Gunsmithing rebarrel cost?

[triceratops3]

I was wondering how much it typically costs to have a savage rebarreled.

And I mean just to remove the old barrel and put a new one on, because I have a barrel and I asked a few smiths and they said they would want about $70 to do so.

I've been starting think that I should just buy the stuff to do the install and then I wont have to worry about it again.

 

[DCR]

Re: rebarrel cost?

Yea I think for $70 or not much more you can buy the wrench and head space gauges. Tad more if you need a vise etc.

Just looked on Midway. Looks like $30 for the head space guage and $25 for the wrench.

 

[2156SMK]

Re: rebarrel cost?

You need a barrel vise, the wrench and a headspace gauge.
It's cheaper to pay someone if you are only doing it once.
It's cheaper to buy the tools if you are going to do it several times with the same cartridge family that shares a headspace gauge.
If you use a different headspace gauge every time, it might still be cheaper to pay a gunsmith...

 

[x ring accuracy]

Re: rebarrel cost?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DCR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yea I think for $70 or not much more you can buy the wrench and head space gauges. Tad more if you need a vise etc.

Just looked on Midway. Looks like $30 for the head space guage and $25 for the wrench. </div></div>
Experience in doing so MUST have some value !? Or everyone who can buy the tools is automatically a gunsmith?

 

[E. Bryant]

Re: rebarrel cost?

Not to underestimate the value of experience, but if we're being honest with ourselves, re-barreling a Savage is perhaps one step more complicated than rotating the tires on a car.

In addition to the tools mentioned above (wrench, headspace gauge set, and barrel vise), you may also need an action wrench for newer rifles - the barrel nut can be tight enough to make removal very difficult without gripping both the barrel and the receiver.

 

[DCR]

Re: rebarrel cost?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: X Ring Accuracy</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DCR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yea I think for $70 or not much more you can buy the wrench and head space gauges. Tad more if you need a vise etc.

Just looked on Midway. Looks like $30 for the head space guage and $25 for the wrench. </div></div>
Experience in doing so MUST have some value !? Or everyone who can buy the tools is automatically a gunsmith? </div></div>

And where did I say a novice could do a better job than an experienced gunsmith? Just gave the guy some info so he could decide where to put his money.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Re: rebarrel cost?

His hourly rate must be high as hell. That's a ten to fifteen minute job.

I would buy the tools and do it yourself. If you never do it again, you could sell the tools and recoup most of the money spent anyway...

 

[redirt78]

Re: rebarrel cost?

Throwing a tag on this one

 

[2156SMK]

Re: rebarrel cost?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mike Casselton</div><div class="ubbcode-body">His hourly rate must be high as hell. That's a ten to fifteen minute job.</div></div>

Most gunsmiths have some sort of "minumum charge".
So while I might be able to drill out a broken screw in 2 minutes and my shop rate is $60 per hour, I'm not doing the job for $2.

 

[Mark Housel]

Re: rebarrel cost?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 2156SMK</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mike Casselton</div><div class="ubbcode-body">His hourly rate must be high as hell. That's a ten to fifteen minute job.</div></div>

<span style="font-weight: bold">Most gunsmiths have some sort of "minumum charge".</span>
So while I might be able to drill out a broken screw in 2 minutes and my shop rate is $60 per hour, I'm not doing the job for $2. </div></div>
Uhhh, yeah.

Even <span style="font-weight: bold">if</span> it took only 10 minutes to spin on the barrel and check the gauges, there is more than that involved.

There is more time than that (for me at least) to unpack it, function and safety check inspection, look for discrepancies, log the thing into my books deal with the paperwork for work orders, billing, pack it back up, ship it, log it off my books etc. Heck that's probably a half hour or more right there (OK, so I'm realllly slow).

 

[LSandBinc]

Re: rebarrel cost?

to properly headspace you should also take the extractor and ejector out of the bolt. more time,$.

 

[crumpmd]

Re: rebarrel cost?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Eric Bryant</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Not to underestimate the value of experience, but if we're being honest with ourselves, re-barreling a Savage is perhaps one step more complicated than rotating the tires on a car.
Until you fuck up the headspace and it goes boom </div></div>

 

[triceratops3]

Re: rebarrel cost?

Thanks for the info everyone. I have always under estimated my self when doing anything, which is why i'm a little weary about doing this my self.

I was also wondering if I could try to make a barrel vice and if the nut wont come off then buy an action wrench to help, or could I just buy an action wrench and do the swap without a barrel vice?

 

[DCR]

Re: rebarrel cost?

Have you asked over at savageshoters.com? I did a lot of research there when I was debating savage vs remington.

 

[lal357]

Re: rebarrel cost?

do it yourself you can rent the headspace gauges from places like 4-d reamers (do a google search for them $10.00 plus shipping)as for the barrel nut wrench and action wrench buy used and resell or buy new and do the same. as for me i love saavges bought my next barrel yesturday ships next week should be on in 2weeks .you can go to you tube and see videos of how to do it thats how i started.

 

[lal357]

Re: rebarrel cost?

if i wasnt going to use mine in a few weeks i would lend ya mine....what caliber are you doing i have 308 go/no go gauges and 223 go gauge i could let ya use .

