Hi all have some parts for a build ,Im looking for a barrel.I know there hard to find or impossible.I am thinking about getting a 22 blank and having it turned down to the proper contour,Is this possible?Any idea who could,would do it?I have heard about lined 303 barrels but that doesnt sound good to me,Rather get a repro 22 barrel made.Im sure there are a lot of guys would want repro barrels.Any thoughts or input?Dave
CNo7 Enfield 22 Build
- Thread starter Dave.S
- Start date
Better in what way? A custom barrel would probably be more accurate, but what degree of accuracy are you expecting?
IBI = International Barrels Inc. in BC. Their stainless rimfire prefits start at $750, go to $1350 plus tax and delivery. No idea if they would duplicate the contours of a Lee Enfield barrel. The barrel would then need to be installed, indexed and headspaced, etc.
What would a No. 4 barrel with poor bore cost? $40? Liner is about $100. The barrel has to be adapted for rimfire by installing a chamber piece to bring the barrel face back to the bolt face. Liner drill run through, liner bonded in. Extractor groove and chamber cut. Bayonet lugs turned off muzzle unless you want a No. 9 clone. Couple of hours work, say $150. $300 installed and ready to shoot.
JC Custom in Bouctouche Bay NB has a barrel contouring lathe which could copy a Lee Enfield barrel, but I don't think he makes .22RF barrels.
IBI = International Barrels Inc. in BC. Their stainless rimfire prefits start at $750, go to $1350 plus tax and delivery. No idea if they would duplicate the contours of a Lee Enfield barrel. The barrel would then need to be installed, indexed and headspaced, etc.
What would a No. 4 barrel with poor bore cost? $40? Liner is about $100. The barrel has to be adapted for rimfire by installing a chamber piece to bring the barrel face back to the bolt face. Liner drill run through, liner bonded in. Extractor groove and chamber cut. Bayonet lugs turned off muzzle unless you want a No. 9 clone. Couple of hours work, say $150. $300 installed and ready to shoot.
JC Custom in Bouctouche Bay NB has a barrel contouring lathe which could copy a Lee Enfield barrel, but I don't think he makes .22RF barrels.
Here is another way to get a barrel.
Use a commercial .22 barrel. The breech diameter will be too small to thread for a Lee Enfield. Fit the barrel to a bushing that will thread into the receiver. Turn the muzzle end appropriately. The barrel will be hidden by the stock and handguards from the front sight base back, so contour is irrelevant. If a quality barrel is used, accuracy will be there. Catch is getting a factory .22 barrel that is long enough. A No. 7 barrel is about 1/8" longer than a .303 barrel; a factory 26" barrel would be needed.
Use a commercial .22 barrel. The breech diameter will be too small to thread for a Lee Enfield. Fit the barrel to a bushing that will thread into the receiver. Turn the muzzle end appropriately. The barrel will be hidden by the stock and handguards from the front sight base back, so contour is irrelevant. If a quality barrel is used, accuracy will be there. Catch is getting a factory .22 barrel that is long enough. A No. 7 barrel is about 1/8" longer than a .303 barrel; a factory 26" barrel would be needed.
line a No.4 barrel or use the bushing method are your best options. you can also use the front and rear parts of a No.4 barrel to make bushings. a Winchester mod 26 and some of the older Mossberg barrels have the length and similar contours.
If you consider what C No. 7 type rifles assembled from parts sell for these days, using a custom made barrel isn't necessarily out of the question from the standpoint of cost.
Because most of the barrel is covered by the handguards, and is free floated for most of its length, an exact copy of the original tapered profile isn't absolutely required.
The trick is to find a .22RF blank that is long enough to finish at over 25" and has a large enough diameter for the shank to be machined.
Because most of the barrel is covered by the handguards, and is free floated for most of its length, an exact copy of the original tapered profile isn't absolutely required.
The trick is to find a .22RF blank that is long enough to finish at over 25" and has a large enough diameter for the shank to be machined.
I believe Cooey 75’where 26 or 28 inches.
I think Cooey 75s have a 27" barrel. Certainly long enough. The bore might even be straight through, end to end. Ever cut up a Cooey barrel?
A shorter barrel can be used, with an extension added to the muzzle end. This can be done so as to be very unobtrusive.
I have a couple of NOS .22 target rifle barrels salted away, each longer than a No. 7's. A Remington 513T and a Stevens 416. Vintage quality barrels. Either should shoot really well.
But if I were going to do another (I have one LB .22 receiver left), I would line a .303. Easier than adapting either of these .22 barrels, and I have a few liners on hand.
The OP doesn't want a liner, that is his choice.
There might well be a market for a number of No. 7 barrels. Might be something a specialty shop might consider. I bet half a dozen - or more - could be sold at, say $600 a pop.
A shorter barrel can be used, with an extension added to the muzzle end. This can be done so as to be very unobtrusive.
I have a couple of NOS .22 target rifle barrels salted away, each longer than a No. 7's. A Remington 513T and a Stevens 416. Vintage quality barrels. Either should shoot really well.
But if I were going to do another (I have one LB .22 receiver left), I would line a .303. Easier than adapting either of these .22 barrels, and I have a few liners on hand.
The OP doesn't want a liner, that is his choice.
There might well be a market for a number of No. 7 barrels. Might be something a specialty shop might consider. I bet half a dozen - or more - could be sold at, say $600 a pop.
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