Gander Mountain gunsmith.

[mrawesome22]

Is it generally accepted that GM has good gunsmiths? I have no local independent smiths in my area and was just wondering if I should trust these guys or not. I'm wanting to get some freebore taken out of my 700. Can they do this with the existing barrel or will I have to get a new barrel that is short chambered? The factory barrel is very accurate, with no throat erosion, but I'd like to take some freebore out so I don't have to load my bullets out so far. Thanks guys.

 

[HSMITH]

There are three stores relatively local to me, one is a big one and has several gunsmiths working full time. They do some really nice work. The other two have one or two guys that work there and their ability varies. I know there are two guys that I would not let work on my guns.

The other thing is that bigger jobs are usually sent out to the bigger stores with more gunsmiths and more talent, usually if it gets past 'installation' of something you bought the local guys will send it out.

If your barrel is very accurate I woudn't touch it with a ten foot pole. It works, works well and the only downside is you have to load long? I wouldn't take a chance with it.

 

[Jim Watson]

Me, either. "Taking freebore out" would involve shortening the barrel from the breech, lathe turning and threading the shank by the set back distance, and rechambering with the desired throat length and correct headspace.
You could probably buy a new barrel for the cost of all that.
I would, but only after wearing out the factory barrel as is.

 

[mrawesome22]

Well the reason I want to be able to load the bullets deeper is so I can load from the magazine box. When I load from the mag, they hit on the feed ramp, and I don't want to take the chance of it moving a bullet so I just load one at a time. Think I'm just being paranoid? I have to load them out so far that only about a quarter inch of the bullet is in the neck of the case.

 

[Harry Bonar]

freebore

Sir:
If your rifle shoots well as is I'd leave it alone. No, I also don't like freeboreing, but I'd leave it alone if it shot well.
We usually like to seat the bullets out as far as possible so they still fit the magazine box and just a tad back from the lands.
Harry B.

 

[ZeroJunk]

I suspect talent varies greatly from store to store.A hunting companion bought an A Bolt there and had them mount the scope and bore sight.He intended to fine tune it when we got to Montana.At the range we found the rifle did not have enough adjustment to get below about 6 inches high at 100 yards.Upon close inspection I discovered that the mounts were incorrect.They quite visibly did not match the contour of the receiver.So,he had to borrow a rifle for the hunt.Gander Mountain replaced them ,but I know he would have liked to have used his own rifle even though he did get a good raghorn.

 

[williamd]

Have had Schultz & Larsens's and Weatherby's with free bore and I am not a fan as it prevents me from seating the way I want to as regards the bullet and lands.

But ... taking freebore out! As Jim Watson says this is a breech end of the bbl job. Cutting, threading, headspacing, .... Gives me the shakes. Find a smith who will accept it as a challenge.

Sell the rifle and buy what you want! Or, fully rebarrell.