Gunsmithing Bergara Barrel recut for R700

[hseII]

A friend of mine & I have been discussing picking up another Bergara Approach currently in 300PRC & having a new 7PRC barrel installed on that rifle. He already has a 300 PRC version & was considering the 7mm as he likes his current rifle.


How big a deal would it be for the Bergara barrel that is currently on a Bergara Rifle to be cut & machined properly to fit a trued R700 rifle?

The Stock barrel channel is correct already.. Gun currently uses RUM magazines but will be getting some form of CIP length feeding system going forward.

I understand there is a “cone” on the Bergara barrel from Photos looking online, that cone looks to be roughly ~0.045”?

The Bergara barrels are supposed to be quality barrels & if we could get some use out of the barrel rather than throwing it away that would be nice.

Otherwise I will be getting a new barrel on the R700 anyways as my WM barrel is gone.

I like the whole 2 birds with 1 stone unless it is wasting time/resources: is this a reasonable idea?

 

[Jscb1b]

What is the thread size and pitch on the bergara? What is the thread size and pitch on the trued 700?

 

[Jscb1b]

Who did the trueing on the 700?

 

[hseII]

What is the thread size and pitch on the bergara? What is the thread size and pitch on the trued 700?

The threads on the Bergara are 1 1/16" x 16TPI.

The Remington is 1 1/16” x 16TPI.

Jeff Hankins out of Dry Ridge, Kentucky.

 

[Jscb1b]

Is the 700 barrel threads cut over sized when trued?

 

[FuhQ]

The threads on the Bergara are 1 1/16" x 16TPI.

The Remington is 1 1/16” x 16TPI.

Any barrel can be put on any rifle as long as the threads on the new rifle are the exact same size & pitch, or small enough to completely cut down the old threads to a smooth & proper-length shank, and then cut new threads.

Example, you can repurpose R700 barrels for Browning A-Bolt & A-Bolt II actions. The Browning uses smaller metric threads that are small enough to completely cut down the old 1-1/16x16 Remington threads to a smooth shank on a lathe, and then re-cut new metric threads. It’s been done.

I call it “The Brownington”. Took some lathe work, but I salvaged a perfectly good (nearly brand new) barrel, and salvaged a rifle with a burned-out factory barrel. After all the work the rifle shoots 0.3xx” groups. Not bad for a hunting rifle.

 

[hseII]

Is the 700 barrel threads cut over sized when trued?

That I do not know.

I’ll have to ask.

Thank You.

 

[hseII]

Any barrel can be put on any rifle as long as the threads on the new rifle are the exact same size & pitch, or small enough to completely cut down the old threads to a smooth & proper-length shank, and then cut new threads.

Example, you can repurpose R700 barrels for Browning A-Bolt & A-Bolt II actions. The Browning uses smaller metric threads that are small enough to completely cut down the old 1-1/16x16 Remington threads to a smooth shank on a lathe, and then re-cut new metric threads. It’s been done.

I call it “The Brownington”. Took some lathe work, but I salvaged a perfectly good (nearly brand new) barrel, and salvaged a rifle with a burned-out factory barrel. After all the work the rifle shoots 0.3xx” groups. Not bad for a hunting rifle.

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Thank You.

 

[FuhQ]

Thank You.

I should clarify… You can’t just drop it in the Bergara even though they share the same threads, you will ALWAYS need to have a gunsmith properly headspace it to your bolt and action before shooting it. DO NOT attempt to just screw it in there, and go to the range without first checking headspace with a set of Go/No-Go gauges. That could be extremely dangerous, and could seriously injure you, or someone else.

 

[hseII]

I should clarify… You can’t just drop it in the Bergara even though they share the same threads, you will ALWAYS need to have a gunsmith properly headspace it to your bolt and action before shooting it. DO NOT attempt to just screw it in there, and go to the range without first checking headspace with a set of Go/No-Go gauges. That could be extremely dangerous, and could seriously injure you, or someone else.

