Comments on: Video: Customize a Gun With a New Barrel http://www.gundigest.com/gunsmithing-articles/video-customize-a-gun-with-a-new-barrel Expert advice from the world's leading authorities on gun values, gun prices, gun history, gunsmithing, shooting and tactical gear Tue, 07 May 2013 20:11:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: gunslinger454http://www.gundigest.com/gunsmithing-articles/video-customize-a-gun-with-a-new-barrel/comment-page-1#comment-20281 gunslinger454 Tue, 25 Sep 2012 01:31:02 +0000 http://www.gundigest.com/?p=172671#comment-20281 This is a pretty good video, but there are a couple tips that you might want to keep in mind if you are contemplating a job like this. When finish reaming the barrel it is better to have the barrel mounted vertically if possible. This will keep the reamer straight in the chamber rather than allowing gravity to pull down on the back end & make it crooked. It is also better to use a tap T-handle on the reamer rather than a crescent wrench, and for the same reason. You don’t want to apply the pressure unevenly & in doing so get the chamber slightly out of alignment with the bore. In all honestly it probably won’t make that big of a difference, but if you want every little bit of accuracy possible it matters.

There is another way to rebarrel a Remington 700 that is easier, cheaper & will get you more precise headspacing than is otherwise possible. You can do with a match-grade barrel from Bergara Barrels. Bergara barrels are similar to Shilen barrels in quality. In fact it was Ed Shilen who set-up Bergara’s barrel making operation for them.

The primary advantage to the home gunsmith wanting to rebarrel a Remington 700 is the method that Bergara uses to set the headspace. What they have essentially done is to copy the method Savage uses on the Model 110. When installing the new barrel on the action you simply close the bolt on the “Go” gauge (the ejector should be removed from the bolt for best results), screw the barrel down until it is tight on the “Go” gauge & won’t tighten any further and then screw down & tighten the lock nut to lock the barrel in place. You don’t need a finish reamer, and you’ll get far more precise headspace than is possible with a reamer anyway. (That’s one of the reasons that Savage rifles are typically so accurate.) The Bergara barrels are available in both factory ‘sporter’ & ‘varmint’ contours and are even available already finished & blued. Prices are similar to those of short-chambered Shilen barrels, and they do make these barrels for Savage 10/110 actions, AR15′s and of course barrel blanks as well.

http://www.bergarausa.com/store.php?shop=Barrels&category=Remington%20model%20700#l

(Just for the record, I am not associated in any way with Bergara barrels.)

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