What is the point of a short chambered barrel?

[Lee in Texas]

Is it simply to save the labor cost of having a gunsmith chamber the barrel? It seems like having to buy or rent a reamer and gauges would take away a lot of the savings. What am I missing?

 

[46and2]

What am I missing?

A looooong wait at the bottom of a waiting list.

 

[Ggmac]

Set up time . Usually just for hunting rifles , a few twists with a extension is all it use to take . I never liked the idea of having possibly a dual neck DIAM. If the barrel came with a large saami neck and the reamer you have is smaller = a two DIAM neck

 

[std7mag]

It is mostly aimed at rifles that the barrel is torqued into the receiver. Especially Mauser actions that it may not be the bolt for that receiver.

This isn't needed for a Savage or Remage where a nut is used.

 

[Stan Taylor]

A waste of frigging time with 2 different chamber dimensions.

 

[shortgrass]

And then there's the looong chambered barrels. The chamber is cut deep intentionally. Adjust the tenon length and shoulder to bring it into proper head space. Lathe required.........

 

[Stan Taylor]

And then there's the looong chambered barrels. The chamber is cut deep intentionally. Adjust the tenon length and shoulder to bring it into proper head space. Lathe required.........

That's what I'm talking about.

 

[Fast14riot]

The two short chambered prefits I got, I also got the reamer print and the smith had a reamer to match. Both are for milsurp rifles and saved me lots of time and money, plus they shoot great and no ring on the neck. As soon as the Smith found out he didnt have to do the extractor cut, he was happy!

 

[shortgrass]

When I find out that I need to make an extractor cut, I charge more! I don't do 'short chambered' barrels anyway. It's kinda' like a Savage pre-fit,,, it's 'hobby' gunsmithing.

 

[jdh47]

They were popular back when a lot of surplus guns were being rebarreled by home smiths. Like Stan mentioned you're bound to stack tolerance with one since you're not using the reamer that they used to chamber with.

 

[std7mag]

It's ok, Stan...
I'm gonna go AI, anyways.

 

[Gappmast]

And then there's the looong chambered barrels. The chamber is cut deep intentionally. Adjust the tenon length and shoulder to bring it into proper head space. Lathe required.........

It seems to me a short chamber is the safest in this day and age. If a idiot screws on a short chamber the case won't fit no harm no follow. If the same idiot screws on a long chambered barrel there is a potential lawsuit.

Short chamber takes less equipment to complete the installation. Just a reamer and a tee handle wrench.

 

[243winxb]

surplus

Short Chambers -
It started (i think) as a military thing. 1903 30-06 surplus barrels were short chambered so they could be fitted to any/all 1903 actions.

Back in the day, i paid $25 of a brand new surplus barrel. My smith fitted it for $5.

 

[Stan Taylor]

It seems to me a short chamber is the safest in this day and age. If a idiot screws on a short chamber the case won't fit no harm no follow. If the same idiot screws on a long chambered barrel there is a potential lawsuit.

Short chamber takes less equipment to complete the installation. Just a reamer and a tee handle wrench.

Then when you have something like this happens this chamber was chambered deep to set the shoulder for headspace he screwed up an said we chambered it like that upon inspection of the complaint we ask him to send his 1903 Springfield to us we fit it for free some folks don't need to be working with special tools.

 

[Gappmast]

Short Chambers -
It started (i think) as a military thing. 1903 30-06 surplus barrels were short chambered so they could be fitted to any/all 1903 actions.

Back in the day, i paid $25 of a brand new surplus barrel. My smith fitted it for $5.

I think you are correct on how they started. The military could send them out this way and all the armor needed was a reamer and a go gauge. You also have to remember on the 1903 you have an extractor grove and witness mark that have to be indexed so trimming the shoulder is not an option.

 

[std7mag]

I know of one smith that has a formula for reaming a barrel so when you TORQUE (yes, actual torque with a torque wrench) it takes into account the "give" of the threads and the headspace is set.

Lots of measurement & you better be good with different micrometers and get your math right.

 

[tobnpr]

^^^
I don't know how it would be possible to chamber a barrel and not take thread crush into account.
Not rocket science far as I'm concerned...

 

[shortgrass]

"some folks don't need to be working with special tools",,,,,,,, you said a mouthful there, Stan.......

 

[std7mag]

^^^
I don't know how it would be possible to chamber a barrel and not take thread crush into account.
Not rocket science far as I'm concerned...

Get it short chambered, that's how...

 

[Lee in Texas]

I doubt I’ll ever need a new barrel in a hurry. I can get on the waiting list and have it done by someone who knows what they’re doing.