i am going to be in hayden idaho in a couple of weeks and was wondering if there is any good shops or smiths around there that could rechamber a barrel for me?

Don't know if you are going to find any closer, otherwise Dennis Olson is in Plains, MT - "just" down the Interstate 90...
- mike

Yeah Jims gunsmithing in hayden is a block from where I work. 208-762-1165.
I would call to see if he has a reamer first.

What caliber, what action, do you have a reamer? Give more details. I don't do work for other folks but do know a few folks that do.

Jay, Bonner County, about 30 mi. N of Hayden Lake.

unfortunatly your choices are thin up here. You might try spoklahoma, like Brocks or the smith at Shooters World does nice work.

I would use Ron Dreisbach of Dreisbach Arms without hesaitation. He is in Sandpoint. 208-263-6215

Michael

I strongly recommend you don't use Jim's. He's been in CDA a long while, he is expensive with an attitude, there is a long tale here, take my advice and look elsewhere. I would look across state line into Montana. It really has been slim pickings for a few years locally on gunsmithing.

I would recommend either Biesens in Spokane, or Bauska in Kalispell, which are the closest. If your working on the AR platform I know somebody who does good work in Moyie Springs up north.

Lately I look to Montana for work. Dave Gentry is a solid gunsmith, there is a decent smith down in Dillon Mt., there are several others in the western Montana area.

Bauska Barrels
105 9th Ave. W
Kalispell, Mt. 59901
406-752-7706

I don't know what your rebarelling but Bauska makes his own barrels which for a big bore are pretty good. In smaller bores I would have him fit an Lilja, Shilen, Kreiger or Douglas. He stocks some other brands of barrels but you need to ask him what he has in stock. He has been in the barrel business for years, considering quality and cost he is probably the best around anymore. He is currently doing a 280 on a pre 64 Model 70 for me.

If your looking for a benchrest rifle, we haven't had a good local smith for some years, last was Ken Lemas in Rathdrum and Stebins. Ken is working out of state and is moving his shop to Riggins, and Stebins has parkensons disease, and has moved to the coast where he has family, they were the best in benchrest locally, nowdays I send my accuracy stuff out of state. Really strange is that BAT makes actions in Rathdrum, but nobody locally to fit a barrel to one of these actions.

The bad news is Ken won't take any new work right now, good news is he is about 2 years away from retirement, and he is going to set back up his shop after he gets moved, so there will be another good local smith ( sort of).

If your a benchrest shooter go visit BAT in Rathdrum, these are super nice actions, but I warn you these are top drawer benchrest actions and they are expensive. Posness Warren is a few blocks away if your looking for high end presses.

About Brocks, they had a change in smiths a few years back, as I recall they send out work, or did, I have heard anything bad or good since. Which in our neck of the woods is questionable cause if they were doing good work the word would be out.

If you really want a top notch barrel, call Dan Lilja, ask him who he is using to fit his barrels nowdays, and take his advice, he knows a thing or two about barrels and accuracy is #1 consideration in what he builds.

Edit: I reread this and your talking rechambering, you didn't go into details, so I don't know if your talking rail work etc. I noticed the Sandpoint contact, which had slipped my mind, I haven't any feedback.

I would suggest calling:

Bob Manley 1-208-267-7691, drop my name, and tell him what you want, Bob knows everybody in the gun business up here and can give you the straight scoop, I don't know if he will take it on but I would talk to him first cause he knows the ins and outs locally.

quote:

Don't know if you are going to find any closer, otherwise Dennis Olson is in Plains, MT - "just" down the Interstate 90...

This is a solid contact, I have heard no bad on any of his work.

thanks to all who responded, i want to rechamber a 375 h&h to a 375wby.anywone know how much this will run me and also will i need any rail work

thanks to all who responded, i was wanting to rechamber my 375h&h to a 375wby. how much will this run me and will it need any feeding work. its a winchester classic m70 ss..thanks

I have to go along with Dennis Olson also. It isn't that far from CDA and his work is good, especially when it comes to making a rifle feed like it should. Every time I have been to his shop he always has a few big bores sitting around and a lot of them are because other people couldn't make them feed properly. Give him a call ahead of time and mention that you will bring along a banana cream pie if he will do it on short notice. He loves pie, well actually only two kinds. Hot or cold.