Custom bench rest rifle circa 1960’s. ?????

[snapping turtle]

Nice setup on a rem 700 action nice little custom benchrest stock trigger is very smooth and crisp. Old target scope from red field setting on it (3200?) belongs to a co worker so I do not have it in hand but I have a few questions about the barrel and caliber.

The barrel is not marked with maker caliber or a single stamped letter or proof mark. With it was reloading equipment for 222 rem 222 rem mag and 223. A few benchrest targets showing what we believe it did in the past at shoots which shows major promise for accuracy at 100 yards.

How would one figure out what the barrel is chambered to shoot???

The gent who had the rifle made has pasted on. His wife knows nothing about it. I know he ran a machine shop at Allison for many years.
It shows a very high quality of workmanship and craftsmanship so I am thinking that a lot of this work was done many years ago in house maybe in the machine shop he worked at.

What do do I need to do to tell if it is 222 222 mag or maybe 223. My first though is 222 mag. A 222 action then when customized re barreled to 222 mag.

Waiting on an answer. Just do not run into things no marked as to what they are chambered for. Need to find the answer so we can see what the little treasure can do.

I have 222 and 223 ammo but no 222 mag and all are very close in size.

 

[42769vette]

Only thing I know of is making a mold of the chamber.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voMp0IQwDLU

(I did not watch this video, so I cant vouch for its accuracy)

 

[snapping turtle]

After watching the video that seems to be the way to go. It does not seem to hard to do. Got my heat gun out a nice little thick patch and now just cast and measure carefully. It has a very long barrel but I do believe I saw a cleaning setup with it.

Just ordered the stuff. I have a feeling that it is 222 mag. Being a big fan of the triple deuce already I am hoping that it is not but I can rework my setup to do the mag version also. So few real differences in 222 mag and 223 it will be a blast to do it.

 

[Hawkeye7br]

Make sure it is small boltface. See if your 222 ammo will chamber. Ditto with the 223. The body of the 222 mag is .025" longer to the shoulder than the 223, so both would chamber. If you can put a thin shim (.020") on the boltface and still chamber a 223, then it's probably a 222 mag.
I'd also check bore diameter. No dies to suggest it, but 6x47 (back then it was based on a 222 mag) was a popular round in custom target guns.

 

[sloughfoot]

On the 8th day, gunsmiths were created. To sort out things like this. They usually get specialized training to figure things like this out. I suggest you find one.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

On the 8th day, gunsmiths were created. To sort out things like this. They usually get specialized training to figure things like this out. I suggest you find one.

^^^This^^^ And there happens to be an INGO member that does just this sort of thing.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/general-firearms-discussion/449537-public-thank-you.html

 

[bstewrat3]

Sounds like you may have a George Perkins gun, but I doubt he would send one out the door without marking the chambering on the barrel. I have had him build several Mausers.

 

[snapping turtle]

Thanks for the tips gents.
I think I got this once I get the item from UPS. Gauges ready. I really don’t think I need a gunsmith for this one.

When end we get it figured out I might just find someone to mark the caliber on the barrel.

 

[halfmileharry]

Thanks for the tips gents.
I think I got this once I get the item from UPS. Gauges ready. I really don’t think I need a gunsmith for this one.

When end we get it figured out I might just find someone to mark the caliber on the barrel.

When you get your hands on it you might just take it down for a major cleaning and look for hidden caliber markings.