Hi Guys;
So, I have a 38-55 barrel or should I say sewer pipe ?
26" Octagon on a 1906 vintage Winchester.
.835 across the flats at the breech, .690 across flats at the muzzle.
Looking at TJ's, their price list shows the OD of a 38-55 liner as 39/64 or .609". Doing the math, this would only leave .040" or less, each side at the flats on the muzzle end, ~.110" at the breech is a bit more comfortable.
I have done one .22 liner and it worked great but I had a lot more meat left over after drilling.
This is giving me some heart burn, any one done such a thing ?
Comments ?

Give Mike a call, He may be able to make one with a 17/32 dia.

And TJ's won't ship to Canada either.
Huh; and I just ordered 2 X .22 liners from Brownell's - no problem but their supplier (Redman) doesn't make a 38-55 barrel.
Any one know of a Canadian supplier ?

Might want to check with Ron Smith up in Canada he should be able to help you out with either a new liner or a new barrel replacement. Unfortunately I do not have his contact information but there are those here who do.

You can get liner piloted drills from Pacific tool and gauge. Also Mike Hunter at Hunter Restorations can mark new barrels with the original stile marking.

John Taylor wrote on Oct 4^th, 2020 at 2:01pm:


I wish one the piloted drills was available in long form, 18" minimum and even 34" would be good. This, for those of us not set up to Silver solder the connection.  I am interested in doing a few barrel lining projects but I am not able to make the drill.

cuslog wrote on Oct 5^th, 2020 at 5:48pm:


Good silver gives the best results!  I use a mini oxy-act for these these drills - frustration runs high twisting a drill loose about 1/2 way - only thing worse is doing it in the bottom of a deep hole.

I have done just one barrel reline so I am far from being an expert, but I had success using red Loctite to attach both a drill and a reamer to an extension rod.  Neither failed, and it was a lot easier than soldering the joint.  I drilled a hole in the shank of the drill and turned down the rod about .002” smaller, applied red Loctite, and let it sit overnight.  The bore was drilled slightly undersized then followed up with a properly sized reamer attached to an extension rod in the same manner.  As a side note, i didn’t buy a piloted drill, but turned down a regular twist drill to form a pilot with a lathe tool post grinder.  If you are lucky you can pick up a used tool post grinder for not much more than the price on a factory piloted drill!