I'm seriously considering starting up shop to offer re-chambers for contenders, and encores. I'd first thought of going into the barrel making market, but figure offering re-chambers, muzzle breaks and thread in conversions would give me a chance to get my feet wet first, so to speek, not to mention reducing my initial investment.

What I'd be looking at offering are chambers based on the 221, TCU's, X50R's and X444's. Initially I'd be looking at 22's, 6.5's, 7's, 30's and 35's, and future to include 24's and 25's.

Just wondering how many folks out there are looking for re-chambers, especially if turn around could be kept to a minimum? It'll be a few months before I'd be up and running.

Paul-
You could certainly count me in...

Paul-
One thing you may already be doing (or else may want to consider): collecting e-mail addresses of parties interested in your work. Once you have a flyer, ad or website, you could just mass e-mail it out to spread the word.

You are welcome to put mine on the list: btomek@gvec.net

John
I'm not in the need for a rechamber right now but I would give you a shot if I did.
Rich Jake

PaulH:
I may be interested in the future. Don't need any rechambers now.

Outback

Since it'll be a part time venture, I'm looking at 5-10 re-chambers a month. My goal is a relatively quick turn around. I figure there is enough work out there to make it worth my wile, I just wanted to get some feedback from the folks here.

I will be putting together a website, actually the business end of it is what concerns me, as that is the part I know little about. The mechanics of the work is pretty straight forward, and as a fellow contender nut, I think I have a feel for the market.

I would be in for that.
Will you be able to do CUSTOM chambers from a dummy round. or special throating? or just saammi stuff?
Eiehter way I would use you.
Fireball

Another source of rechambers sounds great, what is shipping to AK gona be like compared to the rest of the US??

LouisB

Paul,

If you could follow Mike Bellm's nuanced method of rechambering 22lr ro 22wmr, you'd have a consistant business I believe, from rimfire varminters everywhere

Also, a good re-chamber idea for all those T/C 14" 17HMR barrels that are popping up. 17 Mach IV, 17 Ackley Hornet, ???

Paul - I don't want to put a kink in your venture, however, you mentioned you are unsure of the business end of things. Don't over look the liability you will be taking on by offering re-chambers to the public. I do not know if you are required to carry any insurance where you are from for selling a product to the public, may be worth your while to look into. I wish you all the goodness in the world in your venture, and certainly do not want to see a potentially good future company get run into the ground because of some "idiot and other moron". All it will take is one serious accident, the right lawyer, and someone looking for easy street to make life hard.

Paul, I just finished having SSK rechamber a .30 Herrett Super 14 to .30-30 Ackley Improved for me, so I am caught up with my wants for now, if that is ever possible.

However if I come up with a Super 14 in .357 Herrett or .35 Remington I have been toying with the idea of rechambering it for something a little more reloader friendly and with a little more horse power in the process.

So it is possible you could count me in too in the future.

Larry

Maybe you could do NEF Handi-rifles too. Over on the NEF page many of the guys would like to get aftermarket rechambers. I know I would for mine.

Shipping to AK. I have everything shipped 2nd day air guarrented delivery. I am still waiting for one that was shipped on Saturday! You should get your postage back if it does not arrive on time. Not sure about the big city though.

I find that Priority Mail is quite reliable, faster than UPS ground, and for packages under about 4 pounds or so, cheaper than UPS. Those in AK correct me if I am wrong, but it appears AK mail goes directly to Portland or Seattle and on to AK.

We need more folks doing this type of work.... and doing it right.

I'm all for it, but more so more new blood like Mike Sirois entering the field with new barrels. The time is ripe. I understand distributors shelves are pretty slim on barrels, custom barrels are more expensive than they need to be, and rechambering is still one of the most viable means of getting good performance.

I am only one person with limitations to deal with, and there is certainly more work out there than I could ever handle.

Keep your throat diameters minimum, with a long leade angle, and everything lined up with the bore. Keep chamber diameters just a few thous. smaller than what the size dies size to. Do this and you will create a lot of silk purses from a whole lot of ill-concieved sow's ears. You might even put something of a brake on the barrel roulette wheel.

Mike

Paul, where are you in AK?

Mike

Thanks for all the replies, and the questions. I'll see if I can catch them all.

This is what I'd be looking at offering, contender only: 17 K hornet, 22 K hornet, 221 fireball, 6mm, 25, 6.5mm, 7mm and 30's on the 221, 6mm, 25, 6.5mm, 7mm and 30's on the TCU and X50R, 6.5, 7, 30 and 35 X 444 and 357 mag thru max. I also want to try what I plan on calling the 357 NE, a X50R blown straight. I've contacted Starline to see if they can make a 2" 357 case, which will provide a domestic supply of X50R cases, haven't heard back yet.

Guess I'll have to add a 22 WMR reamer as well, and it looks like I missed the 17 Mk IV, so suppose one of those reamers will be handy depending on demand to open up the 17 HRM's.

