Aware of anyone who will rebarrel a break action rifle in Canada?
- Thread starter 209jones
- Start date
Blastattack
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Winnipeg MB
It entirely depends on how the rifle is set up. If the barrel can be un-threaded from the breechblock, it should be a fairly straight forward affair. If the barrel and breechblock are one, then the barrel will have to be cut off and the breechblock will have to be internally threaded for a new barrel. If there is not enough meat for the breechblock to be threaded, and requires an entirely new breechblock to be made, it will be very expensive. Many Canadian gunsmiths are more than capable of the first two options, but few are capable of the third. Be prepared to pay at least $800 to $1000 or more for this project to be complete.
Some capable people include:
Accurate Action
North Shore barrels
Guntech (member here)
Ron Smith
There are any others, but my knowledge is limited.
Some capable people include:
Accurate Action
North Shore barrels
Guntech (member here)
Ron Smith
There are any others, but my knowledge is limited.
to rebarrel that gun, you likely arent going to like the price. for the skill and knowledge to do that gun, its going to take a while, and a lot of skill to redo those locking blocks on the bottom, and get the forend and hinge to work together well. will also depend on the caliber you want it done in if the action will be strong enough for it. a brief look at it i would not want to go with a high pressure caliber. 45-70 would be as big as id want to go, and not with modern loads. handgun calibers would be good. and some older rifle calibers should be ok.
ones id recommend would be 45LC, 357 or one like it.
ones id recommend would be 45LC, 357 or one like it.
What caliber is the rifle? Is the original bore in decent shape?
Many rook rifles are in obscure calibers. It might be cheaper to set up to reload the caliber you have rather than re-barrel the rifle. Rook rifles typically fetch better re-sale prices if they are in the original caliber than if they are re-chambered/re-barreled.
Many rook rifles are in obscure calibers. It might be cheaper to set up to reload the caliber you have rather than re-barrel the rifle. Rook rifles typically fetch better re-sale prices if they are in the original caliber than if they are re-chambered/re-barreled.
Fully aware that it is worth more than the gun. But, it is something that is still worth doing, too nice a gun to scrap it or dewat it. This one has an egged chamber, and a bad throat, 300Rook, made 1887. And a .299/300 liner for it? Not easy to come by, from what I can see. There is an outfit down south that says they can do it, back to original cartridge. Or, send it to H&H, and that is EXPENSIVE ( say 4-5000), but, for originality, would be the way to go, and it would get reproofed in that deal.
One of those guns that handles ever so sweet, a real pleasure to carry and use. 2000.00 is bearable, just need to find the people, who know how to do it right.
One of those guns that handles ever so sweet, a real pleasure to carry and use. 2000.00 is bearable, just need to find the people, who know how to do it right.
Many have been done to .38special, a 327Federal is a possibility also. Not sure about the pressures generated in the 327 or the 357 though, as to compatability with that old BP break action. The 300Rook can shoot 32Long Colt also. Have to do a bit of research on the 327Fed, not sure how survivable that cartridge was, it didn't seem to be doing very well, at the time I looked at it.
Maybe I should have a look at Ellis Brown's stuff, on building doubles, to give me some idea of how much meat a person needs in the breech stub to rebarrel it that way. A 20ga breech set isn't a lot of meat in and of itself, but would gain a lot of strength from the barrel sleeve I should think.
Have to go downstairs and do some measuring on the two of them, build a bit of a picture that way I suppose. Clark is doing conversions on CZ's, just what I happen to have handy, also.
Maybe I should have a look at Ellis Brown's stuff, on building doubles, to give me some idea of how much meat a person needs in the breech stub to rebarrel it that way. A 20ga breech set isn't a lot of meat in and of itself, but would gain a lot of strength from the barrel sleeve I should think.
Have to go downstairs and do some measuring on the two of them, build a bit of a picture that way I suppose. Clark is doing conversions on CZ's, just what I happen to have handy, also.
I have a couple of martini barrels in 300 rook and the cartridge seems to be a royal pain to load for even if rechambered to a wildcat based on a 38 special shell. The groove diameter on both barrels is around .301 or .302 which means custom mold unless I am mistaken plus custom dies etc. I think your best bet would be to sleeve the old barrel to a low powered .38 cal pistol round and stick with light loads. The other option for you might be to rechamber to a necked down 357 maximum shell to get past the eroded throat. I think most of my suggestions would only be practical if you have a metal lathe or access to one and did the work yourself. Unless you already have a mold, you are probably looking at also starting with a second hand small caliber mold for a short bullet and changing that out to .300 caliber as well
cheers mooncoon
I think I would start by getting in touch with Ron Smith, Wimbourne (spelling?) Alberta, nearish to Red Deer, and see what he thinks about having a look at it.
If it has enough meat to be rebored, that would be the first option I would consider.
Another is to have a liner installed into the barrel either in to a caliber that suits you and the gun, or in to basic and dead common .22 rimfire. Probably the cheapest option.
Final option would be to have someone build you a complete new barrel and fit it. That would not alter the originality of the firearm, but is likely the most expensive option.
Post pictures! We can always use more pictures of interesting old guns!
Cheers
Trev
Have a mould and dies for it, no big deal there, that was done a long time ago. Ron can build a barrel for it, with the lug abutments, he will not put it on. Discussed that a few times. Martini & Hagn wouldn't do it, too busy.
I will check out others and ideas who have been suggested though.
Thanks!!!
I will check out others and ideas who have been suggested though.
Thanks!!!
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
take your gun to Roy at Cactus Machining in Calgary. In the N. East, Three or four blocks south of Port of Call hotel on Mcnight. It is a full commercial machine shop but Roy (the owner) has a very good understanding of guns and gun machining. he may take an interest in your project on "degree of difficulty" alone.
Just a thought, but you might want to re-barrel for .32 Harrington & Richardson Magnum (32 H&R Mag). The chamber would not require much reaming (I make my 300 Rook brass from 32 H&R) and the bore is only slightly above the nominal .300-ish bore of the .300 Rook. Slight reaming, chambering, and re-rifling might do the trick, and Starline makes 32 H&R brass (and a CGN sponsor above sells it).
Just out of curiosity, which model of H&H Rook rifle is it? Hammer or hammerless?
Just out of curiosity, which model of H&H Rook rifle is it? Hammer or hammerless?
Blastattack
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Winnipeg MB
A rifled bore cannot be altered once it is produced. It can be "erased" (rebored) and re-rifled to a larger caliber or bored and a liner installed. You cannot safely, reliably or accurately alter the depth of the rifling in a barrel. Your best bet is to either have Ron Smith rebore and rechamber for a larger caliber or have the barrel replaced completely.
It's an 1887, hammer, side/underlever version. Really nice little gun to use. There is a possibility of a couple of places supplying liners, one for sure. That old character in Wimborne will likely still build a barrel, have to talk to him about it again. If i go see him, it will cost me a couple more barrels anyway. I would prefer to keep it as a 300Rook, I have lots of Bertram brass for it, can use 32Long Colt, 300 Sherwood as well (have some of both of those also), and I have the mould and dies. Just have to get off my duff and go visit. Then I'll have to get someone to do the fitting & install it.
Lining is an option for a light caliber, I wouldnt recomend a rifle cal. Problem I have with lining a barrel is it kinda makes the muzzle ugly.
If you get a new bbl made for it you will have the original to keep the value of the gun and ha e a spare to shoot.
If you get a new bbl made for it you will have the original to keep the value of the gun and ha e a spare to shoot.
