How can I save this barrel?

[louielouie]

I bought my daughter a used Savage SA in 243, installed a 'youth' stock and bought a 'blister-pak' ER Shaw 24" barrel from Midway in 243 since she's a little recoil sensitive. The chamber is really rough and as I worked loads up I eventually got the pressure up that the body of the brass would extrude into the annular rings/grooves in the middle of the chamber. Even the shoulder has many grooves, too.
Using the supplied head-space gages, a minimum 'go' chamber puts the barrel shank within 0.003" of the bolt and since I don't have a lathe to remove a couple threads-worth of barrel:
[list type=decimal]
[*]Can I clean the chamber by hand using some rental tools
[*]Is 6mm Rem a suitable 'upgrade' chambering if I can't clean up the 243 Win chamber? I have a spare LA that I could install it on if I had to - don't wanna buy another set of dies & brass if I can avoid it.
[/list]
I'm sure I can find a gunsmith to do this but I'm hoping to use this as a learning experience on what I can do w/o resorting to a hacksaw & file. Thanks for your thoughts.
P.S. I put the stock 243 barrel back on, set the head-space a little looser and loaded those Aussie Nosler 55-gr SP so she'll have something the shoot.

 

[dansig]

chambering in 6mm BR Norma would probably be best for your daughter, even if you need new brass and dies..

my daughter is 9 years old and she shoots my 6mm BR Norma and loves it, and she's shooting .3" groups with a rest...

she tried my .243 and didn't like the recoil, but the 6BR with a suppressor is like .22LR, and even without the suppressor she still likes it.

 

[Jim See]

send it back and get a new one and save yourself the pita.

 

[X Ring Accuracy]

send it back and get a new one and save yourself the pita.

Amen, send it back.

 

[louielouie]

If I had spent more $$$ (like the Shilen Match on my Rem 600) I'd certainly consider it but for the money I want to learn something besides what NOT to buy. After taking some more measurements, I can 'lose' another 0.155 in the shank with the barrel nut/recoil lug combo I have so perhaps I'll start by cutting a thread or two off, renting a short-throat reamer w/long t-handle and try it myself. Thanks for the input.

 

[whiskey08]

you mentioned grooves in the chamber, im inclined to think that going deeper with the same reamer might not remove the grooves.

If the chamber is just rough and not damaged than removing the barrel and just polishing would work. gl

 

[BoydAllen]

Are the grooves in the chamber causing an extraction problem? How does it shoot?

 

[xs hedspace]

You could try polishing the chamber with a split 3/8" dowel with some 320 grit paper and a battery drill. Just taking off the tops of the scratches will probably do it. It takes a LOT of rubbing with 320 paper to even take off .001" from steel. If the scratches are really deep and coarse, send it back.

 

[louielouie]

:-[ Seriously, I didn't think of that and I feel kinda stoopid... Definitely less destructive so I'll start with some oiled 600 grit, maybe wrapped around a slotted case to get the taper right. The grooves in the body definitely caused extraction problems while the shoulder just looks bad.

As far as accuracy, I haven't been able to get anywhere with those flat base 55gr Aussie over-runs - so short that they're barely in the neck when seated to the rifling - probably not loaded very straight. With a 1:9 twist I could/should probably try some 77 ~ 95 gr to get better alignment.

THANK YOU!!!

P.S. The 'group buy' E.R. Shaw barrel I bought (6.5x284 Varmint) is very nicely finished compared to this so I don't want anyone to think I'm making a sweeping judgement about their products - just that one 'that got away'...

 

[Savage99]

If the barrel is defective then send it back.

Don't think a 6mm Rem. will clean up a 243 chamber.

If you can't send it back then try to polish it.

 

[whiskey08]

doubt you'll over polish without a lathe, however, generally speaking 400 grit is the finest you want to go. The chamber must provide some friction to the case when it is fired and expands. Over polishing can result in alot of additional thrust to the bolt and action.