barrel swap

[Wile E.]

Hi,I am considering replacing the 22-250 barrel on my Winchester Model 70 Featherweight classic with a new take-off barrel in 7mm-08.My local gunsmith said the barrel would need to have a thread cut off,set back and then be reamed for proper headspace.I was hoping that it would just be a matter of threading the new barrel on and checking headspace.The barrrel was off a new Featherweight Classic that the seller was making a into a benchrest rifle.Since the pre-64 style classic action requires a extractor notch in the barrrel;cutting a thread off,reaming it and recuttting the notch seems extreme,expecially considering the extra gap this would create in the barrel channel.I know it would be easier to just buy a rifle already in 7mm-08 and I'd have about the same money in it as I would in redoing my rifle.Thanks for your input.

[Vapodog]

If in fact there is a "notch" in the barrel for the extractor as the pre-64s had, then I'd suggest that your smith is correct.....but I haven't (yet) rebarreled a "classic". I was under the opinion that post 64 classics don't have the notch in the barrel.

If the 7-08 barrel has iron sights, that also complicates things and it means the likelyhood of cutting off a partial thread to orient the sights.


There's a chance that the new 7-08 barrel will fit "as is" but it's quite remote.

Orienting a barrel isn't that big a job anyway....it only takes about 1/2 hour.....the work of removing the barrel must be done anyway.....all we're doing is to face the shoulder and the end of the barrel and then running in a chambering reamer to touch up the headspace.....another 1/2 hour. Now if your smith don't have a 7-08 chambering reamer it could cost another $50 to rent the reamer.

I'd figure on $150 to get the new barrel installed.....

[bigbulls]

The "Classic" barrel will be pretty much the same as the pre 64 barrel. It will have a cone breech and a relief cut for the exctactor. The relief cut in the barrel will need to be indexed to match up with the extractor. Then the barrel will need to have a thread cut off and the shoulder set back .0625". Then the cone breech will need to be set back .0625". Then the chamber will need to be reamed out to proper headspace dimensions. Then the relief cut for the extractor will need to be set back .0625".


He may not have to cut off a full thread of the "new" barrel if it does not have iron sights. By indexing the exctactor relief cut to line up with the extractor it may or may not give him enough barrel to set back to achieve proper headspace.

[halcon]

I don't believe they offer sights on the featherweight classic , at least they never offered them when I ordered mine . The thought comes to mind though , that if you dont cut a full thread wouldn't the gun look a bit funny with the printing upside down on the barrel or at a right angle . that should really up the resale value .

[bigbulls]

The thought comes to mind though , that if you dont cut a full thread wouldn't the gun look a bit funny with the printing upside down on the barrel or at a right angle .

That is a very good point.

I just got done bedding a customers gun that had the barrel shortened and rechambered and I had to shallow bed the barrel (less than half depth) so that the printing on the barrel wouldn't be half covered up and look like crap. The joker that did the barrel job did not take into account the writing and offset the barrel about 95 degrees so the caliber stamping that should have been just above the wood on the left was at the very bottom of the bedding and printed 7mm. R in the bedding. The writing that should have been top dead center was now just below horrizontal on the left side of the rifle.

[Wile E.]

After reading your input,I am going to ask the gunsmith to index the new take-off barrel at the extractor cut-out, that way the all the barrel stampings will be in the right place.Hopefully this will allow him enough room to set the headspace correctly and he would only have to slightly machine the shoulder and breach face.Thanks.