Just fitted my 4th barrel - am I just lucky?

[vincewarde]

Last night I fitted my 4th barrel with zero problems.  My Ultra was originally a .243 - and I have fitted .223, 30-06 and 20 gauge barrels to it.  Each one simply required a bit of honing of the latch shelf to achieve full lock up.

So I decided to get really brave when I saw a .270 Ultra Comp barrel for sale.  The wife didn't have "her own" centerfire rifle - and since she doesn't like recoil one bit, this seemed like an ideal Christmas gift.  (yes, she loved it - I have a great wife!) I bought the barrel and then a receiver.  Midway supplied a nice light synthetic stock set.  I grabbed a scope and rings too.

Last night we finally got around to picking up the receiver from the FFL.  Barrel fitting was the same as the previous three - smoke the latch shelf.  Insufficient engagement.  A bit of honing and it's locking up all the way across and further up the shelf.  Good enough again.  Less than 30 minutes work.

Not just that - I grabbed a barrel that is fitted to my other frame and it seemed to lock up tight on the new frame.  The release lever comes up all the way and it locks up tight.  I'll smoke the shelf before coming to a final conclusion - but it looks good.

So, have I just been incredibly lucky - or is this typical? 

[Badnews Bob]

Good luck is hard to be upset with aint it.

[Jimbo47]

No, I was asking myself the same, as the last three I bought locked up perfectly like they had come from the factory and fit mine.

Shot like it also!

.223, .357 and 45-70, all shooters!

[stimpylu32]

I've found that most of the newer stuff seems to hold a tighter tolerance than the H&Rs of the old days , by that i mean anything made in the last 10 years or so , my last 3 barrels required -0- fitting at all , just hook on and shoot , I do have a wide assortment of frame years to chose from tho . 

stimpy

[LONGTOM]

I'm with stimpy, have had no problems with all the barrels I have bought except one.
Like him I have lots of years to try them on.
The one that doesn't fit is my 25-06.
Have one frame that it is close on but will need to be shimmed.


LONGTOM

[OR-E-Gun Bill]

Dang it! And I thought I was the only lucky one...

Had a .223 barrel factory fitted at Gardner onto my .270 Ultra Comp in 2006, just when they were changing from the 1:12 to 1:9 twist rate, in hopes of getting one of the last of the 1:12's. Didn't work out but I'm still happy with the 1:9.
Had wanted to add a 30/30 after reading all the good reports on here but then the big move from Gardner was announced and figured I'd just see if I could find a barrel in the GBO classified and have a "project" of fitting a barrel on my own, whilst H&R/Marlin/Remington got everything squared away at Ilion. Bought a barrel from one of the fine members here and the thing fit as good as the factory mounted barrels. Well that wasn't much of a project, so I waited for a .308 to pop up on the classifieds and sure enough I found one that had never been fired. Same story, the thing fit perfectly! Both are excellent shooters too.


Bill

edited date from 2005 to 2006 (typing error )

[petemi]

Everything down on my signature line fitted up perfectly.  The .357 shot beautifully, but was loose at the pivot.  I shimmed it in about 10 minutes.  Result: one tackdriver.

Pete