Switch Barrel Rifles

[2dogs]

So I haven’t spent much time on this forum for the last couple of years BUT I’ve gotten to where I’m missing shooting my rifles. I’m considering doing a switch bolt/barrel rig on one of my 700’s and would very much appreciate your thoughts. I’m thinking .223 AI, maybe a 250 Savage AI or one of the 6.5’s, and last a good old fashioned.308. I like the spiral fluted barrels a lot and don’t want to make this one too heavy. What are the downsides??

 

[eric32]

Talk to West Texas Ordnance for a switch lug.

No downside!

But you can also just get a barrel vice with a truck hitch attachment and action wrench.and do the same for cheaper

 

[HTSmith]

I like my switch bbl rig—6br and 260 Rem. Got the recoil lug pinned. You’ll need to stick with the same head size, unless you spring for a second bolt. I’m usually sighted back in with one or two rounds after a barrel change.

 

[Hammer]

Don't recommend you start the barrel switch after you have awakened the Cape Buffalo.

Stick with the same barrel through any specific engagement.

 

[DiffEQ]

If you just go with switching your barrels out yourself as @eric32 wrote, I suggest the following:

1. Shouldered barrels only. Sure you can do a switch barrel with a remage/savage & nut but it makes no sense.
2. Talk with the gunsmith and make sure they can do one. Had a friend have a GS try to do a switch barrel on his rifle and the guy failed.
3. Bolt and action faced, and an alignment mark on the barrel and action for quick spin on once it has been mounted with the proper torque and spacing. That way, spin back on is easy, no need to re-head space and the torque setting will be right.
4. Different bolts for different rim diameters (i.e. standard bolt face, 223 bolt face, magnum bolt face).
5. Get yourself a quality barrel vise and action wrench.

 

[JSH]

Why no barrel nut? Just loctite it once proper head space and s achieved.
I would agree on the shoulder barrel for the most part, but can’t see a 100% no.
I entertain thoughts on just what is proper torque.

 

[284winner]

I have both and the only difference in them is the asthetics. The Remington shouldered barrels are prettier. No more accurate and no easier to set. U can count how many turns the barrel is in the action and still mark it on a re/mage or savage. Can do the same with the barrel nut for torque spec. It's actually a better set up with the Savage because the bolt heads are inter-changeable. The Remington's need an entire new bolt to change head diameters. Cost is quite a bit more. I do prefer the Remington simply because stocks and action parts are more abundant. 6 of one, half dozen the other. Pick you poison.

 

[DiffEQ]

Why no barrel nut? Just loctite it once proper head space and s achieved.
I would agree on the shoulder barrel for the most part, but can’t see a 100% no.
I entertain thoughts on just what is proper torque.

The only barrel nut permanence that I would trust is pinning and glue. My preference is to avoid the whole "Franken Rifle" experience and use a shouldered barrel, even on a Savage (which is what I do use on my savage switch barrel rifle.)
Torque? I trust my smith. He set the torque. I align the marks which are fine enough to be truly aligned.
If you don't have alignment marks, as far as I can tell, you're using torque and a headspace gauge to make sure your barrel is on properly.

 

[284winner]

The only barrel nut permanence that I would trust is pinning and glue. My preference is to avoid the whole "Franken Rifle" experience and use a shouldered barrel, even on a Savage (which is what I do use on my savage switch barrel rifle.)
Torque? I trust my smith. He set the torque. I align the marks which are fine enough to be truly aligned.
If you don't have alignment marks, as far as I can tell, you're using torque and a headspace gauge to make sure your barrel is on properly.

I do the same with my Savage barrels on Savage actions. Shouldered all the way.

 

[Kurz]

Recent alternatives to the above ideas:

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/hardy-rifle-engineering-hybrid-switch-barrel-rifle/
(There are two website links at the end of this article)

Then Proof enters the ring:

https://gundigest.com/rifles/proof-research-switch-barrel

ARC BARLOC:

https://www.americanrifle.com/shop/product/barloc-10?category=7

And the Seekins Precision 'Hit':

https://www.gunsamerica.com/digest/seekins-precisions-new-chassis-rifle-the-hit-shot-show-2020/

And for those with a different view, there is the takedown version:



The Traveler from Dakota Arms:

Created for the global hunter, the Traveler is a Model 76 that takes down into two sections — the receiver/stock and barrel/fore-end — for compact carrying. You can even add a second barrel from the same family of calibers for optimum versatility.

https://www.dakotaarms.com/firearms/model-76/traveler.html

Lots of ideas to choose from!

 

[bsekf]

I use all Savage Long Actions and barrel nut, 5 actions, 10 barrels and 6-7 stocks. Everything interchanges. BUT, if I was to start over I would take a long look a Tikika. Much smoother action, great factory trigger (Savage suck), machined to tolerance so you can use the barrel shoulder, rather than a nut.

 

[eric32]

Tikka are pretty awesome actions.

 

[ballisticxlr]

If the barrel shoulder face and the action face and recoil lug face are all true to each other, then you can spin a barrel on by hand shoot the rifle and spin the barrel off by hand. One of my rifles is setup like this. No torque on the tube and it returns to zero surprisingly well.

 

[Old Navy]

Absolute # 1 reason a lot of folks like the Savage / RemAge is they don't have a gunsmith in their back pocket. All they need is a big vice, go gauge and the barrel wrench.

 

[ELR LVR]

If the barrel shoulder face and the action face and recoil lug face are all true to each other, then you can spin a barrel on by hand shoot the rifle and spin the barrel off by hand. One of my rifles is setup like this. No torque on the tube and it returns to zero surprisingly well.

I agree with this....a barrel does not need to be super tight.
Out in the field I use a small Alum. barrel vise with action wrench and just snug it up using a crescent wrench on the barrel vise...maybe 10 ft/lbs of torque.
Of course the barrels I turn are also lapped to the action threads which provides a much better thread engagement.
BTW I'd recommend an 8 twist .260 Rem and whatever else you want for another caliber.
I was more of a 7/08 guy for certain purposes (due to High B.C> bullet choice) until I chambered a .260 for a guy that wanted a little more than his creedmore could offer but still have low recoil.
I think I love a .260 Rem now especially with the wide choice of High BC 6.5 bullets Berger offers.
---For a Rem 700, be sure to pin the recoil lug so you don't have to worry about lining it up every time.
---PTG even sells predrilled, surface ground recoil lugs in varying thicknesses. I'd get something at least thicker than factory though

 

[ballisticxlr]

Absolute # 1 reason a lot of folks like the Savage / RemAge is they don't have a gunsmith in their back pocket. All they need is a big vice, go gauge and the barrel wrench.

This, of course, being the expensive part of using the shouldered solution. Headspacing with a lathe on the shoulder is much more tedious and therefore expensive than tinkering with a barrel nut.