I often hear the Savage barrel nut system is a god-send for owners who change out barrels or build a rifle at home, avoiding the cost, hassle, and long waits commonly associated with gunsmiths. I am not so sure now. I think it depends on your expectations.
I am building a Savage 6mmBR. Criterion, Shilen, Pac-Nor, and others all offer button-rifled pre-fit barrels. But, these are sometimes limited in twist, contour, and length options. Also, most chamber the rifle with a longish free-bore, which in my case, is not wanted. If the barrel maker does not have a preferred reamer, you must buy or borrow one. And then, you will find that not all pre-fit makers will use a custom reamer, and those that do, may charge extra for doing so. On the other hand, at least one barrel maker will take your dummy rounds and chamber to those, at no extra charge, and another charges nothing for using a custom reamer.
The shopping list and potential costs (could be more or less):
Prefit Barrel: $320 - $450
Custom Reamer: $160
Fee to Use Custom Reamer: $50
Barrel nut wrench: $28
Action wrench: $60
Go-Gauge: $37
I checked three separate barrel makers. Their barrels (top end grade, if there were “grades”), ordered direct from them, plus tools and surcharges (if any), totaled $705, $734, and $735. Same barrels bought from a discount source cut the cost some, to $655, $624, and $735.
How does that compare to a high end barrel chambered by a professional gunsmith? Not favorably.
A new Krieger cut-rifled barrel blank is about $345. I called around and some gunsmiths will chamber and thread the barrel for $250 to $350, for a total outlay of $595 - $695. All said the cost included using a reamer to meet my needs. Some smiths may charge for custom reaming. One smith said they will not do a barrel without tuning the action (another $250).
No real cost savings I can see with the Savage system. UNLESS, you opt for a lower end barrel and/or DO change out barrels on a regular basis. If I get to a place where I can shoot longer range, I will have two barrels for my Savage, one for 68 grain bullets at my local short ranges and the other with a fast twist and heavier bullets for 300+ yard distances. Since standard pre-fits in 6mmBR are reamed for heavier bullets, I can probably use something right off the shelf, and I already have the tools. A 2nd barrel for as little as $320 that suits my needs, or two barrels for about $975. Less than $500/barrel.
In my opinion, the Savage system makes sense, if you are invested in multiple Savage rifles or change barrels frequently, but not so sure I would go this way for a one-off Savage that will seldom see any barrel changes. I am next building a Howa in 6.5x47 and one smith can use a barrel nut system for it, but why? That barrel will probably outlive me and never come off the gun.
Phil
I am building a Savage 6mmBR. Criterion, Shilen, Pac-Nor, and others all offer button-rifled pre-fit barrels. But, these are sometimes limited in twist, contour, and length options. Also, most chamber the rifle with a longish free-bore, which in my case, is not wanted. If the barrel maker does not have a preferred reamer, you must buy or borrow one. And then, you will find that not all pre-fit makers will use a custom reamer, and those that do, may charge extra for doing so. On the other hand, at least one barrel maker will take your dummy rounds and chamber to those, at no extra charge, and another charges nothing for using a custom reamer.
The shopping list and potential costs (could be more or less):
Prefit Barrel: $320 - $450
Custom Reamer: $160
Fee to Use Custom Reamer: $50
Barrel nut wrench: $28
Action wrench: $60
Go-Gauge: $37
I checked three separate barrel makers. Their barrels (top end grade, if there were “grades”), ordered direct from them, plus tools and surcharges (if any), totaled $705, $734, and $735. Same barrels bought from a discount source cut the cost some, to $655, $624, and $735.
How does that compare to a high end barrel chambered by a professional gunsmith? Not favorably.
A new Krieger cut-rifled barrel blank is about $345. I called around and some gunsmiths will chamber and thread the barrel for $250 to $350, for a total outlay of $595 - $695. All said the cost included using a reamer to meet my needs. Some smiths may charge for custom reaming. One smith said they will not do a barrel without tuning the action (another $250).
No real cost savings I can see with the Savage system. UNLESS, you opt for a lower end barrel and/or DO change out barrels on a regular basis. If I get to a place where I can shoot longer range, I will have two barrels for my Savage, one for 68 grain bullets at my local short ranges and the other with a fast twist and heavier bullets for 300+ yard distances. Since standard pre-fits in 6mmBR are reamed for heavier bullets, I can probably use something right off the shelf, and I already have the tools. A 2nd barrel for as little as $320 that suits my needs, or two barrels for about $975. Less than $500/barrel.
In my opinion, the Savage system makes sense, if you are invested in multiple Savage rifles or change barrels frequently, but not so sure I would go this way for a one-off Savage that will seldom see any barrel changes. I am next building a Howa in 6.5x47 and one smith can use a barrel nut system for it, but why? That barrel will probably outlive me and never come off the gun.
Phil
(It can become an OCD thing) And the ability to easily change a shot out barrel or under performing barrel? Priceless. Lol. Then you add "weird" cartridges. Now that's fun.
