RBrowning
Your rifle has a .473 diameter bolt face or small bolt face the actual measurement may vary between rifles but generally it is around .473.
If you have access to a lathe then it's quite an easy job.
There are many methods employed by an even a greater number of gunsmiths.
You'll need an action wrench and barrel wrench.
One way and I do not recommend this, but is to heat the action up to a light blue color and let it sit until its cool. According to the person who uses this method you do not need a wrench or barrel wrench. Just a vice and a piece of metal the thickness of the bolt ways. Problem with this method is you can alter the molecular structure and weaken the strength of the action.
The threads on a Rem action are 1 1/16-16 or 1.0625-16. You'll need to order a tap preferably a bottoming tap.
Run the tap in the action and once it is no longer easy to turn, turn 1/4 of a turn more.
Make sure to use cutting oil. This will clean up whatever imperfections may have been imparted during the manufacturing process.
I'm guessing that your not going to be shooting any benchrest matches and therefore will give you an acceptable method.
Once you have chased the threads in the action clean out with an air supply or soapy water making sure to dry completely and lightly oil.
Place the action in a 4-jaw chuck and indicate the outer surface to within .0005. If you don't have a 4 jaw make sure to check the run out on the circumference and if it is out more than .005 I wouldn't use whatever method you used to hold it.
The 4-jaw chuck is the most accurate holding device on a lathe because you set the accuracy of how close it is for run out.
You can also place the barrel between centers and perform the machining operations. If you use a good barrel company (Lothar Walther, Shilen, Har, etc.) the barrel run out (between the bore center line and outer circumference) is less than .005 for your purposes this is close enough. Benchrest shooters and fanatics will go down to as little as .0005 run out. A human hair (blonde) is about .003 thick.
Once you have indicated the action in grind or use a carbide insert boring bar, for the non carbide (HSS) version grind to a sharp point and put a very small angle or radius on it. This is so there are no sharp corners that may lead to stress cracks when shooting.
Taking care not to remove much stock clean up both the action face and where the bolt lugs seat. This should be no more than .003 to .005.
Stone the outside edge of the action as to remove any burrs and run the tap through it one more time to remove any burrs on the threads.
The bolt is a totally different story. You could just use lapping compound and lap the bolt until you get complete contact between it and the action on both lugs.
You can run a piece of 1/2-13 threaded rod or bolt in the end where the firing pin came out of. Then indicate the bolt handle end with the 1/2-13 threaded rod or bolt in. Indicate off the bolt. Use a steady rest for the front and indicate the bolt head in. Remove as little of the metal as required until it cleans up from both the front and back of the lugs.
Machining the front of the lugs gives you a parallel surface for shoulder set back.
Lap the lugs at this time to insure complete contact or at least 90% or better, use a sharpe marker and note the removed marker until almost all of it is gone.
Place the bolt in the action and lock the bolt as if you were in the firing position.
With a depth micrometer measure from the action face to the top of the bolt lugs measure both lugs the difference between them should be no more than .001 I like .0005.
Note this measurement and write it down.
Measure the thickness of the recoil lug you are using and add this to the depth measurement you took from the action face to the bolt lugs.
This measurement is the amount you need to set back your barrel, subtract .005 from this total amount this is the clearance you will need for debris.
Measure the depth from the bolt face to the top of the lugs. This dimension is how far you need to counter bore into you barrel for the bolt face. Add .005 for clearance both for the depth and the diameter. This will ease the action motion when cycling the bolt.
Turn the barrel shoulder to the dimension of the action face to bolt lug plus the recoil lug. Don't forget to subtract the .005. The diameter of the barrel should be 1.062 +.0000-.001. Ensure that the recoil lug fits over the barrel, if it doesn't sand until the barrel shoulder accepts the recoil lug taking care not to remove more than .005 as it may become out of round at around .005 removal.
Thread the barrel taking care not to go to deep with your thread depth as it will have a sloppy fit in your action. Continuously check fit between barrel and action, you can go about .045 deep before you need to check fit. Once your action begins threading on the barrel take .0005 cuts until it takes a slight not over whelming force to turn it on. Place the recoil lug on the barrel and fit the action on next. Tighten the barrel as tight as you can get it by hand. Notice the bolt play. Make sure that it does not bind, if it does remove the barrel and face the barrel end by .001 thou increments until the bolt no longer exhibits contact.
Chambering your barrel.
4 jaw method while in head stock of the lathe. Use a floating reamer holder to hold your chambering reamer.
Pre drill the chamber with a drill bit appx.. 025 to .05 smaller than the shoulder of the case. Drill to a depth of within 1/4 of the shoulder. Depending on caliber selected and barrel material lathe should be set to around 200 rpm.
Remove the tooling holder on the compound rest, as it will help with space while chambering. With the tailstock retracted as much as possible before jutting out the drill chuck run it up until the face of the reamer is flush with the barrel face. Move the carriage until it contacts the tailstock. Lock the carriage. This will help for relocating the tailstock when removing it for chip removal of the reamer. Run the reamer in until it barely contacts the cutting edges and the barrel. Note or place and mark on the tailstock hand wheel for reference when reaming.
USE COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF CUTTING OIL AND REMOVE THE REAMER ABOUT EVERY .025 TO .050 THOU AND CLEAN USE AIR TO BOLW OUT CHIPS TOWARDS THE TAIL STOCK. Ream the chamber making sure not to over ream as it will entail huge amounts of rework and probably tools being launched through the air fights with the wife and severe drinking (if this applies go see a gunsmith).
Using a headspace gage (from reamer maker) place the recoil lug on the barrel, screw the action on (tight) insert the headspace gage as if it were a shell and see if you can lock the bolt down. If you cannot lock the bolt down take a feeler gage and measure the distance between the recoil lug and barrel shoulder, this is the amount you need to ream. CAUTION; do not take anything for granted always check and recheck. And make small cuts until the bolt has a very very slight sign of tightness when closing on the headspace gage.
Polish the chamber with emery cloth of 600 or better grit use a wooden dowel with a cut down the middle and run the lathe at about 1500 use water in you want to help remove the sanding debris.
You are almost done. I have heard many different torque values and set mine to about 200 foot pounds and have never had a problem. You may wish to go a bit less if desired.
CLEAN BARREL AND ACTION MAKING SURE NOT TO LEAVE ANY METAL SHAVINGS IN IT OR YOUR HARD WORK WILL BE RUINED IN ONE FATAL FIRING.
THIS INFORMATION IS FOR PERSONAL SATISFACTION AND NOT MEANT TO BE USED AS AN ACTUAL METHOD BUT AS CONVERSATIONAL MACHINING PRACTICES.
[ 03-18-2002: Message edited by: daveosok ]
