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Thread: Any idea of the cost to re-barrel rifle in same caliber?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Any idea of the cost to re-barrel rifle in same caliber?

    I have a Ruger Mark 2 bolt rifle in 223. Has a one in twelve twist. I would like a faster twist for heavier bullets. The new rifles I have been looking at I feel do not match up to my older rifle. Just wondering if it would be worth having a new barrel installed?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master 5Shot's Avatar
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    Probably looking at close to $500, depending on the barrel. A contoured blank is close to $300 and then the labor to turn the shank and chamber. Blueing can add to it...
    If you live on the razor's edge and slip, you will die in two pieces

  3. #3
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    Better off to sell you Ruger and buy a Savage. Better barrels, better trigger and do-it-yoursef rebarreling.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    Why do you need heavier bullets?

    Why not just shoot 55 gr and be happy?

    If you really do need a .223 that will handle heavier bullets I suspect it would be cheaper to start from scratch with a gun that has the twist rate you want.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    $500 would be about the minimum and it goes up rapidly from there. A lot depends on the quality of the barrel you purchase and who you have do the work.
    I had one done recently with a Bartlein barrel and it ended up over $700 by the time it was done. It was worth it to me though since it now shoots under half minute groups at 200 yards on calm days.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Price can vary a bunch depending on barrel and what the smith charges.

    You can get a $150 bargain barrel that might shoot great or you can get a $300-$400 barrel that has a 99.99% chance of shooting great. A great place to get premium barrels at a discount is Snipers Hide forum. Guys there start builds and go broke or change their minds at the rapid rate and offload premium stuff for discounted prices.

    Most reasonable priced smith I know of is Tim Malcolm and he does a mighty fine job. Pm me if you want his contact info.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Art, rebarreling can be as involved as you want it to be. Contoured barrels span a range of prices and quality. Adams and Bennet, Shilen, Douglas, Lilja, Pac nor, Hart, McGowen, Brux, Criterion, and Krieger are all barrel makers available. For a faster twist a 1-9 will do shorter 75 gn bullets 1-7 will do 80 grns. A lot depends on what you want to accomplish. Look at some of the web sites for the above. This will give an idea what your looking at. A correctly done rifle ca be a real ball to work with accuracy wise. On 223 riflea a lot of high power shooter are running 1-8 twist and with the 80 grn VLDs they really perfom at 600yds. These are loaded longer than magazine length for the ARs and single loaded. With a Kreiger barrel and fitting chambering and a little tuning on the action, I could see pushing $750.00 in parts and labor from a good gunsmith. Its a good way to have a much better rifle than off the shelf but is also more expensive. Also like a lot of customization work getting the investment back if you have to sell is hard.

  8. #8
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    As I said, sell it and buy a new one.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    I get $750 to do that job if I supply the blank. Bartlein or Krieger.

  10. #10
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    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
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    It would seem cost effect to buy a different rifle, with your desired specs (especially since there are so many 223 bolt guns available, used or new) and keep or sell your Ruger slow twist...which should be the cat's meow for cast boolits.

    I am a big fan of the CZ
    I've had both a 222rem and 223rem in a CZ-527.
    I've sold the 223 as it had the fast twist (1:9) and I wanted a cast boolits shooter, but it was a excellent rifle, great accuracy right out of the box with 55gr j-words. But I do know they also make a 1:12, so if you look for one and find a used one, be sure to ask the twist rate.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
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  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks for the info and advice. Looks like I just need a new rifle.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Well sometimes you get lucky at the gunsmith's shop too. He may have a barrel that he made a mistake on and had to get another barrel for the customer. I had that happen with me once. In my case the gunsmith had machined a few thousandths too much off the barrel and it didn't fit the customer's action and stock. He made me a good deal on the other barrel as it would fit my rifle action just fine. I was putting on a new stock so the barrel size was not a issue for me. Anyway it worked out great for me and I only had to spend less than half of what it would cost plus labor savings too.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Art in Colorado View Post
    Thanks for the info and advice. Looks like I just need a new rifle.
    No, you need a second rifle. Buy a .243 Winchester just like the .223 Remington you have and shoot heavi(er) bullets with it.
    USMC 6638

  14. #14
    Boolit Master dbosman's Avatar
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    How about calling Ruger and asking them?

  15. #15
    Boolit Master 5Shot's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dbosman View Post
    How about calling Ruger and asking them?
    Ruger doesn't do any custom work...ever.
    If you live on the razor's edge and slip, you will die in two pieces

  16. #16
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    Your 12 twist will shoot the 63 gr Sierra and the 70 gr Speer semi pointed accurately for sure and possibly the Win 64 gr PP and the 60 gr Nosler Partition. That covers hunting bullets. If you're talking heavier pointed target type bullets, Tikka and some others have 9 twist .223s. Any faster and you are talking custom barrel.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy Gunners Mate's Avatar
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    Keep the ruger and buy a 243

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy Gunners Mate's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    Your 12 twist will shoot the 63 gr Sierra and the 70 gr Speer semi pointed accurately for sure and possibly the Win 64 gr PP and the 60 gr Nosler Partition. That covers hunting bullets. If you're talking heavier pointed target type bullets, Tikka and some others have 9 twist .223s. Any faster and you are talking custom barrel.
    My HBAR National Match Colt has a factory 1/7 twist barrel

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gunners Mate View Post
    My HBAR National Match Colt has a factory 1/7 twist barrel
    Yes it does. However the op was asking about rebarreling a bolt action rifle.

  20. #20
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    Despite other's opinions; I would send it to ER Shaw. I've had them rebarrel two Mausers, a Sako, and a P14 Enfield. Also I've bought two and installed them myself. EVERY one shot 1 MOA or less with minimal load development. The calibers were 22-250, .250 Savage,8x57, 6.5 Rem, .450 Marlin, and 30-06 Ackley. They offer several twist options in .224". Last year with the .250 Sav Sako I fired a 2" group around a 1" targ dot with 5 different weight bullets ranging from 75grs to 120 grs- a 500 fps difference. That's an excellent barrel in my book!

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