Legal Beagles assemble! Legal to sbr a pre 1899 rifle?

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  • clandestine

    AR-15 Savant
    Oct 13, 2008
    37,031
    Elkton, MD
    If it were me, I would not chamber a gun in a new caliber that was not safe given standard spec, someone buys it off the self and drops the round in the chamber, type round. So I would go with a 30-30 or keep in original caliber if it were me.

    I tend not to like SBRs. That said, why not just get a 30-30 barrel blank and rechamber it and turn it back into a useful rifle. What are you going to do with a full size cartridge gun with a 16+" barrel? Not much. Goes from a wall hanger to a safe queen. If you chambered it in 30-30, that changes everything and its now a useful little rifle with a full size barrel and you can buy ammo off the shelf.

    I am smart enough to know when to know not to do something. I have been avoiding loading for full size rifle rounds for this reason if none other. I have had no one to teach me how to reload. Now that I have done 10k rounds of 45ACP and 45LC, I feel like I learned enough to step up to full size rifle rounds. However some of the things people do is just scary! I would not want to start with a full size rifle round. Also reloading setups are pretty expensive if you do it right. Its a lot of money for a round you will never use again and loading light rounds for a gun you will rarely fire... I am guessing.

    I would rather put the work in the front end and make a nice 30-30 out of it, than spend work every time to reload for it. Its historic value is already dead, so if it was me.... 30-30 it would be.

    Just my thoughts...

    Sometimes you wish you Grandparents just sold them rather then passed them down. I have a 48AL Franchi 12 Gauge that likes to go off when the bolt is closed. I can get a stronger firing pin spring but I can't get a factory one. Its just not something I am going to hand to someone else to use and I have a better gun for myself... and its my Grandad's gun, so I can't really sell it...

    Well you just changed my mind. My apprehension about reloading on top of not so common brass is enough for me.

    30-30 it is. I'm going to try and pull the barrel. If I can get it off without damaging the barrel or receiver then I'm certain that I'm good to go. From there I have to turn the barrel back at least one rotation if not 2 to set it back far enough to get a complete cut with the reamer. I can rent a 30-30 reamer.

    If I can get it to headspace then I'm golden. Ill chop the barrel and add a permanent muzzle device if needed and then work on the extractor, ejector, feed geometry and magazine mods. Worst case ill put a sled in the mag and single load it. I know I can get the extractor and ejector to work without a problem.


    From there its all wood repair and metal refinishing.
     

    ericoak

    don't drop Aboma on me
    Feb 20, 2010
    6,806
    Howard County
    What does countering boring your rifle 1/4" do to improve the gun? Does it make it harder to damage the crown? Or just redo the a crown that is already damaged?
     

    clandestine

    AR-15 Savant
    Oct 13, 2008
    37,031
    Elkton, MD
    What does countering boring your rifle 1/4" do to improve the gun? Does it make it harder to damage the crown? Or just redo the a crown that is already damaged?

    It only used when the barrel has a lot of damage and you cant cut past the damage without relocating front sights and such. Its a quick fix for a barrel that's really jacked up at the muzzle.

    Its not superior to a traditional method of chopping a barrel and recrowning.
     

    DaemonAssassin

    Why should we Free BSD?
    Jun 14, 2012
    23,970
    Political refugee in WV
    Chad, I'd be willing to teach you how to reload. It's not that hard and isn't dangerous, as long as you put the same amount of attention to detail into it, as you do with being a gunsmith. I've been loading for at least 20 years (in the beginning just doing individual stages with my dad), and have never had an issue with my loads. I always run my loads, no higher than 3/4 of the difference between the minimum and maximum of what the book says, and I am always taking notes on everything. I do load development every 6 months to a year, in case the powder changes in any way, just to be safe.

    .30-30 is an easy caliber to load for also, since it is straight walled.
     

    IMBLITZVT

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 20, 2009
    3,799
    Catonsville, MD
    Well you just changed my mind....
    30-30 it is. I'm going to try and pull the barrel....
    If I can get it to headspace then I'm golden. Ill chop the barrel and add a permanent muzzle device if needed.....

