OK, now that we all have a good idea of which cartridges push the heavy bullets best, let's address the other part of his project. He wants long barrel life.

What I would like to know is whether we could build rifles like this with the intent to re-chamber them in a logical progression. We start with a small chamber and when the throat erosion & cracking become significant we remove the barrel and ream out the offending portion. We'd probably be wise to begin with a long action for the additional magazine length that will come in handy later. A little bolt face alteration should be expected eventually.

Maybe the barrel would not fry too far up to prevent "recycling" it with ever-larger chamber reamers until we get maybe 3 or 4 chamberings out of it.

Could someone map out a sensible approach to this theory? Fjold's thread has been quite interesting reading. Thanks.

Paul

Actually what I was thinking is that since barrels wear out from the throat working forward, I would start with a 28-30" full diameter barrel. Then, every other year I would take the barrel off and cut an inch off of the back of the chamber, then re-thread the shank and rechamber it for the same caliber.

Will this work?

It will work as long as there is enough metal to support the chamber.

Sporter barrels will not work of course.

If I were going to do this I would use a barrel with no taper, wich means the muzzel of the barrel will be the same out side diamiter as the chamber end.

This will probably only work once, since the rifling will start to wash out before you can do it again.

OK, goin' for the Howell right off the bat.

Paul

My face is red, and yes, that's a funny color for an ugly old mug with egg all over it! Without any intention of shunning anybody, I've simply overlooked my formerly regular visits to this forum. No excuse.

I'll try to look in more frequently. And I'm grateful to the fellow here who came over to the 24-hour campfire to remind me.

Questions about my .220 Howell have been piling-up here -- sometimes well answered by others, sometimes left hanging. I'll try to answer them in future visits, since I probably know more than anybody else about the cartridge, the interior-ballistics rationale behind the design, how it performs, and what it offers that no other cartridge delivers.

Meanwhile, if you want to ask me directly, you're sure welcome to use the renamed forum now called "Ask the Gunwriters" (to include my worthy colleagues John Barsness, Steve Timm, and Colonel Tom Turpin) here:
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=Howell