Green Mountain Barrel Project

[223Randy]

Does anyone have experience with a .223 Green Mountain Barrel? I want to build a custom (doing it myself) build with a slim budget, and this barrel would fit the bill.
Starting with a Stevens 200 action, adding a 1" bull barrel, reaming it to .223AI plan on adding a Boyd's stock (bedded) and lighten up the trigger or replace with a 2nd hand accu trigger.
I have a Tasco (old Japan made) scope that i am considering for optics, also being considered is a Primary Arms 4-14X44 Mil Mil FFP Scope.

 

[ridgeway]

Sounds like a cool project. Keep us posted if you do go with a GM barrel. I'm wondering the same thing as to how they shoot. I've read they are on par with ER Shaw barrels...I dunno. I was looking at a 1.06" straight blank to chamber and fit for my AR.

 

[FatBoy]

I have two installed now. One on a 20" SPR and one on my Service Rifle. My Smith uses them quite a bit. Pretty darn good barrels. If they made an 8 or 8.5 twist 6.5mm I wouldn't hesitate to try them on my long range rifles. They may not be Kreigers, but when you can get two or three for the same price, it's a safe bet.

 

[jkohler]

I've chamber a hand full for friends for there AR guns. They don't look that much better that some factory barrels with the bore scope. But so far they have been really happy with how they shoot. One or two of them have shot pretty good that I've seen.

 

[ridgeway]

I've chamber a hand full for friends for there AR guns. They don't look that much better that some factory barrels with the bore scope. But so far they have been really happy with how they shoot. One or two of them have shot pretty good that I've seen.

Just out of curiosity, what chamber did you cut in the AR barrels? I'm trying to decide on what reamer to order. .223 Match, Wylde or equivalent. I don't want a 5.56.

 

[Larryh128]

You won't be disappointed with a 223 Wylde. I'm on about the 4th one now.

 

[FatBoy]

I've chamber a hand full for friends for there AR guns. They don't look that much better that some factory barrels with the bore scope. But so far they have been really happy with how they shoot. One or two of them have shot pretty good that I've seen.

Just out of curiosity, what chamber did you cut in the AR barrels? I'm trying to decide on what reamer to order. .223 Match, Wylde or equivalent. I don't want a 5.56.

Wylde in mine. All shoot well for ARs.

 

[akajun]

Ive chambered about 4-5 in service rifle uppers, mostly 1/7, but a 1/9 and a 1/8 as well. THey are all hammers and are capable of holding the x ring with 77's 80's and 82's. These were all the "gunsmith special rougth blanks for $55.
I also built a 700 20" with a 1/8 twist stainless, it shot under 1/2" at 100 yds with 77's. THis was a 27" finished blank.
I used a Wylde chamber on all these guns

They do make a 6.5 in 1/8 and have them in stock now, I jsut ordered one. Chrome moly

 

[jkohler]

The 223 chambers where wylde. The others where 20cal barrels in 20 practical

 

[223Randy]

Well my barrel came in today. It looks nice, bore is smoother looking than my stock barrel. blank checks 1.061 -1.062 O.D. the full length. It is 25" barrel blank in steel. OD Finish is not extremely smooth and not real rough. We will see how it shoots ($107)

My project so far
Stevens 200 $350
GM Barrel $107
Boyd's Walnut Stock $130
Scope ($100) in hand (may chg to Primary Arms @$230) we will see. (i plan on 300 yrd max. shots )
Trigger of some sort ( on list of to pick up)

So far $680

Now the fun begins - ream the chamber, crown the end, swap barrels, redo the stock for the bull barrel, bed it and see how well it shoots.

 

[msalm]

I took a 1-12 tw GM blank (25", 1.25 O.D.) and turned it down for a 22" AR barrel, .875" gas block, .925" under the hand guard and maybe .800" from GB to the muzzle. After contouring and before chambering I cast a lap and lapped the bore. Didn't really take too much effort and after I was done the bore was as good as any other hand lapped button barrel. No reamer marks and very consistent one end to the other. Chambered it in 223 Wylde for a friend and he just started shooting it last month. That AR has been shooting under 1/2 MOA consistently, and he even shot an 8 shot group at 250 yards that measured .800" outside to outside. He's ecstatic about that barrel. I believe he's using H335 powder and 50gr V-max bullets and using as a coyote rifle. I've used these barrels more lately, and all of them have bore scoped better than the last few Douglas barrels I've had brought to me.

