Reboring a barrel

Improving and repairing firearms. Rifle bedding, barrel work, stock replacement and other ways to improve your firearms.

Reboring a barrel

Post by bigpete » 07 Apr 2021, 12:56 pm

Anyone know if there's anyone in Australia who will rebore a rifle barrel? I'm thinking of turning my 22/250 into a 250 savage.
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by bigrich » 07 Apr 2021, 1:00 pm

bigpete wrote:Anyone know if there's anyone in Australia who will rebore a rifle barrel? I'm thinking of turning my 22/250 into a 250 savage.


sorry pete, i've only heard of yanks doing that sort of thing :thumbsup:
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by No1_49er » 07 Apr 2021, 1:02 pm

250-3000 (Savage), yes, the parent to the 22/250.
But it'll be a bit more than re-boring. Then you need the rifling.
Perhaps you'd be better off contemplating a re-barrel job?
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by bigpete » 07 Apr 2021, 1:21 pm

No1_49er wrote:250-3000 (Savage), yes, the parent to the 22/250.
But it'll be a bit more than re-boring. Then you need the rifling.
Perhaps you'd be better off contemplating a re-barrel job?


I realise that.
Maybe it will be a rebarrel job,but I thought I'd see if I can save a bit by going a rebore
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by bigpete » 07 Apr 2021, 1:22 pm

bigrich wrote:
bigpete wrote:Anyone know if there's anyone in Australia who will rebore a rifle barrel? I'm thinking of turning my 22/250 into a 250 savage.


sorry pete, i've only heard of yanks doing that sort of thing :thumbsup:


I hate to admit it but they do a lot more interesting stuff over there than here. Try asking a gunsmith here to do a jug choke or cone a barrel and watch their face....
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by bladeracer » 07 Apr 2021, 1:54 pm

bigpete wrote:
No1_49er wrote:250-3000 (Savage), yes, the parent to the 22/250.
But it'll be a bit more than re-boring. Then you need the rifling.
Perhaps you'd be better off contemplating a re-barrel job?


I realise that.
Maybe it will be a rebarrel job,but I thought I'd see if I can save a bit by going a rebore


Is it a common rifle or something special?
Was .250-3000 an option for the rifle?
You could try looking for either a complete rifle or a decent secondhand barrel, but I'd be amazed if you found either.
If you know the thread and dimensions of the action, you can look for a barrel taken off something else that can be re-cut to fit your action.
Drilling the bore is simple enough, then you ream it to size, then you push a rifling button through it with a press.
But barrels are generally rifled before they are profiled, while they're still a hefty chunk of steel.

Unless you do it yourself it is going to be very labour-expensive, far cheaper to buy a new barrel, and the result will be better in my opinion.

What is the reason for wanting the change, is your .22-250 barrel shot out?
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by bigpete » 07 Apr 2021, 1:59 pm

bladeracer wrote:
bigpete wrote:
No1_49er wrote:250-3000 (Savage), yes, the parent to the 22/250.
But it'll be a bit more than re-boring. Then you need the rifling.
Perhaps you'd be better off contemplating a re-barrel job?


I realise that.
Maybe it will be a rebarrel job,but I thought I'd see if I can save a bit by going a rebore


Is it a common rifle or something special?
Was .250-3000 an option for the rifle?
You could try looking for either a complete rifle or a decent secondhand barrel, but I'd be amazed if you found either.
If you know the thread and dimensions of the action, you can look for a barrel taken off something else that can be re-cut to fit your action.
Drilling the bore is simple enough, then you ream it to size, then you push a rifling button through it with a press.
But barrels are generally rifled before they are profiled, while they're still a hefty chunk of steel.

Unless you do it yourself it is going to be very labour-expensive, far cheaper to buy a new barrel, and the result will be better in my opinion.

What is the reason for wanting the change, is your .22-250 barrel shot out?


The rifle was left to me by my late best mate Tom.

The barrel isn't shot out but I feel it's starting to lose accuracy,and I've never been a huge fan of the 22/250.

