Need help determining caliber

[steves1967]

My FIL passed away recently. He left his rifles to my MIL. She doesn't know the caliber of one of the rifles. Supposedly it was rechambered a few decades ago. I took the barrel out of the stock- there are no markings on the barrel or the stock. How can I figure out what caliber this rifle is? A local gun shop suggested I find a gunsmith to figure it out. If it helps, I'm in the central valley but will travel to someone that can figure this out.

[Imageview]

So first step I would take if I were trying to figure it out would be the take a cast of the chamber. But probably better to go to a gunsmith and get it looked over if you have one you trust.

[sigstroker]

Find his ammo?

[SkyHawk]

Find his ammo?

This would be easiest, or the reloading dies. Otherwise the chamber needs to be cast and the bore slugged

[Fjold]

You need to determine the chambering not the caliber. The easiest way is to order some Cerrosafe from Brownells and look on YouTube on how to do a cast of the chamber.

[IronsightsRifleman]

Most folks who keep guns also keep some ammo for those guns. Check the house and see what matches.

[flyer898]

I am with Fjold - get some cerrosafe from Brownell's and do a chamber cast. Then you will know which of the left over ammunition fits.
A friend bought a pre-64 Model 70 marked as chambered in .300 H&H. The first round fireformed the case to .300 Weatherby. There was no safety issue, but still a surprise.

[4DSJW]

If you find the correct ammo, be careful. The head stamp may not be the CORRECT cartridge designation. It may be a cartridge that was resized from the head stamped cartridge. Best to do a chamber cast unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure of what you have.

[M1NM]

The cast will give you an answer. It might be a common round with something as little as a modified shoulder angle.

[steves1967]

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, I can't find any ammo for this rifle. I guess I'll go the route of the casting.

[ar15barrels]

Often, a determination can be made with headspace gauges and gauge pins.
Gauges tell you where the shoulder is and pins will tell you if it’s standard or improved.
That’s where I usually start before melting the cerrosafe.

[homelessdude]

Take it to a gunsmith and when he figures it out have him stamp it on the barrel so the next guy doesn't have to go through the same process all over again. JMO

[sbo80]

If you find the correct ammo, be careful. The head stamp may not be the CORRECT cartridge designation. It may be a cartridge that was resized from the head stamped cartridge. Best to do a chamber cast unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure of what you have.

This would be my fear. Lots of wildcat and other less-common rounds are built from cut down/reformed used brass. A rechambered rifle, would make me wary someone wanted to build for that. I don't know how typical it is for people to re-chamber from one common cartridge to another. Seems easier to just buy a new rifle.

[BigPimping]

Take it to a proper gunsmith. There must be some kind of indication on the rifle what sort of caliber it is.

[Imageview]

Take it to a gunsmith and when he figures it out have him stamp it on the barrel so the next guy doesn't have to go through the same process all over again. JMO