.25-20 with just a barrel swap?

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Let's say you want a .25-20 rifle, but you don't want a Winchester 92 or a Marlin 94.   You want a Winchester 73 or a Colt Lightning.

Now, correct me if I am wrong.

The easiest way to do it is get a "donor" gun in .32-20.  Most likely a modern Italian replica, and not an original.  Since the .25-20 is just the .32-20 necked down to .25 caliber, all you need do is swap out the barrel.  (Assuming that you can find one that fits.)

For some reason, while this seems like it's all you'd have to do, something inside me tells me there'd be more too it than that.   

Of course, if the replica makers would just market the rifles in the caliber, that'd be even easier, but I don't see that ever happening.

At the moment, this is purely an academic thought experiment.  

[Leroy Luck]

I do think barrel/chamber sleeving is an option, but not totally sure on that. 

[Sedalia Dave]

Easier and most likely cheaper to just reline the barrel with the caliber you want.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

1 hour ago, Sedalia Dave said:

Easier and most likely cheaper to just reline the barrel with the caliber you want.

 

Okay, that is the question that I was wondering about.   Would it be easier, and less expensive, to swap barrels, or line the existing one.   

I had guessed the swapping would be simpler, but then again, would a 92 barrel fit on a 73, or need major modifications.   But relining might work out to be a simpler modification.

It's an interesting bit of wonderment.

[Sedalia Dave]

3 hours ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

 

Okay, that is the question that I was wondering about.   Would it be easier, and less expensive, to swap barrels, or line the existing one.   

I had guessed the swapping would be simpler, but then again, would a 92 barrel fit on a 73, or need major modifications.   But relining might work out to be a simpler modification.

It's an interesting bit of wonderment.

 

Fitting a 92 Barrel to a 73 action would be a lot of machine work.  A lot more work than relining an existing barrel.

 

One option would to find an 1873 carbine barrel chambered in 22 lr. Likely finding one would be akin to finding a unicorn.

[largo casey #19191]

Check with Winchester Barrels.

                                                             Largo

[Cemetery]

I have a Winchester 1892 Carbine in 25.20.  Barrel is absolute trash.  A number of years back, I priced out a new barrel, and to get it installed and ready to roll was like $600, to get it relined was around the same price.  Didn't do either as the action is not reliable.  As in not properly feeding, or kicking out live rounds, all at random times.