Properly blueprinting/accurizing a bolt gun

[EricG]

Hey everyone,

I am currently tossing around the idea of building myself a 308 bolt gun. My question is, is a lathe a must to properly complete the job of building a solid rifle?

 

[bobjones223]

Ok....this is the first time I really wanted a little yellow smiling guy with HUGE balls but all I could find was the two pennies.

I have been known to try some gun Smithing adventures but this is HUGE.

Are we starting from scratch or with a barrel, action, and bolt and just assembling?

 

[1911ly]

Yes, you will need a lathe to properly accurize a bolt gun. With the exception of maybe some AR platformed stuff. Barrel swaps aren't usually drop in items. Most actions will be greatly improved by having them trued.

If you start with a varmint version of most bolt actions you should have a pretty good shooter right out of the box.

 

[42769vette]

Hey everyone,

I am currently tossing around the idea of building myself a 308 bolt gun. My question is, is a lathe a must to properly complete the job of building a solid rifle?

A lathe, or a checkbook will be an absolute must.

 

[55fairlane]

a lathe is only 1/3 of it, you must have the tools and the knowledge of a journeyman tool maker, I own a lathe, I own the tools, I am a journeyman tool maker, but that only makes me a hobbyist gunsmith .....much more to it them meets the eye.....

spend a lot of time learning what It takes to blueprint a gun ..... I have "blueprinted" several race engines ( alcohol hemis only), and all this means you can make conform to optimal dimensions as per the makers blueprint .....

good luck....and don't give up

 

[NyleRN]

A lathe, AND a checkbook will be an absolute must.

FIFY

 

[EricG]

Ok....this is the first time I really wanted a little yellow smiling guy with HUGE balls but all I could find was the two pennies.

I have been known to try some gun Smithing adventures but this is HUGE.

Are we starting from scratch or with a barrel, action, and bolt and just assembling?

With barrel, action and bolt.

 

[AllenM]

Average person with no lathe can put together a non blueprinted but with a good barrel a accurate Savage rifle with minimal tools. It may not be a bug hole gun but it might.
Remington is not that way. To do a decent Remington build a lathe and special tooling is required.