Need a gunsmith for a project!

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Hey all! I need a gunsmith with the proper tooling to rebarrel a Smith & Wesson 1500 action. This action is the same as a Howa 1500/ Weatherby Vangaurd. The problem with this particular action is that the barrel threads are metric and I have been unable to find a gunsmith with the proper tooling to accomplish this job for me. I live in SW Michigan and would like to find a gunsmith relatively close, within a couple hundred miles being relatively close. I have exhausted my resources for this project so I'm hoping maybe some of you good people could help me locate a gunsmith for this project. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Mike

 

[Rustystud]

Most competent gunsmiths can thread metric. Many like myself are too busy and too lazy to change out the gears on their lathes. Time is money the job does not pay the cost. There are several lathes that don't require a geat change. You might check with Jim Kolb he does a lot of Mausers that are metric. He post here, and on Bench Rest Central, and Accurate reloading websites. There are several issues with Japenese Investment cast actions. People need to know what they are buying before they buy them. Tooling and aftermarket parts are scarce for some guns. I once was asked to adjust the trigger on a Smith and Wesson 1500. The trigger housing was made from white pot metal. The adjustment screws were set with Red locktite. Even using care and a little heat the screw heads broke and I ended up having to machine them out. A job that should have taken 20 minutes and no expense ended up being 2 hours of machining.
Due to liability the manufactures are making guns harder to work on. Recently I saw a post where several investment cast actions were coated and cracks could be seen in the actions after they were coated. This is a scarey proposition.

I hope you find some one to work on your Smith and Wesson 1500.
Nat Lambeth

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Thanks Nat! Fortunately the trigger on this particular action needs no work, it breaks around 8-9 oz. and thats plenty good for a varmint rig. I read the same post on the actions cracking after coating and I'm not sure what went wrong there exactly but, I have no intentions on getting this action coated so it is of no consequence to me. I talked to one gunsmith and he told me the cost of the job would exceed the worth of the action. This may be true but I think he was just trying to sell me on something else. Thanks for Jim Kolb's name, I will try to find him on here and see what he says. There is a gunsmith in White Cloud, Michigan that may be able to do the job for me but I just need to talk to him and see if he is willing. Thanks again!

Mike

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Well fellows, I only thought I had exhausted all my options here locally. Come to find out there is a gunsmith that is only 20 minutes from where I live and he can do the job! Nat, once again thanks for the help and I'll keep you folks updated with the progress.

Mike

 

[butchlambert]

That is Jim Kobe in Minnesota. I sure wouldn't limit my gunsmiths to those close. With insured shipping, I would go with the very best regardless of their location.
Nat, mauser 98s have 12TPI but they are 55 deg instead of 60.
Butch

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Thanks Butch! My problem is I like to keep things simple and shipping a barreled action out doesn't seem simple. I may be wrong and am definitely open minded to shipping it off. Thanks!

Mike

 

[butchlambert]

If you pack it properly and insure it you will have no problems. I have sent many with the post office. I have had trouble with UPS, but finally collected the money. It was on an engraving machine. You can ship cheaper than you can drive. I have used folks in Alaska, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Idaho, Washington State, Texas, Louisiana, and others without problems. I want who is best working on mine, not the closet.
Butch

 

[Dan877]

One thing worth knowing, PacNor pre-threads barrels for the 1500 action, so any gunsmith can rebarrel it if you go that way.

 

[shortgrass]

One thing worth knowing, PacNor pre-threads barrels for the 1500 action, so any gunsmith can rebarrel it if you go that way.

Those "pre-threaded" barrels are threaded to fit all actions which they are threaded for. The threads in the receiver are "production" cut. When threading a single barrel for a single receiver I want a "as close as possible" perfect fit on those threads. Canus, what kind of trigger do you have on a Howa that will allow setting to 8 or 9oz.?

 

[Taildrag15X]

I'd bet a Rifle Basix....