Gents I have read of some of you that will accomplish this task. I have a military style barrel that is poop, and want to replace it with something else, 6.5x55, or 8x57 comes to mind. I want a medium bore, not big, not small. If there is anyone out there who has something not too beat up I would love to hear about it, and your ability to fit this into my action.

The usual starving student drivel about price, etc. My personal email is on my profile, as PM's do not always come through for me.

Thank you very much in advance.

I have a new/never installed, Lothar Walther prechambered/threaded barrel in 8x57 for a Mauser 98, which I'll sell you for $150.

That should make your gunsmith's job somewhat easier.

KB

Great price on the barrel!
try IT and D gunsmithing
http://www.itdcustomgun.com/

quote:

Originally posted by Kabluewy:
I have a new/never installed, Lothar Walther prechambered/threaded barrel in 8x57 for a Mauser 98, which I'll sell you for $150.

That should make your gunsmith's job somewhat easier.

KB

Is that long chambered or short chambered?

http://www.lothar-walther.de/268.php

I recently got the barrel from here on AR, and I'll pass it on for what I paid for it.

KB

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Great price on the barrel!
try IT and D gunsmithing
http://www.itdcustomgun.com/

Jeffe,
Looks like they haven't updated their price list since the 50s.

As a comparison: http://www.precisionbarrelwork...chining_barrels.html


Same planet or no?

KB

The LW barrel is long chambered. Kabluewy is a good guy to deal with.

quote:

Jeffe,
Looks like they haven't updated their price list since the 50s.

That might be. However I just bought a short chambered barrel from them at the price they have listed. It even had a recessed crown. As to the barrel install as I understand it there is NO action work. Simply intall and chamber. If you want the action trued etc that is extra. I now have 3 barrels from them I'm shooting and 1 to install. I have no complaints.

I recently had an experience with the other one mentioned above. I kinda went into it indirectly through a hunting buddy in Texas. I should have asked price in advance, but I didn't, so that's my fault. I didn't even know who was doing the work until I got the bill. Dumb.

Anyway - short story - the installation of a Shilen barrel, and I provided the barrel, was over $500. Supposedly that included trueing the action, but I was thinking it was already true, since it came off an old rifle that was on it's second barrel, shot out, chambered in 6mm BR. The guy had been competing with it. The action is a Sako L57.

Anyway, the work was excellent as far as I can tell, and the rifle shoots far better than I deserve. Unfortunately, rifles like that are like the best nookie. Once you experience it, average just isn't as interesting as it used to be. Kinda spoils a guy.

I generally believe you get what you pay for, but I dunno how that applies to gunsmith work?

To put it more bluntly - I find it hard to believe that the same work can be provided at $75 as the next shop charges $350 for.

One thing for sure - talk is cheap.

KB

quote:

To put it more bluntly - I find it hard to believe that the same work can be provided at $75 as the next shop charges $350 for.

I agree with you. Not saying that the $75 job is the same as a $350. But to me on a hunting rifle spending $350-500 to true the action is a waste. You can say yout did it but the bang for the buck just isn't there.

Like I said I've used 3 short chambered barrels from ITD and I've been very please with the barrel and the work. All shoot fine. I sent them a case to go by and to finish the install I needed about 3 turns with the reamer to set the headspace. I believe Jeefe has used them as well. For a Douglas barrel on a hunting rifle they are just hard to beat. They told me up front on the install it is simply screw the barrel on and chamber. Like in your case if the action had been worked over anyway why would you need it. 99% of all shooters would never know or tell the difference in a factory action and a trued factory action.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

I agree with you. Not saying that the $75 job is the same as a $350. But to me on a hunting rifle spending $350-500 to true the action is a waste.

Like in your case if the action had been worked over anyway why would you need it. 99% of all shooters would never know or tell the difference in a factory action and a trued factory action.

I'm mostly agreeing with you - just in case you might think I'm arguing.

But I didn't say that it costs $350 - $500 to true the action. I said that's the bill for installation of the barrel including trueing the action.

In my case, I assumed that the action had been previously worked over anyway. As we all know - assumed is a very big word. Also, in this case, I'm in the 99%, and again I have to assume that they actually did true the action and that it needed it, because they charged me for the work, so I'm having to assume that in their judgment it needed it. To me, it's possible that they just cut more metal off, (or not) and it was already true, (I've had that happen before) and they did it, knowing that the bill would be paid anyway, or I wouldn't get the rifle back.

However, the evidence is in the way the rifle shoots, which is amazing.

Could it shoot that well by simply screwing the barrel onto a factory L57? Maybe - I dunno? Could it shoot that well had the gunsmith charged me $75 rather than $350 - maybe - I dunno for sure.

I do know that it is probably the most accurate rifle I have ever shot, but it's also the most expensive. It could have turned out differently, so I'm counting my blessings. But again, as with many things in life's experience, this only serves to reinforce my mindset that ya get what ya pay for. Mindsets get in the way sometimes too.

For those who place a "good deal", price being the primary factor, it's all perception. I try to get beyond perception, so that's why it comes down to how the rifle shoots, which is one solid fact, with evidence to prove it. Much of the rest of it is speculation and my perception. The mysterious part of it may have been avoided had I been in communication with the gunsmith myself.

Bottom line ? ? Surely a frugal and careful shopper can buy a factory made rifle that will shoot right out of the box as good or better than my L57, for about the same or close to the amount I paid for the barrel and installation alone. It's a no-brainer. Ya may have to go through three or five to get the right on, but at least the rejects can be sold without taking a big loss. It's kinda like shopping for a good riding mule. One may have to be thrown a few times before finding the right one, especially if shopping in the low end of the price range.

So why?

But just look at what instant gratification causes one to miss out on - the anticipation of a year's wait, all those phone calls, the suspense of what it's gonna cost, whether it will shoot or not, and how will it really look, fit and feel, something that can be resolved in advance with a complete rifle ready to go.

KB

KB I sent you an email on that barrel, and thanks men for your replies.

Regards,

Barrel SPF.

KB