Shadow
Junior Member
Posts: 21 
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Post by Shadow on Dec 9, 2014 19:29:07 GMT -8
Trying to figure out some info on the switch barrel set up offered by BHW. What does the barrel swapping process entail, and approximately how much time and effort is involved if, say you wanted to switch from using your 308 barrel one day, and your 260rem barrel the next? Is it just a matter of pulling the action out of the stock, pulling the barrel nut/barrel, inserting new barrel/check headspace, place back in stock? Also, does the added diameter of the barrel nut interfere with the inlet/free floating of any stock set ups? Thanks fellas!
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Post by GLSHOOTER on Dec 9, 2014 20:31:58 GMT -8
Trying to figure out some info on the switch barrel set up offered by BHW. What does the barrel swapping process entail, and approximately how much time and effort is involved if, say you wanted to switch from using your 308 barrel one day, and your 260rem barrel the next? Is it just a matter of pulling the action out of the stock, pulling the barrel nut/barrel, inserting new barrel/check headspace, place back in stock? Also, does the added diameter of the barrel nut interfere with the inlet/free floating of any stock set ups? Thanks fellas! You pretty much have it. The stock is relieved for the nut. I will be posting up some pictures tomorrow on just this subject. Greg |
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Post by dinosdeuce on Jan 1, 2015 18:25:41 GMT -8
Trying to figure out some info on the switch barrel set up offered by BHW. What does the barrel swapping process entail, and approximately how much time and effort is involved if, say you wanted to switch from using your 308 barrel one day, and your 260rem barrel the next? Is it just a matter of pulling the action out of the stock, pulling the barrel nut/barrel, inserting new barrel/check headspace, place back in stock? Also, does the added diameter of the barrel nut interfere with the inlet/free floating of any stock set ups? Thanks fellas! You pretty much have it. The stock is relieved for the nut. I will be posting up some pictures tomorrow on just this subject. Greg Shadow, As Greg stated it is easy especially after the first time. However, don't load up a bunch of ammo and shoot some and then switch the barrel. You may ammo that is a couple of thousandths too long to chamber. Some will use a round as a gage. I always use the go no-go. I fell a lot better using gages. Others may chime in on a way to repeat the switch. I get close but sometimes I can't exactly re install to the exact same as it was. I still have a savage in 308 that I get the itch to make it into another caliber, but it is accurate and besdies, everyone should have a 308 |
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Post by GLSHOOTER on Jan 2, 2015 5:27:06 GMT -8
I agree with the gauges if they are available. I use the Go Gauge and the results are pretty repeatable. I just swapped a barrel the other day and took pictures but I am going to change bolt heads so I'll have to adjust it again. I'll get a couple more pictures that show more detail and post them up. Time is about fifteen minutes without hurrying.
Greg
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Shadow
Junior Member
Posts: 21
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Post by Shadow on Jan 2, 2015 8:11:13 GMT -8
Have you guys ever used a marking notch or any type of indicator to line the barrel back up in the same position? Could this add to repeatability in swapping barrels or are there other issues you might run into while attempting this?
