What to do with worn out barrel?

[AckleymanII]

I give them to gunsmiths to make what ever's out of. However, I do like the idea of a bent barrel award!!!

It should be a traveling award.

 

[centershot]

I always thought they could be rebored to a larger caliber. They have sleves for .22 rimfires. Seems as though it is a waste of a good piece of steel.

 

[amlevin]

I always thought they could be rebored to a larger caliber. They have sleves for .22 rimfires. Seems as though it is a waste of a good piece of steel.

I asked a barrel maker about that once. By the time a barrel is "sleeved" the cost in labor is equal or more than that of just drilling, reaming, and rifling a new barrel. Sleeving makes sense if one has a unique barrel (engraving, shape, etc) and wants to keep shooting it.

As for recycling the old barrel by drilling/reaming/rifling into a larger caliber, the cost of the raw material isn't the big cost in a barrel to begin with. Can't push or pull a button through a contoured barrel as the smaller muzzle will stretch as he button passes through.

Short answer? Not worth it.

If one really wants to save an old barrel, just set the barrel back as much as you can, re-chamber, and install it on a "Pawn Shot/Estate Sale" action and have a "fun rifle".

 

[moondog]

My barrel maker uses them for stakes when setting forms for concrete.