All the talk on other threads about the 25-20ss has got me wanting more than ever to get my 44.5 switch barrel set up where I want it. It came with a 25-20ss barrel. I have a 38-55 I had put on it. My intention was always to switch them if I wanted depending on what match, weather, my mood, what ever. 
After really looking at my barrel I have doubts about it. 1st, it is not an original target type but a sporting barrel. This may make it a little light but I know that can be worked with. My bigger concern is the bore. The first inch or so in front of the chamber shows wear. The rest of the bore looks ok, not perfect, but fairly sharp. I can't decide if I should ultimately have it relined or not. I have a personal issue with altering an original barrel that is otherwise ok, But, If I can't do with it as I want....what good is it?
I know relining is a lot cheaper than a new barrel. I am looking for opinions. What would YOU do?
MerwinBray

Merwin,

  Depending on how "bad" that area in front of the chamber is it might be just right for breech seating without deforming the bullet on doing so.

  I'm certainly no gun smith but you could do most of the work of re-lining yourself. I re-lined a .22 RF with a TJ liner. Did the drilling out, and glassing in, and had my gunsmith do the crown and chambering.

  There are two ways of drilling the barrel out. Push and pull thru ways. I used the pull thru but a push thru with a proper pilot should have the hole come out right in line with the existing one.

  I'm not recommending you do a re-line, because you can get a lot of "heat" against them. Quite a few will recommend a new barrel keeping the old one "as-is". It would make the re-sale price go up. I wouldn't recommend doing so with a really nice, NRA Excellent rifle but if the only good thing about it was it was all there, then I wouldn't worry about it. It's a decision you'll have to make on your own.  But the nice thing about a re-line is that you don't have to fit a new forend , or alter an existing one.

I think you oughta park the sporter barrel and have your rifle  rebarreled with a Smith barrel.  Make the .25 the same weight as your 38/55.   Same length.  Better to use the 25/20 repeater case. Its a stronger case. Just as accurate if not more accurate than the SS version.  25/20 R brass is plentifull

                                                                              Joe.

The gun itself is average, not high grade. I have shot it but not at distances any where near near 200. Only on my short backyard range I set up for the "Winter League". It shot okay with fixed and considering I didn't do any devolpment, just loaded a couple different loads and shot it. I only loaded with swiss 1.5 and that 1st BP equiv that goex made, I think it was clear shot.
Westerner, I already have alot of stuff for the 25-20ss so I will probably stick with it. I am light on brass but have enough now for schuetzen if I re and de at the bench, though I will need a new stem for my seater and re&de, unless I make a plugged case. I have argued with myself about the 25-20 repeater and someday hope to go down that road.
I think looking into a lapping and trying seating 1st is a good idea, maybe I'll get lucky.
I have relined a couple of .22 barrels, they got better as I went. I guess I am timid of screwing this barrel up. I am not a gunsmith, I only play one in my shed, and that gets scary!
A barrel the same size as my other ALSO makes good sense, keeps things consistent. HHMMMMM.
Merwin

Joe,
I don't even know where to start with all that! I believe if I could afford all of that I would just buy a rifle company solely based around making ME the gun I want. Porfits? well, as long as I had my gun! But thanks for the advice Slightly more serious though. Do you know of people who have had real succes with the 25-20wcf? I truly have beat myself up trying to figure if I want to try one when I am able to do something with my second barrel. Someday I hope to be able to thread my barrels like several people I know and shoot with. Still learning the lathe and have a good ways to go.
Merwin

I had a .25-20 SS 44-1/2 which had about two inches of pitting ahead of the chamber courtesy of the old corrosive/erosive primers with the rest of the barrel pristine.  It never shot better than mediocre groups so I finally had Redman reline it and I rechambered it to .25-20 SS again.  It shot much better, especially with cast loads.  Hated to do it, but the rifle was not in totally original condition anyway, nor was it a high-grade rarity.

40_Rod,
Ya know, I was already debating do nothing, 25-20ss reline or 25-20r reline, then you come along and pique my interest in the truly classic! Does the madness EVER stop? Probably not.
Do you have something in that round? If so, any chance of a look see at the Frogenmiesters match? BTW, I am very happy with the mold and haven't forgoten about it. Thank you again.
Merwin

Over the course of time, I got extra barrels for my 44-1/2 and relined and chambered them for .25-20 WCF and .25-21.  The latter certainly has an accuracy edge over the former, but if it's more accurate than the .25-20 SS with smokeless powder, I haven't been able to definitively prove that.  The .25-21 is definitely more expensive to shoot than the .25-20 SS.

Or you could have the family's butler do it between polishing silver and answering the door! 

Froggie

MerwinBray
I have started a .25 project. The action is a 44 1/2 that I rescued from the worlds ugliest varmiter. I am sending it to CPA to have some parts that the were missing or so altered by the builder of the varmiter that they are now useless. CPA will also install a set of doubleset triggers and a 4 finger loop lever. I have an RKS .25 gain twist barrel ordered, that I will chamber it 25-21. The last thing that I need to find is a really nice piece of wood for stocking it as a Waltut Hill. 

40 Rod