Large Shank to Small Shank, $$$????

[pointer]

In researching a couple of option to get to a rifle I want (WSSM based), I've read here that it is fairly easy and inexpensive to have a large shank barrel turned to small shank. What is the cost?

Also, there is a supplier of the barrel I want, but they only sell them in large shank. If one was to go with a Large shank action is about the only "loss" the ability to use inexpensive take off barrel?

Thanks in advance.

[tammons]

There is really no loss to a large shank barrel.
Just less flexibility.

[aimatit]

Lothar Walther sells drop-in aftermarket barrels for the small shank barrels, do they offer the large shank barrels also?

[pointer]

There is really no loss to a large shank barrel.
Just less flexibility.

Could you explain what you mean by "less flexible"?

[McKinneyMike]

Lothar Walther sells drop-in aftermarket barrels for the small shank barrels, do they offer the large shank barrels also?

Yes they do offer large shanked pre-fits, but there is an additional charge and a 5 week lead time, when last I checked with them.

[wbm]

There are two ways to look at it. On the large shank barrel you have increased the size of the barrel shank but have decreased the thickness of the steel in the receiver. Never understood why Savage thought there was some sort of liability in having WSM's put into a small shank configuration when the 300 Win Mag and 7mm Remington Mag had been used in small shank receivers. Anyone know?

Gunsmith here charged me $35.00 to make a small shank out of a large shank. Took less than 30 minutes.

[Blue Avenger]

There is really no loss to a large shank barrel.
Just less flexibility.

Could you explain what you mean by "less flexible"?

you have a smaller market share to pick from with large shank. oodles of small barrels laying around.

[358Hammer]

WBM
To my knowledge Savage just wanted the extra margin of error. There wasn't any other reason that I am aware of.

There is definitely a difference in case size between the Remington Ultra Mag case diameter,300WSM diameter as compared to the 300 Win Mag. Plus the fatter case designs run at roughly 62,000 psi and the standard Mags typically run at much less pressure.

I do know of one break open barrel maker (.100 diameter) that chambered the WSM for years and quit doing it.

Neal

[mopar440]

i read on a website devouted the building blackpowder cannon's that your OD of barrel should be at least twice the ID but i wondered why this was not the case in many blackpowder rifle's

i know smokeless gun powder is intirely different at 4 times the PSI

[pointer]

There is really no loss to a large shank barrel.
Just less flexibility.

Could you explain what you mean by "less flexible"?

you have a smaller market share to pick from with large shank. oodles of small barrels laying around.

That's what I was thinking, just didn't know if there was something else that I was missing. Looks like I've found a provider for the bbl in small shank, so that's proably the route I'll go.

[358Hammer]

Not sure what the phrase "less Flexable" was meant to represent.

My personal opinion is simply a much more readily available selection of barrels available out there. Example: I called a gun shop a month ago and asked for a takeoff Savage barrel selection in large shank. He had one. He had a bunch of small shank barrels!
Savage is an old company and I can pretty much find any caliber takeoff barrel I desire at $0-$50. for the asking. The small shank has been around a long time. Very few large shank barrels laying collecting dust as they haven't been around nearly as long.

Just my thoughts.
Neal

[tammons]

Could you explain what you mean by "less flexible"?
[/quote]

Maybe that was the wrong term as you can still have any barrel made in large shank.

What I meant was that there are about several million or more small shank barrel out there of all sorts.
Not that many large shanks since they are new.

Midwayusa currently carries a raft of small shank barrels.
Only has one large shank barrel listed as coming soon.

ETC.

[sha-ul]

is it theoretically possible to make an adapter bushing that would thread into the receiver,& then thread a small shank bbl into it?

[358Hammer]

Small shank diameter 1.060 Large Shank 1.120. In theory no and I would like to meet and shake the hand of the machinist that can thread both the inside and outside of a piece of pipe with a class 3 thread on a .060 thick piece of pipe.

This answer was not intended to disrespect the question posed in any way. Rather to strongly suggest that if someone was able to do it I certainly would not shoot using the insert.

Neal

[sha-ul]

Small shank diameter 1.060 Large Shank 1.120. In theory no and I would like to meet and shake the hand of the machinist that can thread both the inside and outside of a piece of pipe with a class 3 thread on a .060 thick piece of pipe.

This answer was not intended to disrespect the question posed in any way. Rather to strongly suggest that if someone was able to do it I certainly would not shoot using the insert.

Neal

I thought there was more than 1/16 diff between them. I did not know the diameter difference off the top of my head.

[sinman]

If you have a large shank barrel you can always rethread it to fit a small shank receiver but not the other way around.

[MZ5]

I thought there was more than 1/16 diff between them. I did not know the diameter difference off the top of my head.

Nope, just 1/16". 1-1/16" vs. 1-1/8", so you're not gonna get anything like a reliable adapter, at least not for less than NASA price. :)

[sha-ul]

if there is only 1/16 diff in diameter, that is almost negligible, why go to all the trouble in designing a new action & setting up a new production line, for that small of a strength increase?

[Blue Avenger]

if there is only 1/16 diff in diameter, that is almost negligible, why go to all the trouble in designing a new action & setting up a new production line, for that small of a strength increase?

not a new action, just bored bigger.

[MZ5]

Good question, and I don't know for sure. My guess it that it was to do with their desired/required minimum amount of steel around the cartridge for some of the fatties (i.e. WSMs). You lose some strength in the receiver in the process, of course, but my guess is that the strength of the barrel is more important than the strength of the receiver in that area, in terms of cartridge pressure containment, safety, and longevity.