Help wanted on barrel issue

1

101guns

New member
Any help would be appreciated.

I recently purchased a Browning A-Bolt Medalion at a local pawn shop. Price was reasonable, especially with the like new 3x9 Swift scope mounted...$299 + tax. I didn't have my bore light with me but used the white paper trick. Looked acceptable. Got it home and its not what i wanted it to be. Obviously shot a lot.

Any suggestions as to where I could purchase a barrel? Would it be cheaper to have the existing one rebored? What calibers could i rebore to? Any and all suggestions would be appreciated. This model is the short-stocked one. I got it for my kid to use so I would want to keep it in a recoil-friendly caliber for her to shoot.

I am a shooter....load, shoot and clean...take everything else to a professional. So I appologize if I am asking stupid questions.

Thanks
 
First, clean the heck out of it and go try it. I have had some that looked bad that shot well. But, if you gotta a re-bbl is better than a rebore!
 
I wonder if the barrel is really bad. That is a modern gun, and it sounds like it was given reasonable care. It is not likely to have been fired with corrosive primed ammunition. I suggest first cleaning the bore; if it is very dirty you can try having it cleaned using an electric bore cleaner. Then you can make a judgement knowing what you have to work with.

Re-boring a barrel sounds easy and the subject is brought up all the time. But there are few places that do it, and they are usually backlogged for months, if not years. (I distrust people on web sites that tell us their brother-in-law does it all the time with a twist drill welded to a cleaning rod.) Further, even if you find someone who will rebore, re-rifle and rechamber, the cost will be more than a new barrel. (Yes, I know the B-i-L only charges $29.)

If you find that the barrel is really shot, contact Browning. As long as the caliber you want is a factory option and compatible with the rest of the gun, they might be willing to install a new barrel at a reasonable price. If you want a caliber change that would require extensive changes, like .223 to .375 H&H, they probably won't do it.

Having a gunsmith do the rebarrelling will cost somewhere around what you paid for the rifle. (Yes, I know, the brother-in-law....)

So my recommendation: If the barrel is really bad and won't clean up, trade the gun on another one in better shape.

Jim
 
I would scrub the bore good with JB Bore Paste (100 strokes with a tight fitting patch), then shoot the rifle to see how it does.

Martyn
 
Exactly- SHOOT it first. I've seen some sketchy looking bores shoot decent groups. And a cleaning first is a great idea.
 
Yes if you like whatever caliber its in shoot it, if you get 1.5in or better groups at 100yds its fine. Remember to check the tightness of you scope mounts and rings. I always also like to take a rifle out of its stock and make sure its not rubbing anywhere if it is use medium sand paper and make sure when you put it back together you tighten the screws nice and tight.
 
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