ER Shaw Barrels and Barreling Service?

[Lawyerman]

Yesterday while slinking around one of the local pawn shops I found a Winchester 670. It's an econo version of the M70 of course. This one was in .243. I don't really care for the .243 caliber and I already have two rifles for it anyway.

I would have put it back on the shelf but for the fact that it was only $180 and had a Weaver 3x9 steel tube variable on it! No rust and the stock while plain and in need of a refinish badly had no cracks or breaks etc....

So, it is now at home and I spent most of last evening fondling and cleaning it. I have decided that I will re barrel it to a caliber more to my taste. I think I will send it off to ER Shaw and have them put a 22" stainless .358 Win. barrel on it. I'm sure when I get it back I will have to sand on my barrel channel etc as the .35 cal barrel will be larger....but that it can be made to work. I can strip the stock and install a recoil pad as I wait I suppose.

It will cost me about $275 to get this done which seems quite reasonable. I should be able to recoup some of the cost by selling the Weaver 3x9 (a .358 needs a nice 2x7 compact I think) and the .243 barrel. This should be a fairly inexpensive little project and alot of fun.

What's everybody think about ER Shaw and their services? Anyplace else I should consider?

[MT Gianni]

They did a good job on mine from 8mm to 243 but it was in 81. They may have changed some since then.

[Charlie Sometimes]

Don't know where you are located, but there are lots of good barrel people out there.

Have you considered Douglas Barrels?
Anybody really popular might have a big back log, though.

How about a rebore, and save the extra expense for that work?
Is there enough metal in the original barrel for that?

Why not use the same profile and save the extra stock work, or better yet, put a laminate or synthetic stock on it that has a heavy barrel configuration barrel channel.

Some of those "transition" Model 70's fit a lot of the later stocks too.
You might find a laminate or synthetic in some thing newer- I did ($50).
Mine is a Long Action 243 Winchester- the magazine has a shorter follower and space filler to make it work, and it does just fine, and is a great shooter.

Lots of choices!

[johnly]

I the 670's I've seen have all been on the 06 length action, rather than the short 308 length. Might just want to take a second look before you get started.

John

[Ben]

Lawyerman:

You just may want to take a look at this before you send your action to E R Shaw for rebarreling :

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67463

[Hardcast416taylor]

One thing you should be aware of is the policy E R Shaw has on barrel diameters that are done with calibers over .323" cal. You would wind up with a #2 1/2 barrel contour, with no say on the matter. This contour is for a very heavy walled barrel that added a lot of weight. If you are looking for a more slender barrel taper you should look at other barrel makers offerings for the .358 cal. before deciding.Robert

[Lawyerman]

You guys are a fine bunch of help!

It probably is a long action now that you mention it. I hadn't thought of that-I don't know when Winchester started making short actions post '64......Not really sure what to do with it now.......That stinks, I need a stupid .243 like a rock upside the head. Might have to turn it into a Whelen????

I do have a 1980's vintage Winchester M70 stock somewhere in the garage......I could scrounge some bottom metal and rebarrel it.....Aw crud, this got more complicated than I had wanted it to.

[StarMetal]

Well....if you're wanting something big bore and if you're going to get it on a long case being that is your action is the long action, I'd get a 9.3x62 before I got a 35 Whelen.

Joe

[longhorn]

Didn't I recently read a John Barsness article on a Shaw barrel they set up as a 6.5-'06? As I recall, they wanted to show off manufacturing upgrades and he was impressed. A gun writer, true, but one I find reliable.

[Guesser]

I have several Shaw barrels in use, good barrels. I've never had them do the work, just ordered the barrels. Had one bad barrel, too tight bore, they replaced it right away, no quibbling. Good people to deal with.

[Charlie Sometimes]

You guys are a fine bunch of help!

It probably is a long action now that you mention it. I hadn't thought of that-I don't know when Winchester started making short actions post '64......Not really sure what to do with it now.......That stinks, I need a stupid .243 like a rock upside the head. Might have to turn it into a Whelen????

I do have a 1980's vintage Winchester M70 stock somewhere in the garage......I could scrounge some bottom metal and rebarrel it.....Aw crud, this got more complicated than I had wanted it to.

Hey, you're the "lawyerman"- you're suppose to see all the angles and loop holes!

Where are you at?

I'd give you your money ($180) back on the rifle and save you all the trouble and misery you're going to put yourself through. (seriously)

I liked Star Metal's idea of the 9.3x62 modification best.

Then again, to use the existing 243/6 mm bore, you could possibly rechamber it to a 6mm/06 for long range work.

Again- lot's of options!

[StarMetal]

I had a friend that had a 6mm06 and he hated it. Forming the brass, thinning the necks...and it's way way overbore.

Joe

[Charlie Sometimes]

Not to get too far off topic, but-

dk17hmr has a 6mm-06 (forget what the wildcat is called exactly) and last I heard, was still working with it.

What other options could there be with the original barrel and twist rate?

[Lawyerman]

Going to make it a Whelen. Just have to decide whether to send it off or order a Shilen barrel and have a local 'smith do the chambering or to send it to Shaw. They really have a pretty good "package" deal on the project.

[StarMetal]

My pick would be the Shilen barrel.

Joe

[rockrat]

Why not have JES reboring make it into a 358win? $225 IIRC

[yondering]

Lawyerman, I like the Whelen choice best. It's my favorite hunting round. You might consider the Ackley version, since you are going with a new barrel and have to buy dies anyway. Most will argue that it's un-necessary, but the Ackley version does have significant advantages in case life, with the sharper shoulder. It also looks cooler too. While I wouldn't bother re-chambering a standard Whelen to the Ackley version again, if you're starting from scratch, cost will be the same either way, with no disadvantages to the Ackley version.

What other options could there be with the original barrel and twist rate?

The 6mm Rem Ackley would be a simple reaming job. I don't think the standard 6mm Rem will clean up a .243 chamber, but the Ackley version will. I have one, and love it. Case forming is nothing complicated, just fireform once and you're done. Velocity is too high for cast though; about double what most here can achieve with cast boolits.

[anachronism]

The last I heard, Shaw had a hideously long wait for rebarreling.

[NHlever]

You guys are a fine bunch of help!

It probably is a long action now that you mention it. I hadn't thought of that-I don't know when Winchester started making short actions post '64......Not really sure what to do with it now.......That stinks, I need a stupid .243 like a rock upside the head. Might have to turn it into a Whelen????

I do have a 1980's vintage Winchester M70 stock somewhere in the garage......I could scrounge some bottom metal and rebarrel it.....Aw crud, this got more complicated than I had wanted it to.

If the gun was chambered from the factory for the .243, the .358 Win should work just fine. They do, after all share the same parent case. The only downside is a slightly longer bolt throw since the magazine will have been "blocked" for the shorter cartridge at the factory. I don't see any issues. Making it into a long action round will actually be more trouble since it probably won't feed worth a darn, and you will have to rip that filler block, etc. out.

[machinisttx]

My 6.8 SPC AR15 wears an E.R. Shaw barrel and shoots far better than I can.