Bradley Walker
New barrel and nut shipped yesterday!!!
Ordered a Criterion 6BR Barrel with barrel nut conversion for my Rem 700
Bradley Walker
Bradley,. Hope this works good for you and you end up with a hammer.
However I do not for the life of me understand this conversion unless its just the cost of the pre-fit barrels. I have three switch barrel rifles. One is a My F Open rifle built on a Farley action. Making this a switch barrel rifle is very simple all you need is a pinned Recoil lug and thats it. Barrel change takes all of 5 minutes on a bad day. You actually dont even have to remove the stock if you dont want to. All of the tools you need are a rear entry action wrench and a barrel vise.
I also have a Savage F-Class rifle with barrels in 6MMBR and 6.5X47 Lapua. Barrel change on this Savage is not nearly so simple. You MUST remove the stock, top scope rail, scope. As to tools you MUST have a Nut wrench, barrel vise, go gage and no go gage, I guess you can get by without the no go gage by using tape on the go gage, maybe. You then to disassemple the bolt. Barrel change takes at least an hour or maybe a little less, and it is a pain in the Bu%$.
So I must ask why? I mean I'm not trying to be a wise guy I really want to know the reason for this conversion when leaving the Rem 700 alone is so much more simple.
I have ben told it is as simple as money. That the prefit barrels can be bought for cheap from Criterion or Pac-Nor. That may be true as my last 6.5X47L barrel a Criterion cost me $275.00, bought from a guy here on this board. What you do not get with these pre-Fits is a custom barrel chamber and chamber job. Hpowever if you look at this from the other side of the barn my Broughton match Barrel on the Farley cost me, right around $400.00 plus the chamber job which I pay $160 to $250 for. It is a custom chamber done to my spec's and with my reamer.
So is it the cost? or am I missing something here.
Roland
However I do not for the life of me understand this conversion unless its just the cost of the pre-fit barrels. I have three switch barrel rifles. One is a My F Open rifle built on a Farley action. Making this a switch barrel rifle is very simple all you need is a pinned Recoil lug and thats it. Barrel change takes all of 5 minutes on a bad day. You actually dont even have to remove the stock if you dont want to. All of the tools you need are a rear entry action wrench and a barrel vise.
I also have a Savage F-Class rifle with barrels in 6MMBR and 6.5X47 Lapua. Barrel change on this Savage is not nearly so simple. You MUST remove the stock, top scope rail, scope. As to tools you MUST have a Nut wrench, barrel vise, go gage and no go gage, I guess you can get by without the no go gage by using tape on the go gage, maybe. You then to disassemple the bolt. Barrel change takes at least an hour or maybe a little less, and it is a pain in the Bu%$.
So I must ask why? I mean I'm not trying to be a wise guy I really want to know the reason for this conversion when leaving the Rem 700 alone is so much more simple.
I have ben told it is as simple as money. That the prefit barrels can be bought for cheap from Criterion or Pac-Nor. That may be true as my last 6.5X47L barrel a Criterion cost me $275.00, bought from a guy here on this board. What you do not get with these pre-Fits is a custom barrel chamber and chamber job. Hpowever if you look at this from the other side of the barn my Broughton match Barrel on the Farley cost me, right around $400.00 plus the chamber job which I pay $160 to $250 for. It is a custom chamber done to my spec's and with my reamer.
So is it the cost? or am I missing something here.
Roland
Bradley Walker
jesilva said:
It's both really. I like doing the work myself and bit having to involve a gunsmith. I already have a switch barrel Remington, I can see that a non nut barrel is much easier to switch, but I don't plan on switching just shooting.
The Criterion was 300 bucks. Done. That's cheaper than a blank from Kreiger.
Not to say its better just easier and I can do it myself. This is not a full custom gun and the Savage pre fits have been showing a lot of custom guns their dust...
Bradley Walker
mytwo60 said:
On custom actions that don't have a lug you don't even need to take the action out of the stock!!! That is kewl...
Bradley Walker
Hombre0321 said:
My custom Rem 40x has a standard SAAMI 6BR, which works just fine. Criterion uses the same spec on their reamer and they cut it to minimum spec and I get to headspace it so sounds like a deal to me!
