Thread: Drilling out barrel with liner ?

Has anyone ever drilled out a barrel with a liner?

I have a #3 weight original Winchester high wall barrel.
Was .25 WCF and has a .22 liner in it that's totally buggered

I want to still it out and re line in a low pressure bigger bore.
But anticipate it being a bit of a challenge with the liner.
Not sure if i should just drill with my .22 piloted 1/2" long drill
Or try and drill out the liner only first
Or make up a guide that screws on to the barrel threads and heat it all and try and drive out the liner with a punch in a hydraulic press

Uncharted territory for me !

Realistic ideas appreciated, on what might work or if you have ever done something like this ?

Or maybe I'm over thinking it and the piloted drill will just do it all despite the liner ?

Theres a slim chance one of you guys have done this before

Cheers

Just drill at a fairly low speed (100-200 rpm) with your piloted drill. If the liner come loose it will just push out ahead of the drill. Use plenty of cutting oil and withdraw the drill frequently to clear the swarf.

Originally Posted by gundoc

Just drill at a fairly low speed (100-200 rpm) with your piloted drill. If the liner come loose it will just push out ahead of the drill. Use plenty of cutting oil and withdraw the drill frequently to clear the swarf.

That's my preferred option.
I think it will hear up and even if the liner starts moving it will still support the pilot and keep things mostly on track.
I will still have to ream the new hole anyway and it will be a 1/2" drill so heaps bigger than the original .25 was drilled for the .22

The 303 to 410 I did I started with a standard jobber bit, drilled as deep as I could then welded it to a smaller dia drill rod and did the rest. It ended up pretty true. Possibly not removing as much material or as deep as you though

Have you got lines for other calibers?

Originally Posted by Chilli_Dog

Have you got lines for other calibers?

Saw somewhere in the US they had barrel liners for 7.65 Luger which was basically .311" and Mosin/LE compatible twist rate. Many an old dog could potentially be given new useful life. I mean, how many sporterised rifles besides not being collectible are also nearly totally shot out...

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/...1/LINER-30-LUG

"Barrel liner for .30 Luger pistol, .303" bore, .311" groove, 1-10" twist, 4 grooves, 1/2" OD, price per inch, order the quantity in inches you require with a minumum of eight inches."

But also sadly states:
"Not for Export. Until recently, we supplied the best barrel liners to refresh the bores of antique rifles worldwide. Homeland Security now requires a expensive license, plus a additional permit (per order). Sorry, we can no longer afford to export barrel liners. We ship to any U.S. address!"

Maybe @homebrew.357 can make pocket money from rifling chromoly tubing...

Originally Posted by Cordite

Maybe @homebrew.357 can make pocket money from rifling chromoly tubing...

The chromoly liners go inside a larger holder and are button rifled.
They need to be contained like that so the rifling is properly formed.

I'm not sure if you can cut rifle a liner ? I guess you could place it inside a holder also but the cost of labour would kill it

Originally Posted by akaroa1

The chromoly liners go inside a larger holder and are button rifled.
They need to be contained like that so the rifling is properly formed.

I'm not sure if you can cut rifle a liner ? I guess you could place it inside a holder also but the cost of labour would kill it

I believe @homebrew.357 cuts his barrel rifling. Yep, just pocket money. The whole idea of re-lining a .303 is not really economical. You'd have to drill to insert the liner at least as far as the shoulder of the chamber and ream out the chamber end to accept the cartridge neck. So add a chamber reamer to the tool list. If someone imported a batch of liners, had the tooling and then relined a pile of cheap shot out LE Sporters to shoot straight it might be economical but still not that profitable given the basic cost of $150 per liner going by US prices.

Well a liner should be rifled already, just needs fitting in a sized bore for it. Now I had a rough 27" .45 barrel that was no good so I reamed it out with a .480" milling cutter that I fixed to my oil through reaming rod . Then a final ream to .500", cut rifled out to .510" with a twist of 1.24", still a few scratches to lap out, but will keep at it. I think I have found a way to stop the scratch marks, I tried the T/C cutter with a 5% back rack instead of forwarded rack, worked fantastic on 12/15 steel, just have to try 4140 to see how it goes.

@akaroa1
Good news, if you're looking to import your barrel liner from the US.

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....t-rules-57778/