# What to do what to do?



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I'm trying to decide on something, and perhaps you guys can give me your thoughts. I don't like to waste money, but I have an opportunity.
A friend just put thousands of dollars into gunsmith equipment. I mean he went whole hog. He has been a machinist for years and a licensed gun smith. Anyway, I have a chance to work with him and get a very tempting deal. 
Here is what I am thinking. My Remington Sendero in 300 Win Mag is starting to have some throat erosion. I could not get 185 gr Berger VLD even close to the lands and keep more than 1/10 inch bullet in the case neck. I had to go to the 210 gr, but I have them doing 2920 fps with good accuracy so I'm happy and think the barrel has a few more years left. However, I have a chance to get a high end barrel in R5 rifling and hand lapped on the rifle. I can have it in any length up to 29 inches and any diameter up to one inch.
It would cost me more in a couple of years so perhaps I should just get this done before deer season. Another three inches should get me over 3000 fps with the same load. Also, a match chamber should increase my case length. Am I wasting money to do it now if I save my old barrel? Decisions decisions????

It would cost a little more, but I am considering sending one of my loads to Pacific tool and die and have them custom make a reamer for my load. Have any of you done that, and was it worth it?


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Well... If you're getting a good deal, then get a new barrel reamed out and threaded up.

PTG reamers are in the 138.00 range. + a go gauge which is $27 or so. 
A new barrel is: Brux $285, Bartlien $330, or your flavor, doesn't matter.

For a precision barrel I look for a cut rifling, lapped, right twist, canted land, etc. I know you know what you're looking for.

I'm looking at the same thing myself. I'm taking a 22-250 Rem 700 VS and ripping it appart to make the 6mm SLR.

So you'll be in $600 or less for a new barrel. I'd say if you can get a good deal now, don't waste it on just a setback.

xdeano


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

Since you're asking for opinions, and I have plenty of those, I thought I'd chime in.

I had my 7mm Ultra mag originally built with a 28" barrel after urging from the gunsmith...and a promise to cut it down for free if I didn't like it.

It now measures 26" 

I like short hunting rifles, but can handle longer ones on specialized rifles. But 28" was way too much for me. As to the reamer, not sure you'd get much at all of a return on that investment. As far as saving your barrel....I wouldn't. I have some original barrels from my switch-barrel rifles that were re-fit, and none of them have ever been put back on. But if you're willing to buy a new barrel and a reamer, why stick with a standard case? You can add velocity without adding barrel length if you ream your chamber a little bigger :wink:


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Csquare, I have been running some of those things through my head. I thought about the 300 Remington Ultra Mag, but I have so many cases and four different die sets including match dies. 
The 28 inch barrel doesn't bother me much since if I want to go walking I normally have a 300 WSM, 308, and 270 with me when deer hunting.  I have this bad habit of taking everything but the kitchen sink with me when I go hunting, hence the 17 foot trailer I camp in. I have the forementioned calibers plus 45/70, Marlin 44 lever, and three or four handguns with me. We will not even talk ammo.  
The only reason for a little longer barrel is to reach 3000 fps, with good accuracy, with the Berger 210 gr VLD.

Oh, I am told I would have to do some machining of the action for the longer 300 Remington Ultra Mag, and that it would weaken the action. Does that sound right to you?


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

No. Mine is built on a 80's era 700 ADL originally in 7mm Rem Mag. That particular rifle has been altered to be a single shot and I never intended to use the magazine so I can't say what to expect in that regard, but nothing has been done to modify the action.

Wouldn't a 300 Wby be enough added powder capacity to safely reach 3000?


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

If you like shooting those lighter bullets then yes you should get it done. I do not know where you are getting the tube from but if it is not the gun smith buy it now and have it installed when the tube finally goes south. Here is a draw back. When your tube starts going they may or may not hold until they are fully dead. One of my friends was shooting in a Palma match and he knew his tube was getting bad. So he thought he would one more season of shoot and just load long until the season is over. On the second to last match his tube bit the dust and would just hit paper at 900 or 1,000. He was dead in the water for the rest of the season. He should have gotten a new tube. He said normally you just shoot a lot of 10's and not so many X's then you know you need a new tube. He said it was shooting then it was a missed call and then it was over.

