[griffin81]

Bought a 22 today with a bulged barrel and I want to cut the barrel down to 16 3/4 inches and then shorten the feed tube and had the barrel re dove tailed for the stock front sight. Has any one got any tips for this project? My main concern is the push Rod on the feed tube I have a idea in how to shorten it and re crimp the pusher but I'm looking for any help.


Springfield 87A


Swell in barrel just past the feed tube dovetail


See the swell line in the bore ( looks like a ring)


I'm cutting it at a legal length


Swell with color behind to show it better

play the victim, be the victim

[c3shooter]

Not that you asked, but I would leave it alone. I have a couple of older .22s with a ringed bbl, due to someone firing another round after a squib load. They are hunting grade rifles, and shoot fine.

Now, it you still want to cut that one down, do not cut the bottom end of the inner magazine tube. Go to the other end, where the button is located. There should be a pin (part 28) that holds the button (prt 27) to the tube. Remove pin, take out button and spring, shorten tube, drill new holes for pin, shorten spring, reinsert, put button back in, re-pin it.

[griffin81]

Ok thanks C3 that is really awesome I did not look it over enough to know there was a pin. I'm still thinking of cutting the barrel down it shoots ok but I like a short rifle. I bought it for just a fun project gun I sold one of my old model 60s a few weeks back that I bought for a project but a friend needed a 22 for some armadillo problems so I sold it to him and have been looking for a good project gun.

play the victim, be the victim

[hiwall]

If you do cut the barrel you could also cut the dovetail yourself. First my vote is to leave it alone. To cut the dovetail you would only need a couple of files and a vise to hold the barrel. Not that hard and you could practice on the cut off barrel piece if you wanted. If you decide to do it just ask and I or another can walk you thru it. Also if you do the cut, you most likely don't need to shorten the mag spring

[griffin81]

Ok thanks I'll try the spring at full length I've got $100 in the gun and am not to worried about messing it up I removed the front sight and have everything marked I may run to work tomorrow and cut the barrel on a lathe if it doesn't hacksaw well an then I may crown it on the lathe and then try to mill a grove and then file the sides to fit the sights. Then I'll reshape the front of the stock and bed it and see how it shoots.

play the victim, be the victim

[hiwall]

Sounds like you have a plan. Careful you don't cut to deep for the dovetail you can deepen it with a file.

[griffin81]

Ok that's a good thought on the dove tail thanks.

play the victim, be the victim

[griffin81]

Well in one evening ad a lot of hand tools this is where im at. 5.75 ins off the barrel and 1.5 ins off the feed tube and now just to trim down the front of the stock a little and refinish It with black stain and paint the barrel and feed tube and it will be time to go to the range


removed material

Hand reamed out the bad threads now just to clean up a few small burrs.

Sight notch ready to be filed down and replace stock sight.

play the victim, be the victim

[griffin81]

Sight cut done with hand saw then cleaned up with a few files.




Filed the angles and got a nice tight fit with old sights

play the victim, be the victim

[hiwall]

Excellent!!
I like people that take the bull by the horns and do stuff themselves.
Now your next project is a sign" griffin81 Gunsmithing ".
It is possible some might have done this slightly different than you but its your project and its fine.
congrats