Re-barreling a 700 at home?

[Bladestryke82]

I'm wondering why everyone says you have to have a gunsmith re-barrel your Rem. 700 action? What is to stop someone from getting a barrel threaded, muzzle cut/crowned, and chamber cut from the smith and install the barrel yourself? Barrel wrench, chamber finish reamer, and a go/ no go gauge set seems like all you would need? Is it more to it than that, or is the cost to have a gunsmith do it while he cuts the barrel just more cost effective?

Seems like if one was to do this hobby long term it could be a sound investment to purchase the tools to do so.

 

[19Scout77]

As it is so easy, please, go ahead and break new ground and have at it. Let us know how it works out.

 

[AIdog]

you can convert a remington 700 to run a barrel nut like a savage... parts u will need are: action wrench, barrel vise, go/nogo, and a barrel nut wrench...
I just did this with my remmy that i sent to pac nor u can just order "prefit" barrels and install yourself quite simple honestly

 

[MarinePMI]

Bladestryke82,

It can be done as you describe. But, most folks would be paying a gunsmith anyways to make a short chambered barrel due to their desire for specific length and twist. If they're paying the gunsmith to do that, there is no reason not to pay him to do the whole job.

What you're talking about, is something that used to happen years ago, when there was a flood of cheap military Mausers on the market, and it was a cheap action to "sporterize"; money could be, had by companies, and saved by consumers.

Nowadays...not so much. Add to that the litigious and defamatory society we live in, and you just don't see companies willing to put their products (and their name) out there to blamed by someone for some shoddy or dangerous work they had no control over.

BLUF: Yes it can be done, and with those tools. It just isn't viable from a business/market perspective (IMHO).

 

[Killswitch Engage]

without using a remage nut its not that simple. the headspace and the recoil lug thickness are directly related so who ever chambered and cut the tenon would need the exact thickness of the lug to set it up properly. now if you were to use a finish reamer you would still need precise fitment on the action for bolt nose clearance, counter bore, tenon to bolt face not to mention i like to cut my tenon threads for an exact precise fit to the action threads. not just an over wire spec measurement thats universal. buying a take off rem barrel will usually yield you about a 50% shot at headspacing correctly onto your factory unmolested action and lug in my experience.

 

[JB02]

I'm wondering why everyone says you have to have a gunsmith re-barrel your Rem. 700 action? What is to stop someone from getting a barrel threaded, muzzle cut/crowned, and chamber cut from the smith and install the barrel yourself? Barrel wrench, chamber finish reamer, and a go/ no go gauge set seems like all you would need? Is it more to it than that, or is the cost to have a gunsmith do it while he cuts the barrel just more cost effective?

Seems like if one was to do this hobby long term it could be a sound investment to purchase the tools to do so.

Gunsmithing - How to Install a Short Chambered Barrel Presented by Larry Potterfield of MidwayUSA - YouTube

Give it a shot and let us know how well it goes. Hope you don't turn that finish reamer too far or need a lathe to adjust the shank length to match the tenon.

 

[stockdoc]

"What is to stop someone from getting a barrel threaded, muzzle cut/crowned, and chamber cut from the smith and install the barrel yourself? "

Nothing but common sense and a deep knowledge of what it takes to perform that properly.

 

[hdbiker1]

It can and is done quite a bit. Brownell's and Midway sell prethreaded short chambered Shilen barrels. AAC also sells a barrel that is adjusted only by varying the recoil lug thickness.
I've got a .308 with one of the prethreaded short chambered Shilen barrels that I installed myself. I adjusted the recoil lug for bolt nose fitment and hand reamed the chamber about .020". This rifle will shoot as well as a rifle I had completely built with a Bartlein barrel installed. Of course, I might have just got lucky.