And I've wanted a 250 savage for years
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by bigrich » 07 Apr 2021, 2:11 pm

i see your logic pete as the 22-250 is based on the savage case . you may have to play around with the mag/follower and all that as the 250 is a bit longer

hey pete, ya know the 250 savage is ballistically a bit less than a 243 win don't you ......... ;)

:lol:
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by bladeracer » 07 Apr 2021, 2:12 pm

bigpete wrote:The rifle was left to me by my late best mate Tom.

The barrel isn't shot out but I feel it's starting to lose accuracy,and I've never been a huge fan of the 22/250.

And I've wanted a 250 savage for years


For sentimental reasons I'd be inclined to keep it as is, and use it when it suits the job.
And just buy a .250 Sav to go with it.
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by bigpete » 07 Apr 2021, 2:20 pm

bladeracer wrote:
bigpete wrote:The rifle was left to me by my late best mate Tom.

The barrel isn't shot out but I feel it's starting to lose accuracy,and I've never been a huge fan of the 22/250.

And I've wanted a 250 savage for years


For sentimental reasons I'd be inclined to keep it as is, and use it when it suits the job.
And just buy a .250 Sav to go with it.


No
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by bladeracer » 07 Apr 2021, 3:21 pm

bigpete wrote:
bladeracer wrote:
bigpete wrote:The rifle was left to me by my late best mate Tom.

The barrel isn't shot out but I feel it's starting to lose accuracy,and I've never been a huge fan of the 22/250.

And I've wanted a 250 savage for years


For sentimental reasons I'd be inclined to keep it as is, and use it when it suits the job.
And just buy a .250 Sav to go with it.


No


Fair enough :-)
I'm not a fan of the .22-250, or the .25-calibers, not enough bullet choice.
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by on_one_wheel » 07 Apr 2021, 3:23 pm

bigpete wrote:Anyone know if there's anyone in Australia who will rebore a rifle barrel? I'm thinking of turning my 22/250 into a 250 savage.


Give Keith Sprinter a call from Sprinter Arms, he's just out of Strathalbyn :thumbsup:
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by bigpete » 07 Apr 2021, 3:36 pm

on_one_wheel wrote:
bigpete wrote:Anyone know if there's anyone in Australia who will rebore a rifle barrel? I'm thinking of turning my 22/250 into a 250 savage.


Give Keith Sprinter a call from Sprinter Arms, he's just out of Strathalbyn :thumbsup:
Screenshot_20210407-145544_DuckDuckGo.jpg


Who do you think I've used for the last 20 years , ;)
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by No1Mk3 » 07 Apr 2021, 3:42 pm

G'day bigpete,
Any half decent gunsmith could bore your barrel, most machine shops could do it also but whether it is legal in your State for them to machine it is something you need to check. If you want a good job try TSE, but I would recommend whoever does it cuts off a thread and rechamber to ensure correct throat/feed. With button dies the job is quite easy these days, Cheers.
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by Bill » 07 Apr 2021, 7:22 pm

I'm not aware of Keith reboring a barrel for over 20 years.

I saw him in 99 up the big hill and he had stopped doing it, stand to be corrected thou :)
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by bigpete » 07 Apr 2021, 7:29 pm

Bill wrote:I'm not aware of Keith reboring a barrel for over 20 years.

I saw him in 99 up the big hill and he had stopped doing it, stand to be corrected thou :)


That is correct
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by No1Mk3 » 07 Apr 2021, 9:10 pm

As well as TSE, there are several others who could do the work to a high standard, although they would possibly prefer to sell you a new barrel, such as Alan Swan or Robert Tobler.
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by straightshooter » 08 Apr 2021, 6:33 am

It's highly likely the existing barrel is already profiled so any attempt to button rifle the rebored barrel will result in a severe lack of uniformity in internal land and groove dimensions.
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by deanp100 » 08 Apr 2021, 7:09 pm

I don’t think just any half decent smith could do it. Most smiths would not have ever made a barrel from scratch, let alone have the equipment.
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by Gamerancher » 09 Apr 2021, 9:55 am

I've got 2 Model '94 Winchesters that have been re-bored, both were .30-30's, now bored out and re-chambered in .38-55.
One was done by P.O Ackley himself in the U.S in the early '70's, the other one was done here in Australia but I don't have the information on who did it, I bought it already as is.

deanp100 wrote:I don’t think just any half decent smith could do it. Most smiths would not have ever made a barrel from scratch, let alone have the equipment.

