kept your rifle...but changed the twist rate?

[Timmis2]

Wondering if you have a story how you kept your rifle but put a new barrel on it with a faster or slower twist rate for purposes of optimizing it for specific grain weights. I suppose some of us have considered doing this instead of buying another rifle.

 

[GetReal]

I changed caliber from 6.5 Creed to 6 Dasher but the original Remington 700 action held me back.

So I went with a kelbly action and MPA chassis and it was definitely worth The Serious Coin to do it. By worth it I mean groups went from 0.75 to 0.4

I also went from a Douglas to a Bartlein Barrel in 6 Dasher so that might factor in also.

I sold the REM 700 and Douglas pair to a nice fellow here who knows more than I do for 500 bucks

 

[Timmis2]

Seems to me anyone wanting to re-barrel their old 243 with 1:10 twist might choose 1:8 instead of buying a 6mm Creedmoor. I'm no expert but it seems like the 6mmCM is a 243 with faster twist, aside from small improvements in chamber and case dimensions. If 243 ammo was significantly less expensive than 6mm...the choice would be easy for me to re-barrel a 243.

 

[M-61]

Wondering if you have a story how you kept your rifle but put a new barrel on it with a faster or slower twist rate for purposes of optimizing it for specific grain weights. I suppose some of us have considered doing this instead of buying another rifle.

Sure. Piece of cake with a Savage
Couple so far in 6.5br but not really too good.

 

[243Lapua]

Wondering if you have a story how you kept your rifle but put a new barrel on it with a faster or slower twist rate for purposes of optimizing it for specific grain weights. I suppose some of us have considered doing this instead of buying another rifle.

You can have one rifle with multiple barrels of different calibers as long as the action can handle the length of the cartridge. As for a short action can handle from 223 to 308 cartridges on mine, of course I got 2 bolts for the action. I got a 223,243,308, and a 6.5x47.all on the same action. Just a matter of having the proper tools to change out.

 

[PhilC]

Just did this with my Savage target action, went from 9t to 12t.

 

[alf]

Wondering if you have a story how you kept your rifle but put a new barrel on it with a faster or slower twist rate for purposes of optimizing it for specific grain weights. I suppose some of us have considered doing this instead of buying another rifle.

I have rebarreled three AR's with slower twists for night time thermal coyote hunting for the speed of the lighter bullets.

My 22x47 Lapua was built with an 8 twist for the 80 VLD's.

I rebarreled it into a 12" twist for the 52 Bergers for the night time speed as well.

 

[Liven The Dream]

Done it with Barnard and Remington Action and still go . Just did a Rem SA 700 to 6 GT .
Did a 457 17 Hr to .22 Rim .

 

[urbanrifleman]

Wondering if you have a story how you kept your rifle but put a new barrel on it with a faster or slower twist rate for purposes of optimizing it for specific grain weights. I suppose some of us have considered doing this instead of buying another rifle.

That's my business. And business is booming.

And the great part is you can get EXACTLY the proper recipe and it's super easy to install.

Not only twist but freebore is very important.

 

[M-61]

Not only twist but freebore is very important

Yes, and apparently Roy(Ed) Weatherby really took it to an extreme. I often read that this was to control the pressures that his cartridges generated. But I wonder if that smooth tube leading to the leases plays apart. Which part I don’t know. I do know for a hunting rifle every Weatherby I have shoots perfectly from a cold clean barrel. Rather desirable feature for a hunting rifle. They are also accurate. From the lengthy freebore? I don’t think there is a flatter shooting cartridge than a 257 Weatherby. Is all that freebore strictly because of the rather high pressure loads? Does the radius shoulder play a part? How about the datum line?
Well, like Jerry Bull, Ed thought outside the box!

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Yep, 10 twist 17 rem barrel to a 9 twist for 30 gr coyote bullets vs the 25's I used when Red Fox were the primary target. When I had a new barrel for my Rem 22-250 varmint, I changed to 1-12. Mainly because I really like the 55 NBT for long range shooting(300 + yards).

 

[jackieschmidt]

With today’s concepts of barrels secured with nuts and interchangeable bolt heads, just about anything is possible.

 

[M-61]

Basically Savage has made it possible to have one stock, one scope, and a huge selection of cartridges are Ready for whatever barrel you buy. Add some bolt faces and shoot what you want. Others also but not so readily available.

 

[Steve Donlon]

I put a Bartlein gain twist barrel on a Ruger RPR when it needed a new barrel and it shoots better but I could not find a suitable new trigger, a TT Diamond is what I wanted. I put on the best one I could find, but still want one with a lighter pull weight. So you have to look at the whole package IMO. I'm glad I did it and it shoots great. But better make sure the action is suitable for the upgrade.

