2nd barrel for bolt action...methods & advice

[bsumoba]

if i were to get a 2nd barrel for any of my bolt actions, is this the best way to get a barrel off and spin another one back on?

http://www.pmatool.com/product_info.php?cPath=94_107_113_114&products_id=331&osCsid=882b5e560224a4b6a64003d72a437d45

it would be kind of cool to be able to switchbarrel (pun intended ) easily without having to go to a smith. of course, i need a barrel vise that is c-clamped to a table or something.

and...i thought barrels needed to be torqued down to xxx pounds, and i dont imagine this device doing it the way the guy in this video does it torquing it down to the specs i've always heard you torque them down to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYQ-bNDgf2M

and last question...is headspace affected by this? meaning if your smith headspaced your rifle with a certain barrel torqued down to "X" pounds and you spin another barrel on with less pounds, will the headspace be affected or accuracy, reliability, etc?

[NorCalFocus]

Get a Savage with a barrel nut. Spin barrel on, till its spaced right, torque down the barrel nut. You can also get setups like this for 700s I hear.

[Coyotegunner]

Buy a BLASER

[Switchbarrel]

Switchbarrel

Wait, what? Change barrels you say?



-Rick
(I need a better camera & lighting)




The black & blue caps are just misc. rubbery plastic caps to protect some
of the threads & crowns.

[bsumoba]

holy smokes!! are those all the same caliber? on each of those rifles?

[ar15barrels]

Get a Savage with a barrel nut. Spin barrel on, till its spaced right, torque down the barrel nut.

A fixed shoulder barrel is FAR easier to remove and reinstall as you don't need to ADJUST headspace.

[ar15barrels]

and last question...is headspace affected by this? meaning if your smith headspaced your rifle with a certain barrel torqued down to "X" pounds and you spin another barrel on with less pounds, will the headspace be affected or accuracy, reliability, etc?

With properly fitted threads and some anti-sieze, the headspace is repeatable enough that you won't need to readjust your sizing dies after barrel swaps.


On a 700 action, a Surgeon action wrench works great and will take a torque wrench.
Then, you just need a barrel wrench.
You could be smart and have a detent drilled at 6:00 on each of your barrels right on the large part of the barrel shank and it would be really easy to use a spanner wrench to remove/install barrels...

[Fjold]

Commonly now, people only torque barrels to about 30 - 40 Lbs-Ft

[riftol]

You could be smart and have a detent drilled at 6:00 on each of your barrels right on the large part of the barrel shank and it would be really easy to use a spanner wrench to remove/install barrels...

What diameter and depth do you recommend for the detent?

A detent made by an end mill would be preferable to one made by a ball mill or a drill bit, right?

[Kappy]

Or you could go with a 10/22. All it takes to change barrels is an allen wrench.

[bsumoba]

Or you could go with a 10/22. All it takes to change barrels is an allen wrench.

i got one...i also got me a crickett, or should i say my neice a crickett, but i use it way more than she does.

looks like "switchbarreling" is relatively easy and i like the idea of putting some sort of detent or at least maybe engraving/etching a small line on the action and have it line up with an etched line on the barrel so that i can time it properly or back to the same location.

[ar15barrels]

What diameter and depth do you recommend for the detent?

A detent made by an end mill would be preferable to one made by a ball mill or a drill bit, right?

If I were doing it, it would be a square bottomed blind hole made with a 1/4" endmill and it would be about 1/10" deep.

[LynnJr]

Bryan
When Randall said to put a detent at 6 O'clock that is not the same as using a witness mark to assure alignment.He is using a wrench that looks kinda like a fish hook and the barb goes into the detent to prevent slippage.
I use a barrel vise mounted in my receiver hitch on my truck.I keep it behind the seat with a Harbor Freight torque wrench and generally torque to about 100 pounds.

Switchbarrel
Rick is that a Robertson stock on your second Dasher? I sold a very very nice looking one to Crawford and kept the other for my longrange hunting rifle.Absolutely beautiful finish on those stocks.
I went to the 600 yard nationals one year with a 6br heavygun that was shooting world record class groups.The last day of the match it shot a 15 and a 17 inch group in calm conditions.I was switching back and forth between a 300 Ackley a 6 Dasher and a 6BR and hand tightened the barrel into the action.
The opening and closing of the bolt worked the action loose.

If you look at the heavygun in the picture by Switchbarrel you can see he is using a barrel block to hold onto his barrel.When the bolt is worked the action will come loose not the barrel.I am guessing his barrel weighs 25 pounds or more?

Lesson learned torque em down if your running a barrel block.If your not you can use a strap wrench.The guy in the video probably has his action glued in place so there is no pressure put on the barrel by operating the gun.

[ar15barrels]

Bryan
When Randall said to put a detent at 6 O'clock that is not the same as using a witness mark to assure alignment.

I would NOT switch barrels to an index mark as the torque will change as the threads wear from being loosened/tightened repeatedly.

I would MUCH rather ensure the consistency of the barrel install by a torque wrench and just let the barrel clock where it will.
Anything between 50 ft-lbs and 80 ft-lbs is fine.

[postal]

Or you could go with a 10/22. All it takes to change barrels is an allen wrench.

You forgot the flat head screwdriver for the action screw....