Gunsmith recommendations for rebarreling

[jasonprox700]

I have 25yr old Ruger M77 MkII in .280 that I'd like to have rebarreled to a .280AI. I live in West Central Wisconsin and I don't really know of any gunsmiths in my area. I'd even be willing to send the gun out if I have to.

Anybody have any recommendations or experiences with any?

 

[baldhunter]

I had Pac-Nor do a rifle for me.I am very pleased with it.They put on a SS Super Match Grade barrel,lapped and trued the action,total price including shipping there and back was just under $700.Rifle will shoot consistently 1/2" or less if I do my part.I think it took 12 weeks from the time I shipped my rifle until I received it back.

 

[just country]

morning, u have a M77 in 280 have the gunsmitty take the barrel off, get
a 280AI reamer and ream the chamber to 280AI. TUM

 

[jasonprox700]

morning, u have a M77 in 280 have the gunsmitty take the barrel off, get
a 280AI reamer and ream the chamber to 280AI. TUM

Looking to rebarrel. The gun's had a rough life. Years back, I had a gunsmith add open sights. I took the sights off and found he had drilled all the way through and the holes were all boogered up. He was at the end of his years at that time, so his work was suspect (looking back). Also, in between selling our house and buying the one we're in now, we stayed with my mother-in-law for the winter. I had laid my rifle down on some towels after cleaning it good (this was right before kickoff of Super Bowl XLV when my Packer's won, so I was in a hurry) and her scenile cat decided to **** all over the barrel rusting and pitting the full length of the exterior.

After finding the holes from the sights, I just decided to go ahead with this. I have to wait until after deer season of course, because I like to have a back-up rifle (I'll be trying out my .338 WM on whitetails after seeing the results on Muleys).

 

[EddieHarren]

"morning, u have a M77 in 280 have the gunsmitty take the barrel off, get
a 280AI reamer and ream the chamber to 280AI. TUM"

Doing this, without setting the barrel back, will result in excess headspace.

 

[shortgrass]

Eddie is absolutely correct! When fire forming, the brass must be firmly held against the bolt face. All stretching of the brass to meet the Ackley chamber must happen at the shoulder end. Ackley head space is .004-.006" shorter than its 'parent' cartridge. When re-chambering any barrel to an Ackley I want to insure the reamer completely 'cleans-up' the old chamber. Just another reason, besides proper head spacing, to set back a 1/2 turn to a turn. You would want a 'fresh' throat too, wouldn't you? The same conditions apply to the "Rogue" cartridges. Factory barrels (Win., Rem., Ruger, Sav.) are rarely worth the cost to re-chamber, although there are exceptions as there exceptions to most everything in this world.

 

[Kevin Cram]

PM Sent

 

[SofaKing]

Where in Wisconsin are you? I know of a few good gunsmiths.

 

[jasonprox700]

Black River Falls

SofaKing,
BTW, love your username!

 

[SofaKing]

Sent you a message with Gunsmith info

 

[just country]

morning, shortgrass and Eddie! this was a suggestion, to improve the
life of the barrel if possible. yes I know about the headspacing. a good
smithy would know what to do with rechambering the barrel. I am having a
douglas #6 contour barrel rechambered from 257IA to 257Wbee restalling
the barrel. the term TUM means Thank U Much.
GBOT God Bless Our Troops. R these explanations acceptable to Ya'll
born in OKLA. and live in TX. YOU ALL
GBOT TUM

 

[shortgrass]

just country, you may know about headspacing the Ackley Improved chambers, but many who come to these forums do not! Factory barrels, no matter whos' stamp is on them, are usually not worth the time or money to re-chamber to anything. Especially a 25yr. old factory barrel! Posts that are not specific, like "all ya' gotta' do is run a Ackley reamer in to make it a AI", without specifying that the headspace is different only ad to the confusion. Extend the 'life' of a factory barrel? The best way to "extend the life" is to add it to the scrap so it eventually ends up recycled into something useful.

 

[just country]

morning, that's why we persons have mouths to communicate!!
I was merely suggesting a corrective alternative that could b
accomplished by schooled gun smithy. the corrective action would
b up to the owner of the weapon and the smithy. I do not need
u or ur following participants to correct me on a suggestion.
this is supposed to b a forum site to educate and help unknowning
persons with firearm decisions. OH read read read that is my
policy!! GBOT TUM

 

[shortgrass]

A **** poor suggestion in my opinion. A 25yr old barrel? You fit right in here with the many others who fail to completely read (Jason did say he wanted to re-barrel!) and then dish out incomplete or irrelevant 'suggestions'. Gotta' be interdnet trained!