Question for the switch barrel guys

[Drolds72]

I have been switching back and forth between my 6bra and my 284 this summer on my BRM. I have seemed to lost the tune on the bra, and been struggling to get it back. Then it hit me when I was checking my action screws- should I be removing action from stock to switch barrels, and the retorque action screws?

 

[Sniper338]

No.

Change barrels and leave the action alone.

I got 4 calibers/4 barrels on 1 rig. Just spin off the barrel. I dont touch anything else.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Its all in how its bedded. I wouldnt switch barrels without removing it from the stock if its screwed in. I also wouldnt dare change barrels with a scope mounted but thats another story i suppose

 

[Drolds72]

Ok. Just screwed in with pillars. Might have to do a little experiment....

 

[284winner]

Someone please explain to me how you leave a Savage action in the stock to change barrels. Oh please tell me there's a way. The switch barrel rifles that you are speaking of certainly must be of a different design.

 

[Drolds72]

Someone please explain to me how you leave a Savage action in the stock to change barrels. Oh please tell me there's a way. The switch barrel rifles that you are speaking of certainly must be of a different design.

Because of the barrel nut?

 

[284winner]

Because of the barrel nut?

Yes

 

[Jdne5b]

Someone please explain to me how you leave a Savage action in the stock to change barrels. Oh please tell me there's a way. The switch barrel rifles that you are speaking of certainly must be of a different design.

Once you have a barrel installed and headspaced where you want it.. Drill a couple holes in the nut/barrel tenon and pin it in place. Then cut the pins off flush. Do this for all the barrels. As long as they'll clear the barrel channel/scope when you slide the action off the barrel you are good to go.

 

[284winner]

Once you have a barrel installed and headspaced where you want it.. Drill a couple holes in the nut/barrel tenon and pin it in place. Then cut the pins off flush. Do this for all the barrels. As long as they'll clear the barrel channel/scope when you slide the action off the barrel you are good to go.

I'd need to hog out a little on all my stocks in the barrel nut area. That's sounds easy enough. How about tightening the barrel against the action ?

 

[F Class John]

I have all Defiance Deviant actions but I switch barrels without removing anything and have zero issues with any barrel shooting how it did before. As has been said before, how your gunsmith head spaces it has a ton to do with how effective switching your barrels can be.

With your BRA, is it possible that it’s just getting more rounds down it than you may realize and the throat is moving enough to affect your seating depth node you were in?

 

[JASmith]

Once you have a barrel installed and headspaced where you want it.. Drill a couple holes in the nut/barrel tenon and pin it in place. Then cut the pins off flush. Do this for all the barrels. As long as they'll clear the barrel channel/scope when you slide the action off the barrel you are good to go.

I’m having trouble visualizing how this would work with my Savage Model 16 and Factory stock.

Can you post o picture or two?

 

[Drolds72]

I have all Defiance Deviant actions but I switch barrels without removing anything and have zero issues with any barrel shooting how it did before. As has been said before, how your gunsmith head spaces it has a ton to do with how effective switching your barrels can be.



With your BRA, is it possible that it’s just getting more rounds down it than you may realize and the throat is moving enough to affect your seating depth node you were in?

Yep, I have been plugging right along and the throat grew abou .012 in 1000 rounds. Hadn’t quite kept up with it but I know where it is now. The other phenomena I caught was the necks seemed to thicken up a bit and I had less clearance than I thought. Turned them all back down to 265 loaded for a 268 neck. Is this not uncommon, or did I not have them correct to begin with?

 

[284winner]

The main issue would be getting the barrel in and out under the scope objective. Most of my hunting rifles have the scope only about 1/16-1/8" off the barrel. That's the problem. Not sure I'd want to switch out all my rings to accommodate that problem.

 

[mikeeg02]

Someone please explain to me how you leave a Savage action in the stock to change barrels. Oh please tell me there's a way. The switch barrel rifles that you are speaking of certainly must be of a different design.

Unfortunately the term "switch barrel" has been associated with the savage prefit line.

But like I assume Dusty and how I would refer to it, is I have several barrels that fit all of my actions.(all the same tenon and headspace) And I switch them out as described above. I dont take anything apart, just put the barrel in the vise and switch from one barrel to the next, or back and forth.

EDIT: Also the OP said specifically a BRM (borden) so unless hes got something special, he's not using a barrel nut.

 

[Jdne5b]

I’m having trouble visualizing how this would work with my Savage Model 16 and Factory stock.

Can you post o picture or two?

All my savages are shouldered now. You're basically just locking the nut to the barrel via solid pins. Then just screw on and off like a normal barrel.

 

[Drolds72]

The savage nut seems like it would be a pita to get the headspace back every time compared to a solid shoulder

Edit- unless you pinned the nut as stated above!

 

[284winner]

Head spacing is pretty easy. Especially when doing a barrel nut style. I started thinking about doing a couple switch barrel setups. Even removing a Savage stock from an action to remove and replace a barrel is simple and fast enough. It's the re zeroing a scope for each barrel and having confidence it's back on zero when dialed. Ya having all the info ready to reset the scope for zero again is simple enough but it's probably just me but I prefer seeing the bullet hit the bullseye before heading out on a hunt. I may play with this concept eventually down the road. One thing I have noticed with the Savage barrel nut design is even after removing the stock to remove the barrel, it keeps zero well when putting back the same barrel after headspacing. I really like the "Pinning the barrel nut" idea tho. I will incorporate that into my future set ups.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Yes

Loctite the nut in place when you headspace it with red Loctite. Then it essentially becomes a shoulder barrel. I have been doing this for several years. Works perfectly.

 

[mike a]

The main issue would be getting the barrel in and out under the scope objective. Most of my hunting rifles have the scope only about 1/16-1/8" off the barrel. That's the problem. Not sure I'd want to switch out all my rings to accommodate that problem.

Yep, scope has to come off. But I save so much time and money with a prefit taking the scope off is worth it. Even if I could leave the scope on I doubt poi would be the same. I going to try a 284 prefit this fall. Hopefully I'll become a Winner too. Mike

 

[284winner]

Yep, scope has to come off. But I save so much time and money with a prefit taking the scope off is worth it. Even if I could leave the scope on I doubt poi would be the same. I going to try a 284 prefit this fall. Hopefully I'll become a Winner too. Mike

Hahaha... I sure hope so.