Green Mountain Barrel Project

[Hal]

MDM

I not only do it to save time, it also cuts down on the amount I handle the reamer.
The less I handle the reamer , the less chance of screwing it up by dropping it or chipping it when I hit the a flute on the lathe bed.

Hal

 

[223Randy]

MDM,
Thanks for the very good write up! I hope mine shoots like yours when i get it completed. I am working on a Savage Bolt and hope it shoots well.
I spent a lot of time in the shop last night, (actually a friend helped me) and we chambered it in .223 AI

We indicated the bore (with snug pin in it) to 0.0004 before we bored and chambered it. Looks great and i can hardly wait to shoot it.

My next step is to decide if i want to taper it or just clean it up (OD) and blue it leaving it straight.

After that decision is made i either have to rework the stock or turn the od of the barrel.

So far all is looking good for the project!

Randy

 

[MDM]

Good deal. If your chamber is straight it's gonna shoot great. I'd like to do one up in 223ai myself, just don't have the reamer for it. I just picked up another 700 donor action to do one at some point. What bullets are you gonna run? Id be curious to see what kind of velocity you get out that at 25" with the heavies. The bore on the GM are a tad larger than a Bartlein, I'm not sure if that is what is contributing to my decent velocity out of 17" or not. Similarly, my buddy chambered a 223 up with the same barrel and is getting 2900 with the 75 amax at 18".

The savage small shank tenon spec is 1.055. That why these GM 1.060 diameter blanks are easy to work with. Just dial it and take a real light skim pass to make the OD concentric, thread and chamber, and you have a prefit. Equally as easy to do for a Remington, you just have to cut a counterbore for bolt recess.

 

[X Ring Accuracy]

MDM, you need a chamber flush system

 

[MDM]

I've thought about it. I only do a handful of barrels a year, but it might be worth while. It is worth noting that little 17" GM barrel in the video shot a record high score for 223 at local long range steel plate match this past weekend and placed 5th overall out of 81 entries ranging from 338s down to 223s. Don't know if I got lucky with the blank or not, but apparently they can be made to shoot very well. I'm real curious to see how 223Randy's turns out.

 

[223Randy]

Good Shooting MDM!!
Project is moving. Lot's of stuff going on - have to travel later in week and will have company this weekend so won't get much done until next week. MAY have a buyer for our house (we are in middle of relocation), IF it sells it will be busy the following two weeks.
With all that said i almost have the stock forearm sanded out to accept this monster barrel. Once that is done, i will be ready to finish the barrel (blue or duracoat). Still have to lap the lugs on the action, then it should all be ready to re-assemble. then bed then, Then SHOOT!
I took some pics, that have to be resized and i wll post them.
Hope it shoots well when done.

 

[jsthntn247]

I've thought about it. I only do a handful of barrels a year, but it might be worth while. It is worth noting that little 17" GM barrel in the video shot a record high score for 223 at local long range steel plate match this past weekend and placed 5th overall out of 81 entries ranging from 338s down to 223s. Don't know if I got lucky with the blank or not, but apparently they can be made to shoot very well. I'm real curious to see how 223Randy's turns out.

Any idea how much that 223 blank weighs?

 

[223Randy]

Just about 6 lbs

 

[MDM]

I've thought about it. I only do a handful of barrels a year, but it might be worth while. It is worth noting that little 17" GM barrel in the video shot a record high score for 223 at local long range steel plate match this past weekend and placed 5th overall out of 81 entries ranging from 338s down to 223s. Don't know if I got lucky with the blank or not, but apparently they can be made to shoot very well. I'm real curious to see how 223Randy's turns out.

Any idea how much that 223 blank weighs?

If you are referring to mine at 17", I have no idea, my guess would be after chopping to 17 and profiling it down to .930, probably in the 3.75lb range.

 

[ridgeway]

I've thought about it. I only do a handful of barrels a year, but it might be worth while. It is worth noting that little 17" GM barrel in the video shot a record high score for 223 at local long range steel plate match this past weekend and placed 5th overall out of 81 entries ranging from 338s down to 223s. Don't know if I got lucky with the blank or not, but apparently they can be made to shoot very well. I'm real curious to see how 223Randy's turns out.

Any idea how much that 223 blank weighs?

If you are referring to mine at 17", I have no idea, my guess would be after chopping to 17 and profiling it down to .930, probably in the 3.75lb range.

This sounds about right for a 17", 1.06 straight. A 28" HV barrel hovers around 8#.

 

[223Randy]

Project update
Was able to work on the rifle for a few hours and have the barrel channel sanded out to accept the 1.060" barrel and have it in wet bedding compound.
Hope i got everything so it won't lock the barrel in!!

 

[223Randy]

Well didn't stick it in the stock. It fits great and the barrel is full floated from the nut out.
Need to remove the barrel and finish it, then reassemble and get final photos. Here it is assembled with the barrel unfinished

 

[FatBoy]

Looks good. Probably not a walking rifle through

 

[ridgeway]

Looks pretty good Randy! Just waiting for a range report....