Question about re-barreling a Browning B78

[Curly1]

I have a Browning B78 in 22-250 that will eventually need to be re-barreled and I was thinking of changing caliber at the same time. Can anyone advise if I need to send the rifle to Browning or can a gunsmith get a 7mm-08 octagon barrel and install?

Cheers

 

[trevj]

Send it to Browning?

I think you are running 75-100 years too late to think that Browning wants to do any custom work on a used product.

Why would they want it? They want to sell you a new rifle, or maybe, fix any warranty issues (but they farm that out to warranty depot's).

Gunsmith is it.

Figure $400 for a decent barrel blank, and about that again for the work and refinishing required. At least.

Cheers
Trev

 

[Curly1]

I realize a round barrel blank and gunsmith is an option and the cost, I am just trying to find out if octagons are available that would work with my extractor/action. A local "expert" told me you could get octagon barrels in both .270 and 30-06, but, only from the Browning factory. He advised that Browning would not sell barrels to individuals or gunsmiths and I am trying to verify.

The rifle functions fantastic as a 22-250, with great lines and I love the rifle, but, if and when the barrel goes, I would like to know what options I have.

Cheers
Curly1

 

[guntech]

Expensive options... a barrel blank (probably $500 plus) can be milled octagon (probably $200 plus) by some. Chambering, threading, indexing the barrel flats to the action, head spacing and fitting the extractor could easily run another $300 plus. Refitting the forend $100 plus. If the barrel is chrome moly and you want it polished and blued another $200 plus. It's one of the most expensive actions to barrel and a complicated pain to disassemble and assemble. I would not want the job. If you could get the factory to replace the barrel, I am sure it would be cheaper.

 

['Boo]

Would it be possible for someone like Ron Smith to re-bore the existing barrel to a larger calibre and re-chamber to a bigger cartridge?

 

[T&G]

Ron does do that sort of work, I picked up a blank from him a decade ago and he showed me around his shop. He was in the process of rifling a B78 that had been bored to a larger calibre at the time, but it would be an expensive process!