Re-Barrel Vs. Re-Chamber

[BonUm16]

Preferences, Pros, Cons, General thoughts? Nothing custom/high-end, just an interest in turning a 30-06, .270 or like cartridge into a 9.3 or .35WH.

 

[Muskox]

It depends on the barrel material and diameter of the barrel at the muzzle, and of course the contour.

Rebore
Pro.
1. Should still fit the inlet of the stock
2. Price might be cheaper
3. Quality should be at least as good as what you started with if not slightly better.
4. Does not require rifle accurizing (bolt face squaring, recutting threads, lapping lugs and so on).
5. The current surface finish remains, you don't have to get it blued or cerakoted unless you want to.
Con.
1. Might have to be set back to clean up a larger chamber in that case it will not fit the stock, there will be a larger gap. (this could be infilled with bonding agent like epoxy.
2. Barrel might be scrapped by the process, mistakes happen and every gunsmith can not take into account for what they can not see in the composition of the barrel material. There are often hard spots in various sections of factory barrels from the manufacturing process.
3. Because the action is what it is, the action might infer problems that were lived with in original factory barrel. Due to concentricity.
4. Cartridge may not 100% clean up the old chamber, and the set back may not work scrapping the original barrel.

Rebarrel
Pro.
1. New barrel with some level of accuracy guarantee as long as the rifle is square or made square.
2. You can have any barrel diameter or length or fluting or muzzle devices you want.
Cons.
1. Cost, a new blank is $250-1100 depending on what material and quality you want. Plus fitting $300-750 depending on what your smith charges. You can probably buy a 35 Whelen or 9.3x62 for the cost of the work.
2. Depending on what action you have, your smith may not have the best tooling or experience in truing up that particular rifle.
3. Even if the smith contours the barrel to match the current factory barrel the stock will have to be worked to make sure everything fits. This will add some level of cost.
4. There is no surface finish. you can install a stainless barrel into a stainless or chrome action without a problem, this would save you having to get some kind of a surface finish.

Rebore.
If you want everything the same, and want to ultimately save a $300-1000 bucks. The risk is much higher of failure.

Rebarrel
If you want the best accuracy the cost will be higher, but you will get the rifle you want.

 

[gbflyer]

Buy new. Anything you mess with from the factory will be a loss of value.

 

[wildwilderness]

I tried to rebore a .270 to a 338-06 - didn’t go well and I ended up with a 35 Whelen to clean out the bore BUT it had the mysterious head-space issue and 3 different gunsmiths couldn’t figure it out. I put so much money into it and finally sent it off to McGowns and they put a new barrel in 9,3x62 on it and has been better than ever.


Should have gone that route in the first place with a new barrel. They can easily copy your contour and a new barrel will give you more options as well. Only cost a little bit more than the initial rebore. And I don’t think many people even offer a rebore any more

 

[Challer]

Rebarrel

 

[arniet]

Re bore if the barrel is special. Quarter rib, sights, or the barrel extension on a Browning BLR.
Otherwise a new barrel.

 

[RedTag]

A friend of mine sent his M70 .270 to JES for re-bore to .35 Whelen with good results. My .35 Whelen was custom built on a 03A3 action, very accurate, but headspace not reliable with factory ammunition, okay with hand loads. Results are not guaranteed one way or the other.