I assume the Bergara cone must be removed,( the barrel face squared to the R700 bolt face), & the contact area for the lug adjusted to accommodate the wider recoil lug of the R700- but once the above is done, other than working to Go/No Go gauges, what else would be necessary?

I’ve swept around a lathe a few times but that’s about my extent of lathe work.

I genuinely ask because I don’t want to insult anyone by asking them to do such a job if it’s off-putting.

Of The 2 Smith’s that I’ve used previously,
1 has retired.
2. The other one is just too busy with their multiple businesses to fool with machining work right now: He’s not taking any work from anyone.

 

[FuhQ]

I assume the Bergara cone must be removed,( the barrel face squared to the R700 bolt face), & the contact area for the lug adjusted to accommodate the wider recoil lug of the R700- but once the above is done, other than working to Go/No Go gauges, what else would be necessary?

I’ve swept around a lathe a few times but that’s about my extent of lathe work.

I genuinely ask because I don’t want to insult anyone by asking them to do such a job if it’s off-putting.

Of The 2 Smith’s that I’ve used previously,
1 has retired.
2. The other one is just too busy with their multiple businesses to fool with machining work right now: He’s not taking any work from anyone.

I've never studied the Bergara actions, so I have no idea what this "cone" is that you're describing. Can you post a picture of the cone so we will all be on the same page as to what you are describing?

As for the recoil lug, are you talking about having to inlet the stock for the wider Remington recoil lug? The smith will have to reset the headspace on the barrel and barrel shoulder most-likely anyway, and you will be using the same thread size and pitch as the Remington, so you might as well just reuse the original Bergara recoil lug.

As for what other work needs to be done, that would be up to your smith, and how much you want to pay to have this done. I would opt for a full-blueprint and have the bolt handle knob removed and threaded standard bolt knob threads for (larger) aftermarket bolt knobs. Also, if you like the stock the rifle is in, and it's a good quality stock, then I'd go ahead and pay the smith to skim-bed the action with DevCon, and install a nice TriggerTech trigger while he's got it pulled apart.

 

[hseII]

I've never studied the Bergara actions, so I have no idea what this "cone" is that you're describing. Can you post a picture of the cone so we will all be on the same page as to what you are describing?

As for the recoil lug, are you talking about having to inlet the stock for the wider Remington recoil lug? The smith will have to reset the headspace on the barrel and barrel shoulder most-likely anyway, and you will be using the same thread size and pitch as the Remington, so you might as well just reuse the original Bergara recoil lug.

As for what other work needs to be done, that would be up to your smith, and how much you want to pay to have this done. I would opt for a full-blueprint and have the bolt handle knob removed and threaded standard bolt knob threads for (larger) aftermarket bolt knobs. Also, if you like the stock the rifle is in, and it's a good quality stock, then I'd go ahead and pay the smith to skim-bed the action with DevCon, and install a nice TriggerTech trigger while he's got it pulled apart.

Post #55 & post #62

Gunsmithing - Rebarreling a bergara

hmm but $500 to rebarrel a $750 gun if it’s the standard b-14 hmr. Or even cheaper in the $600s for a hunter. Might as well buy a new gun and sell the parts except barrel. hmm, $500 for a cerakoted barrel plus install, shipping and handling included, and test fired with target proof for a...

www.snipershide.com

 

[FuhQ]

Interesting design... Taper vs. the Remington lip (the "3 Rings of Steel" design as they call it). I could see where that have some advantages, but would make headspacing a bit of a bitch. So, yeah, the smith will have to cut the lip off the back of the Remington tenon anyway, to cut it flat and square, and then cut that taper cone seal into it. So, he would have to break out a reamer to rechamber the barrel anyway, so I'd have him take a few threads off the back, and then clean the chamber up with a tight-spec match quality reamer, and re-cut the recoil lug shoulder square while he's at it. It shouldn't cost any extra, he'll already have the barrel in the spindle, and have to use a reamer anyway to set headspace. So, might as well have him cut a better-than-factory chamber for it. Another thing he can do to ensure it's true, is put the factory recoil lug in a surface mill and ensure the mating surfaces are perfectly flat.