Hello,

I traded off a Rem700VS in .223 for a Ruger 77MkII VT in .22-250, and I'd like to have it rechambered for Ackley Improved. Is this any more involved than on a Remington action, and roughly how much should I expect it to cost? I realize the price is going to vary a bit based on locale and gunsmith, but still I'm kind of looking for a min/max sort of range to anticipate (btw, I'm in north central Washington state).

Thanks,

Monte

The deal is that, unless you have the barrel set back you cannot get the correct headspace. Because the headspace changes on the center of the datum line, which is the center of the shoulder on both cases. What all this means is the barrel has to be removed and the shoulder machined.
I'd say you're looking at $75.00 to chamber it and another $75-$100 to set the barrel back. Ballpark figures.

I don't have a problem w/ having the barrel set back to establish headspace. I figure it'll give me a little more of a lease on life anyway, by giving me a bit o' new throat area to work on

So ~$150-175 total. About what I guessed, but I wasn't sure if I remembered right.

The problem might be finding a gunsmith around here willing to do it. The ones I talked to about my 700VS in .308 this last year didn't want to just yank off the barrel, set it back a bit (yes, I know that entails recutting the threads and the barrel shoulder, among other things) and run a match reamer in (this gun has the most atrocious jump; it shouldn't be able to hit the broadside of a barn from the inside, but it shoots great?!?). The few I talked to claimed it wouldn't be worth it (to whom I wonder, them or me?) unless I got a whole new barrel and had the action trued up at the same time. Just an extra $400-500+ worth of parts and work :/ Maybe this will turn out better ( I hope )

Thanks,

Monte

It sounds like you only want/need to set the barrel on the Ruger back about one thread. And on the Remington, you needed to set the barrel back an inch or so which means new threads, counterbore, lots of chamber reaming, etc.
If this were a Rem that needed only 1 thread/rechamber, I would guess $75-$100 would be a fair price. Caution: a lot of 'smiths don't do it correctly, they simply run the AI reamer into the existing chamber and end up with excessive headspace and/or a funny looking shoulder.
I'm just a hobby guy that plays with Remingtons and have opinions.

Monte,

From a machining standpoint, the only difference between the Ruger and a Remington of similar caliber, is the addition of the bolt nose recess on the Remington barrel once it is set back. Price for the machine and chamber work could range somewhere between $85.00 and $150.00 plus freight.

Malm

Milanuk,
This conversion is well worth the effort!Never have I seen a bullet shoot so flat. Check your e-mail.
Stepchild

Monte, talk to Elzie Scott at One Shot Firearms. He knows a very good up and coming metalsmith in Brewster and he speaks very highly of him.