Installing a take off barrel

Buckhead

Senior Member
I have a Rem model 7 in .243 that I bought for my son. He has outgrown it and I want to make it into a project gun. Found a cheap take off barrel from another Model 7 in .260 and want to swap them out.

I understand headspace issues and that it might need to be retrued and possibly reamed. Just wondering if it is worth the trouble and a general idea of cost. Appreciate advice.
 
I burnt the throat out of my mod 7 in 7mm-08. I got a new unfired barrel from Gunbrokers and it went on perfect except that the barrel stamping were at 10 o'clock. head spaced perfect. dead accurate. I did not need the iron sight holes and just plugged them with set screws as they were also at 10 o'clock. O and my old action was bright blue and the new barrel was parkerized.
 

Buckhead

Senior Member
Like you, I don’t care about the barrel stamping or cosmetics. Just want to get some use out of the rifle. Got the take off barrel cheap, it is supposedly only proof fired. Really like the size and weight of the model 7. Perfect walking and tree stand rig.
 

Jester896

Senior Clown
it might need to be reamed if it isn't deep enough. A Go Gauge isn't but about $25 if you are doing this yourself. I can send you a fired .260 case with the shoulders set a zero if you needed it. If you need it reamed I can give you that info too my smith keeps .260 stuff on hand.
 

rayjay

Senior Member
I've swapped out a couple of 223 bbls lately and they worked fine. Sometimes the original factory installed bbl can be pain in the neck to get off. You definitely will need a full circle action wrench and a bbl vise. I use an internal action wrench and bbl vise when reinstalling . Locating the recoil lug can either be done by trial and error or buy the lug locating tool. Use your original recoil lug with the new bbl.

You should really use a GO gauge but an unfired factory round will also do. You will need to remove the firing pin assy and the ejector. The bolt should close with no resistance or maybe just a tiny bit of feel right at the bottom of the throw. With one layer of Scotch tape on the back of the GO gauge or unfired round the bolt should not close. It should only go about 1/2 way down if that. One layer of Scotch tape is .0025". IIRC .003" is the difference between the GO gauge and the NO GO gauge. It is imperative [ imo ] that you remove the firing pin assy and the ejector.
 

Buckhead

Senior Member
Appreciate everyone’s advice. Unfortunately, I don’t have the correct tools or expertise to do it myself. If anyone knows of a smith in Metro Atlanta that will do this sort of thing, let me know.
 

Gator89

Senior Member
Appreciate everyone’s advice. Unfortunately, I don’t have the correct tools or expertise to do it myself. If anyone knows of a smith in Metro Atlanta that will do this sort of thing, let me know.

I misplaced his contact info, but the 'smith that does the work for Chuck's in Buckhead is excellent. I had him smooth out the action on a Colt revolver. The guy works out of his basement and will take in work directly. If I find his contact again, I will pass it along.

Gene Hayllar is the man's name.
 
Last edited:

Jester896

Senior Clown
rayjay is spot on...except a factory round case is usually undersized in my experiance
 

rayjay

Senior Member
rayjay is spot on...except a factory round case is usually undersized in my experiance
Somewhere along the way I used my bump measuring bushing to measure my Go gauge and a bunch of different factory rounds. Sadly, I don't remember the results but I think there were darn close. The case can't be very far out or you are into excess headspace. I should look in my notepad and see if the info is there.
 

Jester896

Senior Clown
most of the ones I do measure...hunting rounds..seem to be -.001- -.002
I use a Mo's Gauge if I have it for that caliber or the Hornady stuff when measuring.
I have sent RCBS gauges back after checking them with a Go-Gauge
I know I am nit picking and am sure it would work fine. I just like it really close :D
 

rayjay

Senior Member
Once I learned what the brass bushing was for that Harrells sends with their sizing dies there was no way I would ever resize a case without some way of measuring the bump.
 
Top