Re-boring.

[Argonaut]

I have remington 700 in .243 Win. and I am thinking of changing it to a .260 remington or if necessary a 7mm-08.  This rifle is very accurate it is just that I don't  care for 6mm rifles, nothing wrong with them if you like them I just bought it because it was 250.00. Anyone have any experiance with reboring as opposed to rebarrelling? Cost is a Bit of an object for me like  it is for  most folks. 

[Rogue Ram]

There are only a couple fellows out there that do this anymore as it makes more sense dollar wise to just rebarrel most sporter type rifles.

One of the best, and the best in the Western US is Wayne York, owner of Oregunsmithing. He builds custom lightweight rifles, general gunsmithing, and owns Beavercreek Stocks. He is a master at reboring. Ain't cheap!  He's in Pendleton, Oregon nowadays. I vouch for him personally. I think he's at $250 to rebore these days, maybe more.

http://home.earthlink.net/~oregunsmithing/index.html


Regards,

rr

[quickdtoo]

I'll second Wayne York, his 6 groove cut rifling is sweet, I've had 2 rifles rebored and a couple others rechambered, his work is very well worth the little extra cost!

Tim

[Argonaut]

Thanks for the info folks.  I don't think 250.00 is unreasonable at all. Not for good work. I am a machinist myself though I make medical parts I understand the labor involved in this.  Certainly half the price when  you figure in the cost of of a new barrel, and the operations neccessarry for that.  This would also be a test case.  As I have a ruger #1 b in .257 roberts and while i love it, it is a heavy SOB. so I was thinking of boring and rechamber to a big bore for elk hunting and for cast bullet practice the rest of the year.  Maybe .405 Winchester? Teddy called it his lion medicine.

[quickdtoo]

.405 Winchester is one of the rebore/rechambers Wayne did for me on a 28" barreled H&R 38-55 Target, it shoots extremely well, good choice!!

Tim

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger_No1_405.htm

[Siskiyou]

A lower cost route would to buy a take-off Remington 700 barrel at one of the major gun shows.  One or more of the custom rifle builders take-off barrels and stocks are sold at the large shows.  These are unfired barrels. 

http://www.bigrenoshow.com/

There are others around the Country.

[wncchester]

Your rifle, your money, your choice but something seems out of order to me.  You purchased it because it was a good price but you are planning to spend as much - or more - than a new rifle, total, to make it into something else?   

Why not resell the good rifle for what its worth, take the profit and buy exactly what you really wanted to start with?

[Argonaut]

As too the purchase of a take off barrel. I did that once. for this rifle infact. Only it was a .308. and ya know nothing I could do would make that barrel shoot under 2 inches. I had put a witness mark on the .243 barrel before I had a gunsmith switch barrels (I lack head space gauges) so after recrowning the  .243 barrel, I made set of barrel jaws and an action wrench and put the .243 barrel back on. It shoots most loads into .75 at 100 yards. But like I said I am just not a .243 fan.

As too selling it and buying another, well frankly, the G.D. lawyers have ruined so many actions that i rather like stuff from the 60's and  I did originally buy it to fool with. (before my wife decided to get a different job doing to same thing for the same hours only making 2/3 rds less money.) now buying some reamers and head space gauges and new barrel, etc, isn't practical for now.   Since i injured my shoulder in a pot roast cooking accident (it's a long story),  something with less recoil is what i need.

As too the .405.  that would be a light loaded cast bullet shooter except for the one shot I fire at an elk.  (like that is ever going to happen). 

[wncchester]

OK, I understand buying something to play with, I'm a tinkerer myself.  Also have a badly torn up right shoulder, another long story involving a heart attack and 3 electric shocks, so I also understand the need for a light recoiling rifle.  (Hope you get better soon.)

I am a fan of the .243 though, at least mine.  It has done everything I've asked for some 30 years now, with very light recoil.  I can't stand even that much kick right now but if I could go into the woods this season it would be with that rifle, not my .35 or -06.  Meaning, why not give the 243 a chance?  Try squeezing another quarter inch off the groups, that's fun.  Use it awhile, bed it, tinker with the trigger, clean the checkering, etc. and see if it doesn't grow on you a bit.  If your shoulder is anything like mine you will appreciate the low recoil.  And good accuracy always helps me like anything!

Good luck,  Jim