 

[DJ111]

Well my barrel came in today. It looks nice, bore is smoother looking than my stock barrel. blank checks 1.061 -1.062 O.D. the full length. It is 25" barrel blank in steel. OD Finish is not extremely smooth and not real rough. We will see how it shoots ($107)

My project so far
Stevens 200 $350
GM Barrel $107
Boyd's Walnut Stock $130
Scope ($100) in hand (may chg to Primary Arms @$230) we will see. (i plan on 300 yrd max. shots )
Trigger of some sort ( on list of to pick up)

So far $680

Now the fun begins - ream the chamber, crown the end, swap barrels, redo the stock for the bull barrel, bed it and see how well it shoots.

You must plan on using a barrel nut? That od does not give you much wiggle room on indicating the bore in and having the od turned true to it and threading it.

 

[223Randy]

DJ111,
Thanks for the heads up. I haven't removed the barrel from the rifle yet, finishing up my vice now. Seems to me that with the locknut system that Savage uses there has to be some "gap" between the end of the barrel and the frame of the gun, allowing the adjustment of the headspace. Is that correct?
As far as the barrel goes the supplier advertises it as turned on centers so in theory it should be close. I will check that before cutting it I am working a couple of guys that 50+ years experience in machining some pretty close tolerances, so i will be tapping their expertise as i go. the OD is real consistent within .001 with my callipers everywhere i have checked it and the finish is pretty smooth.

I will post some pics and numbers once i get it to the lathe.

All comments - suggestions - things to look for are great!

 

[DJ111]

Your od of your thread is 1.060-1.050 so it will have to be pretty much perfect to the bore. You will have to use a nut as you need a larger barrel od then the thread to create a shoulder and you will not have this. Most blanks start out atleast 1.20" with 1.250 being the common one.

 

[ridgeway]

Randy, what DJ is saying makes sense in regards to your project. I never done a savage, but if the tenon OD is on par with a remington, bat, kelbly...the major diameter of the tenon needs turned down to 1.062" for example. With the barrel you have does not allow a tenon shoulder to be cut. Usually the 1.06" barrels are for AR stuff.

Call GM first thing and see if they will exchange your barrel for a 1.25" diameter. That way you can make a shoulder and set it up so you can ditch the barrel nut.

Anyone, what is the major diameter of a Savage tenon?

 

[223Randy]

Project Update
The ID to OD run out was less then .002 tir.. We decided to go ahead and thread the OD.. When we get ready to chamber it we will switch to a 4 jaw chuck and indicate the bore prior to reaming. We will have the chamber and the bore in line with each other and the od will be .001 off with the bore center, and we should be good.

I am glad that GM kept the bore and OD that close to each other. I was a bit worried after reading some of the above thoughts, which were valid, i ddn't have much room for OD to ID mismatch.

Next will be cutting the chamber

 

[MDM]

I built a 223 with the 7 twist GM blank you are using. I put it on a 700 action and used a barrel nut. Cut it to 17" and profiled it down to .930" and it is an absolute hammer. I'm using 25 varget and 80 vlds at 2810 fps. It will shoot right with my 27" bartlein barreled 223 and only 100 fps slower with the same load with 10" less barrel. It's my favorite rifle to shoot. Forgot I made a time lapse video while doing the work...sorry for the Megadeth.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcRdaN0m4bU[/youtube]

I initially chambered the blank in 22/250 as a Savage prefit and listed it for sale and no one bought it so I chopped it and rechambered it. Sure glad no one bought it.

 

[jkohler]

MDM looks like you did a very nice job. Good video as well

 

[Hal]

MDM

Nice video, If you get a chance try roughing the chamber with a drill bit, than bore the side of the chamber area to match the correct caliber and clean up with a finish reamer.

Sure cuts down on chamber time.

Hal

 

[MDM]

I might try pre boring one of these days. I've always dialed in the bore with the rods and then checked it with a long stem on the bore and they have always jived with each other. The fact is what I'm doing now is working very well and I'm not concerned about saving an hour on a chambering job when I have to live with it for the life of the barrel. I can see the benefits for the "time is money" shops, but I'm not in any kind of business venture, just doing my own work for myself. I do want to try the pre-boring one of these days though,