why remage nut vs just spinning barrels on and off?

[cj8vet]

title says it all---is it just a lack of bbl vise/action wrench? or?
Mark

 

[NorCalMikie]

is it just a lack of bbl vise/action wrench? or?

Pretty much. Once set up and chambered, no smith involved and if you don't like the barrel/chambering you've got, "spin on another barrel/chambering" of your choice and go shooting. Savage had/has the better idea.

 

[DiffEQ]

Once matched to your action with an index mark, a shouldered barrel is much better than a nut style for ease of removing / replacing / reinstalling, etc.
Having done remage and savage prefits, and now doing fitted shouldered barrels, will never go back to the nut style unless I find a deal that cannot be missed.
If you're going to remove and/or replace any barrels, not having a vise, nut wrench, action wrench, torque wrench, and the appropriate gauges is simply irresponsible.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Once matched to your action with an index mark, a shouldered barrel is much better than a nut style for ease of removing / replacing / reinstalling, etc.

BUT, there's that "smith involved" again. And who decides where to set the head space?
Will that shouldered barrel fit another action and head space the same without a lathe to cut the shoulder? The DIY thing just went out the window.
A nutted barrel, marked and indexed to your action will get you the same thing.
Don't like the head space setting? Loosen the nut, move the barrel to the setting YOU want, snug it up and go shooting. And that index mark will also tell you if the barrel has moved.
Not everybody has a lathe or wants to wait on a smith to get work done "when he has the time".
Action wrench? Don't use it. Put mine back in the box under the bench when I had to loosen it so the barrel would turn without squealing. Cost more to ship it than it cost to sell.
Nut wrench and a padded vice will get you what you need. NEVER had a barrel come loose and no GORILLA needed top brake the nut loose. Gauge/case of your choice. Don't bother to use a "gauge". Got rid of all of mine. None of my rigs will load factory ammo anyway. Head space is on the snug side so my brass doesn't get moved any more than needed when sizing. YMMV,

 

[BoydAllen]

If you are shooting a Remington acton, the odds are pretty high that the threads are out of whack, and if you have that corrected they will be larger than standard, so you won't be able to use a drop in. With the gunsmiths I use, I only have to send the action for the first barrel. They record the critical dimensions and from then on I just have barrels sent to them and they do the work according to my instructions, and ship it to me. I have a barrel vise and action wrenches. If I don't want to send a rifle and already have a barrel that has been done for it, that is worn out, I can just send that barrel and it can be used as a pattern for the tenon and chambering.

 

[tobnpr]

title says it all---is it just a lack of bbl vise/action wrench? or?
Mark

Shouldered allows for changing barrels without removing the action from the stock. If you're glued-in, it's mandatory. Much faster for shooters that want a switchbarrel at the range.

Barrel contour. Yeah, there's some "workarounds" to using heavier-than-thread-major diameter barrels, but I've never cared for the looks.

Some just don't care for the look of nutted barrels. To each their own...

For those that like to assemble components for their rifles, and it's not a one-shot deal, it's worthwhile to purchase the barrel vise, action wrench, and gauges. If removing factory barrels- you need a stout vise.
You ain't pulling a Tikka with wood blocks in a vise...

 

[Rob01]

I would take a shouldered prefit any day over a barrel nut. Easy as screwing on and off and no worries about setting headspace. Both need a gunsmith to do the initial work of threading and chambering but after that shouldered is easier.

 

[jelenko]

Is it accurate to say that nutted barrel are great for people who like to have the ability to change their own barrels and for whom 1/2 MOA accuracy is great. PRS and 'cross the course' come to mind.

I'm guessing no one in benchrest would touch anything other than something with their chamber fitted just so on their action.

Not sure about F class.

 

[Rob01]

Shouldered prefits are easy to swap too and are very accurate as they are made just for the action.

 

[Bill K]

Simple answer is anyone can fit/head space a pre-fit with a barrel nut. Shouldered Pre-fits need a lathe to set up the first fitting and head spacing.

 

[Rob01]

No they don’t. You can order a shouldered prefit for any number of custom actions. If speaking of factory actions then yes as they vary too much in their tolerances.