 

[triceratops3]

Re: rebarrel cost?

Im gonna go from 308 to 6.5 creedmoor. I think I may rent the gauges and buy everything else for now.

now should I buy the action wrench or barrel vice, or both?

 

[geargrinder]

Re: rebarrel cost?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ARShuter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">to properly headspace you should also take the extractor and ejector out of the bolt. more time,$. </div></div>

Proper? What do you mean?

If you are using guages all you have to do is spin the barrel down snug on a go-gauge, tighten the nut, check it with the no-go, then go shoot.

The ejector can give a tightening feel as you tighten the barrel, but it is very obvious when the barrel stops on the guage.

As far as the extractor, every guage I have ever used has a groove for the extractor. The extractor will never be touching anything when the headspace is set.

It's a waste of time.

 

[lal357]

Re: rebarrel cost?

Small world I'm taking a 7mag down to a 6.5 creedmoor barrel should ship next week can't wait to shoot it in open f class

 

[Clark]

Re: rebarrel cost?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Eric Bryant</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Not to underestimate the value of experience, but if we're being honest with ourselves, re-barreling a Savage is perhaps one step more complicated than rotating the tires on a car.

In addition to the tools mentioned above (wrench, headspace gauge set, and barrel vise), you may also need an action wrench for newer rifles - the barrel nut can be tight enough to make removal very difficult without gripping both the barrel and the receiver. </div></div>

I am an engineer. So is my wife, son, cousins, as were my father and uncle.

But a popular guy on the internet was going to take me hunting and I made an action wrench and a barrel vise and bought a nut wrench so he could full fill his switch barrel dream. We hunted. I took the barrel off of a Sav 110 of mine and showed him how to do it. It is my understanding that he has yet to use it.

I misunderestimated the amount of training required.

Most people driving down the road have never changed a tire.

 

[Randfal]

Re: rebarrel cost?

Don't knock the guys price. Not all barrels come off in ten minutes. There are always risks that a gunsmith takes when working on someone's gun. There are also the heat and lights to consider. If he can't make a living doing it, there is no point in having a shop. A guy has to eat. If you don't like the price, get your own tools and do it yourself. And really, ten minute??? How many of you have actually taken a Strangers rifle, given it a good once over to make sure it's not already buggered up, pulled the scope off(can't get the wrench on with the scope attached), taken it out of the stock, got it clamped in the vise, broken the old barrel off, Cleaned The Action Threads and The Nut Threads(you are cleaning the threads aren't you?),lubed the threads, screwed on the new barrel,inserted gauge, took bolt apart to remove cocking pin(you don't have to, but it's a WAY better feel so you do not have the cocking force messing with you when you are trying to just get a go gauge to close with minimum/tight chamber clearence), maintain headspacing while tightening nut, double check with No-Go, reassemble bolt(cleaned and lubed it while you were at it right?, dry fired for function, put back in stock, put scope back on, wipe all your paw prints off it, write up a ticket for it etc... Did you just do all that in TEN minutes without scratching the thing all up?......BS if you think you did. It is a simple nuts and bolts job but it still requires attention to detail and some time and that IS something worth paying for.

 

[rv7pilot]

Re: rebarrel cost?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: triceratops3</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was wondering how much it typically costs to have a savage rebarreled.

I've been starting think that I should just buy the stuff to do the install and then I wont have to worry about it again.

</div></div>

$70 Seems like a fair price. I built mine from a stripped action. I bought the action wrench, the "go" and "no go" gauges, and a barrel vise. I'm sure if I add all that up, it would be more than $70, but I had a load of fun and the tools will be used again I'm sure.

It is easy as long as the parts go together "cleanly". I've heard of some people with trouble screwing their barrels on but that was rare. Literally,

1. Put the "go" gauge in the chamber.
2. Screw the barrel in until you bump the "go" gauge.
3. Tighten the nut.
4. Insure the action cycles cleaning with the "go" gauge.
5. Put the "no go" gauge in and insure the bolt will not close.
6. You're done.

Shoots nickel size groups at 100 and people can't believe I screwed this thing together on my kitchen table. I'll try to never shoot a factory barrel again, unless it's a really good deal or something.

 

[aubie515]

Re: rebarrel cost?

Buy the tools and do it yourself. It is a quick process and it does not require a PhD.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Re: rebarrel cost?

Guess I'm more inclined to have ready, everything I can when I send a rifle or parts to a gunsmth. If I were to send in a rifle, I'd strip it myself and send the barreled action minus scope, rings, stock etc....

I was also looking at this from a drop off service where there was no shipping involved. Forgot all about the ATF requirements and all that other crap. A guy does have to make a living and I do understand a minimum charge of say 1/2 hour or so.

About three months ago I called a local smith that lives here in Brandon about shortening and recrowning a Savage barrel. I told him I would bring just the barrel to him, and he wanted $100.00 to do it. To me, that is robbery. I can ship the thing out of state, get the job done from someone with a national reputation and return shipping cheaper than that... After talking with the guy for a few more minutes, I don't think I would even let him wipe the rifle off. He sounded like he didn't have a clue about guns.