Re-barreling UK

[User00040]

Seem to recall that @Muir had a Tikka with a prefit and @MarinePMI shot it?

Curious to hear your opinions.

The Ruger Precision Rifle offers interchangeable barrels from the factory, not to mention Blaser, Sauer and Mauser.

 

[Dogtra UK]

Here’s me advertising a brand new Bergara barrel for sale and people are still arguing the toss at £250!!!

 

[Ronin]

Yup I’ve changed a lot of RPR barrels, some lined up,,,look at the issues the Gen 1 RPR had with barrel alignment

Blaser, barrels - the bolt locks into the rear of the barrel so not much to go wrong (providing it’s clean )

Sauer - bolt locks directly to the barrel in either 6/3 lug config, most replacement barrels for Sauer come from the factory or from Vapensmia where they have made hundreds of thousands of barrels for the Skandi shooters using them for hunting or Comp shooting

 

[griff]

Possibly the business insurance too and cost of consumables

Factor in a grand for the insurance

20 quid per piece of carbide lathe tooling (I make my own)

I bought four new reamers before Christmas the bill was just under £1700 ,,,,,

The list carries on

Perhaps have a look at what the us guys think of their products ,,

Now your just looking for sympathy.
Any interesting reamers?

N

 

[Ronin]

No Sympathy wanted or looked for - it’s just a business with usual outlay like any other

Try to provide a decent service at a fair price for the discerning customer

I have a fair balance on whom I do work for and whom I do not

 

[andyk]

In response to the bit about proofing not being required until sale, it would be interesting to hear a 'smiths take on that.

The barrel would need proofing for sale, so even if your rifle didn't need to be proofed after fitting (if the barrel had already been chambered and shoulders cut) it would have to be proofed beforehand. I guess that would reduce the cost as the importer could proof them on bulk, but there would still be a charge.

On the other hand, chambered barrels would be s1, whereas they're just tubes before that. So carriage cost would be higher on the 'over ready' barrels.

Finally, I'm not sure how many 'smiths would want to let a newly re-barelled rifle off the premises unless it had been proofed, legal requirement or not, as I imagine it would make their insurers uneasy.

 

[Ronin]

No one I know would let an unproofed barrel leave their workshop to a customer without it going to proof first

Me included

 

[griff]

No one I know would let an unproofed barrel leave their workshop to a customer without it going to proof first

Me included

Absolutely correct procedure..
Proof is the final approval..

 

[bfltd0]

Absolutely correct procedure..
Proof is the final approval..

Gun Barrel Proof Act 1868 as amended. Proof is not optional prior to sale.

 

[palmer_mike]

Gun Barrel Proof Act 1868 as amended. Proof is not optional prior to sale.

True, but in theory one could replace a barrel on a rifle and not have it proofed unless it was going to be sold

 

[bfltd0]

True, but in theory one could replace a barrel on a rifle and not have it proofed unless it was going to be sold

But who would sell you it without it being proofed?

So yes, in theory you could make your own new barrel to fit your own existing rifle, but then you'd have to make sure you got a variation for your FAC.............

 

[andyk]

As in you could own a rifle, have it rebarrelled but not reproofed and continue to own it without any legal issues until you came to sell it.

The purpose of my question above was to see how many of the ‘smiths on SD would be willing to let a rifle go from the workshop on that proviso. So far, none.

 

[bfltd0]

As in you could own a rifle, have it rebarrelled but not reproofed and continue to own it without any legal issues until you came to sell it.

The purpose of my question above was to see how many of the ‘smiths on SD would be willing to let a rifle go from the workshop on that proviso. So far, none.

 

[bfltd0]

Agreed. I would hope that no barrel importer or UK barrel maker would sell or otherwise transfer a barrel to anyone without following the correct legal procedure.

 

[palmer_mike]

Agreed. I would hope that no barrel importer or UK barrel maker would sell or otherwise transfer a barrel to anyone without following the correct legal procedure.

But that’s the point isn’t it, it’s not necessarily without the correct legal procedure to rebarrel a rifle without having it proofed.

For clarity, a would not recommend doing it but unless the rifle is resold it’s not illegal.

How about if a ‘smith’ wanted to replace a barrel on his own rifle and didn’t intend to sell it?

 

[Ronin]

Anyone doing a barrel for another and not proofing before handing it back is frankly a fool

No reputable gunsmith would do this and risk being in breach of their insurance clauses and I’m sure that in selling a chambered fitted barrel to the customer regardless if it’s a replacement of a like cartridge would fall foul of the law

The barrel has been changed the gunsmith has sold the barrel, his work etc therefore a sale has taken place

 

[griff]

Every gunsmith has a duty of care to their customers. If you find one that likes to exploit loopholes in the legislation, be it on your own head(literally).

 

[kenbro]

Sounds like a load of BS to me.
Millions of Americans buy and use the same guns as they send over here, but they don’t have then proofed for their own use, because it’s not necessary.
Does our military send it’s weapons to the proof house? No.
Proof houses are money making scams (Don’t start on moderators) that have had their day.
Any “Gunsmith” that thinks his work need to go to the proof house before it’s safe to use is in the wrong job.
Ken

 

[Sharpie]

What are real gunsmiths thoughts on threading a proofed gun for a moderator ? Re-proof or not ?

There are considerable forces at work trying to tear the can or other muzzle device off, and some combinations such as a 1/2" thread on a .30 barrel could be marginal if done poorly.

Or shortening a barrel, with or without threading at the muzzle ?

Yes I know about Jackson rifles' legal opinion on this matter.

Obviously a re-barrel job must be proofed, it is the law, if it is done for trade.

 

[bfltd0]

Does our military send it’s weapons to the proof house? No.

Yes, actually the manufacturers do. For example, the SA80 series of weapons had a branch of the London Proof House set up at the factory in Enfield to proof every single weapon/pressure bearing part, since they were manufactured in the UK. When a subsequent upgrade of the same series of weapons was done in Germany, they were re-proofed in Germany, whose proof marks are accepted by the UK by the CIP treaty. But if you look at the smaller production weapons, like pistols or sniper rifles, .50 cal machine guns or even .50 sub-caliber inserts for 120mm tank guns, they will all bear proof marks, from either UK or CIP proof houses.

The UK military or any other British Government organisation cannot acquire/use small arms that do not have an acceptable proof mark. There is no Crown immunity to the Gun Barrel Proof Act.