Barrel Relining

[Cemetery]

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anybody have a recommendation or two for someone who can reline a barrel for an original Winchester 1873?

[Blair]

You could try,
Robert A. Hoyt @
Freischutz Shop
700 Fairfield Station Rd.
Fairfield, PA. 17320  #717-642-6696

He will need everything, including the cartridge cal. and bore dia. you want, rate of twist, barrel, receiver and bolt/breech block, to get the head spacing correct.
He can make "new" barrels and install them too.
I would suggest calling him in the morning or in the late afternoon... when he starts working, he wont answer the phone.
Last I heard he was running 1 and 1/2 years back logged.
I hope your not in a hurry!

As an altrernative, have you considered lapping the bore? You might be surprised what you end up with.
  Blair

[Jubal Starbuck]

  I sent my  .44 WCF 1873 Winchester to Redmans Relining & Reboring of Omak Washington several years ago and I couldn't be happier with it.  Sent an 1886 Winchester in .40-65  to Craig Rittenhouse in Tamaqua PA a few years ago and his work is also excellent.

Regards,

Jubal Starbuck

[Cemetery]

Last I heard he was running 1 and 1/2 years back logged.
I hope your not in a hurry!

As an altrernative, have you considered lapping the bore? You might be surprised what you end up with.
  Blair

 1 1/2 years back log >

What is *lapping the bore*?

[Blair]

Basically, lapping the bore is a process in which you use a fine abrasive to polish out the rough spots in a bore.
It is called lapping due to the repetition or laps required with pushing a rod in one motion, muzzle to chamber throat and pulling it back out to the muzzle. (this rod must be able to rotate freely with the twist rate of the rifling)
It requires a very good bore cleaning.
It is advisable to try to make sure you have removed any leading and copper deposits as well.
This lead and copper removal by itself can make a somewhat crummy looking bore look a lot better and lapping may not be required.
  Blair

[Cemetery]

Basically, lapping the bore is a process in which you use a fine abrasive to polish out the rough spots in a bore.
It is called lapping due to the repetition or laps required with pushing a rod in one motion, muzzle to chamber throat and pulling it back out to the muzzle. (this rod must be able to rotate freely with the twist rate of the rifling)
It requires a very good bore cleaning.
It is advisable to try to make sure you have removed any leading and copper deposits as well.
This lead and copper removal by itself can make a somewhat crummy looking bore look a lot better and lapping may not be required.
  Blair

Does *Lapping* help with pitting in old bore's?  Cause that's what I'm dealing with.

The barrel still has *shine*, I know what *pitting* is, but there's also some sort of texture that runs the length of the barrel.  Basically I picked up a *shooter* which I was told from the guy who sold it to me, *may not* have been fired in almost 100 years.  I can only attest to the amount of sludge and grim that I cleaned out from this bun, that it has been some time since it was fired.

[Blair]

Cemetery,

No, lapping wont fill in the pits. Any more than a fine abrasive polishing on the outside of the barrel will fill in pits that maybe there. It simply smoothes the surface of metal that is still there.
Pitting is most often caused by poor cleaning and maintenance. I think you already know this.
However, another cause of pitting is a form of corrosion or "electrolysis" that occurs between dissimilar metals such a lead and/or copper.
I've seen some rather pitted bores that shoot pretty well (off hand) at 100 yards.
I guess it depends on what you expect and want for accuracy and range?
  Blair

[Colt Fanning]

Hi
Another solution is to mount a new uberti barrel.  It might screw in but my 73 was the early model with a different thread.
I had to rethread and rechamber but it shoots great.

Regards
Colt

[Lucky R. K.]

You might try having the muzzle re-crowned before taking more drastic steps.

Lucky 

[John Taylor]

I install several liners a week so I might as well jump in here. I have used Redmond liner but started using T.J.'s liners about 10 years back. The difference is Redmond liners are button rifled and T.J.'s liners are hammer forged. T.J.'s has a much larger selection of calibers to choose from. There are two for the 38-40, one left hand for the Colt pistols and the other right hand for rifles. Brownell's sells piloted drills for the Redmond liners but most cut the hole a little to big so I make my own piloted drills and reamers to get a closer fit. I try for around .002" clearance and use high strength Loctite to hold the liner.
I will be glad to answer any questions you might have about liners or installs.
T.J.'s liners 859-635-5560.

[PJ Hardtack]

I'm looking to get my ERMA .54 Gallagher relined to .510. Track of the Wolf sells a .510 with a 1 x 20" twist. I think that's a bit fast for the Rapine 375 FB bullets I want to shoot.

I can get the work done locally in Canada to avoid the expense and hassle of cross border shipping. What I need to know is the recommended twist for the application and if I can get a liner shipped.

Think either of the gentlemen mentioned above could help?

[Blackfoot]

You might try having the muzzle re-crowned before taking more drastic steps.

Lucky 

To remove pitting??

Drifter

[bear tooth billy]

Vaughn Truman at the Bullet Hole in Iowa did my 73 win. I'm very happy, shoots like new, cleans like new. His
number is 319 233-0204


                               BTB

[Lucky R. K.]

To remove pitting??

Drifter

Not to remove pitting.  I have seen instances where the muzzle of a rifle has been damaged in some way and the accuracy goes away.  Re-cutting the crown brought the accuracy back to the gun.

Lucky 

[Blackfoot]

Not to remove pitting.  I have seen instances where the muzzle of a rifle has been damaged in some way and the accuracy goes away.  Re-cutting the crown brought the accuracy back to the gun.

Lucky 

His problem seems to be removing pitting from old bores.  He didn't mention accuracy.

Blackfoot

[Lucky R. K.]

His problem seems to be removing pitting from old bores.  He didn't mention accuracy.

Blackfoot

Sorry.  Guess I read something that wasn't there.

Lucky 

[Delmonico]

Big question is how does it really shoot and how bad does it lead?  I have a low-wall with a Springfield Armoury 22 barrel chambered in 22 Hornet, it has some visible pits but it shoots lead bullets at around 2000 fps with less leading than some un-pitted bores.  Yeah it leads a bit, but not bad and it cleans nice with 0000 steel wool.

Bought it thinking it needed a barrel and was going to make a 38-40 out of it, won't happen now.

[Mossyrock]

I'll post a vote for John Taylor.  He has done three reline jobs for me, and will get more.