 

[Clancy]

I put a barrel vice in the floor of my garage, secured by concrete anchors. I swap shouldered barrels all the time.

Sometimes I’ll have 2 totally different barrels chambered for the same action. Lots of people do.

 

[ELR LVR]

Wondering if you have a story how you kept your rifle but put a new barrel on it with a faster or slower twist rate for purposes of optimizing it for specific grain weights. I suppose some of us have considered doing this instead of buying another rifle.

I used to use 9 twists for my 6x284 and SMK 107's
shot fine
Then went to 8 Twist to optimize for the newer Dtacs with Higher BC
Works even better.
---
Dont know what you're really asking since when we build a gun we spec everything out factoring in every little detail just like building an engine, so factor in Stabilty Factor etc also and build the gun around the Bullet to be used for it.
---
I always just rebarrel instead of buying a new rifle, once your rifle is built, from there on, it never needs anything else other than a new barrel every few years.
Dont see the point of buying another gun (i mean, once you already have a few in your stable)

 

[CJ6]

I used to use 9 twists for my 6x284 and SMK 107's
shot fine
Then went to 8 Twist to optimize for the newer Dtacs with Higher BC
Works even better.
---
Dont know what you're really asking since when we build a gun we spec everything out factoring in every little detail just like building an engine, so factor in Stabilty Factor etc also and build the gun around the Bullet to be used for it.
---
I always just rebarrel instead of buying a new rifle, once your rifle is built, from there on, it never needs anything else other than a new barrel every few years.
Dont see the point of buying another gun (i mean, once you already have a few in your stable)

This ^^^^^^^

 

[XTR]

Wondering if you have a story how you kept your rifle but put a new barrel on it with a faster or slower twist rate for purposes of optimizing it for specific grain weights. I suppose some of us have considered doing this instead of buying another rifle.

Man, there are people on this site (or making this post) who have changed everything but the part with a serial #. So yea.

 

[357Mag]

Wondering if you have a story how you kept your rifle but put a new barrel on it with a faster or slower twist rate for purposes of optimizing it for specific grain weights. I suppose some of us have considered doing this instead of buying another rifle.

Tim is -

Howdy !

I bought a new Wichita WBR1375 single shot benchrest action in early 1977, for my use in a custom varmint rifle. The action has been mated to various barrels over the last 49yr.
Along with/ the Wichita, I selected……

- First, a .224” cal SS 24” Hart 1.375” straight bull barrel w/ 1-14 twist, specifically selected for shooting groundhog using Hornady .224” cal 55SX. It was chambered in my “ .22-35 Remington “ wildcat ( 1977 ).

- Second, a .358” cal SS 22” Scherer 1-16, for shooting 150-200gr cast or plated
.358” cal bullets. I used this barrel for both groundhog, and for target shooting. The barrel was chambered in my “ .358AutoMag “ wildcat.

- Third barrel, was a .224” cal SS 28” K & P 1-8, to give me a 1,000yd kill capability on
“ Soybeanus Digestus “. I shot Hornady 75 “ A “- Max in it, exclusively. This was my 2nd barrel chambered in my “ .22-35 Remington “ wildcat.

- The fourth barrel was a 6mm SS 29” Broughton 1-8, to once again give me a valid 1,000yd groundhog kill capability. I shot Sierra 95T-Mks in it exclusively, until they became unobtainable. The barrel was chambered in my “ DEEP 6 “ wildcat.

- The fifth barrel is a .224” cal SS 32” 1.375” straight bull “ gain twist “ Bartlein.
Currently, barrel #5 and the Wichita WBR1375 action are @ the riflesmith “ in KY.
These are awaiting their turn, to be chambered in my “ .22-35 wildcat. I will again be shooting the Hornady 55SX, using the rifle for experimental testing… to see whether
I can successfully propel these .009” jacketed exposed lead tip FB varmint bullets to
4,000fps. I will be using the rifle for my 2026 anti-groundhog work. Hopefully, the barrelled action will arrive in time for me to address these varmints as they emerge.

While barrel might be a “consumable “, quality rifle actions are “ durable “.
IMHO - one might end up putting a goodly number of different barrels on an action, over time.

With regards,
357Mag

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Yep had a 243 with the standard twist. Put on a 6mm creed with 7.5. I bought the 243 for hunting which would be fine. Decided im never going to hunt deer. Upland and varmints is all I have time for. Repurposed the rifle to shoot prairie dogs and 1k + yards.