Which action / bolt is this barrel for ?

[r.j.medals2]

... Which action / bolt is this barrel for ? This showed up with questions originally from a gunsmiths estate. . It looks like a new barrel liner was installed, with the muzzle dia. .282-.300 inch aprox. The OD=.687 in at muzzle. The OD at the threads =1.24 inches The threads are 14/in ? with a outside thread dia of 1.133 in[28.79 mm] The overall length is 26 5/8 in[675 mm] A 308 win cartridge seems to fit .There are no other marks but the 1. Any wild guesses ?

 

[tiriaq]

Barrel is for a Sportco 44. Note that the locking abutments are integral with the barrel.
It would have been 7.62x51 (.308). What does it chamber now?
Interesting if it has been lined.

 

[r.j.medals2]

Thank-you for the info. I watched a very informative video on this rifle , The 762 x 51 seems to fit , but there is a ridge on the inside of the liner that has not been worked . This would require a reamer [i think] Also on the feed end it almost looks like the cartridge area was relined , i tried to get that in the photo .

 

[tiriaq]

Personally, I would be uncomfortable with a lined 7.62x51.
The design facilitated changing barrels without machining. The 3 lugged bolt heads came in different sizes to allow headspace to be adjusted. The bolt body was full diameter, so there was no need to broach lugways lengthwise through the receiver. An inherent lack of strong primary extraction was an issue with Sportcos. With 7.62x51 ball, this wasn't a big issue, because the cases are strong and hard. With softer brass, stuck cases happened. The last year the Cadets shot Sportcos at Connaught, they were using RG 155gr match ammunition. Cleaning rods and rubber mallets were distributed along the line.
Lloyd Nielsen made an adapter collar with the locking abutments which allowed conventional barrels to be threaded and installed.

 

[gaff]

the pics appear to be a standard 7.62 palma contour barrel, with the Sportco target crown. can't see any liner in the pics?
Have an identical one in the basement for a project.

 

[Buckmastr]

The Sportco 44 is a neat rifle. I scoped another one I have and it was sub moa 10 shots at 300 yards with 155 Sierras iirc.

 

[r.j.medals2]

Thank-you all for the info. The barrel is not something i will use , does anyone have an estimated value or ? on this one.

 

[gaff]

new unused $400 - used in very good condition, no wear in the throat $200

 

[Buckmastr]

I paid 400$ ea for the complete rifles above.

 

[r.j.medals2]

I will list this if any are interested . $100 plus the ride

 

[Blastattack]

new unused $400 - used in very good condition, no wear in the throat $200

That’s a ridiculous price. $100-$150 at best. Probably less given the dubious nature of the liner. Same as all other takeoff barrels.

 

[maynard]

You are correct on the pricing, should sell for around $100 or so. The barrel is not lined, it looks like the blueing was machined off when it was recrowned. Not too many people rebarrelling Spotco's these days, however the barrel (stub) could be machine out to be made into a Neilson adaptor.

 

[gaff]

have you guys priced a new target barrel lately? if it is used. these barrels make excellent replacement barrels for Enfields and Mausers.

 

[tiriaq]

The desirability of a target rifle barrel is directly related to its bore condition.
If this barrel has a like new bore, then it is going to be of great interest to someone with a Sportco 44 that needs a new barrel.

I did repurpose a take-off 44 barrel by cutting off the breech and threading and chambering it for another action. I did find that the breech of the barrel is hardened (the bolt head locks into the barrel).

I saw a homemade target rifle at the DCRA Connaught matches one summer. The shooter had used a Sportco barrel breech and bolt head and made the rest. The tubular receiver and bolt body do not require any heat treatment, apart from perhaps the cocking cam surface at the rear of the bolt. The receiver does not need lug ways, greatly simplifying the machining. This would be a safe way of making a centerfire rifle, given that the locking system and headspace are professionally controlled.

Maynard mentioned a Neilsen adapter. I have a Neilsen 300 actioned rifle. Two piece receiver, the bolt locking into the front portion which is a barrel extension. The bolt head is a Sportco. The action evolved from Neilsen's adapter. Shoots really well. This concept is very much like the homemade target rifle I mentioned, only commercially done. I have a Schneider barrel on the 300. Last time I had it to the range, it shot a 5/8" group from the bench at 100m with my standard load of 155SMK, 46gr Varget, LR Match primer in Lapua brass.

 

[Blastattack]

have you guys priced a new target barrel lately? if it is used. these barrels make excellent replacement barrels for Enfields and Mausers.

Yeah, but those are brand new target barrels made to the latest and greatest specs on the best machines. They cost $400-$600 give or take. This is not one of those barrels. This is a takeoff barrel. Unless someone desperately wants one for their Sportco, it’s just another factory takeoff barrel. They’re worth $100-$150 because takeoff barrels have little value because they are a major unknown, and anybody buying takeoff barrels is not doing so because they are after the best possible accuracy, they’re buying them to adapt to something else and takeoff barrels are much cheaper than buying new.