BoydAllen
Gold $$ Contributor
Without doing the threads it is a crap shoot, and if you figure out that you have a problem after you have fitted the barrel, you will have to start over if you want to fix the problem. A friend had done several rifles without doing the threads, just doing the face, lug seats, and lugs...that is until he did one particular action. He struggled and struggled to get the rifle to shoot, going over the bedding, working up loads and so forth. Finally he checked the threads by making a false tenon with shoulder that was a safe but snug fit. leaving it in the chuck, he screwed the action on, when the action face (which had been properly squared to the bolt raceway) came in contact with the false tenon's shoulder, there was still a gap on the opposite side. The threads turned out to be cocked and off center to the point where the threads had to be cut .025 oversize to clean them up for their full length. Obviously the existing tenon had to be cut off an the barrel rechambered. Luckily there was enough meat on his barrel to allow for that. If there had not been, he would have had to buy a new barrel. As it was he was out all of those components, the barrel wear, trips to the range and so on. All things considered, if you have the budget, it is generally better to sell your rifle, or action and put the money toward a clone, which should be straight and square enough as is. My friend does his own work, so he fixed his action and went on.