 

[Bill K]

I gathered the party was talking of factory actions, with my answer.
But you raise a question for me, how to you know the custom barrel is head spaced properly to your custom barrel, if the supplier does not fit it to the action ? Custom action as you mention ?

 

[thestoicmarcusaurelius]

Shouldered Prefits are popular for PRS/NRL

Look at all the different actions that Proof Research Makes Shouldered Prefits for and there are a number of other shops that specialize in shouldered prefits for custom actions as well

There may be others but tikka is the only "factory" action I know of for shouldered prefits

The safest practice is to confirm headspace with go gauge / no gauge after installation prior to shooting

The shouldered prefits are a little easier because all you do is tighten the barrel down in the barrel vice. And either tighten or loosen it with an action wrench and torque wrench

I gathered the party was talking of factory actions, with my answer.
But you raise a question for me, how to you know the custom barrel is head spaced properly to your custom barrel, if the supplier does not fit it to the action ? Custom action as you mention ?

 

[jelenko]

I gathered the party was talking of factory actions, with my answer.
But you raise a question for me, how to you know the custom barrel is head spaced properly to your custom barrel, if the supplier does not fit it to the action ? Custom action as you mention ?

Shouldered prefits can be made for many [all?] the custom actions without the specific customer's action because the the threads on custom actions are all within a few [or less] thousandths the same.
I learned that on this forum.

In looking at prices for shouldered prefits, they cost a bit more than a nutted prefit, but, then, all you need is to unscrew the old one and screw on the new one. I'd want a go and no go gauge just to be sure.

 

[INTJ]

For those that like to assemble components for their rifles, and it's not a one-shot deal, it's worthwhile to purchase the barrel vise, action wrench, and gauges.

You have left out some pretty important components. Here is a more complete list, roughly in the order:

Barrel Vise
Action Wrench
Go Gauges
Reamer
Lathe
Mill
More Gauges
More Reamers
More Tooling

Then you can be a total DIY guy without worrying about barrel nuts, waiting on gunsmiths, and other such silly things.......

Don't laugh. It's not as difficult as you might think to wake up one day and find all that stuff in your garage..........

 

[NorCalMikie]

for people who like to have the ability to change their own barrels and for whom 1/2 MOA accuracy is great.

Is a 5 shot group that can be covered with a dime 1/2 MOA?? Asking for a friend.

 

[Tokay444]

BUT, there's that "smith involved" again. And who decides where to set the head space?
Will that shouldered barrel fit another action and head space the same without a lathe to cut the shoulder? The DIY thing just went out the window.
A nutted barrel, marked and indexed to your action will get you the same thing.
Don't like the head space setting? Loosen the nut, move the barrel to the setting YOU want, snug it up and go shooting. And that index mark will also tell you if the barrel has moved.
Not everybody has a lathe or wants to wait on a smith to get work done "when he has the time".
Action wrench? Don't use it. Put mine back in the box under the bench when I had to loosen it so the barrel would turn without squealing. Cost more to ship it than it cost to sell.
Nut wrench and a padded vice will get you what you need. NEVER had a barrel come loose and no GORILLA needed top brake the nut loose. Gauge/case of your choice. Don't bother to use a "gauge". Got rid of all of mine. None of my rigs will load factory ammo anyway. Head space is on the snug side so my brass doesn't get moved any more than needed when sizing. YMMV,

Who cuts the chamber in a nutted barrel if not a smith? All my shouldered prefits are interchangeable about all my ARC actions.
I have a lathe but have never needed it on a shouldered prefit.

 

[Tokay444]

Simple answer is anyone can fit/head space a pre-fit with a barrel nut. Shouldered Pre-fits need a lathe to set up the first fitting and head spacing.

Shouldered barrels only need a lathe for the same reason nutted barrels need a lathe.

 

[DirtySteve]

Any of you barrel nut guys ever locktite your barrel nut? You know so if you take your barrel off the head space stay set. Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[TC260]

If you are shooting a Remington acton, the odds are pretty high that the threads are out of whack, and if you have that corrected they will be larger than standard, so you won't be able to use a drop in.

FWIW, some companies offer shoulderless prefits +0.010". It is a consideration though as I'm sure there's a lot barrel suppliers that aren't offering them yet