I think that I could have cut better threads using the old lady's false teeth ! She has a big diamond in the one out front I could use that as my cutter.
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
This explains why I see where the threads look split.I'll repeat what I posted earlier since people continue to speculate. I have seen this before. This is exactly what it looks like when you thread one pitch (say 18) and then realize you should be using another pitch (say 16) and switch half way. the ones that line up look "OK" but there the original thread was on the crown of the new thread you get the groove down the middle of the thread. I know because I misread a drawing and did this exact thing last week. I went ahead and threaded over to see what it would look like. It looked like this. I threw it away.
Ok. I went to the shop and dug it out of the trash. Here is a photo. This threaded over a fine pitch (24).
View attachment 1201278
That's fuggly looking.I'll repeat what I posted earlier since people continue to speculate. I have seen this before. This is exactly what it looks like when you thread one pitch (say 18) and then realize you should be using another pitch (say 16) and switch half way. the ones that line up look "OK" but there the original thread was on the crown of the new thread you get the groove down the middle of the thread. I know because I misread a drawing and did this exact thing last week. I went ahead and threaded over to see what it would look like. It looked like this. I threw it away.
Ok. I went to the shop and dug it out of the trash. Here is a photo. This threaded over a fine pitch (24).
View attachment 1201278
I'll repeat what I posted earlier since people continue to speculate. I have seen this before. This is exactly what it looks like when you thread one pitch (say 18) and then realize you should be using another pitch (say 16) and switch half way. the ones that line up look "OK" but there the original thread was on the crown of the new thread you get the groove down the middle of the thread. I know because I misread a drawing and did this exact thing last week. I went ahead and threaded over to see what it would look like. It looked like this. I threw it away.
Ok. I went to the shop and dug it out of the trash. Here is a photo. This threaded over a fine pitch (24).
View attachment 1201278
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.
That's fuggly looking.
My concern with trying to do something yourself is that if it doesn't work, you may destroy the 'evidence' => you might not have anything to go back to the smith with.here looks to be a significant amount of the threads still there from your pictures. If the receiver isn't galled or damaged, and the barrel threads in smoothly when greased up, you could try to torque it to 70ft.lbs. Once the shoulder of the barrel comes into contact with the receiver face, you should feel no further movement. ANY feeling of stretching or the barrel continuing to turn as you torque it is an indication of the stainless steel yielding - meaning it's no good. IF the threads yield, they are likely to gall and smear into the receiver threads. Maybe your receiver threads will need to be chased but maybe it trashes the receiver too. That's a risk only you can decide if it's worth to see if the barrel will torque down.
I agree the proper course would be to reach out to the gunsmith about it, although I'd have trouble trusting him anymore. At the very least, he needs to re-thread it, invite you to his shop to inspect everything before assembly, and then let you watch him put it together and torque it down.
There looks to be a significant amount of the threads still there from your pictures. If the receiver isn't galled or damaged, and the barrel threads in smoothly when greased up, you could try to torque it to 70ft.lbs. Once the shoulder of the barrel comes into contact with the receiver face, you should feel no further movement. ANY feeling of stretching or the barrel continuing to turn as you torque it is an indication of the stainless steel yielding - meaning it's no good. IF the threads yield, they are likely to gall and smear into the receiver threads. Maybe your receiver threads will need to be chased but maybe it trashes the receiver too. That's a risk only you can decide if it's worth to see if the barrel will torque down.
Hey, or do like a "gunsmith" did me about 20 years ago when he took my grandpa's Mauser 98 and didn't know enough to know he needed to thread it 55 degrees instead of 60. Instead of being a gunsmith, he decided he was a plumber and jammed it all together with a healthy dose of plumbers dope and gave it back to me. Thing shot terrible so I took it to a gunsmith with a reputation for working on old Mausers. He found the plumbers dope, showed me the whole problem, then re-threaded the barrel properly and it's shot great ever since.
I've heard that before. I'm curious if the second gunsmith was giving me an abbreviated version, or if I am misremembering exactly what the issue with the threads was - like perhaps the root was cut too deep and it resulted in a sloppy fit. The big thing was that it shot 3 MOA at best and the first guy had used plumbers dope to get it together after he threaded it poorly!Actually many many 98 barrel threads have been cut with a 60deg tool. Never heard of a failure, but, I do use my 55deg inserts by Warner.