Ok we have an old worn out rifle we want to rebarrel how far do we need to go. Will putting a new barrel on alone improve it much over a factory rifle. Should we have some work done on the action. Do we need a new stock or will bedding the old stock help enough. With that said I am assuming the old stock fits you really good and you enjoy it. So as asked assuming we want a real shooter just how far do we need to go.
Rebarreling a rifle how far do we need to go.
- Thread starter WildBillG
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elkaholic
Well-Known Member
What manufacturer, etc?
Start with the first step and go from there. A new barrel will more than likely be a dramatic improvement if you choose a good manufacturer. Barrels are generally not a good place to pinch pennies. But do you plan on rebarreling it yourself? If not, have your smith check the action and see if it's worth a tune up or not. My local smith won't true a Rem 700 action any more because he feels there is not enough benefit to justify the cost of work. But that's just one mans opinion. My thought is this; buy a good barrel and shoot it. Work up a load and I'm sure you will achieve plenty of accuracy. Is another 1/8" of accuracy worth several hundred dollars? Only you can answer that. But if you only get 3/4" groups and you desire 1/2", maybe then consider bedding your current stock if you are pleased with the ergonomics. Your comfort level with your rifle is far more critical to accuracy than a small amount of fiberglass bedding
shortgrass
Well-Known Member
At minimum when having a new, custom barrel installed,,,,,, have the face of the receiver squared and ground recoil lug used (if the action uses the sandwhiched recoil lug, like a 700 does). That'll give ya' the most bang for the buck.
Memberberries
Well-Known Member
If you've got a wood stock, diy pillar/glass bed it after you swap the barrel and make sure that your trigger is adjusted down if possible then enjoy.
Since the barrel will be off, it makes sense to true the action at this point.
I'd ditch the wood for a glass or laminate stock, and pillar bed it. (Take a look at the Boyd AtOne Stock...)
Hang a good trigger on it and spend about a grand for a scope.
It WILL shoot.
I'd ditch the wood for a glass or laminate stock, and pillar bed it. (Take a look at the Boyd AtOne Stock...)
Hang a good trigger on it and spend about a grand for a scope.
It WILL shoot.
Savage 12BVSS
Well-Known Member
Good advice and very worthwhile to do while your changing barrel anyways.
I just put a new barrel on a rifle and it made the world seem like a better place
I should of said it is a Weatherby action. The trigger right now is at 9 ounces pull wieght may turn that upa bit. The stock is I believe a B&C made for Weatherby. I like the Boyds at one stock but not the recoil pad it comes with.
ShtrRdy
Well-Known Member
A new barrel should make a nice improvement. See if the gunsmith can check the squareness of the action to see if it needs some machining. Then drop it in your stock and see if it works well. If it doesn't shoot as well as you think then have it bedded.
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It can be a rabbit hole. Probably face the action and true lugs as long as barrel is off. You'll always question "What if I'd had the action trued?" These things then require protecting the revealed metal unless stainless. I'd maybe go $350.00 on the action. That plus the worth of your existing action gets you into the realm of a custom action.
Canhunter35
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I had a vanguard rebarrelled...I had everything done, it shoots very well lol. If it's a good shooting rifle, I might chance leaving the action and only having the barrel installed
I have two Ruger 77, tang safety donor rifles that I just sent out to be rebarreled; each rifle cost me around $350-400 each. One rifle is going to be chambered from 7mm RemMag to 300 WinMag with a 24 inch barrel, contoured to the existing barrel dimensions, and the other rifle will be rebarreled with a 26 inch Lilja barrel and be rechambered from 30-06 to 6.5-06, this barrel is to be contoured to the factory barrel specs also. I asked that the action be checked and blueprinted if necessary and the entire action be reblued; around $650 if the action does not need blueprinting. I do my own trigger work, Ruger 77s are quite easy to do trigger work. I had this same gunsmith build two rifles for me a couple of years ago, his work is impeccable, both rifles (.270 Ackley) will shoot sub-MOA (bug holes) consistently; better than I can shoot them. I am using the existing wood stock (because I like wood and find fiberglass stocks very expensive), I glass bed and pillar bed the stocks, and then refinish the stocks with two coats of flat-clear paint. The only rifles that I do own are Ruger 77 tang safety rifles, so......I am quite familiar with them, they fit good and they shoot. With that said I would recommend rebarreling. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
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Based on some of the other questions posted after rebarreling an action and working up loads for it, make sure you know exactly what the chambering is. Have the smith provide a chamber cast to accompany the finished rifle.
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