I’ve got a single-shot .22 that’s been on the project list for a while and one of the issues is the barrel is completely flogged out so needs to be replaced. The prices I’ve been getting quoted for relining the barrel are north of $900, and I simply don’t have the tools to do that myself. The action also needs a bit of work, but again, the prices I’m getting quoted for that are ridiculous (especially if they already want $900 to reline the barrel!)
I’m just wondering if anyone knows any gunsmiths in Queensland (or possibly interstate, as long as it’s not T-Bone) who can work on old .22s at a sensible price? I don’t mind waiting, I just don’t want to pay several times what the gun is worth for something that (at least according to Larry Potterfield) can be done in an afternoon.
Have you tried Tony Argent (TSE Total Solutions Engineering) in Brissy? I’ve used him for a few things, he’s pretty fair with his pricing and his barrels have a very good name. At the moment they’re in the process of a handover as the business has been sold to new owners (one of whom I know pretty well). But Tony is still there for a while and definitely worth talking too.
I haven’t tried him as I was under the impression they only did high-end benchrest stuff. I’m not looking for a new barrel, I want to keep the original one but have it relined. I can source the barrel liner, I just don’t have the machinery or skills to do the relining myself.
Yes his barrels are pretty good, Lithgow even wanted him to make barrels for them, his benchrest stuff is even sort after in the US which is saying something I guess. But he’s a very old school kind of bloke & does all kinds of stuff, it can’t hurt to give him a call & ask, he definitely has the skills and machinery in the shop. He’s done some odd little nothing jobs for me in the past without hesitation.