Barrel life and re-birth...

TXBRASS

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jun 23, 2009
402
1
45
Shiner, TEXAS
When a barrel is "shot-out", isn't this referring mainly to the chamber area? If a barrel (referring to custom stainless like a Bartlein) is remachined and the chamber is moved forward and threads recut, is this pretty much a new barrel? Is there much wear that actually takes place in the rifling of the barrel or is it mainly in the chamber/throat? Just have some old Palma barrels I want to turn into hunting rifles for my step sons... Your thoughts please...
 
That is my take on it. My smith is rechambering a 6.5 barrel for me. One of his fclass customers shot it out and didn't want it any more so we are taking 4in off the barrel and rechambering/threading it in 6.5saum. The rifling through te barrel is still strong just the neck of the chamber started to push forward
 
from what i understand talking to my smith is that the throat erodes and that is what causes the problems. if the throat is not eroded too badly or the lands moved too far forward sure you can rechamber
 
It depends on how much errosion there is and how far you can move the chamber. You also have to remember you typlicall will not double the life of the barrel you just extend it. By how long is hard to say b/c that is determined by the original condition, caliber ect. But you can usually get several hundred more rounds before the accuracy startes going away again.
 
I agree with the above statements. If you clean a "shot-out" barrel and look down the bore from the breech with a good backlight you can usually see the condition of the lands/grooves. A tight patch on a cleaning rod might give you a clue how far the fire-cracked/frosted steel goes. If you or a local smith has one you can see what's what with a borescope too.