Cost of turning one cal of gun into another ?

[NDAR15MAN]

Could some one be willing to take the time here to list what the cost to turn a bolt action 22-250 or 308 cheap savage model fv into a 6.5 creedmoor or other calibers ? I want to use the barrel that the gun came with and rebore barrel out to new caliber and change out any other items that will be needed. Would I save any money by doing this or be better off buying the weatherby rifle that has the 24 or 26 inch barrel ? Problem with buying the savage axis or the Ruger american rifles is they only have a 22 inch barrel and would really like the longer barrel for 1000 yard shooting or longer ranges. I would have to hire a gun smith to do this work. Just wondering what the cost would be to do this type of work and if would really be money ahead then buying a cheap. 6.5 Creedmoor rifle out right. Also if you could recommend a company that could do this job. I live in iowa but be will to hire a person outside of iowa to do this work. Lots of questions here so hope some one can answer each one. Thanks martyd

 

[DeltaBravo]

Why not just buy a pre-fit Shilen or Criterion from Northwest Shooter Supply? I think you'll find price and convenience much better than sending off your current barrel to be re-bored, etc.

Dennis

 

[dmoran]

Skip the thoughts of "re-boring".
Buy barrels to what ever calibers, contours, and lengths you desire and have them chambered to what ever cartridges you want. Sort to speak, you could have a 22-250 barrel, a 308, and a 6.5 all for the same gun.

I do highly suggest to use an action that has been trued (or have yours trued) for a "switch barrel" rifle.
Good Luck,
Donovan

 

[watercam]

I have had two barrels successfully re-bored/rifled and did save about $300 each factoring in not having to pay for threading/chambering. Both barrels are very accurate (Clearwater Barrels did both) but for one I did have to lap the bore and have it stress relieved to allow it to hold accuracy over a 60+ round match. So add back in $80 for shipping and treatment. Would I do it again? For a sporter, yes. Match rifle? Probably not.
I agree with the above - there are some really good pre-fit Savage barrels available that will give you what you want for no more or less than re-boring.

 

[dmoran]

I have had two barrels successfully re-bored/rifled and did save about $300 each factoring in not having to pay for threading/chambering. Both barrels are very accurate (Clearwater Barrels did both) but for one I did have to lap the bore and have it stress relieved to allow it to hold accuracy over a 60+ round match. So add back in $80 for shipping and treatment. Would I do it again? For a sporter, yes. Match rifle? Probably not.
I agree with the above - there are some really good pre-fit Savage barrels available that will give you what you want for no more or less than re-boring.

If you would please, explain how you saved $300 each?
What did it cost to re-bore/rifle each barrel?
What did it cost to refit and chamber each to the next caliber/cartridge?
Donovan

 

[tuttlefarm]

I have had two barrels successfully re-bored/rifled and did save about $300 each factoring in not having to pay for threading/chambering. Both barrels are very accurate (Clearwater Barrels did both) but for one I did have to lap the bore and have it stress relieved to allow it to hold accuracy over a 60+ round match. So add back in $80 for shipping and treatment. Would I do it again? For a sporter, yes. Match rifle? Probably not.
I agree with the above - there are some really good pre-fit Savage barrels available that will give you what you want for no more or less than re-boring.

Please explain how somebody actually did this for you.

 

[wapiti25]

You send the old barrel and they set the barrel in the re-boring machine and make the bore larger than it was. Then ship it to you.

 

[NDAR15MAN]

Ok. Sounds like a easy thing to do. I don't have to change out bolt action stiff or recover. I am going to see what the going price to do that on a cheep savage axis or 12fv. Thanks. Martyd

 

[savagedasher]

Could some one be willing to take the time here to list what the cost to turn a bolt action 22-250 or 308 cheap savage model fv into a 6.5 creedmoor or other calibers ? I want to use the barrel that the gun came with and rebore barrel out to new caliber and change out any other items that will be needed. Would I save any money by doing this or be better off buying the weatherby rifle that has the 24 or 26 inch barrel ? Problem with buying the savage axis or the Ruger american rifles is they only have a 22 inch barrel and would really like the longer barrel for 1000 yard shooting or longer ranges. I would have to hire a gun smith to do this work. Just wondering what the cost would be to do this type of work and if would really be money ahead then buying a cheap. 6.5 Creedmoor rifle out right. Also if you could recommend a company that could do this job. I live in iowa but be will to hire a person outside of iowa to do this work. Lots of questions here so hope some one can answer each one. Thanks martyd

