Gunsmithing Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

[Hbb6601]

I am interested in starting to rebarrel some of my own actions. I'm comfortable with doing all my own stock work, bedding, triggers, mounts, rings, scope, and reloading but I have been paying to have them chambered and threaded. I would really like to learn how to do my own. I know this is a loaded question but how long do you think it would take someone new to machining to get profient at threading and chambering? Any advice on training and equipment?

 

[gunnergirl81]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

Do you own a lathe?

 

[wnroscoe]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kenda</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do you own a lathe? </div></div>

Just like a women, right for the jugular vein

 

[300sniper]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

it really depends on how mechanically inclined and how good of a problem solver you are. if you can look at a problem and figure out how to solve it, you may be able to pick it up in a matter of days. if you're not a problem solver you could possibly get there in a reasonable amount of time if you have someone to give you hands-on instruction. a few years after my first barrel job, i'm starting to get the hang of it.

in reality, it's not rocket surgery. it's basic stuff but you have to pay attention to detail.

 

[GasLight]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

the hardest parts are the upfront money for decent equipment/tooling, and then the monotony of setup and small.. SMALL movements repeatedly.. if you can handle that, you can do it. OCD is a machinist's friend.

As 300sniper says, it's not brain science, but it isn't for everyone either. If you are going to do a barrel a year, the equipment won't pay for itself.

I am in MT also, not sure where you're at, or if I could really help a Grizzly, but if you want to PM, I might be able to help you out a little more LOL

 

[RADcustom]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

Check your area for a vocation tech school. Take a machine shop class if possible. It will teach you the basics and you can get a little experience running machines to see if it is something you want to pursue.

 

[Hbb6601]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

No lathe yet as I thought it might be better to learn a little bit more so I could make a better decision on what I needed. I do intend to buy a lathe and would like recommendations on that as well. I'm not looking to do a bunch of barrel jobs a year but what I do rebarrel I want right. I am an accuracy nut.

 

[Hbb6601]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

I am a Montana Grizzly but now I live just north of Houston (in Texas). I don't mind spending a little money as this is a long term deal for me since I truly love converting money to noise! Thanks for all the advice so far.

 

[GasLight]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

First place to look would be the Grizzly G4003g, that is about the entry point for a decent gunsmith type lathe. The best advice so far is to take a machining class from a local vo-tech or community college and see how well you like it all.

 

[SDWhirlwind]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Montana Grizzly</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I'm not looking to do a bunch of barrel jobs a year but what I do rebarrel<span style="font-weight: bold"> I want right.</span> I am an accuracy nut.

</div></div>

If that is your main reasoning for spending thousands on a lathe and tooling then you are way better off sending your stuff to the likes of wnroscoe, 300sniper or other established smiths known for accurate and meticulous work. Unless you are wanting to learn machining as your primary reason for purchasing a lathe you will never do enough or shoot out enough barrels to ever become as proficient as a reputable smith who does dozens of barrels jobs a month. By the time you shoot one out you will forget what you did or didn't do on the last one.

Not trying to discourage you but have you take a hard look at reality. I am a hobby smith and gun nut for 30yrs. Bought my lathe and then lathes because of my passion for machining which also is a sideline for my other passion, rifles. Not many pdogs anymore around here, fewer coyotes and no FFL anymore so no work for anyone else. Most everyone too cheap in these parts anyway that want to pay a reasonable fee for fitting a barrel. I did 2 barrel jobs last year. Kinda hard to learn alot or keep in practice at that pace. Once you get a half dozen rifles built for yourself and figure out how much money you have tied up in them you will wonder how in the hell you could justify an expensive lathe and tooling. A time comes when you either realize you don't need anymore or cannot afford anymore!!!! Trust me

If you are indeed a real accuracy nut then learning to run a lathe and learning all the tricks gents such as wnroscoe know about accuracy you are far better off to pay him for what he has learned vs. spending a shit ton of cash in hopes of someday learning/knowing what he has learned the hard way. There is a reason excellent smiths charge what they do!

