Reeder Custom Guns - with this run on firearms there are some really

strange guns coming in for us to check out. We have had early S&W revolvers, probably before WW1 that needed cleaning and test firing. One long gun was an old Remington model 24 in 22 LR that was really rough. The chamber was so worn 22 LR ammo would balloon out and burst every shot. We told him it was not safe to shoot. Earlier today a fellow came in with an old Stevens O/U 22 LR and 410 gauge. The 22 barrel on top. The gun was from way back when they put the brown nylon Rynite stock and forend on the guns. It just needed a good cleaning as they had put oil on it every time it misfired or felt stiff and the oil collected dust and junk and turned hard as a rock. Lots of older shotguns coming in for new butt pads as the old red ventilated pads had turned rock hard thru the years and a couple of the pads had smeared out to an odd shape from standing in a corner for 50 years or so.. Several others that I don't remember.

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I have seen the equipment for rent (long pilot drill) and sale, and they Acra-glass in the liners. Old days they silver soldered them in place. Then crown and chamber, hand notch for extractors. Brownell's sells liners. I thought of trying to make a .17 HMR or MKII out of a nice worn .22 rifle. But I have always stopped short. I think they used to do .25-20, .32-20 also. Lower pressure rounds.

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it would just hurt more than it would help. I know very few gunsmiths that will do that anymore. An old fellow who was a gunsmith here in Flag a few years back did a few but he wasn't too receptive to the idea. He had a special lathe that he put the old barrel in and slowly removed all the old rifling and enough of the internal metal to fit a liner. It took one of the older expensive long bed lathes that he could put a 24 to 26" barrel in to do the work. Everything had to be perfectly horizontal or the long chucking reamer would ruin the existing barrel. He said it was way too much work and seldom gave the accuracy the customer expected for a $1000 job. Usually the cost is prohibitive to the point where a person could buy a new gun for less.

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A friend bought up like (50) Winchester pump .22 from a carnival going out of business. Like $7.50 each or something haggled out like that. It was because all the barrels were totally shot out. Chambers too boogers from a million CB caps.

He got in on the action and relined ever one for him. Made a little money and the guy cleaned up on the old hammer pump guns. That was probably in the 1960’s. (The story’s events)

I called the Smith Uncle Orville. He could put windshield wipers on a goats ass AND make them work! All it took was your want and some of your money. He made almost all of his own tools and fixtures. A kind man I’m indebted to. Took him many a shoebox full of parts I couldn’t put back together. $17.50...

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with this run on firearms there are some really

Has your shop ever relined a .22 barrel?

no, that takes too much time and we are so far behind

Now I was like 17 and the old Smith told me a story