Better Than New

Your  firearms are a significant investment. Poor performance is not  necessarily a reason to relegate a firearm to the rack or the back of a  closet.  Careful tuning of the mechanism, which is beyond the  capabilities of the mass market manufacturers can can maximize your  performance and accuracy at an investment level that will delight you.  Our "poster child" for this process is our own Winchester Model 70.  More photos and the accuracy certification are availble in this photo gallery

We will detail the steps we take to improve the performance and accuracy of your existing firearm, with your decision points along the way.  You will see that our work is very similar to a brand-new, custom build.  Follow the process step by step at for our latest project - the Browning XBolt

The bore of your weapon is the key element to accuracy in the weapon system.  Like a medical doctor, the borescope review is evaluative - an MRI for your weapon.  You can find the Borescope Testing in our Storefront.  This activity is critical to provide both you and us the data to make informed decisions: specifically are we going to recondition the bore and accept what the current barrel can give us, or do we opt for a new barrel.

If we have a barrel that is substandard or damaged, there is only so much that anyone can do to improve the result.  Now, if the weapon in question is a collector's item, or a family heirloom, reconditioning may be the best option to retain value while keeping the weapon shootable, but with full knowledge of the limitations and a reasonable set of expectations. 

We will make this determination together.  Based on the data, we move on to Step 2.1, Recondition Barrel or 2.2 Acquire And Fit New Barrel

Based on findings from Step 1, we will clean and condition the existing barrel, removing all rust, carbon fouling, and copper fouling.  The bore will then be hand lapped (polished) to ease future cleaning. This includes multiple reviews with the borescope to evaluate our work  When the bore is expunged of all fouling, we will chemically seal the pores of the steel in the bore that may have been opened in the cleaning and lapping processes, to prevent any additional rust damage.  We will take a final borescope movie to demonstrate progress.  We will then engage you to shoot the weapon and provide a subjective evaluation.  If you choose, will will shoot the weapon from one of our machine rests, to evaluate accuracy.  You will have to provide, or specify the ammunition used for this testing.  You can find the Accuracy Testing offering in our Store.

Our Barrel Conditioning levels are based on the amount of fouling or damage discovered in an included Borescope Analysis review.

1. Heavy Fouling - large amount of rust pitting and damage, carbon fouling, and copper fouling, resulting from years of inattention or use of corrosive primers.  We will clean out the debris and chemically seal any pits and prevent further rust damage. 
2. Medium Fouling - Limited amounts of rust damage, moderate carbon and copper fouling, usually a from inattention from three to five years of storage.  We have had excellent success at restoring the original performance of the barrel and sealing the rust damage.
3. Light Fouling - No visible rust damage, moderate carbon and copper fouling.  Good health and hygiene for the weapon that only comes out during hunting season.  Excellent preventative maintenance every two years.

This service also includes Accuracy Testing.  We will have to fire your weapon before we begin to set a performance baseline, and then again after our process to understand improvement and benefit. Accuracy Testing will consume 40+ rounds from your weapon. You may provide the ammo of your preference, or we will obtain Federal American Eagle, or equivalent, ammunition for the project. You can prepare for this by purchasing Accuracy Testing Ammunition Deposit along with your request. If the actual cost of your caliber is less than the deposit amount, we will refund the difference. 
 

If you are satisfied with the results, we may be finished.  If you are not satisfied, we have multiple options: Step 2.2 to Acquire A New Barrel, or you can jump to Step 3 Accurize/Bed Stock.

A word of caution: If results are not acceptable at this point, the most prudent, and economical course is to get a new barrel.  Together we could spend time and money restocking or rebedding an action and barrel that is flawed.  Bedding and a new stock can eliminate many accuracy woes, but it cannot perform miracles with a barrel that is unsuitable.  Accurizing  can make a 1 MOA barrel a .80 to .75 MOA shooter, but it cannot fix a barrel that is 1.5 - 2.0 MOA at its best.

Please review our barrel strategy in the Like New - Build It section Barrels - Rifles.  When you have a feel for the shape and goals for the new barrel, we will set down together, go over the options, and place the order for your replacement barrel.  Barrels take 6-8 weeks for custom creation, and can vary from $275 - $800 depending on your goals, finishes, and expectations.

New Barrel Conditioning

Once your new barrel is fitted and ready to fire, we will condition your new barrel and chemically seal it for your long term satisfaction, protection, and performance.

This service also includes Accuracy Testing.  We will have to fire your weapon before we begin to set a performance baseline, and then again after our process to understand improvement and benefit. Accuracy Testing will consume 40+ rounds from your weapon. You may provide the ammo of your preference, or we will obtain Federal American Eagle, or equivalent, ammunition for the project. You can prepare for this by purchasing Accuracy Testing Ammunition Deposit   along with your request. If the actual cost of your caliber is less than the deposit amount, we will refund the difference.     

Our next step is to mate the barreled action with the selected stock.  Depending on our joint decision concerning the barrel, its condition, and its future capabilities, we may choose together not to bed a weapon with significant collector or heirloom value.  In this case, our next action is Step 4 - Trigger.

If our data shows that we have brought the barrel aright into an acceptably accurate shooter, we will agree to implement full accuracy bedding to provide the best possible platform for your barreled action.

We approach this bedding at three levels: 1) non-wood stock, 2) existing wood stock, and 3) Boyd's wood stock.  There are different levels of treatment for each because of different needs.

Accurize/Bedding non-wood stocks takes the most time and effort.  In fact, we will not take on any plastic, polymer, or fiberglass over foam stocks.  These will cost more in labor and materials to correct than to purchase a new Boyd's wood stock.  These include, but are not limited to Savage Accustock, Savage Axis polymer, Sako/Tikka polymer, and others of the like.  These stocks flex in the forearm and they flex at the pistol grip, and will do you a shooting disservice.  A number of manufacturers are selling tactical/skeleton stock platforms; these still must be firmly bedded at each metal-to-metal junction to ensure consistent performance.  Finally a number of third-parties are putting together combination stocks of solid carbon fiber, fiberglass, or solid polymer that include aluminum or  steel inserts to provide rigidity to platform for the action.  Just like a tactical stock, the metal-to-metal contacts must be bedded for consistency.  Because of the diversity of materials, we charge a bit more to bed and accurize these stock platforms.

Wood stocks have been the choice for heritage military weapons and traditional civilian firearms.  Wood is easily worked and responds well to careful bedding.  If you choose to keep your existing wood stock, we will bed it for our standard price.

Finally, should you choose a Boyd's replacement stock, we reduce the price.  Boyd's stocks are cut to fit with computer driven CNC cutters which are amazingly accurate.  This accuracy minimizes the wood work that needs to be done by us.  Choosing a Body's wood stock optimizes our time to deliver and your overall expense, without sacrificing performance.

Here at Armory Rex, our first choice for adjustable, after-market triggers is Timney Triggers.  We include a Timney trigger with every new action we build. If an upgrade for your weapon is available, Timney makes it, and has been making it for five decades.  We recommend an adjustable trigger - you will shoot better groups and trophies with a light, crisp, but safe trigger.  

If your weapon is a collectable, you probably will not choose an aftermarket trigger to maintain originality and collector value.  However, if you have good shooting barrel and a solid action platform, your shooting performance and enjoyment will be enhanced with an improved trigger.