I will be retro-fitting a 223 Remington factory barrel I got off EvilBay on a standard 700 action. I am a tool and die maker by trade so I am clear on the prcedure. I can either shim or remove stock to get proper headspace and Im ok with all that. I am more interested in the question of setting the barrel back say .125 or so and using a reamer that has a nice throat and chamber diameter thats closer to minimium SAAMI specs. Rent a reamer is like 40 bucks for a good reamer that qualifies. Will I be happier with the nice chamber and throat or will it not matter all that much accuracy wise?
refitting factory remington barrels
- Thread starter WallyDog
- Start date
Butch Lambert
Active member
What are you waiting on? You said you know how to make chips.
Go for it!
Go for it!
Dick Grosbier
Club Coordinator
For openers you will need to set back 2 times that much to cut a new smaller neck.
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You think there's a 1/4" of free-bored throat? Could be I suppose. Lawyer proof chamber dims..sigh. I really would just prefer to screw it on and go but I know the chances are its a large throat and maybe big chamber to boot. I have done dozens of BR barrels but have never set one back and rechambered a factory barrel. No idea how much bang for the buck Ill get?
Depends.................if the existing chamber is concentric and on axis then just install the barrel and shoot it, if not, then rent the reamer and rechamber. A tighter chamber for tightness sake will not shoot any better than the factory chamber if all accuracy techniques are followed.
Dick Grosbier
Club Coordinator
I am not referring to free bore at all , if you run a smaller reamer.125" into a larger necked chamber you will get a step in your neck. If it is only a couple thou. smaller it won't be much of a step but a step never the less. A friend of mine did it 25 years ago trying to change a .308 win to a tight neck, in this case he had a nasty step in the neck. Luckily he made a chamber cast before he made any new Brass.
This will almost always happen even with a standard SAAMI spec. reamer. Often, there will also be a slight step in the body of the chamber below the junction of the shoulder and the body. This can sometimes be polished out without a problem, the step in the neck is a bit more difficult to deal with.
There was a time when military rifles, particularly 03 Springfields and 1917 Enfields were "Match Conditioned" by setting the barrel back one turn and rechambering with a minimum size "Match" reamer. The brass fired in these rifles had a noticeable step in the neck and sometimes the body, but as the military shooters always used new Factory ammo, the step in the brass was not an issue and the rifles shot quite well.
You could do a chamber cast to compare your reamer dimensions before you cut. If I was doing it, I would probably set back enough to get a clean neck.
Butch Lambert
Active member
Thanks for the hug WallyDog! If the existing chamber is not concentric to the bore, how will even cutting a 1" part off and running a reamer in make it concentric?
Wayne Shaw
Active member
I have fought this battle, and lost. I don't own a reamer as big as a factory chamber, and it wasn't close to being in line with the bore.
You are right Dick. The standard neck length on a 223 is a little more than .200 length. Id need the whole neck gone to get any benefit. The taper per side in .250" is only about .002 so the diameter after cutting off the 1/4" would be minus .004. Id guess since the chamber is likely to be big and probably not dead center of the bore that I have little chance of it cleaning up. The only reason I want to do this is to get 50'gr'ers to touch the lands. Or 45 gr for that matter. This is a project my son wanted to do as its his gun and the barrel is toast that's on it now.
Probably right Wilbur. Id like to get the lighter bullets to kiss the lands is my only reason really. The gun is my sons project and I doubt he will shoot it much past 200 yds here in Illinois. I had to try though right? Lol
Dusty Stevens
Hollow Point Dispenser
Cut all the threads off and make some chips dialing in the fresh bore not the chamber
Butch Lambert
Active member
Dusty,
After you cut the threads off and indicate the bore, tell us what the next step happens to be.
After you cut the threads off and indicate the bore, tell us what the next step happens to be.
Dusty Stevens
Hollow Point Dispenser
Usually its realizing youre fighting a losing battle and lots of second thoughts watching the indicator hit the lands with different numbers every time. I was encouraging him to follow your advice and make some chips
Butch Lambert
Active member
Ron,
I sent a new 700BDL to Bob in about 1992 and it was made into what he called a "poor man's PPC" and it was a 22BR made from my new 22-250.
The company that did the work for Bob is still in business. It shot well.
I sent a new 700BDL to Bob in about 1992 and it was made into what he called a "poor man's PPC" and it was a 22BR made from my new 22-250.
The company that did the work for Bob is still in business. It shot well.