Crazy Idea: Reboring 222 Rem to 357 Mag or Max

[curioushooter]

I was wondering if it would be advisable to rebore a Savage 2400 12GA/222Rem combo gun to be 12GA/357 Mag or Max. I know JES Rebore lists 223 as convertible to 357 Max, so I would think in a single shot break action that 222 would be convertible to 357 Mag or Max. I am a bit concerned with the thinness of those barrels. Anybody have one that they could mic the OD of the thinnest part of the 222Rem barrel.

[Jedman]

I believe you would need to discuss this with the person who would be doing the work. Being the barrels are fastened together it may pose a problem I'm not sure if they can do that style barrel.
I would think the chamber should clean up as the neck on a 222 starts at about 1.4" and a loaded
357 is a bit longer than that. As long as the OD of the barrel in front of the chamber is not to small it could work.

Jedman

[GhostHawk]

I would call JES and discuss it with him.

[James Wisner]

That set up has a mono block, and then the barrels are soft soldered in place, the rifle barrel has a cross pin at the edge of the joint making sure the rifle barrel will not move.

I would look for someone to rebarrel, vs a rebore

The hard part in changing the caliber, would be refitting the extractor.

JW

[pietro]

I am a bit concerned with the thinness of those barrels.


Anybody have one that they could mic the OD of the thinnest part of the 222Rem barrel.

You can address your concern at home, with a measuring tool and a little math.

Any reputable rebore gunsmith, like Jes, will not rebore a barrel that's too thin/unsafe.

Jes has told me that to be safe, the barrel wall thickness at each end of the muzzle diameter must be at least .125"

The total barrel wall thickness minimum at the end of the barrel diameter at the muzzle = .250"

The .250" minimum at the muzzle + .357" would therefore require a starting muzzle OD of .607" for a rebore to .357"

If the OD of the .222 barrel on your gun measures .608 (+/-) or larger, it will be safe; if it's less than .607", it would needs be rebored to a caliber smaller than .357".

If your barrel fails to meet the minimum .607" OD at the muzzle for a rebore to .357", subtract .250" from the actual muzzle OD to determine the largest size/caliber that particular barrel can safely be rebored to.


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[James Wisner]

pietro

I just checked the barrel OD on a 308 win x 12 ga Savage 2400
The 308 barrel is .530" OD.

What would needed to be done would be remove the old barrel, contour a new barrel. make a new mid and front barrel support/adjustment hangers for the larger OD of barrel to fit the new barrel once it is soldered into place.
Oh and make and install and fit a new forearm hanger bracket on the new barrel.

None of this work is for the faint of heart

JW

[James Wisner]

I did find a spare 12 ga x 222 extractor for one of these combo's

I replaced it when I rebarreled one of my fathers Sav 2400 into a 12 ga x 270 Win.

JW

[pietro]

pietro

I just checked the barrel OD on a 308 win x 12 ga Savage 2400
The 308 barrel is .530" OD.

What would needed to be done would be remove the old barrel, contour a new barrel. make a new mid and front barrel support/adjustment hangers for the larger OD of barrel to fit the new barrel once it is soldered into place.
Oh and make and install and fit a new forearm hanger bracket on the new barrel.

None of this work is for the faint of heart

JW

The largest rebore a barrel with a muzzle OD of .530" can take would be .280" (6.5mm's, .260 Rem, etc)

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[curioushooter]

Talked to Jesse...he doesn't rebore double barrels/combo guns because whatever fixtures he uses wont work well that way. It seems like a bad idea in the end. Thanks for the efforts.