A custom barrel job is about $800 after shipping fees and FFL transfers are figured in... This barrel change is costing me $328 shipped (I did have to buy a wrench). So if it shoots as good as bottom quality custom barrel I will be happy (although I hear much better than that). The 6BR cartridge is pretty accurate by itself, and this gun is not for serious World Record setting or anything.
I am already having a lot of fun, and my self esteem is improving. Building your own guns is fun...
Hombre0321 said:
For me it was cost and time. You can buy a savage / rem pre-fit and know 100% that it will headspace without the need for a gunsmith. The cost is part of it for sure, but to me shooting the next day trumped a trip to the gunsmith and a few weeks of waiting.
The money of course is a factor too. For the price of a barrel nut wrench (my remmy pre-fit takes the same wrench as my savage... so I already had that) you are good to go. I've head spaced using gauges, and sized brass. both methods worked fine for me. i use hornady (stony point) head space gauges with dial callipers to check the brass before and after firing, and use them to set me dies for shoulder bump as well. if you take your time, both methods will serve you well (if i were going to be feeding a lot of diff ammo, then id prob just use the go gauges... but i use one brand of brass, and one set of dies, in one rifle).
the other option for a DIY'er is to buy a short chambered barrel and they hand ream it to set the head space. but that requires more tooling, and leaves more room for error. errors that require a lathe to fix.
the pre-fits have their disadvantages for sure. limited suppliers, limited calibers, and what you do find is probably only availiable in 1 twist rate for a given manufacturer / caliber. also you are subject to their reamer. sure you could custom order a pre-fit... maybe even supplying your own reamer... but then you negate the time/money advantage of them. also, as has been discussed, once a shouldered barrel is head spaced, it doesn't get any easier to switch barrels. a pre-fit isn't a viable option for everyone. but if the circumstances fit, they can sure be a cheap and convenient way to change calibers, or restore a rifles accuracy.
i've heard nothing but good things for the new Criterion /CBI barrels, and my next barrel will probably be from them. I've been nothing but pleased with my McGowen prefit, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them, or order another.
Bradley Walker
GrocMax said:
I used to fly models... I had a whole gallon of nitro but the guy I partnered with at my guitar store used it all... Of course, CA debonder is nitro.
Bradley Walker
I got my barrel... Man this thing is nice!!! Wow!!
jonbearman
I live in new york state,how unfortunate !
Here is my 2 cents,the reason I use pre chambered barrels and nuts is I was talked into a switch barrel and the smith made a drastic mistake and chambered my new shilen ratchet twist select match barrel into a 6mm br super long.I realize fellas make mistakes and this guy is sharp.Now I am gonna have a 21 inch or so 24" barrel I wanted. No set back probable etc etc . It happens but always I end up paying the price.
Bradley Walker
All put together. I will post some pics at lunch!
Bradley Walker
Here are some pics.
Original 308.
I removed the original barrel (I used a lot of heat first btw, and the barrel was Red Locite'd in place)
I removed the original J lock firing pin and replaced it with a PTG unit.
Installed the new barrel and headspaced it match my other rifle.
Installed.
Original 308.
I removed the original barrel (I used a lot of heat first btw, and the barrel was Red Locite'd in place)
I removed the original J lock firing pin and replaced it with a PTG unit.
Installed the new barrel and headspaced it match my other rifle.
Installed.
Attachments
So how does it shoot?
My friend has the same barrel on a Savage, next to no load development after break in to get sub .5 moa 15 shot groups at 100. In practice, 3- 20 shot matches at 300 yds. he scored a 597-47X using the Offical F-Class Target.
I've got the same barrel sitting on the shelf waiting for the time to build the action to screw it to....I'm thinking it's going to be this winters work.
My friend has the same barrel on a Savage, next to no load development after break in to get sub .5 moa 15 shot groups at 100. In practice, 3- 20 shot matches at 300 yds. he scored a 597-47X using the Offical F-Class Target.
I've got the same barrel sitting on the shelf waiting for the time to build the action to screw it to....I'm thinking it's going to be this winters work.
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