Encores would be all the above and 22, 24, 25, 6.5, 7, 30 and 35 BR, 22, 24, 25, 6.5, 7, 30 and 35 on the .308/.307

After some testing, I'll be offering integral muzzle brakes.

I don't plan to offer anything beyond that at this point. I think that will cover what can best be achieved on the two frames without going to exspensive and exotic dies. I will be offering custom necking and throating. I know that if I try to offer everything to everyone, that I'll end up with unhappy customers. My goal is to find a balance of offering what most folks want, and doing it well. I plan to include a re-crown with all re-chambers, as I believe that will insure the customer will be happy with the results, I just don't see going to the effort of making a good chamber and having the results never realized due to a poor crown.

I will make my best effort to fast turn arounds, and communicating with customers when there are delays. I will also be implementing order sheets so it is clear exactly what the customer wants, and a copy will be returned with the barrel.

Shipping to AK shouldn't be that bad, I use Priority mail, and with insurance, it shouldn't be more then $15 each way. It's been awhile since I shipped a barrel so I don't recall exactly what the costs are. I'm just outside of Anchorage, and other then the Holidays crunch, packages almost always make it at or under 3 days.

One of my shooting buddies, and a contender hunter, is an attorney, so we'll be discussing issues regarding liabilty and what I can do to protect myself. My wife is also a Juris Doctorate, so has a good understanding of the issues as well.

Mike has been very kindly providing some tips to me, and from both personal experience, and theoretical understanding, I think he is spot on for what makes break open pistols tick.

Oh yeah, I plan to do the screw in conversions as well, but not sure how the economics will shake out.

Rich,

Please use the PM feature, my e-mail account is blocked due to massive qty's of junk mail, and I have yet to start a new one.

You hit the nail on the head with the two rounds I'm personally most curious about trying

I've been looking at another route to go with the 6.5, and made up some dummy cases last night. I don't think a 14" barrel can effectively burn the powder housed in a 444 case with a 6.5 bore. So, I looked at a shallow chambered 6.5X55. The swede base is slightly larger in dia then the various .473" head rounds, and sinking the chamber somewhere between .25" and .30" shallow provides a case with a capacity right in line with the JDJ. It looks like the best way to make brass will be with .307 win's, the 444 could be used trimmed to 2". The only downside of the desing is the swede case has a fair bit of taper. The upside is the cheap lee 6.5X55 RGB dies when cut back .30" at the base easily form the cases, and the seater works fine as is.

The easy one would be just using the .260 rem sunk a bit deeper ala the Bellm X444's, but I'd prefer a case with less capacity.

I actually think the round might have more promise in the encore. Looking at various data for the BR, IHMSA and .308 based rounds, I think the .308 is really too big for the 15" tubes, yet the BR's don't hold quite enough powder.

As far as a 2" 357 NE, I think this will be an awesome round. I will be playing with some 5.56X50R brass to see what is possible, I'm thinking it will clean up around 1.9" long. There is something to be said for running the contender at 55 kpsi, which one can with the smaller dia cases, when dropping down to 45 kspsi for the 30/30, 225, 307 and 444, you loose some serious performance. The only downside of the X50R is the brass isn't common, and I don't personally care for necking a 22 up that much. With a 2" basic case to play with, I think contender folks will have some interesting possibilities.

Paul you have a PM.
Rich Jake

TC/Nimrod
Do you Personally know a After market gun smith that has Insurance?
Most do not. I see know reason for paul to be different. I hope this TC crowd is not full of Comunist that love Wastful lawsuites.
lawsuites can ONLY destroy or sport
Fireball

Fireball - no, that's why I bold faced I do not know . I do not know a think about gunsmithing, that's why I wanted Paul H. to think about the different aspects of business ownership. I can speak on that behalf. Unfortunately, as Paul stated (which I'm glad to see you're thinking, Paul)the world is not a pretty place. People like you and I are willing to overlook certain situations, but not everyone is as "smart "as we are .

Give me copper, water, and a compressor I'll make it snow in your house in July; give me a barrel and tell me to make something else with it and..........we are all in trouble!

Paul H

quote:

---

I don't expect any of the contender shooters who'd be interested in my services to be of the type that would bring frivelous suits. I figure my best protection is catering to a clientel that simply doesn't resort to such things.

---

The only problem I see is the secondary market. Alot of Contender shooters don't hang onto there rechambered barrels forever. The rechambered barrel coud end up in the hands of some one who might not think twice about filing a lawsuit if the gun blows up in there hands. They will have to blame someone, even if it was there fault. If your name is on the barrel, YOUR IT
I am not trying to discourage you, just trying to point out a problem that could happen. Good Luck, Lone Hunter

That was my thought too, Lone Hunter. Maybe just go generic and not leave your finger prints (logo) on it?

I'm thinking of doing some rechamber's myself but this is the area that has me a bit concerned. I may end up just working for friends or what not. It will probably be enough just to start buying up .22 hornet barrels to make into something else for myself. :-)

Steve

P.S. - the hornet barrel comment was a bit tongue in cheak. I know how hare the carbine hornet's are to come by.