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To cut up a 40X rifle or not?

To cut up a 40X rifle or not?

  • yes

    Votes: 8 38.1%
  • no

    Votes: 8 38.1%
  • are you crazy, these are rare and collectable

    Votes: 3 14.3%
  • who cares, it is just an old rifle

    Votes: 2 9.5%

  • Total voters
    21

Adam B

Gunny Sergeant
Supporter
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Mar 7, 2005
    4,355
    1,785
    47
    grand rapids, michigan
    www.adamboynton.com
    I just picked up a 40x rifle that is in pretty good shape, it has the redfield sights, original stock and 40x trigger. The question I pose to you guys is should I cut it down or not?
     
    Adam,
    You could always throw a new barrel on it and save the old one. If at a later date you could put it back to it's original configuration if you have done nothing else to it. An aftermarket stock could also be used for the same purpose, the value of these guns continues to amaze me. After it is all said and done it's yours to do what you want.
     
    Adam,
    You could always throw a new barrel on it and save the old one. If at a later date you could put it back to it's original configuration if you have done nothing else to it. An aftermarket stock could also be used for the same purpose, the value of these guns continues to amaze me. After it is all said and done it's yours to do what you want.

    Bingo, a benchmark 2 groove will shoot better anyway.
     
    Some older .22 barrels have a "choke point" at the muzzle and will not be nearly as accurate if cut down. I would slug the barrel and see what it is like before cutting it.


    --Daniel
     
    I was going to cut my sako p54 and my smith said "if it shoots as good as I think it does, then I wouldn't even think about cutting it." Hey 007 can you tell us more about the "choke point?" My smith said something about that also, he said it was like a "jug choke" ??? We spent the next 3 hours playing with the p54 and tried MANY different brands of ammo and needless to say the barrel is still full length.
     
    I don't know much more than that. I slugged my cz455 barrel before I had it threaded and it has a choke point in the last inch or so. To slug a barrel, just carefully pull a bullet (lead) out of a shell. Put your bore guide in and force it through the barrel. If it has a choke point, you will feel it.

    Most quality aftermarket barrels do not have choke points. Instead they are actually tapered bores gradually getting slightly tighter the entire length of the barrel.

    Something else to consider is that when threading a barrel you are turning it down from .920 to .500. Removing that much metal can cause the bore to loosen up, so if you lose accuracy after threading a rimfire, you know why.

    I learned everything I know about rimfire rifles from Nadscott on the sniper central forums. He is an absolute genius with rimfires and has owned most of the major brand quality .22's. I don't know whether he is on here or not.


    --Daniel
     
    Something else to consider is that when threading a barrel you are turning it down from .920 to .500. Removing that much metal can cause the bore to loosen up, so if you lose accuracy after threading a rimfire, you know why.

    This is especially true on a button rifled or CHF barrel as they have more residual stresses in them than a cut rifled barrel.
     
    Daniel, that is great info, I may just end up selling it. I dont really care for old guns and I would rather have someone who truly appreciates it own it

    Don't sell it to me then. If I bought it, I'd hack it up and treat it like the dirty whore that it is.
     
    FWIW, I paid $1500 for a near mint 40x about 2 years ago. You may get top $ is you list it on gun-joker.