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Reputable gunsmith to reline .22 barrel?

Defecater

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 11, 2020
Member Number
2283
Messages
91
Recently found an old Marlin model 97. Near as I can tell, it was manufactured around 1910. Looks about how you would expect a 114 year old garden variety .22 rifle to look. Functions just fine, but the barrel has no visible rifling left. Lots of fine pitting. Obviously, accuracy is wishful thinking and roughly every other shell casing fails to extract due to the brass conforming to the rough chamber and sticking in it. Seems to be no gunsmiths local to me that are equipped to reline this barrel or that I would trust to do a good job of it. Not a big deal. I am more than content to send out the barrel to increase the odds of getting the job done right.
Any recommendations of places that might possibly specialize in this type of job?
 
Is that a thing? Can a barrel be relined back into OEM condition? How is that done? Off to YouTube I go… if they allow this type of thing posted up.
 
Get a barrel blank chambered in .22lr and have it turned to match the profile of existing barrel? Trying to save a roll mark?
 
I’ve seen it done a few times, can’t say I’ve seen it done right because I wouldn’t know the difference. Seems all that is needed is a lathe & a really long drillbit.
 
Thatg9659 said:
I’ve seen it done a few times, can’t say I’ve seen it done right because I wouldn’t know the difference. Seems all that is needed is a lathe & a really long drillbit.
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And then what? Press in a new barrel inside it?
 
Landslide said:
Is that a thing? Can a barrel be relined back into OEM condition? How is that done? Off to YouTube I go… if they allow this type of thing posted up.
Click to expand...

it was done a lot. was done a lot back in the old days. obsolete calibers like the 32 rimfire and others would be re-lined or sleeved to 22lr.

id almost bet that "tech" and the knowledge to do it correctly have been lost with the old timer gunsmiths.


really, if you think about it, it cant be that complex a process. Fill barrel bore and chamber completely with molten steel, or interference fit a full length steel rod, recut the bore and rifling and rechamber
 
OP, I’ve got no personal recommendations. I’ve looked into it recently for an old Remington rolling block my daughter enjoys shooting. There’s a guy in Silver City, New Mexico I may use but I haven’t actually contacted him yet. Hardcastle something or other.
 
Landslide said:
And then what? Press in a new barrel inside it?
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Along with some kind of super Duper special epoxy, yes. Trim to length, crown it.

Talked with a gunsmith from Griffin and Howe last weekend, he seemed knowledgeable. Few of his guns looked really really nice. I don’t have an in or any contact info.
 
Thatg9659 said:
Along with some kind of super Duper special epoxy, yes. Trim to length, crown it.

Talked with a gunsmith from Griffin and Howe last weekend, he seemed knowledgeable. Few of his guns looked really really nice. I don’t have an in or any contact info.
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I believe Larry used red loctite
 
Brownells has liners and a step drill to bore out the old barrel. I have read people using acuglass to install them
 
M92PV4U said:

Gun Barrel Liners – Redmans Rifling and Reboring

redmansrifling.com

Never used them.
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My next question is what does it do to the accuracy of the firearm after the job is done? I was thinking maybe not much difference on a 22lr perhaps but larger more powerful calibers, how’s it effect those firearms?

From your link:

“
If you are a gun manufacturer, you might consider using our barrel liners for your barrel application. Many companies have used our liners making a lightweight barrel by injection molding, carbon wrapping or using a steel or aluminum sleeve that my liner is slipped into. One type of barrel replacement has been for the Ruger 10-22. These barrels have proven to be very accurate. The advantages to using my barrel liner vs. a standard barrel is as follows:

  • Cost savings in production time.
  • Being able to make an accurate lightweight barrel.
  • Achieve better accuracy. The synthetic or aluminum jacket seems to dampen the shooting vibration, allowing the barrel to be very accurate.”
 
Zero affect on accuracy. The barrel is stronger sleeved than a one piece barrel. The Navy use to reline their 16 inch guns. They had a 100 foot deep oven that they lowered the barrels into to expand the outer layers to get the liner in and and out of the barrel.
 
Any gunsmith with a REAL lathe should be able to knock that out, easily. And by the same token, any gunsmith with a hobby lathe is just a hobbyist and should be avoided. When I lived in Golden, CO there was a fellow nearby whose entire basement was a machine shop. Searched for him after a "hobbyist" with a hobby lathe (desktop lathe/mill combo) effed up a dedicated AR .22lr barrel for me. The smith in Golden gave me a tour BEFORE I left my new barrel.
 
Landslide said:
My next question is what does it do to the accuracy of the firearm after the job is done? I was thinking maybe not much difference on a 22lr perhaps but larger more powerful calibers, how’s it effect those firearms?
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Any effect on accuracy would come from the tolerances of the linear, chamber and crown.

I have no experience but lined barrels under tension are supposed to be more accurate.
 
The only thing that seemed iffy when I was watching it being done is that it was drilled from both ends.
 
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