Barrel slimming.....

[Handsome Rob]

Has anyone ever, or does anyone know of anyone who has, had a barrel turned down/re-profiled?

I'm considering having the barrel on my .280 Ackley re-profiled. Right now it is very nose heavy. It's sporting a 26" barrel, which I really don't want to shorten so I can keep the velocity up, but it's a pretty heavy profile.

It was ordered as a Savage Sporter profile but it's more like a Magnum. There's plenty of meat that could be taken off without compromising it's integrity, I'm just not sure: a.) whether it'd be worth it & b.)where I could go to have it done.

I know it's a fairly basic lathe job, but I'm thinking it's going to have to be stress relieved after turning (maybe?)

[DaveTN]

As someone that works in the machine trades I would guess you would have a hard time finding someone that would take on the liability of doing that. I would guess it would cost less to just buy the barrel you want.

[Sidecarist]

I've seen this done and its not as simple as you would think. Turning the barrel is easy enough. Keeping it straight is the hard part. I learned from an old benchrest gunsmith many years ago. He had a special barrel straightening press he built himself after seeing how Shilen and Douglas straightened their blanks after drilling, but before rifling. It's VERY hard to see if the bore is straight after it has been rifled. Stress relieving/cryo treating can help but it isn't a cure all You could go through all the time and expense just to make it shoot poorly after all.

My opinion is buy a new barrel in the profile you want.

[Caster]

Any gunsmith can do it and any machinist worth his pay can do it.  

 

The thing you will run into besides the obvious metal finish is barrel harmonics.  

Removing material relives stress. I'm not saying it WILL happen but it most certainly CAN happen; You may end up with a warped barrel.  That is highly unlikely but it will change the frequency that the barrel vibrates at and if you thin it out enough, with a barrel that long, you could get barrel whip.  

Even if none of that happens, do not be surprised if loads known to be accurate now are NOT accurate after thinning it down.  

[Hozzie]

Yep, sell your barrel and buy a new one.  You will be money ahead.

[peejman]

What they said.  Add some weight to the stock to balance it. 

[Handsome Rob]

That's my other option, but it's already weighing in at 11lb & I'm kinda loathe to put any more weight to it.

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[Smith]

Might try Adco. Mostly due AR barrels but have been known to take others. https://www.adcofirearms.com/shopservices/

[DaveTN]

13 minutes ago, robtattoo said:

That's my other option, but it's already weighing in at 11lb & I'm kinda loathe to put any more weight to it.

On what rifle?

[Handsome Rob]

Stevens 110 I built.

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[Handsome Rob]

Now it's been mentioned.....I'm giving major consideration to switching the stock out for a Boyd's Prairie Hunter.

It'll come in maybe a pound heavier, but a laminate stock is going to be much stiffer with more weight at the butt end.

[xtriggerman]

I would second Caster's thoughts. Thinning out a 26" IS going to make it more difficult to find a load that shoots well in a hot caliber. I would consider getting it fluted. Not only do you get a weight savings, but cooling is enhanced and the barrel will retain much of the same rigidity of its original condition. If you have shot this barrel good and hot a number of times, I would not be concerned about any pre loaded stress giving you a warp. Even if it did warp after a fluting, it would more than likely be in the MOA range if at all. JMO

[peejman]

That doesn't appear to be a hunting rifle that you'd be carrying for miles through the bush, so who cares how much it weighs?  A balanced rifle will feel lighter than an unbalanced one. 

[DJTC45]

Check out Long Rifle Incorporated  I'm not sure of the Web adres but look them up and call them if it can be done they can do it

[Sunfish]

You would not lose 50ft per second if it was cut back to 24