'm much obliged.

You should get him to set the barrel back a couple threads and rechamber.That should get rid of the step.I remember reading somewhere that the 7STW was changed to a slightly bigger shoulder specifically to cleanup 7 Rem Mag chambers without setting the barrel back.I don't know if this change was made after Remington adopted it or when it was still a wildcat.If the step does not completely encircle the brass, it tells us that either the original chamber or the STW chamber was or is not concentric to the bore.How does it shoot?

I cant really condemn it on the basis of a dozen rds, but four 3 shot strings at 50 yds did not get one honest 2 in group.2 might nearly touch then a flyer, or maybe the flyer then 2 close together.I was shooting my 338 RUM also and did fine with it, so I'm afraid I cant take all the blame.I wish I could! do you think its safe to shoot?Maybe you can answer this: If you fireform then necksize a belted case, are you headspacing on the neck or belt?I really appreciate you taking the time to help me on this. <BR>btw it was a real shooter in 7 rem mag .Thats why I wanted to re barrel.If I didnt like it ,I could go back.If you are going to pay for a new barrel,why not the latest and largest.Right?Thats why the 7 RUM.Now I'm in a mess!<BR><p>[This message has been edited by gene williams (edited February 26, 2001).]

I agree with rembo. You should have him set the barrel back and recut the chamber and extractor cut in the barrel.<BR>Factory chambers, although in SAAMI spec are always on the large side to make up for reamer wear. A custom reamer or even one from Brownells will most often be smaller and not clean up the old shorter chamber. That is why it is SOP to do a 1 to turn set back when rechambering.<P>when you neck size only, you WILL "headspace" on the shoulder. Although Headspace is really just a term of measurment, and will always really be measured from the belt.<BR>The 7RUM should be a great shooter. i have done not a few 300 RUMs and it had proven to be a very inherently accurate round.<BR>Remember that even if your factory barrel shot 7REM good it might not shoot the STW or RUM as well due to harmonics of the barrel.<BR>..............Celt

The others are right. Get hold of this guy, bring in the shells and demonstrate the problem. So far, (knock on wood) I have never had a chamber problem like that, but I'm super fussy when chambering a barrel to clean out every iota of chips from the new chamber and the reamer itself, and yes it should have been taken back at least one thread, possibly two in order to clean up the original chambering. Talk to this guy, and at least give him the chance to rectify this problem. If it was me, I'd be embarrassed to death it happened in the first place, but very grateful for the chance to make it right. Redneck

I'm much obliged for the input, but he says you cant set the barrel backon a no 1 because of the sight base. I dont really want his hands on my rifles again. To his credit he offered to build me a barrel,but he really doesnt think he is at fault.I would rather drop it. After all , he knew the ring was in there and had his wife deliver the rifle to me[and let me pay for it] without telling me.That says all I need to know about him.