Machining a cheap ass blank like an Adams & Bennett etc you will never know if it was something you did wrong or the quality of the blank. Screw up a nice Krieger or Bartlein because you thought you knew what you were doing or overlooked something and it shoots like an A&B will be a hard and expensive lesson to swallow and make you more nervous the next time you dial one in. Can't hit shit, is it you or your machining? Hard to figure out if you don't know what you done wrong on the barrel. William won't send you a shoddy shooter, you may well produce a half dozen of them before you actually figure out what to do or not to do! All that time you could have been shooting and spending those hundreds for components.

YMMV

Respectfully,
Dennis

 

[imcmahon]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

Dennis has it exactly right...

The cost of getting into machining is not an easy thing to put a number on. You can buy a lathe that's capable of smith work for ~$3k or so, but do you know what it's going to cost to tool it? Rule of thumb is the cost of the lathe again, so you're at $6k already total. And that's just regular lathe tooling, that doesn't count gunsmithing-related tooling. Go price out barrel vises, action wrenches, range rods, bushings, reamers, headspace gages, floating reamer holders, micrometer reamer stops, action truing fixtures, receiver reamer/mandrels, bolt truing fixtures, etc. You'll spend more on smithing specific tooling than all the gunsmith labor costs to build one precision rifle, and your first one likely won't be nearly as good... Plus, you have incidental tooling costs every time you decide you want to do a new caliber, and at the very least a reamer for every new chamber you settle on.

I'm in mostly the same boat as you, except I've already taken that plunge on machines... I bought my first lathe about 5 years ago, and it's strictly a hobby for me. Thing is, I have EIGHT machines now! I built a fair amount of my tooling (barrel vise, action wrench, truing fixture, bolt fixture), but I do have the mill. I want to build four or five rifles this year for me and friends, and so it was worth investing $1k or so into some specific tooling for smithing. Even so, I'm trying to consolidate to 30 cal so that I don't have to reinvest in stuff like range rods and bushings right away.

I'd say altogether I have around $50k invested in my machine shop... I really love having it, but if all I was after was a couple rifles, it'd be a hell of a bad value

 

[GGGN]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Montana Grizzly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am a Montana Grizzly but now I live just north of Houston (in Texas). I don't mind spending a little money as this is a long term deal for me since I truly love converting money to noise! Thanks for all the advice so far. </div></div>

I spent all my child hood on the North side(what used to be country) but after years of travel i made it to the eastside near baytown. Working on getting my garage built and I have a 14 x 40 lathe and a couple of guys that used to work at nasa and other high end place that have offered to help me learn. After I get set up you are welcome to stop over. Shoot me a PM if interested. Its not goiing to be over night but it is high on my list to get done. ASAP is my goal

 

[Hbb6601]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

Thanks again for everyone's advice. GGN thanks for the offer I really appreciate it, I will shoot you a PM.

I completely agree with everyone's comments on needing to use it more then a few times a year. I also have quite a few buddies that would like me to do barrels for them after I'm set up and can do a good job. I'm only 38 so I thought if I made the investment now I could get a ton of use out of it over the years. I would really like to get good enough to start supplementing my income and ultimately get to biuld guns for a living but that is a long term goal and a ways down the road. For now I mainly want the experience and know how to have fun doing something I really like to do. I have a barrel vise and action wrench I use often and a few set of head space gauges for cartridges I use a fair amount and have played with take off barrels and recoil lugs so I just want to take he next step.

I have been looking at the Grizzly gunsmith lathe for $3k but want to make sure it will do everything I need it to. If I got to the stage I was barreling over 60 barrels a year would this be a good enough machine? Will it last? If the answer is an overwhelming yes I would be ready to move forward. I also want to go to the NRA sponsored gunsmithing school for a week or two in the summer held in OK. If I can get off work I want to take a week on basic lathe training and the a week course on threading, chambering, and crowning.

Can you guys let me know if I am crazy? I wouldn't mind spending $6k to get into this as I have always loved to shoot and tinker with guns. I also really like load development. Did I mention I love converting money to noise?

 

[imcmahon]

Re: Learning how to rebarrel rem 700's?

The $3k grizzly gunsmithing lathe is probably the best value in a lathe... it'll definitely do what you need for barrel work. Old american iron is great, but more often than not you're buying problems. My big manual lathe is an old clausing 6300 that I paid $2500 for. It's a great machine, but it's worn out. If I had to do it over again, I'd put that money into a Grizzly 4003G.