I have a Remington VSF with a 26" barrel. I love the rifle but have hated that long barrel since the moment I bought it. It would be my perfect rig with a 20" barrel. What is a fair price to cut and recrown a medium weight stainless barrel at a COMPETENT gunshop? Thanks

I would think $100 or less would cover it.

George

$80 at my gunsmiths

If you aren't moving the front sight back, a $100 to $150 will get you many highly regarded gunsmiths. A machinist with the right tools can do this type of work easy enough so, that may be a local option.

Cutting a medium weight sporter barrel can affect barrel harmonics and accuracy though so, I would not say it is totally risk free no matter who you take it too.

Most gunsmiths charges are based on the average time it takes them to do a job.

Locally (Phoenix, AZ), if you deal with them directly, they charge $65/hr. for machine time...$80/hr. for bench time. Assembly and disassembly of rifles are bench time, cutting and crowning are machine time.

So, I would say if you take it to a gunsmith as just a barreled action, it should be about $75 maximum at those rates.

If he does it through the headstock it generally requires removing the barrel from the action. With a barrel-vice and "inside the action" action wrench, removing and re-installing a Remington barrel should take a maximum of 5-to-10 minutes. And any competent machine operator can set-up, cut and crown the barrel in another 10-15 minutes.

Of course, if you take him the rifle completely assembled in its stock, it will take him a few minutes more bench time, but he still won't have an hour total of actual work time in it to do the whole thing.

Obviously, if he has to do other work such as remove and replace a front sight, you are starting to look at considerably more time and money.

If you could live with a 22 inch barrel I charge $50 to shorten and recrown. I have a quick set-up for that thru the headstock. I need 22 inches to go thru the headstock. If I have to remove the barrel, about $75.....Tom

Jay, Bring it down and it will cost you lunch.

Dan, I like the way you think! Looks like a road trip is in order as soon as the ice melts.

I'll show you how to do it and you'll do the work yourself. Lathe work is fun. Bring your 450 and some catriges. We'll make a day of it. Maybe Milan and his 450 can come play.