Damaged barrel thread.

[CF2209]

I had a new barrel fitted to my hunting rifle, its had about 200 rounds through it so far. Last week I started to get cases with head separations, just thought, oh well cases are done, get some new brass. Yesterday went to use the rifle and picked it up and noticed the barrel loose. So undid the barrel to check all was ok and saw that the threads were damaged or badly machined.
Is this normal machining for a stainless barrel. The threads are gouged and there are some with the tops gone causing a belly in the threaded section.
Question, was the loose barrel the probable cause of the case seperations.
Also can the barrel in this condition be used with any chance of safely performing as it should. This is a brand new fluted Benchmark #4 barrel fitted to a bedded stock using a trued Rem 700 action. I was expecting reasonable accuracy and reliable safe function.View attachment 1201197 View attachment 1201197

 

[Richard Jones]

Dayum......... that is one pitiful piece of threading......

 

[Thud]

You unknowingly paid for that and got took.
Return it and ask for your money back and find another smith ASAP

 

[Mark W]

It’s ugly, but if you were satisfied with its performance before it came loose I would tighten back up and give it a try. Odds are it will shoot like it did before. I wouldn’t recommend using that smith anymore.

 

[CF2209]

Is it salvageable and able to be used safely or is it damaged beyond repair and should not be used. Will it keep coming loose. I feel that the smith will say he will fix it and the job will be right. I am incredibly disappointed to see this workmanship from someone I thought was top of their game.

 

[Bill K]

I would say yes the damaged threads were allowing the barrel to move and this was causing you too have a head space issue and cases were stretching way too much. Who in the world did that thread job and installation ? The is terrible work.

 

[Shawnba67]

Im gonna guess he missed the mark on the thread dial!
Im not certain I wouldnt try some thread locker.
If it wasnt proper tight before, a good torqueing might sort it to

 

[hogpatrol]

Looks like no lubricant was used when it was put together and possible a chip was present to cause the galling. What's the major diameter? If it's not too far undersize, a setback and cleanup of the threads may make it salvageable. I'd also check the action to see if it's damaged.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Looks like a scope base screw messed about half of that up and caused galling, which it should have had plenty of grease on there- gunsmithing 101, rule #2

 

[jelenko]

My own thought is that the longer you use it the more you own it.

While it is very tempting to just fix it, I'd want to contact the person who did the work and what they will do to make it right.

You could discuss how to fix it by yourself, but I'd want to smith to own the results. I.e., if the fix doesn't work, they make it right.

 

[INTJ]

Looks like a scope base screw messed about half of that up and caused galling, which it should have had plenty of grease on there- gunsmithing 101, rule #2

Dusty,

Could be barrel be put back in the lathe and those threads cleaned up?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Dusty,

Could be barrel be put back in the lathe and those threads cleaned up?

Probably not those. They were a ways off to start with

 

[ebb]

Could the threads have been Ok and got this way as the barrel came loose and it was shoot many times loose?

 

[338 Mollett]

According to the picture there are two bad recesses in those threads that involve more than one thread.To say that a uniform spread of the load on the threads is compromised is an understatement ,even though the first threads carry the biggest burden .If you are not dead set on that barrel length it can be set back,but not by him.If so he owes your money back and a barrel.

 

[CF2209]

Thank you for all your replies. I will contact the gunsmith and see if he will come to the party to fix or replace it. I dont want to use it in this condition for fear of the threads letting go and being injured.
Cheers

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Theyre not going to let go, but youll probably gall your action if you reinstall it if its not already

 

[pirate ammo]

Theyre not going to let go, but youll probably gall your action if you reinstall it if its not already

Another question is , what does the action look like right now.I'm no pro but the threads in the action are probably screwed up some also,thats what happens to me anyway.

 

[jelenko]

he threads in the action are probably screwed up some

Ewwwe. Good point - leads to wonder how much force was required to thread the barrel in originally?
If it took a bunch of extra force - I don't know what to say about the smith who did it. I am not even a shadetree smith and I know not to force things.

 

[carlsbad]

The smith set up the lathe wrong and started threading with the wrong pitch. He didn't get too deep and figured it out. He changed to the right pitch and threaded over the original threads. I did the same thing recently on a project where I misread the drawing. The threads looked like that. I threw it away and started over.

This should have nothing to do with the barrel coming loose. Wasn't tightened enough I guess. Smith probably distracted wondering if you were ever gonna see these threads.

Case head separation is a 3rd problem, probably caused by loose b

arrel causing long headspace and excessive stretching of the cases.

If you decide to put it back together and use it make sure you check the headspace.

--Jerry

 

[carlsbad]

Dusty,

Could be barrel be put back in the lathe and those threads cleaned up?

I'm pretty sure what you are seeing is wrong threads that have been cleaned up. You can't put metal back on a lathe.

The action should be fine unless the threads were damaged by shooting loose but I don't see anything on the barrel threads to indicate that.