You may want to do a bit more research 'ol mate, there are barrel makers here in Aus that can do just that. No1Mk3 is spot on.
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by deanp100 » 09 Apr 2021, 8:44 pm

Gamerancher wrote:I've got 2 Model '94 Winchesters that have been re-bored, both were .30-30's, now bored out and re-chambered in .38-55.
One was done by P.O Ackley himself in the U.S in the early '70's, the other one was done here in Australia but I don't have the information on who did it, I bought it already as is.

deanp100 wrote:I don’t think just any half decent smith could do it. Most smiths would not have ever made a barrel from scratch, let alone have the equipment.

You may want to do a bit more research 'ol mate, there are barrel makers here in Aus that can do just that. No1Mk3 is spot on.

Absolutely there are barrel makers ol mate. There are probably 3 or 4 who have spent a long time setting up equipment and learning* the trade of barrel making. Roll into any other normal gunsmith and he won’t be able to help you. How you got anything else from what I said is beyond me. Try ringing anyone else except Swan, Maddco, Tse or Sprinter and ask to see their rifling equipment .
I did some more research and found that electricians don’t make their own lightbulbs either.
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by on_one_wheel » 09 Apr 2021, 11:21 pm

That's funny, last time I visited Keith he looked to be making barrels.
He had a machine with a rod feeding back and forth through a barrel while flooding it with brown fluid. That would've been about 5 years back.
Perhaps he was only lapping one?
I know he was well known for making quality. 303 barrels when he was set up in Hahndorf.

How about that bloke in Brukunga who was making machine guns, apparently he has or had all the gear ... I wonder if he's out of jail yet? :lol:
According to the policeman I was speaking to about it, his workmanship was amazing.
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by deanp100 » 10 Apr 2021, 7:10 am

on_one_wheel wrote:That's funny, last time I visited Keith he looked to be making barrels.
He had a machine with a rod feeding back and forth through a barrel while flooding it with brown fluid. That would've been about 5 years back.
Perhaps he was only lapping one?
I know he was well known for making quality. 303 barrels when he was set up in Hahndorf.

How about that bloke in Brukunga who was making machine guns, apparently he has or had all the gear ... I wonder if he's out of jail yet? :lol:
According to the policeman I was speaking to about it, his workmanship was amazing.

If you mean Keith from Sprinter then yes , he is a barrel maker with barrel making equipment. Not every gunsmith has this equipment.
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by on_one_wheel » 10 Apr 2021, 9:51 pm

deanp100 wrote:If you mean Keith from Sprinter then yes , he is a barrel maker with barrel making equipment. Not every gunsmith has this equipment.


I am aware of that, however other people's responses on this thread suggests that Keith might not be making barrels any longer.
I might just give him a bell, I wouldn't mind doing a custom front stuffer build for long range BP.
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by bigpete » 11 Apr 2021, 1:26 am

on_one_wheel wrote:
deanp100 wrote:If you mean Keith from Sprinter then yes , he is a barrel maker with barrel making equipment. Not every gunsmith has this equipment.


I am aware of that, however other people's responses on this thread suggests that Keith might not be making barrels any longer.
I might just give him a bell, I wouldn't mind doing a custom front stuffer build for long range BP.


You'll be lucky. Last time I asked him to do anything muzzleloader related he balked at the idea pretty hard
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Re: Reboring a barrel

Post by yumastepside » 19 Apr 2021, 5:49 pm

Keith ( Sprinter Arms ) is still working.....just ordered a 375 barrel from him...

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