'Smiths who'll rebore an AR barrel to a bigger caliber???

[s2brutus]

Yeah, I know I could just buy a new barrel and be done with it and have the spare laying around, but I just hate waste.

I've been thinking about converting one of my ARs to either 6.5 Grendel or 6mm AR (not 6x45) and have a 1" bull barrel in 5.56 that I'd like to get rebored/re-rifled to .244 or .264, depending. I've already asked Satern that makes Grendel barrels if they'd do it and they said no, basically that they're more interested in selling their new Grendel barrels.

Anyone know of a good AR 'smith that will rebore and re-rifle from 5.56 to 6mm or 6.5mm?

 

[rcmodel]

I don't know of many AR builders that even can bore & rifle their own barrels.

Except for Colt & FN, most all of them start out with someone else's barrel blanks and only do the outside machining to shape.

You might call one of the six or so gunsmiths in the country who have the equipment to re-bore & rifle a barrel and see what they say.
Here are a couple.
http://www.deltagunshop.com/Clearwater/CW_news.html

http://home.earthlink.net/~oregunsmithing/id9.html

This guy can probably turn your bull barrel down to any other contour .223 you want, but he doesn't/can't do his own rifling either.
http://ar15barrels.com/services.shtml

rcmodel

 

[ogree]

Odds are you won't find a barrel maker that is willing to go through the trouble and if you do......you will have a stroke at how much they will charge you.

Just pick up a new barrel in the caliber you want.

 

[koginam]

Oly Arms does their own barrels and do smithing they may be able to do it for you.

 

[86thecat]

I have been looking for a shop to rebore and chamber a 375 H&H to 416 RM, prices run $300 and up with a few months to a year wait. The guys that can do this well seem pretty backed up with work.

 

[s2brutus]

Thanks, y'all. It may turn out to be more trouble than it's worth, but I was just wondering if there were some possible avenues I was missing.

Oly Arms does their own barrels and do smithing they may be able to do it for you.

Hey, that might be a way to go. It's an Oly barrel to start with. Thanks.

 

[mrmeval]

Ask them if they'll take it in trade against the barrel you want. If it's pristine it can't be sold as new but can be used for warranty repairs.

 

[Jim K]

The terms "rebore" and "re-rifle" sound so easy when people throw them around. Believe me, not many people do that work and even fewer will do it to an old barrel they didn't make and can't control.

And those few who do such work are both expensive and heavily backlogged.

It is always cheaper to just have a new barrel installed than to try to rebore the old one, assuming that can be done at all. (Yes, we have seen people wanting to "rebore" a .308 barrel to .223. Some folks don't think.)

Jim

 

[mrmeval]

But Jim you can bore and re-line a barrel, even an AR! Be a pal and don't spoil it for them. They get the joy of paying up to 4 times for something that'll last half as long. It's a learning experience!

 

[AR15barrels]

The only legitimate reason to re-bore or sleeve a barrel is if you are trying to keep a piece of history looking original on the outside.
Buying a new barrel is MUCH cheaper than re-boring and re-chambering.
Then sell off the old barrel and you are even further ahead.

 

[Sunray]

"...you can bore and re-line a barrel, even an AR!..." To what calibre? .20? .17?
Re-boring any rifle requires a very skilled machinist with the right machine. Machine shop costs run around $100 plus per hour. In addition to the fees charged by the smithy.
"...can be used for warranty repairs..." Likely get the smithy sued into next week and lose his warrantee shop contract. You want your vehicle mechanic putting on a used tie rod?
"...more trouble than it's worth..." More expensive than you thought?