Beretta issue for the 'smiths...

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Kwahe

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...or the Beretta experts.
Hello all. Here is a thing I seem to be making an issue out of, and I may not be the only one. I have a Beretta pistola Model 71 (I think) .22 semiauto. It was rescued from its fake suppressor and is a marvel of a little gun! So fun to shoot, and not half bad with accuracy. So leaving it as is is not problem with me. But I discovered that it has a barrel with no rifling! Just a little shotgun barrel!

So, I thought I'd try to find a rifled replacement for it. Turns out, no such thing exists. Then I thought someone could machine a replacement barrel from a short bull barrel, but several custom gun smithing entities declined to bother with it. So now I'm thinking that a barrel for a different model Beretta could be modified to fit into the little M71.

I know nothing about barrels for other Berettas, or whether this harebrained idea is workable or not. I am hoping that one of you experts could provide a bit of advice on how the heck I could get something to work for my little guy.

It's possible my level of skill with the handgun would not change one bit with a rifled barrel. But I don't want to give up on the idea until the unofficial council of gunsmiths and Beretta experts weigh in.

Thank you!
 
Your barrel may just be severely leaded. Try plugging one end and soaking the bore in Kroil, then scrub well. You might be surprised.

The Model 70 was made in several different versions - Models 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 101, and 102. Some had the front sight machined as part of the slide and on others it was on the barrel in a longitudinal dovetail with a clearance slot in the top of the slide where the sight was mounted on other versions. I had to replace the barrel when repairing one of those for a fellow who had several guns damaged during Hurricane Katrina. The only barrel that I could find had a sight on it so I just filed it flush with the top of the barrel and touched up the bluing.

Making one from a short section of a 22 bull barrel blank would be easy for a real gunsmith.
 
+1 on possibly being leaded.
If truly devoid of rifling, consider having it relined. Easier than making a new barrel.
 
Thank you, gentlemen. I will start the soak immediately...I never thought of that. Also, there is a hobby machinist nearby my rural town who made a rifle barrel for me to spec from a machine gun barrel. I guess I'll ask him about copying my barrel using a short section of bull barrel. More later....
 
If, after a thorough cleaning, the rifling is gone, consider a reline. Much simpler and less expensive than fitting a new barrel.
 
I also have the #71, and it has the word "Jaguar" on the grips. When I first got it, brand new, it shot fairly accurately. So much so that I put an adjustable rear sight on it, along with a taller front sight. After a few hundred more rounds the accuracy began dropping off. I noticed that the slide-to-frame fit had loosened, to the point where it was affecting accuracy, because the rear sight is on the slide, and the front is on the barrel (unlike a Ruger Mark1). Kept trying to get smaller groups, but wasn't happening, even when my range buddy tried it. Now, the fit is quite loose (the slide is steel and the frame is aluminum), so I rarely use it anymore. I got a Ruger Mark 1 Target to replace it in competition, with which I won several tourneys, and got the Distinguished Expert award from the NRA. I also replaced the original sights onto the Berretta, to fit in its holster better.
One should perhaps think twice about the cost of making a new barrel, considering that the accuracy will degrade over time. I hope that soaking and cleaning will remove the leading.
 
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Thanks for the advice all. The barrel is soaking (3rd day now) while I work on a rifle stock. I am getting the hint that getting someone to make a barrel replacement might be a step too far. As I mentioned, the little thing is pretty accurate for having so short a barrel/sight radius and no discernible rifling. I still have the fake silencer, and never shot the pistol with it on. I just might try that...use the fakey as a bloop tube. But first I'm gonna give that well-soaked barrel a good scrub...I am curious to see if there are lands and grooves!
 
When it comes to shooing 22 LR, I only use Federal or CCI for the general shooting ammo. I will not shoot any Rem Golden bullets in any of my guns (22LR). I've seen that ammo lead a barrel so fast it would surprise you. I tried it once years (decades) ago in my MKIII. After 20 rounds I started getting leading. I can shoot 2000 rounds of Federal or CCI and never get any leading. Good luck on getting your barrel clean. Once clean, I believe your accuracy will come back. Just going to take some elbow grease to get it there.
 
Good advice, I'm thinkin', Blue...thank you. I prefer CCI but back when the last big .22 shortage occurred I bought a bunch of target stuff...$$$...and it is waxed. So that may add to the barrel lining! Anyway, CCI has always been the most accurate in all my .22s past and present. The only other one I have now is a 10/22 I converted to look like the M1 carbine. Used the wood stock that came with the rifle...is is pretty near the real thing. Anyway, that one loves CCI.
 
This will sound ridiculous, but consider this. Micro groove rifling is sufficient to meet the law. Essentially anything visible in the barrel will meet the law. If all else fails and you are concerned enough to do it, you can get a piece of tool steel and hand cut it with a dremel tool to be a rifling button. You could then use an arbor press to ram that button through using a piece of drill rod to push the button. If you cut the button to just barely scratch the inner surface of the barrel then you would be in good shape legally and the button would go through relatively easily... again all you need is a witness mark of a tool traveling down the barrel.
 
I was shooting one of my 22 revolvers once and noticed on the target the bullets were key holing. Looked at the bore and the rifling was gone. Switched over from pure lead to plated bullets and the rifling came back.
 
Marvelous, thank you, gentlemen. After a 6-day soak in Kroil, I just finished a good 1/2-hour scrub and voila! Magic! Rifling! I shouldn't shout too loudly yet as I can barely discern the lands and grooves. But my brush rotated as I cleaned, so I consider that a good sign. So no need for scraping out the barrel with a button rifler...thank you very much...I'll file that notion for when they disappear altogether I think I will take further wise advice and shoot some plated bullets.
I am very grateful to all who kindly added to this conversation. No more shotgun. I am legal! And also, I will hope the CCI plated add to the effect...
 
Well, that's good to read. I expect that whatever accuracy you had at the beginning will be very improved from now on.
 
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