I have a reamer for my 6mmbr and it is fitted very nice. So far my brass is holding up very nicely. One thing you may want to think about is getting a zero free bore and a throating tool. That way your gun smith can set your rifle up how you want. Let's say you have it setup for the 185's then you want a rifle to just shoot the 210gr bullets he will have to use a second throating tool to get the free bore longer. It costs more but might be something you want to do.

The only thing I can see being needed to be done to the action is truing the front face of the action if it has not already been done and lapping the lugs. Sure they can chase the treads but most do not go that far. He may have been referring to having to alter the feed rails or needing to machine out a little bit of the feed ramp to allow the longer bullets to feed from the mag. On my 338LM the mag is actually longer than feed ramp allows. So our smith basically removed a little piece of metal to allow the bullet to pass that one spot.

Here is a link with what I am talking about in it. It is pic 5 from the bottom.
http://www.accurateshooter.com/guns-of-week/gunweek074/

My 300WM is setup to shoot the 220gr SMK or the 210gr VLD. I tinkered with a dummy casing and each bullet until I was happy I could use either. I had like 2,000 220gr SMK because I found them for a great price It has a 27 inch three groove Lilja tube on it. I coat all of my bullets with HBN and with a full charge of H1000 I am getting 3,000fps with it.

Chuck Norris uses Tabasco sauce instead of visine.


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

Hey Plainsman, I think I can solve your dilema for you.

Just give the dang rifle to me, then you won't have to worry about what to do about the barrel. :laugh: :rollin:

Seriously, just get the barrel. If you don't then you're going to be saying all fall that you should have, and will end up getting it anyway. Might as well have it for deer season.

huntin1


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

How much do you shoot it?

If its a bunch, youd be money ahead to just swap it out.

It its not much, a set back would maybe be more cost effective and buy you a few years before an all out barrel swap.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Ya, I'm sort of thinking just like you BBJ. I don't want to set it back and loose velocity. The only thing that does cross my mind is cutting the back off and using on a 308, but the 308 I have shoots .3 inches.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

nothing wrong with getting a barrel fabed up and sitting in the corner of the safe coated in a good oil until you need it. Just have him true the action and ream and thread the barrel and have it indexed to where you want it, unscrew it and put the old one back on.

When I have mine done, i'll just index my old barrel and stick it in the safe. There isn't much to screwing a barrel on/off.

But I know you. You'll want to test that new barrel out.  I say just do it. It's only a few hundred bucks, heck of a lot cheaper than buying another rifle, right?

xdeano


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I think I am going to go with a 5R Bartlein barrel. I just can't decide yet on a 28 inch straight taper match, or a 30 inch Palma contour, or a 28 inch very heavy target. The heavy target is about 7.75 lb and the Palma is somewhere around 6.5 lb. I do think I have eliminated the real heavy barrel, but I'm still thinking. 

Xdeano, I think I will use the new barrel and sit the old one in the corner for a backup. Or cut it off, rechamber, and use it on my 308. However, my 308 has no wear and shoots .3 inch now. Hmmm, guess I'll just save it and sit it in the safe. It will be a good excuse to keep dreaming.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

you could always cut off the old barrel and make a 300 whisper out of it...  kind of depends on the length of the shank and how much you can cut off.

You can't go wrong with a Bartlein, I've got one on my 308 and it's a shooter. They make a fine barrel. You'll like the 5R rifling.

I have the MTU contour, in my opinion if you're going to make a bench gun, go heavy and if you think you'll be hauling it anywhere then the top of the hill make it a bit lighter. Medium Palma/Standard Palma would be a great barrel. Length is what ever you feel comfortable with. You can always have it cut and re-crowned if you think it's to long, you can't add it back on.

xdeano


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> You can always have it cut and re-crowned if you think it's to long, you can't add it back on.


  Isn't that the truth.

I had thought about the 300 Whisper, but they shoot heavy bullets and my twist is 1/10. They don't make the 240 SMK anymore, but that's what the Whisper was developed around. If I remember loads ranged from 1000 fps to 1850 fps with that bullet. I always thought it would be great subsonic with a suppressor. 
I think Berger is coming out with a 230 gr VLD (If I'm not behind and they already have it). Wouldn't that be nice in a Whisper? Piffffff, splat.  I would like it in a 20 inch barrel DPMS AR15.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Oh Yeah, that would be a fun little gun. I've only shot one 300 whisper and it was a quiet little guy. 
You could always use a 208g Amax...

xdeano


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