What type of barrel have I bought for my BSA...?

[Powderfinger]

Ha! How is that for amateur question!?

I mentioned in an earlier post that I had been offered a .224 barrel blank that could be used as a suitable replacement for the worn factory barrel on my BSA Regent Featherweight - well, I bought it, for no other reason than that it was inexpensive. The seller (a reputable chap) assured me of its quality, and said another identical blank went on to be an excellent shooter.

The blank is 33" long and 33mm in diameter, and features a 1-12 twist. I am fairly certain that it will have been button-rifled, and subsequently stress-relieved - this based on the fact that it has a purple-brown color to its unmachined outer surface. Does this seem like a reasonable assertion?

If I am correct in my guess and the blank has been stress-relieved, am I in the clear for whatever profile I choose for the finished barrel - or should I err to the side of caution and avoid going too thin, and likewise avoid fluting? I don't mind a a larger diameter barrel, but it will possibly decide the "purpose" for the rifle - ie varminter rather than stalker....

Very interested in the thoughts of those who have experience in such matters.. Whatever happens, I have all but settled on .223AI. A local smith has the reamer and can do the work.

I haven't got any pictures of the Regent yet, but here are a couple of her big sister - a BSA Viscount in 7x57 I have been restoring the last couple of months. Simply put, an exquisite old rifle.

[Stevo]

From one Amatuer to another all the advise I can give is my most accurate Rifles (I have two) both have heavy Barrels. So when picking a Contour go with the heaviest you would want to walk around a bit with.

[Chuck Miller]

Be careful sinking a lot of labor into an unknown barrel. That thing is over 1.25 and unless your smith is your brother and turning it for free that's a lot of money spent on a barrel of dubious quality. I sent a 25 cal Shilen unturned blank to kevin weaver. Cost was prohibitive to turn it and he made it clear there were no accuracy guarantees. I think most smith's believe that if your going to turn a barrel that much you'll negate any stress relieving that was done.

[TinMan]

To add what Chuck said, from a pure engineering mechanics viewpoint, any time you turn the OD of a tube, the ID grows to a larger size. That is the pure mechanics of solids in mechanical engineering. Also, most traditional machining operations, like OD turning (and even fluting the OD), results in putting a compressive residual stress into the OD. Both of these effects are very slight, and may not be significant for your intended purpose. If the barrel was as inexpensive as you state, it might be worth a try. If the rifle has significant value, you might reconsider the costs of a known barrel.

[Powderfinger]

Originally Posted by Chuck Miller

Be careful sinking a lot of labor into an unknown barrel. That thing is over 1.25 and unless your smith is your brother and turning it for free that's a lot of money spent on a barrel of dubious quality. I sent a 25 cal Shilen unturned blank to kevin weaver. Cost was prohibitive to turn it and he made it clear there were no accuracy guarantees. I think most smith's believe that if your going to turn a barrel that much you'll negate any stress relieving that was done.

Originally Posted by TinMan

To add what Chuck said, from a pure engineering mechanics viewpoint, any time you turn the OD of a tube, the ID grows to a larger size. That is the pure mechanics of solids in mechanical engineering. Also, most traditional machining operations, like OD turning (and even fluting the OD), results in putting a compressive residual stress into the OD. Both of these effects are very slight, and may not be significant for your intended purpose. If the barrel was as inexpensive as you state, it might be worth a try. If the rifle has significant value, you might reconsider the costs of a known barrel.

Thanks for both inputs guys.

Interestingly, the seller informed me that he had a casting made of the bore - and that it was "on the tight side" whatever that means.

I am interested in the mechanics of what Chuck said about negating the stress relieving... Does this happen by virtue of each pass with a lathe tool imparting new stress (as implied by Tin Man), compounding to create problems - or is it a function of friction-induced heat? I am guessing the prior, owing to heat being a manageable factor....

TinMan - you say that most traditional machining introduces this residual compressive stress - would this include grinding operations? Thanks

Y'all scaring me into building a rail-gun!

[Chuck Miller]

I guess it boils down to what you want to do with that rifle. I go to the range all the time and see guys high fiveing over 2" groups and celebrating over keeping 4 out of five bullets on the 10" kill zone of a full size Bin Laden target. I believe the barrel is the heart of any rifle, you can scrimp in some other areas but as long as that barrel is of good quality, installed, and chambered correctly it will shoot pretty good. I have a friend with a Viper drop port and a Adams and Bennett barrel on it, it's not very accurate, even sitting in that McMillan stock and a jewel trigger on it. So hes got a nice rig with a Midway 100.00 barrel on it after paying around 350.00 to chamber, install, polish, crown, etc. Rig looks great, has no heart.

[Powderfinger]

Originally Posted by Chuck Miller

I guess it boils down to what you want to do with that rifle. I go to the range all the time and see guys high fiveing over 2" groups and celebrating over keeping 4 out of five bullets on the 10" kill zone of a full size Bin Laden target. I believe the barrel is the heart of any rifle, you can scrimp in some other areas but as long as that barrel is of good quality, installed, and chambered correctly it will shoot pretty good. I have a friend with a Viper drop port and a Adams and Bennett barrel on it, it's not very accurate, even sitting in that McMillan stock and a jewel trigger on it. So hes got a nice rig with a Midway 100.00 barrel on it after paying around 350.00 to chamber, install, polish, crown, etc. Rig looks great, has no heart.

Chuck, start to finish I love that post. Don Juan once said to Carlos Castaneda..... "Choose the path that has a heart..."

I once chose a Remington 40X BBR that had a Hart, couldn't get that to shoot, neither

Will have a serious think about the outcomes I am looking for. Cheers

[TinMan]

Powderfinger. Yes, that includes grinding. It is all a matter of degree, depth of cut, sharp or dull tool, etc..

[Double D]

Purple Brown color. How old is this barrel? Could it be an old Nickel steel barrel the was blued at to high a temperature. Possibly an old military surplus barrel of some sort?

[Bayou City Boy]

Originally Posted by Chuck Miller

.........I believe the barrel is the heart of any rifle, you can scrimp in some other areas but as long as that barrel is of good quality, installed, and chambered correctly it will shoot pretty good. I have a friend with a Viper drop port and a Adams and Bennett barrel on it, it's not very accurate, even sitting in that McMillan stock and a jewel trigger on it. So hes got a nice rig with a Midway 100.00 barrel on it after paying around 350.00 to chamber, install, polish, crown, etc. Rig looks great, has no heart.

Very true words..........!! A good quality barrel that is chambered properly makes up for a lot of other things that might be wrong with a rifle action or stock. Conversely, the Viper action and the McMillan stocked rifle that Chuck mentioned describes that situation very well.

I am willing to spend good money on action work and a good stock, etc., for things that contribute to the accuracy potential of a good barrel. But without a good barrel, a truck load of action and stock improvements are a good way to throw money at a wall hoping that it sticks to something, but those things typically won't show much fruit in the long run unless the barrel has its own potential to be good........

-BCB