contouring a barrel

[Win.308Stealth]

So I got a model70 in 7 saum in a trade. It came with a 23 inch straight contour barrel (1.25 in.). It was built by a bench rest shooter and is unfired. I am planning on using this as a deer rifle but the barrel is a bit too heavy and will look kind of weird in an win. 70 Laredo stock (HS). So i am wondering if someone would be willing to recontour the barrel for me. I talked to the barrelmanufacturer (Broughton) And they wont do it because it has already been chambered. I know there is a possibility that the barrel wont shoot as good after this, but i am willing to take that chance. Or if i go with the most aggressive flutes that will reduce the weight enough? BTW i do hunt with a sendero and dont find that too heavy. Thanks

 

[MTBULLET]

i'v contoured a few bbl's, with taper attachment and without.
i think the time involved (cost) would rival the cost of a new bbl.

 

[sable tireur]

Win.308Stealth,

I talked to the barrelmanufacturer (Broughton) And they wont do it because it has already been chambered.

If Tim North won't re-contour his own barrels, that ought to tell you something.

Broughton barrels are button rifled and as such need to be contoured before final rifling. This is due to the stresses imparted to the barrel after pulling the button through the bore. Any contouring after rifling will unload the stresses and potentially move some of the dimensions in the wrong direction. While you might be willing to take a chance, most barrel makers and gunsmiths are not as willing because of liability.

I suggest selling the barrel as is (never fired) and get the contour you want fitted to the action. Or sell the whole rifle and start looking for the right set up from the start.

Regards.

 

[Win.308Stealth]

Thanks. I appreciate the advice. I just might sell the barrel.

 

[Win.308Stealth]

So I am guessing fluting will be out of the question as well With a Broughton.

 

[lazylabs]

I am sure you can find someone to contour and flute it if thats what you want. What do you expect for accuracy after? If your willing to spend a couple hundred bucks knowing that the barrel might shoot worse go for it.... Its possible it might just keep on shooting good. The work would certainly come with a disclaimer that you know the risk. These kind of projects just scare smiths because when things go bad the smiths name gets drug through the mud and they lose future business.

 

[Win.308Stealth]

I think I will just sell the barrel and get a different one. But I know what you guys are saying, about the barrel might get ruined. Really appreciate the advice.

 

[BRIT]

If that Barrel has been correctly stress relieved by the manufacturer there is no reason why it should not be re profiled.

It is common practice in UK to do so. Benchmark barrels for instance are imported as parallel blanks and then contoured to customer specs.

Probably the best known smith in UK routinely profiles Shilen Barrels.

Perhaps there may be a reluctance to profile your barrel for safety reasons if you are wanting to remove a lot of steel from around the chamber?

Brit.

 

[Win.308Stealth]

I know of a local ar upper builder and he contours and flutes shilen barrels all the time. And his upper is the most accurate rifle I own.

 

[Garycrow]

Contouring a barrel used to be a pretty standard skill set with a gunsmith. Somewhere along the way we've gotten the idea that they can only be contoured by the maker or they'll be ruined. I don't believe that's the case, but rather the problem is that most gunsmiths aren't set up for contouring today. I could be wrong, but I think most button rifles are rifled before they're contoured, I think the cut rifling guys tend to contour first then rifle. I do know that you can have kreiger turn down one of their in stock barrels to a lighter contour if you ask them to because I've done it.

 

[Roeder]

Contouring a barrel used to be a pretty standard skill set with a gunsmith. Somewhere along the way we've gotten the idea that they can only be contoured by the maker or they'll be ruined. I don't believe that's the case, but rather the problem is that most gunsmiths aren't set up for contouring today. I could be wrong, but I think most button rifles are rifled before they're contoured, I think the cut rifling guys tend to contour first then rifle. I do know that you can have kreiger turn down one of their in stock barrels to a lighter contour if you ask them to because I've done it.

I don't think it is so much a lost skill as it is simply too labor intensive to be profitable when doing it on a manual lathe. I would not even do it for my self knowing that the barrel manufacturers do it for free when you order a blank. There are gunsmiths out there that still do this, but not many.

 

[shortgrass]

The only economical way to contour is with a CNC or 'tracer' lathe. That's one reason most gunsmiths will turn down a job like yours. The other is, its already chambered. Lapping usually occurs after contouring and before chambering. I can contour, but I prefer not to as I'm not 'tooled up' . There's alot more to it than just chucking up one end and putting the live center in the other. Some kind of follow rest is needed. The barrel makers use an air actuated follow rest, something they probably built themselves. The other method is to contour half of the barrel at a time. If memory serves, that required setting up the steady rest. Time consuming work that's not 'cost effective'. I've sent a couple back to be recontoured with understanding that I'll loose an inch because it will be lapped again. Sell what you have, expect to get less for it than you expect, then buy what it is that you want.

 

[Win.308Stealth]

Sell what you have, expect to get less for it than you expect, then buy what it is that you want.

Really appreciate the advice. I am going to be selling and getting another barrel.

 

[panama]

Guy's the name JOHN "BO" CLERKE my mean something to some of you. I worked for him in Raton NM. we always profiled bbls. after pulling the button thru. I used about a 4 ton monomatic and could profile a palma contour in 2 passes on a 25" bbl. one day I did 14 bbls. for the national match teams. (ARMY) not one ever came back or was not used to my knowledge. And yes they were all sent to Denver CO. for heat treat before profilling and stress rel. and they SHOT very well."BO" told me willy, if that 308 won't shoot into one hole on my universal action jig with 45 gr. of 4895 @100 yds. throw the **** thing away or don't use it for any matchs.He NEVER ever Lapped a bbl. when I worked for him, told me it was a waste of good time,He made a comment one day in front of several "gunsmiths" in the shop, Do you guys think a bullet under aprox.24 to 30 tons of pressure is'nt going to iron out what little discrepencies that might be hidding in that bbl.I just wished that he would have written a book. Best **** Gunsmith I had the honor to work for.He has since passed about 4 yrs. ago.He was striaght up "NO NONSENSE",any body that knew him saw that part of him right away. so I really don't see a problem with profiling your bbl.MY 2 cents. GOOD shooting guys, and you all have a Blessed day. William.