rejuvenating a chamber

I've got a Savage Model 12 I built into a 6BR Norma with a McGowen barrel. I've got close to 4000 rounds through it and I think the barrel is starting to get shot out. The barrel has been a fantastic performer and I'd like to rejuvenate it if I could. I have finished reamed a short chambered Shilen barrel for a Rem 700 with very good results and I wondered if the same process would work in this instance - getting a 6BR Norma finish reamer, taking off a few thousandths and re-setting the headspace. Has anyone tried this, and if so, how did it work?

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Originally Posted by Tokimini

I've got a Savage Model 12 I built into a 6BR Norma with a McGowen barrel. I've got close to 4000 rounds through it and I think the barrel is starting to get shot out. The barrel has been a fantastic performer and I'd like to rejuvenate it if I could. I have finished reamed a short chambered Shilen barrel for a Rem 700 with very good results and I wondered if the same process would work in this instance - getting a 6BR Norma finish reamer, taking off a few thousandths and re-setting the headspace. Has anyone tried this, and if so, how did it work?

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When a barrel is "shot out" the rifling is usually worn in more than just the throat area. Wear occurs all along the length of the barrel on all sides of the lands and in the groove itself. Not only is the throat eroded but the metal is fire-cracked. Just running a reamer into the existing chamber and attempting to clean it up often requires some serious metal removal.

It's a less involved process with a Savage than on a Remington but the breech end of the barrel may need to be turned back too if you have to go deep with the reamer in order to find "fresh metal". The process COULD be hard on the reamer as well as metal that has undergone the ravages of heat and cracking often does not machine as smoothly as metal that has been heat treated to relieve stress and any potential hard spots.

As for re-chambering a "fantastic performer" barrel, good chance the performance may go away. I'd bore scope it and if you have cracking and carbon buildup in the throat area do like my barrel maker suggests. A tight fitting patch on a jag with some Simichrome polish. Work the throat area and keep shooting until you just can't get it to shoot anymore then replace. You'll at least save the cost of a reamer.

How far down the bore does the likely erosion and hear cracking go?

That could help tell if your idea might be feasible.

EDIT -- Deadshot2 posted sbout the same time but with a more complete and better descriptions!

You'd have to set that barrel back much more than a few thou to get any appreciable improvement. More like an inch. That will get the worst of the erosion, but it will never again be "like new". You will have to extend the barrel thread, which makes it a lathe job. That may decide the issue for you.

I was reading an article on re-bore work this last week.

Upshot was it needed to go to a large caliber as well as different chamber and it was expensive.

Seems a like not worth it.

What would make the most sense would be to cut the barrel, put in the same chamber.


However, you need more barrel threads cut in as well. You would have to be pushing over $150 for the work.

Reports seem to vary as to how the rifling overall does. I have the gauges to check that for my 30 calibers and will get some idea in another 3 years or so.

At 4000 rds. it will take 2" to get to fresh meat, which means a complete thread and chamber. I've done it several times before, and it will go back to shooting, but it won't last long. It's not worth it to do this to a seasoned barrel. It would cost the same to finish out a new blank.

If you have enough meat left to set it back a couple of inches and are doing the work yourself then it's worth a try. Maybe not so much to hire it done.