Needing help from Europe.

Ak-one-shot · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 8:27 pm Post subject: Needing help from Europe.

I hope this is the correct forum for this post.
I purchase a Bergara, single shot APEX rifle, exclusively imported by CVA to the USA.
www.bergararifles.com/...rifle=Apex

After being told I could special order metric caliber barrels from the CVA Custom Shop, I placed my order and waited nine months only to be told my order was canceled, and they would not be bringing in my metric barrels. I now have 500 rounds of 6.5X57r, and two hundred rounds of 9.3X74r, and no barrels to shoot them.

I can travel to Bergara Spain, and pick them up myself, or I can have them shipped to me with the appropriate ATF paperwork, importing "weapons of war".
Although I don't think wars in the past or future will see these calibers used.

If a European reader could put me in contact with a gun shop dealing in Bergara APEX barrels, I would appreciate the assistance.

Thank you.

Gordon

Vince · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 8:50 pm Post subject: Re: Needing help from Europe.

First up, welcome to the Hunting Nut Gordon...grab a beer and pull up a stump to the fire. Feel free to jump in with your experiences or advice mate.

Now...the only two members that I am aware of that are in the EU are English Mike and Aloysius. Both are very knowledgeable and good blokes. I'm sure one of them may be able to guide you mate.

Have a read of this post in Hunting Nut back in 2008...it may give you an option to pursue a barrel through CVA.

Apex Barrels

Aloysius · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 1:08 am Post subject: Re: Needing help from Europe.

I'm not in Spain, but I'll send your request to 2 friends with weapon-shop-licenses and see what they can do.

Gil Martin · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 3:15 am Post subject: Re: Needing help from Europe.

Welcome to the Forum. You have found a great place. There are great folks here who will try to help you. All the best...
Gil

Aloysius · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 5:34 am Post subject: Re: Needing help from Europe.

And I forgot to say welcome... solly!

But I got an answer of my friend indicating the distributor for Belgium. Maybe you can send Wim Sonck of Worldclass an e-mail and ask him directly what he can do? Maybe he can even offer you a better price than the producer as the last one normally has to protect his dealers.

www.bergararifles.com/...it=Search#

Ak-one-shot · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 2:47 pm Post subject: Re: Needing help from Europe.

Vince, Aloysius, & Gill,
Thank you all for the welcome to Hunting Nut, and the assistance.
Aloysius, could you send me a PM and give me the contact information for
Wim Sonck? I can send him the papers needed for me to get them sent to the United States, if he can help me get the barrels.

Thank you all again. This is a most helpful group.

Gordon

Post Script, Aloysius, what kind of dog is that?

Aloysius · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 12:18 am Post subject: Re: Needing help from Europe.

my other friend also gave me some info. He has a rather new (small) gunshop near Zottegem. I'll send you his contact info. You know the retailprice of such a barrel is 349 euro/pce + a lot of paperwork to get it to you + transportcost by a special transporter...
And it was my believe that all this stuff was cheaper in the US...

PS: and Hela is a female Cesky Fousec

Ak-one-shot · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 2:33 am Post subject: Re: Needing help from Europe.

Hi Aloysius,
It would indeed be less expensive to buy here if CVA would bring the metric barrels into the US with their regular orders. Since they won't, I must find a shop in Europe that can ship them to me.
At 349 Euros, I will have to buy just one barrel at a time. I know shipping will add more to the cost on a single barrel, but that is the cost that I must pay.
I have barrels that are close to what I want in Imperial or US standard cartridges, but they are not what I have a desire for.
Your dog is a great one. I looked her up, and she is a Versital Hunting Dog breed. I like those. My only dog was a Visla. Also a Versital Hunting Dog breed.
Thank you for the assistance.

Gordon

Vince · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 5:54 am Post subject: Re: Needing help from Europe.

Gordon, what about the option of buying a barrel blank in the bore calibre you want, then order a chamber ream of the desired round and build a barrel to suit. Because the rifle is a switch barrel, it shouldn't be overly difficult to machine the barrel to fit. This is what we did to build a .300 Blackout barrel for a Remington 7615. We plan on doing similar for my Savage Axis in either .300 Blackout or .338 Federal.

Dawgdad · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 7:04 am Post subject: Re: Needing help from Europe.

Vince and I are on the same page. If you can get a 6.5 barrel for shorter case (6.5SPC?) you can rent a reamer and headspace gauges and rechamber to your caliber.

Ak-one-shot · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 7:49 am Post subject: Re: Needing help from Europe.

Vince, Dawgdad & Aloysius,
Thank you all for PMs and suggestions. If I ordered a barrel I did not care about, I could cut it off ahead of the receiver lug, bore it out and thread it, then thread a barrel blank to use in that stub. That is a possibility.
If it were a bolt action, it would be a whole lot simpler. Thread a barrel and chamber and headspace it.
I have a 9.3X62 in a 98 Mauser, so there is no shortage of rifles, but I do prefer traveling with a breakdown single shot. I also have a Mossberg MVP that is a switch barrel, .223/5.56mm 1/7 twist and 300 Blackout 1/8 twist.
I will follow up on the PMs also. Thank you.

Gordon