Not being very familiar with the way to chamber rifle barrels is it an acceptable practice to open up a chamber while the barrel is installed in the action?

I recently aquired a XP100 chambered in 6PPC and would like to open it up to 243Win.

Thanks,

hangunnr

Not a good idea.

Lengthening a chamber that much requires the removal of quite a bit of material from the existing chamber, and that just isn’t real practical with the barrel attached to the receiver.

Cutting a full length chamber as opposed to final headspacing one with a hand turned reamer is allot different.

gunner

If you have the right equipment it is possible to chamber a barrel while still screwed in the action. But the average shop doesn't have the tools. Rick is right. Also, be aware that conversion from PPC to 243 might require a bolt face alteration if it has not already been done. What's wrong with a PPC? In the right barrel and with the right bullets a PPC can be a 500 to 600 yard cartridge. It won't shoot the heavier bullets like a 243 will but if you're looking for a varmint rifle they're hard to beat. Another option to consider would be to re-chamber to the 6 BR. A good gunsmith could do this without removing the barrel but if you intend to have a smith do the work he will probably remove the barrel regardless.

Ray

quote:

What's wrong with a PPC?

That question crossed my mind as well.

I don’t know...call me crazy...but the set up for doing this would be far more time consuming and complicated than just pulling the damned barrel off, wouldn’t it?

Rick

I agree. i assume he wants to do the rechamber hisself and doesn't have a vise and wrench to remove the barrel. In some small towns, like where I live, the local gun butcher wants $75 or $80 just to remove a barrel. I've had guys come to me and I loosen a barrel for them for nothing. Of course I don't do it for a living but, as you know, it takes about 5 minutes.

Ray

Pull that barrel & do it right. Don't take shortcuts that you may well be sorry for afterwards.

quote:

quote:
What's wrong with a PPC?



That question crossed my mind as well.

Me three.

An XP and the 6mm PPC chambering go together like oreo cookies and cold milk.

lawndart

quote:

Originally posted by Cheechako:
Rick

I agree. i assume he wants to do the rechamber hisself and doesn't have a vise and wrench to remove the barrel. In some small towns, like where I live, the local gun butcher wants $75 or $80 just to remove a barrel. I've had guys come to me and I loosen a barrel for them for nothing. Of course I don't do it for a living but, as you know, it takes about 5 minutes.

Ray

Ray, sounds like you’re as big of a sucker as I am sometimes!

Even with the barrel off you’re still going to have to have some way of turning the barrel at an rpm high enough to keep the reamer from chattering, and something to push the reamer with...and I think they call that tool a lathe!!!!!

Trying to cut a full length chamber by hand turning a reamer ain’t the easiest thing to do barrel on or barrel off.

Thanks for the replies.

There isn't anything wrong with the PPC chambering. I already have a XP in 6BR so I'm pretty well covered in the tack driver department.

I picked up this barreled action for a good price. The barrel had been replaced but not marked as to what caliber it is. I did a chamber cast and found it to be the PPC. I was really hoping it would have turned out to be a BR as I'm already set for loading gear. I would like to turn this into a deer level hunting gun and the .243 Win is just fine for the farms I have to hunt.

I'm without a local smith to do this work for me. As much as I like to add new tools to my collection I really don't want to get involved in setting up to pull barrels right now.

Can anyone recommend a competent smith in the northern Indiana area who could do this rechamber right the first time. I may also opt for a refinish if the price is right.

hangunnr