Will this work to fit a barrel?

[cdhknives]

I have a Win M70 Classic Featherweight in 243 Win. Love the rifle, it just isn't accurate enough. I want to rebarrel it myself if possible. I have a light lathe in good condition and am in the 'good hobbyist' skill class for what it's worth, but I do not own or have access to a mill.

Correct me if you have a better idea. Could I buy a threaded and short chambered barrel with the extractor cut already machined (assuming I can find a barrel maker willing...doesn't seem to be a catalog offering from the few I have checked), and I shave the shoulder to time the extractor cut? I can then finish ream the chamber to depth.

I really don't want to build a pile of tools. I like machining but it is one of several hobbies and buying/building a bunch of tools gets very time consuming. I can build a barrel vise but chambering fixtures and such plus reamers is too much...at that point I would just send it out.

-Clayton

 

[john.k]

Yes,its not difficult to take 001/002 of at a time to position a barrel.If you overdo it,then its around for another turn...............Usually ,you get a barrel and cut the extractor recess to suit ........it can be done on a lathe without difficulty either by slotting,or sometimes by setting the barrel up eccentric ,and using an endmill in a tailstock chuck.

 

[Tozguy]

I have a light lathe in good condition

I can then finish ream the chamber to depth.

How would you set up to finish ream?

I do not see why you could not do the threading and all of the chamber cutting with tools you already have.
With what John says above even the extractor cut can be finagled somehow.

 

[cdhknives]

Yes I could probably do it all...eventually...with a high risk of creating scrap. I would rather leave the profiling and rough chambering to professionals, especially if it is a good quality barrel to begin with. Fabbing a reamer holder and a sturdy spider for dialing in the bore are 2 major steps I'd rather not do on a 1 off build. I also am limited by a 3/4" spindle bore so everything would have to be between centers until it was profiled down.

I don't see a way to cut the extractor slot in a M70 barrel except by using the millling attachment and it is NOT rigid enough...have used it multiple times and it is very difficult to use. The large M70 extractor needs more than just bumping it with a mill and an eccentric chucked barrel. If anyone has actually done it I'm all ears.

Finish ream of a short chambered barrel can be done by hand with a tap t-handle, or by using the tailstock to push a thou at a time with a dial to monitor depth. A flat face piece of round stock in the drill chuck will push the end of the finish reamer in a very controlled fashion...just hold the reamer base by the flats and spin the barrel. I am stuck between A) a long chambered barrel and cutting a extractor groove or B) a short chambered barrel and timing the groove+finish reaming.

 

[cdhknives]

Bottom line is that $500 gets a properly installed barrel by Douglas Barrels, and I hope to spend half that for a similar quality barrel and installation by me.

 

[john.k]

The question asked is can a ready chambered and extractor cut barrel be faced to clock up in respect to the extractor cut..........the answer is yes..........next we got on to cutting a simple recess for an extractor claw.........can this be cut with a little lathe......yes,using the cross travel as a slotter movement,....the slot can also be milled in a little lathe with a simple setup........I believe the slot is a simple .460" cross cut.,in the controlled feed models....................all this is predicated on the spindle bore being large enough to admit the barrel,where this is required..

 

[Tozguy]

I would rather leave the profiling and

Cutting the barrel contour is definitely a specialized operation and barrel manufacturers will supply a contoured blank for a reasonable price.

Could I buy a threaded and short chambered barrel with the extractor cut already machined (assuming I can find a barrel maker willing...doesn't seem to be a catalog offering from the few I have checked)

Seems like I would start by answering that question.

Yes,its not difficult to take 001/002 of at a time to position a barrel.If you overdo it,then its around for another turn..

You would have to do very fine work (sub .001'') in shaving the barrel shoulder to get the groove timed at the proper torque level..

Bottom line is that $500 gets a properly installed barrel by Douglas Barrels,

Sounds like your best option to me. How much of an improvement in accuracy are you anticipating?

 

[cdhknives]

How much of an improvement in accuracy are you anticipating?

Right now the rifle is epoxy bedded with a floated barrel. It is otherwise all factory. I have shot many hundreds of test rounds reloading different powder/primer/bullet combination. The rifle will shoot 80 grain bullets at about MOA 9 out of 10, with the 10th being a 2-3" flier. All other weights routinely shoot 2-3" groups...all at 100 yards. Barnes 80 grain ttsx has been my go-to, but have tried pretty much everything Sierra and Nosler with these results. Long story short, it is a light hunting rifle that needs to be 400 yard accurate. I'd be happy with 1 MOA accuracy with 95-100 grain Nosler BT or similar quality bullets, but more importantly getting rid of the fliers.

 

[Tozguy]

about MOA 9 out of 10, with the 10th being a 2-3" flier.

but more importantly getting rid of the fliers.

To my mind that is pretty good for a light hunting rifle and those bullets. The only way I have been able to avoid fliers in this type of rifle is by shooting very slowly and avoiding heating up the barrel. A new barrel of the same light weight will not likely do much better. And you want to shoot heavier bullets which makes it even more challenging for a light barrel.
Have you considered a barrel tuner?

 

[cdhknives]

Fliers are always a problem. I had a bad hit on a deer last year...shot hit 6" lower than expected on a 250 yard shot...ruined a 10 year streak of less than 50 yard runs. If I can't trust it, I don't hunt with it.

Schilen says they don't cut extractor slots. Douglas wants me to call them to discuss but I bet they want me to send it in.

I found pics of the actual cut. I can do that with a file and jig. I though it was a pocket cut, not a slot through the outside. The more I look at it a long chambered barrel and a headspace gauge may be the way to go.