SwitchBarrel: Pros and Cons

[Erik Cortina]

Erik and others, just to confirm (Cuz I spent too much money on a scope). I can screw my bbl off and screw another on without issues. I had been removing the scope, which is a pain. I've been torquing to 100 ft lbs. Is that too much?

100 ft lbs!!!? Yes, a little much, how long was your cheater bar?

I'm going to assume and hope you meant 100 INCH lbs. In which case it's still too much. I torque mine to 25 - 30 inch lbs.

 

[Hoier]

Erik and others, just to confirm (Cuz I spent too much money on a scope). I can screw my bbl off and screw another on without issues. I had been removing the scope, which is a pain. I've been torquing to 100 ft lbs. Is that too much?

What type of switch barrel do you have a Savage with a nut or a shouldered barrel? But either way 100ft lbs is WAY to much.

 

[Phil3]

After adding up how much to build two rifles (6mmBR and 6.5x47), I think I will have to go the switchbarrel route. - Phil

 

[fdshuster]

Phil3: I picked up a used professional heavy duty ( 200 ft. lbs.) auto mechanics torque wrench from a retired auto mechanic for a very reasonable price, have checked it with other torque wrench's & it is right-on. Made in the USA of course. I torque my barrels between 50 to 65 ft. lbs. (maximum), and have never had any problems. Threads are cleaned and a fresh coat of anti-seize is applied with each barrel change. That may be more torque than is required. I know others who are using 25 to 30 ft. lbs. & they have never had a problem.

When changing barrels, it's also a good time to clean, inspect & apply fresh lube to the receiver locking lugs.

And, if you ever stick a bullet in the throat when unloading a chamber, and get powder all over the front of the receiver area, the clean up is a simple matter of pulling off the barrel, giving complete access to that area.

Start saving the cardboard tubes from toilet paper rolls and the rolls of kitchen paper towels (like "Bounty"). They can be cut, wrapped around the barrel & tightly taped to the barrel to protect it from any damage when the barrel is clamped into the barrel vice. I re-use them until the cardboard begins to show damage. Have never put a mark on any barrel with careful use of the barrel vice.

 

[HTSmith]

My switch bbl rig is on a Remington action with a pinned lug and no nut. I've been tightening to 100ft-lbs for some years now and it sure seems to shoot pretty good. Course what I don't know about precision shooting would fill the ocean.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Just to clarify, when I said 25-30 inch pounds I was talking about scope screws.

 

[Hopkins]

30 inch pounds = 2.499 foot pounds

 

[HTSmith]

OK, but I'm still wanting advice on the proper barrel torque for a Remington switch bbl. Is 100 ft lbs too much? thanks

 

[boyscout]

Buy a Blaser...its expensive but it works. German engineering!

 

[expiper]

to the OP...go to a shooting match some where and youwill see and learn how to do it ,,,very simple ,,,swithc bbl means that you have more than one bbl to switch bak-n-forth,,,nothing more,,,of course the are headspaced to fit your action,,,(in the case of Kelbly actions theyare all the same so they will interchange if properly fit by the gunsmith initially, even if he is on the other side of the world !!),,,,and the torque that I have seen used mostly is ~~~ 50-60 FOOT pounds,,,,Roger

 

[Phil3]

No BR type shooting matches anywhere near where I am that I know of where switchbarrel happens, but if I make a 4 hour roundtrip to another range, I might see it happen. I don't know what kinds of event happens where switching barrels takes place.

I am curious about one thing. If the barrel torque is 50 - 60 ft. lbs., how does one hold the rifle or action? Is the barrel clamped in a barrel vice, and then some sort of action tool is used to twist the action/stock off the barrel. ??? If done at the range, this means having a barrel vice mounted somewhere, securely enough to apply 50 - 60 ft. lbs. or torque. Where is the vice affixed to do this?

Phil

 

[NateHaler]

OK, but I'm still wanting advice on the proper barrel torque for a Remington switch bbl. Is 100 ft lbs too much? thanks

No. If you're really concerned, go to www.benchrest.com where this topic has been debated before. Some guys claim they hand tighten their barrels. Others, with more credibility in my opinion, torque to 100 ft. lbs or more.

Figure the average automobile or light-duty truck specs torque of 75-100 ft. lbs. for the lug nuts holding on the wheels. That's a relatively easy tightness to achieve, using a T-style wrench.

 

[Erik Cortina]

You screw barrel on action by hand until snug, then hold barrel in barrel vice and an action wrench is used to tighten action to the barrel.

Most guys that torque barrels say 60 lb. ft.

 

[Phil3]

Got it. Wonder how guys at the range do that? Where does one affix a vice at the range where 50 - 60 lb. ft. of torque can be applied? - Phil

 

[fdshuster]

Phil3: It's a simple matter to use a pair of C-clamps to attach the barrel vice to a table, heavy chair, or even the top of a shooting bench, portable or fixed. 60 ft. lbs. really isn't that much. Nothing like the 150 (+) ft. lbs. that the 800 pound gorilla uses at the factories.

The whole process of switching barrels is really very easy. All you need are a few basic tools.

 

[fdshuster]

Basics of switch-barrels: Blued 308 barrel off, stainless 6BR barrel on. Receiver wrench and torque wrench shown in first picture. Davidson barrel vice c-clamped to workbench top. 15" breaker bar used to remove 308 barrel. Stainless 6BR ready to install w/ torque wrench attached to receiver wrench. At this time ( 3-14-2010 )I was using heavy brown shopping bag paper to wrap the barrels. Am now using the toilet paper cardboard tubes. Recoil lug held in position with the Kleinendorst tool while attaching barrel. Have since had some recoil lugs pinned.

Had to disassemble this rifle to get at and work on the Rem. 700 trigger. Most of my switch-barrels are now setup with the trigger hanger system that permits removing the Jewell triggers without taking the receivers out of the stocks.

 

[mr45man]

BOhio:
Figure the average automobile or light-duty truck specs torque of 75-100 ft. lbs. for the lug nuts holding on the wheels. That's a relatively easy tightness to achieve, using a T-style wrench.

A set of lug nuts can be a real bear to get off by hand. ;D
especially with the lug wrench that comes with vehicle.
I wouldn't torque my barrels on that tight
John H.

 

[ultraedge]

I have seven Rem 700 based rifles that I switch barrels on. I use a Davidson vise mounted to a piece of 2" square tubing that slides into the receiver hitch on my truck. You use either a rear entry action wrench or a port entry wrench. The whole process takes less than 5 minutes. If the barrel channel is sized to facilitate this,you will not have to remove scope or stock. I use 60 to 70 ftlbs. torque and have never had one shoot loose. Gary

 

[Phil3]

I don't think trailer hitches are available for my sports car, but having removable barrels would sure make it a lot easier to fit the guns inside the car!

Phil

 

[NateHaler]

BOhio:
Figure the average automobile or light-duty truck specs torque of 75-100 ft. lbs. for the lug nuts holding on the wheels. That's a relatively easy tightness to achieve, using a T-style wrench.

A set of lug nuts can be a real bear to get off by hand. ;D
especially with the lug wrench that comes with vehicle.

Not if you grease (or use anti-seize) on the lugs, and torque to factory spec. The gorillas and their impact tools at the tire store should not be relied on for this important task. Laying on the side of a highway, at night, with a flat tire, pushing on the OEM lug wrench with your legs while holding the fender with your hands -- trying to break loose the lug nuts -- is not fun or particularly safe.


Properly torquing barrels or lug nuts is easily done with hand tools, unless you're a pencil-necked liberal pantywaist. ;D