I have got to know a local gunsmith and he has offered to chamber me a rifle for the cost of the reamers. So here is what I have in mind. I just finished building a .260 on a new Stevens action that I bought which started out as a .243. So I now have a brand new .243 barrel sitting around doing nothing. The local gun store has Stevens in .243 for $295.00. So I am thinking why not pick one up and have it rechambered to .243AI for something to experiment with? If I decide I don't like it I have the second .243 barrel so I could return it to the origional configuration.
So I guess what I need to know is this. Has anyone here done a .243AI on a center feed Savage/Stevens, and if so how is the feeding from the magazine?
most smiths only charge around $70 or so to do a chamber job, so unless you can get a reamer for less than that you're not saving any money. Plus your smith is gonna make out big in the long run cause now he'll have a brand new reamer to use.
Before i messed with a Stevens barrel I'd buy a good blank somewhere and let him do it on that. Atleast you end up with a good aftermarket barrel when you're done.
”I have a very strict gun control policy: if there’s a gun around, I want to be in control of it.”
~Clint Eastwood
You could do it to get familiar with the Chambering and to fire-form a bunch of brass. But the benifits are'nt gonna be worth it in a 22" barrel. I had a 19" 243AI that was as fast as a 22" 243Win but used more powder to do it. I have a 26" Brux 243AI, I was thinking of doing a factory barrel like a Stevens just to fire-form brass for my Brux. My Smith charges like $60.00 on a Savage barrel, but you barrel must be chambered with-in certain tolerances to center line of the bore for him even to do it or you'll end up with football shaped chamber.If it's out he won't even do it.
I guess I didn't explain it very well. I have to buy the reamer, but I get to keep it as well, or I can just pay the rental for the reamer. He isn't getting anything out of the deal, he just doesn't have a .243AI reamer and doesn't want to buy one just to do me a barrel. The reason I am doing a sporter barrel is that I already have my .260 that has a 26" Schillen select match barrel for long range work, I wanted something different for a walking hunting rifle and I figured the .243AI would be fun to experiment with. I was going to buy the reamer and that way if the bug really bites me I can have a heavy barrel done in the AI as well.
If he'll do it for free for just you buying a reamer then it's a deal, but be prepared to spend at least 85.00 shipped for dies.
I have 3 AI calibers I shoot but the 243 would not be my choice. There is very little room for improvement on the parent case and with the 22" barrel it is kind of wasted. I say keep the .243 or if you really want to have an ackley round try a 6mm or a 250 savage.
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