BLR front sight canted

10 June 2003, 13:12

Recoil Rob

The front sight and ramp are canted a few degrees right. They're screwed in so resoldering is not an option.

Short version of a long story...

6 years ago I had this gun rebored from a 30-06 to a 35 Whelen in anticipation of a hunt.

Big name re-borer promised the gun back in 4 months. Needless to say it took over a year, had to use another gun for the hunt.

When this one finally came back I gave it a quick look and put it away. I had a bad taste left from experience so I haven't looked at it since.
Finally took it out last week to get it ready for the coming fall and noticed the sight. It's canted perhaps 3deg. right.

BLR' s lock up in the receiver so I imagine it's just a matter of turning the barrel in 2-3 degrees. Would this affect the headspace enough that it would require deepening the chamber?

There's no way I'm sending it back so it's my problem now. It probably won't make that much of a difference under 100yds. it's just a back up used with a peep and I imagine it might not be such a big deal, but I know it's wrong and I notice it every time I look down the barrel.

The barrel shank is 1.177" and the receiver is a big slab sided affair so I suppose turning it shouldn't be too difficult.

Anyone know a good riflesmith in the southern NY- western CT area?

Thanks, Rob

10 June 2003, 16:04

<G.Malmborg>

RR,

It sounds like the barrel just wasn't pulled up all the way. Pulling it up 2-3 degrees probably won't adversely affect the headspace much. It will tighten it up some but it's better to have the headspace a little on the tight side than a little loose.

Good luck,

Malm

10 June 2003, 16:11

Recoil Rob

That's what I hope will ultimately be the outcome, but I've realized that BLR's are pretty tempermental when it comes to cartridges being too long, they won't go bang.

BTW what's the procedure for reboring?
Index mark the barrel/receiver, remove barrel, rebore, rechamber? Does the headspace get checked before the barrel is reinstalled? And being from the same parent cartridge, do they just recut the throat?>

Thanks, Rob

10 June 2003, 18:52

<G.Malmborg>

RR,

You got it, that's about what they do. Since you will be utilizing the same body, then all they would need to do is cut the neck and throat. Headspace should remain the same. Protocol requires verifying that the headspace is correct prior to releasing the weapon back to the owner.

Good luck,

Malm

11 June 2003, 03:07

Recoil Rob

quote:
Originally posted by G.Malmborg:
RR,

You got it, that's about what they do. Since you will be utilizing the same body, then all they would need to do is cut the neck and throat. Headspace should remain the same. Protocol requires verifying that the headspace is correct prior to releasing the weapon back to the owner.

Good luck,

Malm

So, assuming the headspace was correct to begin with, then it should follow that if all they did was cut the neck and throat headspace should be OK if the barrel is turned back to it's original depth?

If this is true then the headspace is probably a touch excessive right, now since the barrel wasn't turned in all the way?

11 June 2003, 05:13

<G.Malmborg>

Sure, depending on how far the sights are off from being TDC, you could have excess headspace. For this caliber, there is .004 between go and no go on the gauge. The original chamber could have been cut to the edge of either of these "gauge" boundries. To know exactly what the headspace is, you would need to pull the barrel and measure it.

Malm