Only the 22-250 could be rebored to a 6.5 a 308 is already too big .
If you have a savage you can get a pre fit any lingth and in the caliber you want . I'm sure their are many in the state that will do it .
I don't know about a cheap shooting 1000 yards . Larry

 

[GrocMax]

So they redrill, run a button thru it and re heat treat, or cut rifle, chop a couple inches off the breech and 1/2" off the muzzle, rechamber, rethread, recrown and save 300 bucks on a barrel that costs no more than 400?

 

[carlsbad]

I will agree with the above answers but make it much clearer: Nobody re bores a barrel. Unheard of. Not cost effective. a re barrel is cheapest. on a savage I'm guessing $400. Your bolt should be fine. Assuming the stock needs no work (barrel contour) and you don't have magazine issues, that is your complete cost.

--Jerry

 

[andrewsben]

I used http://www.myaccuratebarrel.com/ to turn my 12 FV in 308 into a 6.5x47 lapua.

Last time I ordered it was only between 2 and 3 weeks from order till barrel was in my mailbox. They can do quite a few cartridges but don't have a great selection of twist rates. But you should check them out, and the guy that runs it lurks around here quite a bit.

 

[BoydAllen]

To my knowledge no one rebores for match work. The fellow who was Clearwater passed away. I think that his work was probably the best of its kind. I can think of no way to save $300 by reboring, unless the work was done on a barrel that had a lot of custom work like custom fluting, or a quarter rib. Beyond the rebore, the barrel would have to be have the neck of the chamber opened up, or the barrel would have to be rechambered, or set back and rechambered, all at additional cost above the rebore. All rebore work for rifling that I have ever heard of is done by the single point cut rifling process. If you want to know more about costs and services I suggest you Google rifle barrel reboring. For a Savage, the most affordable way to change calibers is to use a so called drop in barrel chambered in the caliber that you want. For the calibers that you mentioned, the same bold head would work, but there might be a change needed for the gas baffle and magazine. These barrels can be owner installed, but I would not recommend it for someone who has little knowledge. for any of the non-target actions I would recommend that the front of the receiver be squared, and for any of the actions, the factory recoil lug be replaces with one that is ground parallel. Sometimes the easiest course of action is to sell your rifle, and buy one in the caliber that you want. If you get a decent price for your rifle, the additional required to buy a replacement can be less than a rebarrel by the time that you throw in all of the incidental costs.

 

[mikeinct]

Marty D, The costs of converting from one caliber to another vary widely by Make & model of the action you want to start with..Reaching out to 1000yds is a big step in rifle shooting..If you want to try to do any of this barrel changing/gunsmithing yourself ...I'd start with your Savage..If you have the money..& you want top shelf quality..Let a good gunsmith build you a switch barrel rig completely custom from the action up..Plan 5 to 7 K for that rig plus a really high quality scope...This can run into some serious money...That said, I started out w a very old Savage 308 sporter & a crummy wood stock..I found a barrel here in the classified ads.under a hundred dollars...I added a rifle basic trigger...back then about a hundred...Brownell's & many others have good stocks to fit you & the game you want to shoot...F-Class, Benchrest., varmint hunting models...lots of styles to choose from.I paid about 150 for a varmint thumbhole unfinished..Get yourself to a long range match..see what you like & want...Making your own rifle to fit your needs is not really all that difficult or expensive...Replacement barrels, assuming same bolt face & length ...400 to say 650 ..Good luck, mike

 

[MClark]

For button rifling to work right the barrel can not be tapered. The resistance to expansion as the button goes through needs to be uniform to get good results.

Mark

 

[Ggmac]

So all the button rifled contoured barrels sold are not right ?

 

[savagedasher]

So all the button rifled contoured barrels sold are not right ?

Where did he say that? Larry

 

[GrocMax]

That .0002"-.0003" taper can be added with a lap.