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Post by GLSHOOTER on Jan 2, 2015 10:50:53 GMT -8
Have you guys ever used a marking notch or any type of indicator to line the barrel back up in the same position? Could this add to repeatability in swapping barrels or are there other issues you might run into while attempting this? You could do that. I haven't thought much about it since I'm using the Go gauge or an FIRED UNSIZED case. Repeatability in chamber size is pretty close. Greg |
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Post by dinosdeuce on Jan 2, 2015 18:21:38 GMT -8
Have you guys ever used a marking notch or any type of indicator to line the barrel back up in the same position? Could this add to repeatability in swapping barrels or are there other issues you might run into while attempting this? You could do that. I haven't thought much about it since I'm using the Go gauge or an FIRED UNSIZED case. Repeatability in chamber size is pretty close. Greg Greg, So you have not had any problems with using the brass you have previously sized?? The reason I ask, I removed the barrel and when I re installed it the bolt was very hard to close on rounds that I had previously sized. I guess if you do it alot getting it back to the same position gets easier. Also i only neck size. Do you think that is the reason as well?? Making a indexing mark sounds like a good idea. Thanks |
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Post by GLSHOOTER on Jan 3, 2015 5:43:36 GMT -8
You could do that. I haven't thought much about it since I'm using the Go gauge or an FIRED UNSIZED case. Repeatability in chamber size is pretty close. Greg Greg, So you have not had any problems with using the brass you have previously sized?? The reason I ask, I removed the barrel and when I re installed it the bolt was very hard to close on rounds that I had previously sized. I guess if you do it alot getting it back to the same position gets easier. Also i only neck size. Do you think that is the reason as well?? Making a indexing mark sounds like a good idea. Thanks No real issues. You probably turned it in an extra 0.001 or two. Usingthe Go Gauge I kust set it up so the bolt closes with a very tiny resistance when I set my narrel up. Screwing them in with a fired case I lube the snot out of the shank so it turns nice and easily and carefully turn the action in checking for tightness in the bolt as you go. You can crush the shoulders and change the desired HS if you get rambunctious. If you are returning back uaing a HS gauge grab one of the neck sized cases and close the bolt on one of them before you tighten it down. It shouldn't be any harder than if you reinserted one after firing before when you were out in the field. Greg |
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Post by dinosdeuce on Jan 3, 2015 8:45:37 GMT -8
Greg,
That all makes sense. Will assemble it the way you described next go around. I am really glad I stumbled on to this site. The information is priceless.
Once again thanks
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Post by varminterror on Jan 22, 2015 10:08:49 GMT -8
I have had a handful of switch barrel rigs in the past, currently only have 3, but have 3 more on my bench getting built. The savage style (and what I'm assuming to be the BHW style) barrel nut installed barrels are easier to do the first time, since they allow the shooter to set headspace themselves, but any switch barrel rig will go on about the same the second time. Many guys pin the barrel nuts on savage style switch barrel rigs so that they will behave like a rem style switch barrel rig.
I personally prefer non-barrel-nut style switch rigs. My current switch rigs are a Rem in 6.5-284 and 284 Shehane and 2 Savages in 243 and 308win and the other in 22-250 and 30-06 (requires mag block). The disadvantage of the barrel nut style is that you have to reset headspace every time, the advantage is that doing so is very easy. For the non-barrel-nut style, I simply line up witness marks on the bottom of the receiver/barrel (hidden by the stock), and I'm done.
The 3 I'm putting together will be on Ruger M77 actions, one in 7mm rem mag and 338win mag, the other in 300 win mag and 458win mag, and the 3rd in 30-06 and 338-06. I suppose you could argue that I have a couple "switch barrel AR's" also, since I have x39 and 223AI barrels for one of my uppers, and a 6.8 barrel sitting around too that could go into any upper at any time, and really, they change in about the same fashion.
At the end of the day, if I'm being lazy, it takes about an hour to switch. If I'm working on a mission, I can do it in about 20min.
One thing to keep in mind - if you end up with a switch barrel rig, pay attention to the drop adjustment for your optic between barrels, and WRITE IT DOWN! I screw my barrels on, dial in the correct elevation change, and only need one confirmation shot to double-check return to zero. No reason to shoot a bunch of rounds re-zeroing every time you change your barrel. I bought that 22-250 barrel for my 30-06 savage so I could use ONE rifle for deer and coyotes more efficiently, but I never end up changing it often enough, so I end up taking another rifle instead.
Another comment I would make - switch barrel rigs ONLY work under the circumstances that you'll only use ONE of the cartridges with any regularity. I thought I could build a lightweight 1,000yrd rifle and a 100/200yrd rifle on the same action, but when I found myself needing to switch barrels every month, it just made more sense to buy another rifle. Alternatively, for example, I quite rarely need a 33 cal mid-bore rifle, and even moreso rarely need a big bore rifle these days, so having spare 338wm and 338-06 barrels for my wife's 7mm RM and my 30-06 respectively, my wife and I can hunt deer all year every year with our small bores, then every 3rd to 6th year, I can spin on the mid-bore barrel and we can go kill a couple bear with the same rifles. Once a decade when I make it to south america or Africa to hunt REALLY big stuff, I can simply spin on that 458WM barrel and use my same old tried and true deer rifle for cape buffalo.
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