A barrel change?

[Sidelock]

First post!

 

I've been an active owner and user of rifles for many years. The latest 'toy' is a Tikka T3 in .223 and the rifling has a 1 in 8" twist, because I prefer Nosler Partition bullets and the cartridge and gun deal with 60grn heads, very well.

 

The barrel is shorter than I'd usually have, being of Varmint persuasion, and with a recessed Mod on the end, the weight is simply too heavy to lug about all day. I have given thought to having the barrel re-profiled. I speak with one experienced rifle/gunsmith and he says leave it alone, you'll wreck it, and another who says no problem.

 

The alternative I suppose, is to sell it and buy another. I'm an RFD so the change over would be straight forward, but as I otherwise like the gun, I'd prefer to keep it as it is. The question remains though, if it comes back and it no longer 'shoots', I'll be pissed off with myself!

 

Has anyone else gone down the route of having a barrel re-profiled, and if they did, did it work?

 

I'd be grateful for your thoughts and advice and assuming that it is a realistic option, suggestions as to who's trustworthy would be good!

[srvet]

The factory tikka barrel is as far as I understand hammer forged. I would be concerned that the stresses induced by the hammer forging may result in unwanted changes to the bore if further material was removed at this stage. Obviously it might not happen, but if it does you may have created a lemon. Personally I would either have it rebarrelled or sell it as it is and buy a lighter rifle

[dasherman]

Just find a Sporter take off barrel and change it over, then you can put it back to varmint when you want to sell.