So, I picked up this rifle for a song. I've been looking for one in good shape for a while, and they are both rare and spendy. So, everything is very good on this one except one issue.

The owner used low Buehler scope mounts. These are really low and intended for the 1960's scopes with 32mm objectives.

Someone put a larger objective scope on it and instead of getting the right height rings they took a file to the barrel right where the rear sight would be. They filed a flat there the mostly removed the dovetail on the muzzle side. It's about 1" long and not quite the depth of the sight cut. Crude and very rude, IMO.

So, I ask how best to deal with this issue? My thoughts are to either mill it flat and solder a filler on then contour it to match the barrel. Or I'm toying with carefully welding it up, then contouring it.

What do you guys think? If I could find an original barrel for a fair price, I'd do that. Would an aftermarket barrel just kill the value of the rifle? It's 80-85% as it sits minus this barrel problem. This issue doesn't hurt it as a shooter, it isn't a safety issue, but looks like hell.

Jeremy

My guess - With that hack job, it will have little collector value or even normal gun value.

My instinct tells me that welding and contouring would work. I am no expert. Just an opinion

Are you trying to mount a rear sight? Or are you just interested in aesthetics and collector value?

I guess if it were me, I'd just mill it straight so it looks a little better and go shoot it. I'm not a collector though...

How about fitting a nice ring mounted rear sight to cover up Bubba.Maybe even a soldered on base. I'd avoid welding.

Maybe mill a flat appropriate for a Skinner Sight ?

http://www.skinnersights.com/

Good policy to NOT be welding on a barrel.

Barrel makers use steel with alloys to make drilling, reaming, cutting or button rifling the barrel easier, and doing so makes poor welds.

I have a bit of chrome moly barrel blanks from a well known barrel maker that I use for shop material.
Rejects with misdrilled holes, wayward holes, broken off reamers etc..

It makes great spacer and bushing material already having a hole in it and is easy to drill larger, however welds usually crack upon cooling w/o preheat and a lot of hassle where regular 4140 wouldn't do that. Plus there tends to be voids in the weld too from those additives.

And you know welding on one side of a barrel it is going to shrink when the weld cools, putting a bow in your barrel.

As long as there are no safety issues with the rifle use it as is.

One does not have to worry about reducing it's value any more.

I like buying firearms like this they are very usable and one can pick them up cheap.

I'd pass on welding, but maybe consider adding a ghost ring if the added milling was minor. Or blue the scar and just shoot the rifle as is.

Yeah! Shoot it as is.

How about this: Extend the dovetail, drive an oversized slug into the slot, file it to match the barrel contour, and then polish and blue the slug. If you soldered the slug in place, you could re-cut the rear sight dovetail and re-insert the rear sight. That would camouflage the fix.

Of course, it might be hard to match the barrel blue. Might screw up the barrel harmonics and adversely affect accuracy, too. But might be worth a try.

Either that or just rebarrel it with a new replacement barrel of the same countour.

Collector value is not a consideration at this point.

I wouldn’t want a rifle that’s been bubba’ed up like that. To me, a thing that ugly would have to be fixed.

Yeah, unless I could source an original barrel, the value sounds like it is just a shooter. Which is fine. I don't collect rifles that I can't shoot.

My problem is it looks like hell, and I have enough pride that I do not want someone to think I did such a sad thing to an otherwise sweet rifle.

The barrel band Duane suggests is intriguing. That would have a nice look to it and be easy to do.

I do want to put a rear sight back on it. The scope I put on has clearance for the original folding sight.

Whatever I do, it will need to be blued so it matches.

So barrel band or solder on a filler block to contour back to original. I'll have to recut the dovetail with any repair. I know you guys get all cringey when welding on a barrel is suggested. I'll just say that I think it can be done just fine with the right technique and process.

More sitting, drinking beer, and thinking on the problem in my future I believe.

Jeremy

Take a look a the NECG website..you may find a band that can be fitted without much fuss...unless there's an immoveable front sight!

In which case, they also have a wide variety of solder on bases.

Welding is really to be avoided.

The front is just screwed on I believe. I'll take a look at NECG. I'm thinking something that I can contour to a Pre-64 Winchester barrel knot profile should work. Small and subtle.

Damn you Bubba!!! But I did get a usable and fun rifle. Just have to make it look good.

Jeremy

Here are a couple of options that haven't been mentioned.

I have a 99F that I re-barreled to 338/284. PacNor did the barrel and duplicated the original contour. They should still have that information but not sure what their status is. I have it set up as a switch barrel so I can use either cartridge in it.

A 308 Savage 99 barrel is easily found. You could rechamber it to 30/284. The 284 wildcats are close to 30/06 based cartridges.

You might have to make rotor modifications to feed properly but I can explain what needs to be done and how to modify the rotor to take a cartridge over .25" longer than the standard 284.

You might want to take a look at a pre-million Savage 99F barrel. They have a "doughnut" similar to the Model 70. (They are square thread and a smaller diameter than the newer rifles so you can't use those barrels on yours).

If it gets rebarreled, I'll go .284. That's the one I was after. I have a .308 99C already. Good info on Pac-Nor. They were rebuilding, but I have no idea how far along they are.

One of these days I'll snag a .358, but that day hasn't come yet.

Jeremy

Pac-Nor is very close to being up and running, they may be already.