Quote Originally Posted by Shortbox4x4 View Post
There could be a few things causing the barrel to be crooked per say on the action. Thread fit, didn’t cut the shoulder square on the barrel. The barrel itself could have a bad bow to it. Our terminology for being bent. Also how the barrels bore was drilled etc....I’ve got a picture on my phone of a factory Remington barrel where the bore at the muzzle is physically off center about .100”! Not the first one I’ve seen like that either.

Also and this applies probably more to factory actions but basically the receiver gets heat treated after all the machine work and they can warp/twist to different degrees.

Before I worked at a barrel maker and or doing any of my own work. I had to have a gunsmith or smith’s do the work for me. I had one guy on my first bolt gun build for an across the course/long range rifle. This guy has won national championships, runs a club as well as matches. So I figured I’d ask him to do my stock work and bed it etc....that was the first and last time he touched my rifle. I could’ve fit the stock better with a Dremel tool! I come to find out he has a nick name and it represents the work he does given to him by locals.

Same gunsmith I talked about above that did my stock work. Fast forward about 20 years. Yes he is still doing work. How I don’t know. A friend and customer that when available we shoot team matches together. He also does his own gunsmithing work and helps out friends but that is it. He brought me a barrel that the above gunsmith did the installation on. What we found out was he cut the thread tenon smaller than nominal diameter so it would be easier to start and use a threading die to cut the threads on the breech end. I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it for myself.
I’m sure you see some crazy stuff, both good and bad.

I’ve also seen some off center bores that gives occasion to scratch head, amazingly shooting very well.

I still can’t figure the out of square barrel shoulder. Seems almost impossible to set up on a lathe, way, way easier to do it right. Threading between centers is nearly a foolproof method as an example. I can see where the “bend” could be induced in the receiver the way some of the factory stuff is mandrel - tapped and faced - off with a chop saw.

Sorry to go so far off course. What was this thread about again?