Tightening a 788 bbl

tokguy

tokguy

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So as my father got elderly, he became convinced that his 788 was shot out. A 22-250 with a couple hundred rds down the pipe. Wouldn't be swayed from the course... "can't be the reloads, it must be the gun!"
It got shipped off to a local gun plumber who got the bbl loose and...well that's about it. Several years later, it is back. with the barrel about 30 degrees from tight.
The plumber isn't getting it back...long story, but it's better that way.
We drug it out the other night and a companion with way better eyes than I had a look and said " Damn, that rifling is crisp, man!"
I'm of the opinion that such a task doesn't require me to " Drop it off, it'll be back in a couple weeks "...even if I have to buy the freaking tools. Been burned by the Gun Plumber once already on this rifle.
Any advice on getting it tight?
 
The tools to do this are too expensive for a one off job,maybe there is a CGNer in your area with the tools to help you out, if you were near me I'd do it for nothing. I would think if you took it to a real smith he would do it while you wait and have a nominal charge.
 
tokguy said:
So as my father got elderly, he became convinced that his 788 was shot out. A 22-250 with a couple hundred rds down the pipe. Wouldn't be swayed from the course... "can't be the reloads, it must be the gun!"
It got shipped off to a local gun plumber who got the bbl loose and...well that's about it. Several years later, it is back. with the barrel about 30 degrees from tight.
The plumber isn't getting it back...long story, but it's better that way.
We drug it out the other night and a companion with way better eyes than I had a look and said " Damn, that rifling is crisp, man!"
I'm of the opinion that such a task doesn't require me to " Drop it off, it'll be back in a couple weeks "...even if I have to buy the freaking tools. Been burned by the Gun Plumber once already on this rifle.
Any advice on getting it tight?
Click to expand...

30 degrees is quite a bit. It may be tight and what you are referring to is indexing the sights/printing. That requires a gunsmith to first machine and index the printing correctly and then chambering to the correct headspace.
 
I'd be thinking to first completely remove the barrel and inspect the threads - they are quite fine (1.00 x 20 tpi if I remember) and easy enough to mess up - I have a tap and die for chasing those threads on barrel and in receiver - maybe your "plumber" got it to gall ....
 
You may wish to see if any there is any material that looks like dried glue/loctite remaining in the threads preventing the barrel from threading on...also inspect the threads (mail and female) with a small magnifier to see if any have been torn or destroyed.
 
Well, it's tighter than I want to dyck with. But it was a ' Happy to see it back ' kind of a thing. So it's a good thing.
But now I've got to get it tightened and checked out. Dad passed so it means a lot to get it cracking again.
Thanks all
Tokguy
 
if it is 30 deg. "from tight" but is as tight as you say I suspect someone has started the process of 'setting the barrel back a thread or two for a new chambering & fresh throat" but didn't complete the job properly. How does it "headspace"...a new chamber may have been cut and it just needs a sliver taken off the barrel buttress to allow re-alignment to it's proper orientation.
 
fingers284 said:
if it is 30 deg. "from tight" but is as tight as you say I suspect someone has started the process of 'setting the barrel back a thread or two for a new chambering & fresh throat" but didn't complete the job properly. How does it "headspace"...a new chamber may have been cut and it just needs a sliver taken off the barrel buttress to allow re-alignment to it's proper orientation.
Click to expand...

It was going to be re-bbl'd, not new chamber and a fresh throat. Other than not being properly tightened, it is untouched.
A&S, it's not past...it's shy off. In redneck lingo, that's ' Not tightened up to where it was '.
And I've no effective way to ascertain it's tightness or lack of. But I'm generally pretty wise as to working metal, and me dycking with it will only Marr up a perfectly fine appearing bbl & receiver.
That would be stupid, wouldn't it?
I'll source a local gun plumber before I'll dyck with it. But not with the assurance of " Drop it off, I'll call when it's done " I've never subscribed to the " When it's done " line of BS so many put forth. I'm not building a custom rifle, I need the bbl tightened. Should further problems appear, I'll take responsibility for them .
 
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