    Cool, I think if it works out, that it would be better in 30-30. I would probably just get a new barrel blank but if you can use the same barrel it is a cheaper way of doing it.

    What does countering boring your rifle 1/4" do to improve the gun? Does it make it harder to damage the crown? Or just redo the a crown that is already damaged?

    Yeah its the Russian way of doing recrowning. The only reason one would really want to do that is the extra length needed for the barrel in this case. The crown is a pretty critical part of accuracy. It also sees a lot of wear from the bullet and the user. So sometimes it best to snip a bit off and its like having a new muzzle and improves accuracy.

    It only used when the barrel has a lot of damage and you cant cut past the damage without relocating front sights and such. Its a quick fix for a barrel that's really jacked up at the muzzle.

    Its not superior to a traditional method of chopping a barrel and recrowning.

    I agree, its not normally something I would consider either. I would chop and recrown unless I could not move the front sight or in this case needed the extra length to keep it from SBR range.

    ... It's not that hard and isn't dangerous, as long as you put the same amount of attention to detail into it, as you do with being a gunsmith. ...

    I agree but it does greatly depend on the person. I have seen guys with $30K Thompsons reload and get squibs! I would not run their reloads in my least expensive 1911 much less a Full Auto expensive MG when there is often no time to prevent a round being fired into a squib. I think getting taught would be nice too, as I had no one there to teach me. However seeing the way some old timers reload is scary too...

    I find reloading nice for kind of off calibers like 45LC. I can reload for about half the price. As far as 9mm, I shoot way to much to spend the time to reload and the saving is not as great per round. I am thinking of buying a 8mm Lebel Chauchat that I would need to reload for. Also a T-Gewehr which is 13mm, like a 50 BMG round that I would have to reload for. So I think I am headed down that road soon.
     

    clandestine

    AR-15 Savant
    Oct 13, 2008
    37,031
    Elkton, MD
    Chad, I'd be willing to teach you how to reload. It's not that hard and isn't dangerous, as long as you put the same amount of attention to detail into it, as you do with being a gunsmith. I've been loading for at least 20 years (in the beginning just doing individual stages with my dad), and have never had an issue with my loads. I always run my loads, no higher than 3/4 of the difference between the minimum and maximum of what the book says, and I am always taking notes on everything. I do load development every 6 months to a year, in case the powder changes in any way, just to be safe.

    .30-30 is an easy caliber to load for also, since it is straight walled.

    Just like chad.

    :lol:

    How did I know you would say that? :innocent0

    Doesn't matter. He lives closer to me.

    I get to teach him to reload.

    I love you guys.
    Cool, I think if it works out, that it would be better in 30-30. I would probably just get a new barrel blank but if you can use the same barrel it is a cheaper way of doing it.

    Per my math I am going to be darn close when I turn this back in order to use it. This is assuming I can get the barrel off. If the barrel does no work out ill order a 30-30 blank and thread/shoulder the shank and rent a reamer to chamber it. I wont have to worry about the barrel length either.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,881
    Ok , I looked around to get up to semi-speed on these.

    The origional G90 ammo was BP and patched bullets. The later G90/23 ammo for these rifles was smokeless , and conventional jacketed bullets.

    The NRA published loads for 7.5x53.5. Circa 1969 using .308 jacketed bullets , and "normal" powders. Published pressures are up to 46.5 K cup , or 50 K psi. Many people speculate for '89 rifles to drop a cpl of K below said maxes.

    7.5x53.5 brass can be made by simple trimming of 7.5x55 brass.

    Some handloaders report succuess of using .30-40Krag starting loads.


    So while the brass and dies aren't on every street conrner , they're available. Common bullets , powders , and primers. As noted , with your usual attention to detail with 'smithing/ machining/ IT , handloading will be easily do-able , and likely a new avocation.

    In light of above , if the first 15-16in of bbl seem decent , the recessed crown woul seem to be easiest/ maintain closest to origional to you state.
     

    AssMan

    Meh...
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 27, 2011
    16,214
    Somewhere on the James River, VA

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,881
    Perhaps you mean a Cenetaur ? Centurian doesn't directly translate into modern rank structure. Unless you mean he strongly identifies with his less than gigantic by the standards of the day Buick.
     

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