whats the going price to cut down a bolt action barrel ?

i just got a savage in 223 with a 26" tube and might be considering chopping it down to 20 or 22". whats the going rate for this work + a crown, just dont want to be taken for if i decide to do it.

Depends a little bit on the kind of gun, and a lot on the level of quality you are after. Really doing it right involves removing the barrel and carefully cutting and recrowning on a lathe. This can run between $200-$300 on average, bearing in mind that the Savage barrel is pretty easy to remove and reinstall. An accuracy specialist will likely ask more, and Bubba's Gunsmithing and Liquor Barn a bit less.

The cheap and dirty way is to leave the barrel in place, cut it off with a saw, and recrown using a drill motor with a round toolhead coated with lapping compound. This can actually work pretty well, but involves a bit of luck -- and is probably more suitable for an old beater than a real tack driver.

HTH!

thanks - for 2-$300 i can live with the long tube.

To be fair, my experience with riflesmiths is almost entirely with benchrest guns, and smiths who specialize in that sort of work charge more than other folks. You may well be able to find a neighborhood gunsmith willing to do the work for considerably less.

My general experience has been that if a manufacturer offers what you want, it is easier and cheaper to sell/trade for it than to have a good gunsmith make it for you.

HTH!

Gunsmiths bench time/shop rates vary, price them with journeyman electricians and plumbers, not to mention top slot line mechanics at your local BMW dealership.