Reboring a barrel?

[Prerylyon]

Anyone had it done? Pros/Cons?

If you've had a rifle barrel rebored, interested in hearing about how it went, and if you were satisfied with the end result?

Seems like it's a bit less costly than a full rebarrel; am considering doing this on an older gun I just picked up.

 

[mallardsx2]

What caliber are you at currently and what are you trying to go to?

 

[Prerylyon]

I was wavering on what my next rifle should be, but decided ultimately on a 35 Whelen.

After looking high and low for one, and not finding anything under $1k in decent shape, I learned that a 30-06 could be readily converted to 35 Whelen by either reboring or rebarrelling. So, that opened lots of options on the gun store shelves, auctions, and shows. Lots of 30-06s out there. I found a 30-06 in great shape for less than $400 and grabbed it for the Frankenstein project.

I was set on sending the rifle to McGowen to get it rebarrelled to 35 Whelen, and save the stock 30-06 barrel for a rainy day, but I already have another, different 30-06 rifle that I seldom use, so it seemed silly just to have an extra 30-06 barrel sitting around for a different rifle, although, I guess I could sell the extra barrel?

I found out that reboring the barrel was cheaper than rebarrelling, so that's what's fueling all this.

 

[mallardsx2]

What rifle? I seen a few 760 gamemasters in 35. My buddy has killed a bunch of bears with his. Very powerful gun for sure.

 

[Prerylyon]

Savage 110E, made in 1988, hardwood stock, 22" barrel.

I have to admit, I've never been a fan of Savages; not really for any good reasons. Everyone I know that has one, though, has had them shoot very well. They just aren't as pretty as my model 70 or my 7600.

I'll be replacing the trigger with a Timney, along with the 35 Whelen conversion.

This will be the 'poor man's' magnum in the literal sense. lol

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I was waiting until there was a little more information. There are several ways to do it. A GOOD
smith can rebore it, but not everyone does that as reboring is a lot more labor.. Have you priced that vs a new barrel? No matter what method you choose, the smith needs a chamber reamer. If I were doing the conversion, I would choose a new barrel. It would be stainless and match grade. All the smith has to do is thread it and chamber it. You get to choose the twist and contour.

 

[Slugz]

Wise man once told me if there is something nice about the barrel ie engraving, octagon, rib and sights etc etc = rebore

If not then rebarrel.

Now that being said, nothing wrong with a project to have fun with either. I mean look at me at the money I arguably waste making match grade hunting ammo.

 

[Prerylyon]

I was waiting until there was a little more information. There are several ways to do it. A GOOD
smith can rebore it, but not everyone does that as reboring is a lot more labor.. Have you priced that vs a new barrel? No matter what method you choose, the smith needs a chamber reamer. If I were doing the conversion, I would choose a new barrel. It would be stainless and match grade. All the smith has to do is thread it and chamber it. You get to choose the twist and contour.

Yep. From a couple of reputable shops that specialize in reboring or rebarrelling, the reboring is about 2/3 the cost of the rebarrelling; I should add, the rebarrel costs are for a custom, brand new barrel. Both services included setting the headspace in the chamber and test firing.

 

[Prerylyon]

Wise man once told me if there is something nice about the barrel ie engraving, octagon, rib and sights etc etc = rebore

If not then rebarrel.

Now that being said, nothing wrong with a project to have fun with either. I mean look at me at the money I arguably waste making match grade hunting ammo.

It's a very ordinary, stock Savage 110E barrel.

 

[JimP]

I think that I would rebarrel it.

You should be able to find a local gunsmith to do the work for you fairly close to where you live if you put a new barrel on it. To rebore it you may have to ship it off or drive quite a ways to have it done. You might also look at having it bored and then relined to .35, but I would still just place a new barrel onto it.

 

[Prerylyon]

Unf, there is no one closeby that I was comfortable doing either work. Closest is Minnesota/Missouri; the rest are Kansas, Oregon, Montana.

 

[Puzzles]

Savage 110E, made in 1988, hardwood stock, 22" barrel.

I have to admit, I've never been a fan of Savages; not really for any good reasons. Everyone I know that has one, though, has had them shoot very well. They just aren't as pretty as my model 70 or my 7600.

I'll be replacing the trigger with a Timney, along with the 35 Whelen conversion.

This will be the 'poor man's' magnum in the literal sense. lol

Seeing as it's a Savage 110 action have you looked into pre-fit barrels? Check out web link as a sample of what's out there. Probably much cheaper than a rebore. There are a lot of barrel companies making per-fit barrels for the 110's. The head spacing on a 110 action is set by the barrel nut without the need of a gunsmiths lathe to cut the shoulder and threads on the replacement barrel. More than likely what ever gunsmith you go to will probably be ordering a per-fit to install unless you insist on a rebore.

E. R. Shaw Barrel Kit Savage 110 Series Standard Shank 35 Whelen

This Savage Barrel Kit includes a finished drop-in barrel, barrel nut wrench, "Go" and "No-Go" headspace gauge, and detailed...

www.midwayusa.com

Just a side a lot of Remington 700 actions get rebarreled with what called a Remage barrel. Especially by folks that go through a lot of barrels in the target shooting games.

 

[Prerylyon]

I was looking at that line of kits and considering it. The last time I looked, no one had any in 35 Whelen. Do you know if those Shaw pre fits match the stock Savage barrel contour? (Edit: it says it matches the factory magnum contour, will need to see how that would work with my stock) Probably also need a torque wrench to put the barrel on?

 

[Puzzles]

I was looking at that line of kits and considering it. The last time I looked, no one had any in 35 Whelen. Do you know if those Shaw pre fits match the stock Savage barrel contour? (Edit: it says it matches the factory magnum contour, will need to see how that would work with my stock) Probably also need a torque wrench to put the barrel on?

Just go to the manufacturers web page and compare profiles.

Shaw Barrels

Shaw Barrels

www.shawcustombarrels.com

 

[Sawfish]

I have 4 Shaw barrels and they are all great,

 

[Sawfish]

I was looking at that line of kits and considering it. The last time I looked, no one had any in 35 Whelen. Do you know if those Shaw pre fits match the stock Savage barrel contour? (Edit: it says it matches the factory magnum contour, will need to see how that would work with my stock) Probably also need a torque wrench to put the barrel on?

The Shaw kit includes a barrel nut wrench.

 

[CarolWGonzales]

I have 4 Shaw barrels and they are all great,

I also have barrels..