Who to cut and recrown a Tikka Barrel?

[Steve300xcw]

Hose clamp for a cut guide? You fancy sumbitch!

 

[aschuler]

I hear/read these suggestions quite frequently.

My questions is, how does someone evaluate the competence of a gunsmith they have never used?

I had a 24" 308 barrel I wanted cut to 18" and threaded for a can. I called a local gunsmith wanting to support the locals as much as possible. When I asked about it he told me "a 308 will shoot terrible with that short of a barrel" and "you'll lose a bunch of accuracy".....that was when I decided to find someone else

 

[Feral Jared]

This thread popped up at the right time for me. I was about to drop off my 708 barrel at the local gunsmith, but checking out Kampfeld, I'm going to send it to Karl. He offers 5/8-24 on a sporter barrel with a shoulder for less than my local guy that was just going to do 1/2-28.

 

[Bmhunts]

Looking at doing the same to mine. If you don't mind me asking, what's the ballpark price to get that done?

223 was threaded 1/2x28 with cut threaded and thread protector was $125

270 was threaded 1/2x28, was cut, threaded, flared adapter with thread protector was $185

 

[doverpack12]

What does the shipping process to Kampfeld look like? Do you have to go through an FFL both ways, one way or not at all?

I have 3 barrels to do.

 

[gbflyer]

What does the shipping process to Kampfeld look like? Do you have to go through an FFL both ways, one way or not at all?

I have 3 barrels to do.

Federal law allows you to ship your rifle to a FFL holder for repair and they can ship the same back to you. Various states have their own way of micro-managing the 2A, as do freight providers, so make sure to check. I use US Postal.

 

[hunterjmj]

Fisher TandC in Lewistown MT does fantastic work and quick turn around. Had him cut and thread a couple rifles and he also bed a rifle in a McMillan for me.
I'm cautious about gunsmiths I haven't used from past bad experiences so I'd definitely stick with tried and true.

 

[AK4570]

Buy the facing and crowning tools from Brownells, a hacksaw (or Portaband if you're a power tool guy), and go to town! It will cost about the same as paying a gun plumber for the first barrel, but after that, everything else is free.

Where are you located? With that information, we can probably narrow down a short list of competent smiths.

Best regards,
John