Scheumann Chamber Is Tight - Normal?

[wsimpso1]

After a five week wait, my Scheumann barrel arrived. As part of my inspection (don't want to spend the time and effort of fitting a barrel that is not right) I checked a round in the chamber... Well, I tried to get it into the chamber. Nothing doing, my handloaded rounds would not slide into the chamber, so I started opening boxes of factory ammo and trying them. To my amazement, I had partial boxes of Rem, Win, and S&B. Nothing would just slide into the chamber. Some rounds I could get to fit by pushing them in, and then they needed a push with a squib rod to get them out... I have a match chamber reamer, so fixing the chamber and then polishing it can be done in a half hour.

Then, I noticed faint circumferential marks on the rifling lands. Somehow I expected more from a barrel maker of this reputation.

Is this normal for Schuemann barrels? Would you guys fix the chamber, accept the bore, and just shoot this barrel, or would you ship it back and risk another five weeks delay?

Billski

[38stupid]

Your lucky..... I have been waiting for my barrel since January.....

I recently got a 6" .355 barrel from him and it was excellent in finish and quality.

The barrel fit up like a dream.... I obviously had to ream the chamber and

throat it after fitting.

38 Stupid

[Dan Sierpina]

Then, I noticed faint circumferential marks on the rifling lands. Somehow I expected more from a barrel maker of this reputation.

Billski

Bill,

My .40 barrel had the same marks. I wasn't to thrilled about them. I did fit the barrel and it shoots fine, despite the tooling marks. Fred Kart wouldn't let a barrel with those marks out of the shop.

The chambers are undersize, and will require proper reaming.

[benny hill]

Schumman & bar-sto both have these & will usually out shoot the others. You have to chamber ream the barrel after fitting.

[Radical Precision Designs]

Most Schuemann barrels, and many top barrel-makers barrels will be shipped "short-chambered". As the packaging usually states, they are meant for "final" gunsmith installation. Should you have ordered and received a "ready fit" barrel, the results would have differed. Most people (including prefessional 'smiths) insist in a barrel that will require final tweaking at the "hood" and feet for best results. Just think about it ... should a barrel be shipped to you with an oversized (lenght) hood and conmensurate chambering for that lenght, it would no doubt be made undersize by the removal of metal at installation time. Since the barrel manufacturer has no idea of the fitters "ideal" chamber measurements, its better to send it undersized for "finish" chambering at consumers end. With a "ready-fit" barrel (many of the Schumanns "AET" barrels are this way) you may or may not have to remove any metal. Usually "ready-fit" barrels might have too much metal already removed, and while they will likely fit and work fine, the fit could be somewhat loose.

As for those concentric rings-tool marks, it is no accident that they are there. They are meant to grab/hold some of the jacket material as a final step in "seasoning/pre-fouling" your barrel, to give that consistent performance so desired by all. That is one of the main reasons why high performance barrels manufacturers recommend "not cleaning/scrubing your bores with most bore solvents", but just ocasionally running through it a dry patch, or just a quick pass with a "dry" brass/bristle brush without scrubbing followed by that dry patch. Solvent to be used only at the chamber if needed to dissolve powder fouling. You do not want to remove the jacket fouling trapped in those concentric rings, as it is part of your barrel "seasoning", necessary for best performance. If you want more seasoning, just add some Tabasco hot sauce ... but not to your barrel lands.

Edited May 22, 2006 by Radical Precision Designs

[wsimpso1]

Thanks to all.

I understood that I was going to be fitting the barrel to the frame and slide (and looking forward to it too).

That the chamber was intentionally roughed only and that the tiny marks are intentional was all news. No big deal, but it was news...

I shall fit the barrel, and finish the chamber only after the rest is done. Thanks again.

Billski