Barrel Nut Disadvantages?

[scope eye]

I Have found there are way more pros than cons going the barrel nut route.

 

[V35]

Nothing wrong with barrel nuts, they work. I still prefer the other way. With the Zeuss action I use most often, It takes me around two minutes to swap barrels and no fiddling with a nut and gauges. Its simply a matter of personal preference.

 

[DShortt]

I think the primary advantage of a barrel nut is the ability to install a barrel of the same thread on multiple actions. Faced, unfaced, bolt face mods, etc, etc.

Not everyone is concerned about that amount of flexibility.

 

[memilanuk]

The primary advantage was when there was no such thing as a shouldered pre-fit barrel, and it was nearly impossible to find a gunsmith who knew how / was willing to work on anything besides a Rem-Chester.

Back then, a barrel nut gave you a certain amount of freedom from the crappy local gunsmith who insisted on re-cutting the action threads every time they put a new barrel on anything, whether it needed it or not.

Depending on what action you shoot, those conditions may not pertain any more.

 

[DShortt]

The primary advantage was when there was no such thing as a shouldered pre-fit barrel, and it was nearly impossible to find a gunsmith who knew how / was willing to work on anything besides a Rem-Chester.

Back then, a barrel nut gave you a certain amount of freedom from the crappy local gunsmith who insisted on re-cutting the action threads every time they put a new barrel on anything, whether it needed it or not.

Depending on what action you shoot, those conditions may not pertain any more.

Perhaps the biggest problem was the local gunsmith?

 

[memilanuk]

Perhaps the biggest problem was the local gunsmith?

Oh, he most definitely was. But I stand by the rest. There was a time, and I know you've been around long enough to know what I mean, when there weren't nearly the # of options - or *any* - for shouldered pre-fits. Or nearly as many options for just good gunsmiths with good machines, if one's tastes don't run that direction. For the average Joe wanting to put a new barrel on their factory varmint or "target" (non-BR) rifle, barrel nuts gave them an option they never would've had.

 

[Rat Rifle]

I Have found there are way more pros than cons going the barrel nut route.

scope !!! Get tired of RV’ing did You ?

 

[rijndael]

Well, one benefit of a nut over a shoulder is being able to set the headspece right where you want it. I have 2 x 6GT barrels, from 2 manufacturers, and the headspace varies by .0045". Without the Redding shell holders, it'd be harder to share a sizing die.

The downside is ... if you don't already have a headspace gauge then it's an added cost on top of a nut. I'm partial to the Zermatt 12 point nut, it's the best looking of the bunch.

 

[scope eye]

scope !!! Get tired of RV’ing did You ?

No I am still going strong between South Carolina and New England.

 

[JFrank]

I believe the barrel nut system requires a minimum of two extra tools and removing the action from the stock.
All I need is a barrel vice and one action wrench.
Advantage goes to the shouldered barrel.

 

[jelenko]

I believe the barrel nut system requires a minimum of two extra tools and removing the action from the stock.
All I need is a barrel vice and one action wrench.
Advantage goes to the shouldered barrel.

If you chamber/finish your own barrels.

 

[JFrank]

If you chamber/finish your own barrels.

Why would that matter ?

 

[L.Sherm]

I took a barrel off a Defiance tenacity and put it on a Classic and the headspace was .0005 difference. I'm no gunsmith but I think if the measurements were taken of a particular action and written down a smith could spin up a barrel without the action in hand, maybe im wrong.

 

[JFrank]

I took a barrel off a Defiance tenacity and put it on a Classic and the headspace was .0005 difference. I'm no gunsmith but I think if the measurements were taken of a particular action and written down a smith could spin up a barrel without the action in hand, maybe im wrong.

Yes and a shouldered barrel can be timed.

 

[jelenko]

Why would that matter ?

Ah. Right. Forgot there are prefits made that you can order from stock for many actions.
I was thinking of when we had to send our rifle to a gunsmith to rebarrel.

 

[jds holler]

Someone school me please.

So say I've got an older 700 Rem rifle in whatever cartridge. I've got the means by which to remove the barrel, and would like to order a shouldered barrel chambered for a different cartridge. (same action length)

What do I do. Measure action face to bolt face?? Old barrel shank? jd

 

[urbanrifleman]

Someone school me please.

So say I've got an older 700 Rem rifle in whatever cartridge. I've got the means by which to remove the barrel, and would like to order a shouldered barrel chambered for a different cartridge. (same action length)

What do I do. Measure action face to bolt face?? Old barrel shank? jd

Either. If you know the headspace you can make another the same.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Well, one benefit of a nut over a shoulder is being able to set the headspece right where you want it. I have 2 x 6GT barrels, from 2 manufacturers, and the headspace varies by .0045". Without the Redding shell holders, it'd be harder to share a sizing die.

The downside is ... if you don't already have a headspace gauge then it's an added cost on top of a nut. I'm partial to the Zermatt 12 point nut, it's the best looking of the bunch.

Yes, I have stated the same multiple time. Instead of setting dies and messing with shell holders and whatnot, you set your own headspace yourself. You can even change your mind. And this works across all your rifles, and action types. One headspace. All your brass fits all your rifles.

I have a method for setting headspace with the nut that is exactly the same every single time. It's not "between go and no go", it's dead nuts the same

 

[rijndael]

All your brass fits all your rifles.

Well, I wouldn't go that far, unless they were cut with the same reamer. I have brass from one rifle that won't fit in another, even after sizing. It's stiff inserting it at the base.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Well, I wouldn't go that far, unless they were cut with the same reamer. I have brass from one rifle that won't fit in another, even after sizing. It's stiff inserting it at the base.

Assuming the same chamber dimensions.

Let me rephrase. If a person were to buy all their barrels from me, they could set them all the same. Exactly the same.

The other solution is buy your own reamer and have whoever chambers it use your reamer.