Gunsmithing Cost to rebarrel

[BigSky]

I've asked something similar on other forums and get all kinds of well-intentioned but convoluted answers involving multiple different things. Perhaps it's how I word the question. I will try to make it as concise as I can.

I have a 260 CTR, blued if that matters, that I picked up cheap because of a "shot out barrel". I'm thinking of having it re-barreled. I've never had a rifle re-barreled. Assuming I pick up a take-off barrel (so that cost is out of the question) and take the rifle with shot out 260 barrel and new 6.5 take-off barrel into a gunsmith, what would be the cost to rebarrel this set-up? I know different smiths will charge different amounts; so, I'm just trying to ballpark this. If the cost makes sense, I will do so, otherwise, I can easily sell the action and get my money back. Thanks in advance.

 

[dirthead1]

I asked a similar question of a gunsmith not long ago, but it was to install a prefit (already chambered and threaded) barrel to a Tikka action. He was at $100 to remove the old barrel and screw on the new and check headspace. If headspace was off and an adjustment needed to be made, the price would increase.

 

[crunchy]

For a basic barrel no fluting or muzzy brake, I would say 500ish. That would be a quality barrel. Time for turnaround will be about 3 months or tad more.

 

[spife7980]

If the new 6.5 takeoff head spaces correctly then its simply screwing the old one off, the new one on and then checking with the headspace gauge it to verify it head spaces correctly. You can get an action wrench for around 60 and a barrel vice for around 60 and a headspace gauge for around 30 and do all that and check it yourself.

If it doesnt and needs to screw into the action more then he has to cut the shoulder back to allow it to screw in deeper.
If it doesnt and its too short then the chamber needs to be recut deeper.
Doing either of these will require putting it in a lathe and cutting, thats going to drive the cost up.

If you buy that take off and the smith has to cut it for proper fit then I would say its probably worth it to just have him cut on a new aftermarket barrel, its going to be a couple hundred so why sink that money into a factory tube (no matter how well tikkas shoot from the facotry) when you could spend 200 more and have a fresh new tube of your exact choosing.


So take off for 100 plus the equipement to take on and off and check yourself is going to be around 250
A take off for 100 plus the smith checking and it works like desired then it will be around 100 maybe like dirthead said.
If it needs work thats 100 for the takeoff and then 200-300 to cut it maybe for 300-400 all in.
New aftermarket tube by a smith is usually around 300 for the barrel and then 300 for chambering for 600 all in. You can go up or down depending on the quality of the barrel and how proud your smith is of his work.

 

[BigSky]

Thanks all and especially spife7980. That is the most concise and helpful explanation I've received.