Gunsmithing thinking about cutting my barrel...

[jayd4wg]

Deer season is officially over and only thing left on this ticket is maybe a dog or two (with the 22mag, close range) and spring turks. Leaving me with the chance to do some mods on the Marlin 308 XS7 rifle.

First off, I totally understand the benefits of shortening the barrel from an accuracy, weight, and "maneuverability/portability" standpoint, and that's the driving force behind my wanting to do it.

My big concern is the sporter weight barrel. at the tip of the 22" barrel, it measures .588, and 4" down from the muzzle measures .636

What I'd *LIKE* to do is take it down to 18 or 18.5, thread the last half inch and have a smooth contour nut, and a muzzle brake made for it (just a tubular slotted brake) with total length not to exceed 20"

Do you think the barrel is thick enough to support a screw on break? or should I just have the barrel cut and crowned as is, and forego the brake?

I've seen lots of bull and heavy contour barrels cut to 18-20" but never a sporter weight. Anyone on here done one?

Taking 4" off the barrel will be a <span style="text-decoration: line-through">big</span> help in this gun in the tight PA woods.

 

[USMCj]

Re: thinking about cutting my barrel...

Chop it doen to 18 and forget the brake.

 

[jayd4wg]

Re: thinking about cutting my barrel...

key reason for the brake was for my 6yr old son to be able to shoot it. his eye's ain't so good and his glasses usually cause him to move a little closer to the scope than I'd like. I usually fit his rifle with a red dot so we don't have to worry about scope eye...but the 308 bucks a little more than anything else he's shot yet.

 

[USMCj]

Re: thinking about cutting my barrel...

In that case Im sure you can find a Vias brake to fit your barrel contour.

 

[McLarenross]

Re: thinking about cutting my barrel...

Thats not very much shoulder for a .625x24 thread but you could get it threaded 9/16x24 or 1/2x28. Its not ideal but is not a bad thing really. Or you could have it threaded .625x24 a bit long and have a jam nut made so the brake has a shoulder to seat against. In short it is very doable to shorted, thread, and brake that barrel.

 

[Top Cat]

Re: thinking about cutting my barrel...

Your young man would be better served with a lighter load... say a 125 gr NBT at 2400 fps to start out with. No sense roughing the little guy up more than necessary. Remington makes a low recoil load but I don't recall if it is loaded down that far. That load would be plenty for deer to 300 yards and it's a less complicated and noisy solution than the brake.

Another issue is the length of pull. Marlin makes a youth stock, or a Win 70 can be made to work. Let him have his own stock and ammo supply...or...Marlins are cheap, he can have his own rifle. I'm originally from Carrick myself...if I was still there I would load you up a few boxes, no problem.

TC

 

[stillbuster]

Re: thinking about cutting my barrel...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Top Cat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Your young man would be better served with a lighter load... say a 125 gr NBT at 2400 fps to start out with. No sense roughing the little guy up more than necessary. Remington makes a low recoil load but I don't recall if it is loaded down that far. That load would be plenty for deer to 300 yards and it's a less complicated and noisy solution than the brake.

Another issue is the length of pull. Marlin makes a youth stock, or a Win 70 can be made to work. Let him have his own stock and ammo supply...or...Marlins are cheap, he can have his own rifle. I'm originally from Carrick myself...if I was still there I would load you up a few boxes, no problem.

TC </div></div>


Dont make it any harder on him than it has to be.
I learned the hard way as my son got frustrated at first trying to shoot his moms rifle.
Then I wised up.
I bought him a used 700 in 270 for $350 it came with Leupold 1 piece base and rings, Sold the wood stock and bottom metal for $150, bought a used youth stock for $75 off of gunbroker, cut the barrel back to 20" and recrowned, coated with brownells moly resin, topped it off with a Leupy 3-9x40 and bought three boxes of Remington Managed Recoil.
I have never seen your son shoot but from teaching new shooters it seems a common thing for them to "crawl" the stock at first, I believe this is a direct result of the stock being to long.
IMHO the best scenario is:
Get some Remington Managed Recoil (the three deer we have shot with it have dropped in their tracks)
Get a youth stock, then decide if you want to chop the barrel after you see how he handles it.
I would personally shy away from a brake for a youth.

The way he is growing all I will have to do is drop it in a full size stock and he can keep on shooting.