Gunsmithing New Barrel

[SavageSlayer]

Hi Everyone,

I am a newb here and want to learn more. I hope I am posting this in the right section.

I am in the market for a new barrel for my Savage 10FP in .308. I have never bought a replacement barrel before so the whole process is new to me. I have narrowed it down to either a Schneider or Kreiger barrel. It seems like there needs to be additional work done to the barrel after you receive it. My question is what information do I need to have and what process does the barrel need to go through when I receive it? (ie. Do I need to get it blued? What, if any, machining will have to be done?) I appreciate any all help explaining the step-by-step process.

Thank you all.

 

[Rhys]

Re: New Barrel

This is where the gunsmith earns his money. Hand him your rifle and your wallet.

When a barrel is shipped typicaly what you recieve is a rifled tube that has been profiled. The threading to match it to the reciever will need to be done, the chamber still needs to be reamed, and the barrel cut to length and crowned. The finish is done afterward. As you are using a savage if you look at a couple of other barrel makers there are some that produce replacement barreles for the savage that are prechambered and threaded if you choose to stay with the barrel nut system. As for choosing your barrel do you want to stay with the same caliber? You have the option of any short action caliber preferably using the same case head size, but the bolt head on your savage is easily swapped out as well.

 

[MitchInOR]

Re: New Barrel

What Rhys said.
You can get one treaded and chambered and dyi with barrel blocks, nut wrench and head space gages.
You might want to check out the savage shooters forum.
You could also send it to a savage expert like Kevin Rayhill or Sharp Shooter supply.
What's wrong with your barrel now? Shot out or just not shooting good?
I have over 2000 rounds though mine and it keeps shooting better. Although I have had 2000 rounds of practice.

 

[jdel]

Re: New Barrel

I was thinking of doing the same for my 10fcp. I pretty much have my mind set on a Krieger. I am partial to a cut rifled barreled. I was hoping that I can just get the MTU contour from them and have it cut down to 22 or 24". The stock channel on the Mcmill will take a pretty big barrel. Right now the finished muzzle diamiter is around .830 or so. I would like to go a little thicker but don't want a bull.

 

[scottishtornado]

Re: New Barrel

There is a great gunsmith here on the hide. His screen name is wnroscoe and he owns lousianna precision rifles. Give him a call and Im sure he will do right by you.

Mac

 

[flyboy]

Re: New Barrel

There are a bunch of great guy on here and some alot closer to Cally than roscoe, although he's a great guy and will be doing my rifles some day when the $$$ is flowing better. Ask around for a good smith in Caly on this forume, they're here. Good luck and welcome to the hide.

 

[SavageSlayer]

Re: New Barrel

Thanks for that info guys. It was exactly what I was looking for. To answer some questions, I am sticking with the .308 and not changing calibers. Nothing is wrong with the barrel I have now other than it fowls a lot, but I can usually shoot .5 to.75 MOA with my hand loads. My cleaning time on this thing is rediculous and I have noticed pits in the barrel as well. I only have about 300 to 400 shots though her so I figures the break in process would be over but I get a lot of copper fowling. Even after 10 shots I have to clean 4 or 5 cycles with copper solvent to get all the blue out. Does that sound normal? I am using a lot of patches over here and solvent over here.

 

[nelson34]

Re: New Barrel

http://www.savageshooters.com/

that website or someone on that website can answer all the questions you have for a savage rifle.

 

[billyburl2]

Re: New Barrel

Don't clean so much... problem solved!

 

[LongArm]

Re: New Barrel

get a Shillen pre-threaded "select match" and Get ready for sub .5"
you can get them for $269 and $12 shipping. I have a Savage (.223) with a Shillen Select Match Varmint 20" that will shoot .149" at 100 yards and will shoot .25" all day long. I currently have another Shillen .308 barrel on the way. For the money and accuracy I can not think of a better product. Shillen barrels probably hold more shooting records than any other barrel co.

Go to savageshooters.com and look in the classifieds under northlander he has them ready to ship for under $300 TTL

 

[wadebrown]

Re: New Barrel

I agree very much with the shoot more clean less crowd, and it makes sense I want to become a better shooter not a better cleaner.

I shoot F-class and will start a weekend match (176 rounds) on a barrel that may have 150 shots since the last cleaning and do ok. I do not see the accuracy go down with only 400 rounds down the tube. One overnight treatment of Wipeout is all I use anymore, the barrel I had installed this spring has around 1,600 rounds down it and has never shown copper nor seen a brush.

Getting rid of a barrel that shoots between .5 and .75 MOA is a waste unless you are a benchrest shooter. What are you think the Kreiger will give you? Shoot the barrel out save that money for the next one and make some minor changes if you feel the need to tinker.

 

[firstroundpop]

Re: New Barrel

If it's not broke don't fix it. Spend your money on ammo. That is the best advice I could give you. If you have to have a barrel, you can't go wrong with either.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: New Barrel

+10.

I do clean my rifle after each outing, but I use a foam cleaner; typically 2, or at most, 3 cycles. What's left is no a problem to accuracy, and finishing with a decent coat of oil will allay any fears of further pitting.

When barrel replacement time arrives (probably several thousand rounds from now), the above suppliers, as well as PAC-Nor, Lothar-Walther, and others, can provide an installation ready barrel, chambered, threaded, crowned, and honed, in the neighborhood of $300. Except forgetting that barrel nut loose the first time, barrel replacement for a Savage is relatively simple and straightforward, and one of the key reasons to get a Savage, we'll help you through it the first time.