A few months ago an article was posted by Norman E. Johnson about 2 model 12 savages rifles he made into switch barrel guns. I have called,e-mailed, and talked to over 20 gunsmiths about doing the samething Norman has done and I cannot find anyone to do it. I have a new model 12 lrp in 260. I am trying to make a switch barrel using the orginal barrel to start with. I don't have thousands of dollars for gunsmithing. If anyone has anyone in mind that can help I would greatly appreicate a reply.
switch barrel savage
- Thread starter jr28763
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I am not a Gunsmith but my guess is for safety reasons they do not want any part of relying on JB Weld or Loctite to hold proper headspace on the factory barrel.
My personal advise is to learn how to set your own headspace with prefit barrels, in My opinion it is easy to change barrels on Savage rifles.
If you are not comfortable setting your own headspace I would save until I could have "nutless" or shouldered barrels installed. I just looked on a smiths website, you should be able to get two top quality barrels chambered and your action trued for $1100
One other thought is to see if a local welding shop could spotweld your factory barrel nut to your factory barrel.
Buy a precision recoil lug, take rifle and lug to a local smith and have them install the lug, then take the barreled action to a local welding shop and have them spotweld the nut to the barrel while it is installed on the action. this should be more reliable than JB Weld. Always use that recoil lug for that barrel. Depending on where the weld is located you may have to sand or cut relief into the stock.
Buy a 308 win (260) no go gauge and always check to make sure the bolt will not close on it when you install that welded factory barrel. You will also need a barrel vise and action wrench.
My personal advise is to learn how to set your own headspace with prefit barrels, in My opinion it is easy to change barrels on Savage rifles.
If you are not comfortable setting your own headspace I would save until I could have "nutless" or shouldered barrels installed. I just looked on a smiths website, you should be able to get two top quality barrels chambered and your action trued for $1100
One other thought is to see if a local welding shop could spotweld your factory barrel nut to your factory barrel.
Buy a precision recoil lug, take rifle and lug to a local smith and have them install the lug, then take the barreled action to a local welding shop and have them spotweld the nut to the barrel while it is installed on the action. this should be more reliable than JB Weld. Always use that recoil lug for that barrel. Depending on where the weld is located you may have to sand or cut relief into the stock.
Buy a 308 win (260) no go gauge and always check to make sure the bolt will not close on it when you install that welded factory barrel. You will also need a barrel vise and action wrench.
I'm sure that's a major reason a gunsmith wouldn't want to do it. A gunsmith has a reputation and liability to be concerned about and aren't going to want anyone spreading the word that they used JB weld to hold the barrel on your rifle. As ridiculously litigious as our society has become you may have a problem getting someone to weld the nut to the barrel for the same reasons.
I don't doubt that this could work but it's likely a DIY project, and cost less as such. Your going to need the appropriate tools to remove and replace barrels anyway, JB weld costs ~$5, and labor costs whatever you feel your time is worth.
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
From a gun smith point of view, If the person needs the work done why would you assume
He/She would properly assemble the rifle correctly and not get into trouble.
I know it can be done but when you have someone chamber your barrels ,someone else
bed the action, install the barrels, Torque the barrels/barrel nut,head space the different
cartriges.the recipe for trouble is there and out of there hands.
The guys that have had success with this are all fairly knowledgeable about what it takes to
have a successful switch barrel setup.
I believe that you can build a rifle that will do everything that you want, if not two are better
than one that you have to take apart each time and re zero every time you change. And the
cost is not that much more for two rifles.
This is just my opinion, based on my experiences with pre-chambered barrels and unskilled
people setting up a rifle.
J E CUSTOM
He/She would properly assemble the rifle correctly and not get into trouble.
I know it can be done but when you have someone chamber your barrels ,someone else
bed the action, install the barrels, Torque the barrels/barrel nut,head space the different
cartriges.the recipe for trouble is there and out of there hands.
The guys that have had success with this are all fairly knowledgeable about what it takes to
have a successful switch barrel setup.
I believe that you can build a rifle that will do everything that you want, if not two are better
than one that you have to take apart each time and re zero every time you change. And the
cost is not that much more for two rifles.
This is just my opinion, based on my experiences with pre-chambered barrels and unskilled
people setting up a rifle.
J E CUSTOM
rscott5028
Well-Known Member
Most really good switch barrels that I've used (e.g. Blaser and Sauer) are more expensive than owning as many decent rifles.
Thompson and a few others make inexpensive factory switch barrel rifles.
Savage is by some definition a "switch barrel" because a guy can do it himself with a few hand tools. Shortcuts like JB Weld may not be a good idea. If you go that route, you'd be wise to purchase the headspace gauges and re-verify everytime you switch the barrels.
Good luck!
-- richard
Thompson and a few others make inexpensive factory switch barrel rifles.
Savage is by some definition a "switch barrel" because a guy can do it himself with a few hand tools. Shortcuts like JB Weld may not be a good idea. If you go that route, you'd be wise to purchase the headspace gauges and re-verify everytime you switch the barrels.
Good luck!
-- richard
geargrinder
Well-Known Member
The whole idea of sticking the nut to the barrel is rediculous. That's what shouldered barrels are for. Then you'd never be able to swap them to a different action.
It takes about two extra minutes to set the headspace correctly. That way you can swap them amongst other actions or sell them to someone else with a Savage action.
It's a shortcut that doesn't save anything.
It takes about two extra minutes to set the headspace correctly. That way you can swap them amongst other actions or sell them to someone else with a Savage action.
It's a shortcut that doesn't save anything.
rscott5028
Well-Known Member
+1
A smith can rebarrel a Savage with a shoulder just like a Remington or Winchester. But, then it won't be universally interchangeable with other Savages.
Even with a shoulder, I highly recommend checking with HS gauges just to be extra safe.
-- richard
Nimrod
Well-Known Member
Not to sound harsh but there is no way that barrels of different calibers could be removed from an action and interchanged with another barrel and use the same zero as the previous barrel. In fact it would be a pretty remote chance that you could remove a barrel and screw it back in and not need at least a little adjustment even if nothing else was touched.
It's my guess that the reason you have not had a positive response from any of the 'smiths is because you are asking the impossible.
Bob
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
Different cartriges,chambers and calibers creates different harmonics even though they are
the same contour and length because of bore size,chamber size, bullet size and powder charge
so even if the two barrels are set up perfict they will need to be zeroed each time they are
installed.
Also each time you make up barrel to reciever threads there is some upsetting and therefore
a change in the orientation of parts causing different harmonics and a possible change in POI.
There is nothing wrong with doing a switch barrel rig but it is not just a simple as Badda Bing,
Badda Boom. considerations must be made and all precautions must be taken to prevent a
bad experance Hunting or shooting.
Just some advice. THERE IS NO FREE RIDE.
J E CUSTOM
SAVAGE22-243AI
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 24, 2010
- Messages
- 118
Setting the head space with a go no go gauge is easy enough. Can be done with a good fired case, then double checked with go gauge. If your worried about setup, pay a gunsmith to explain and show you how its done.
Years ago I would take a extra barrel with me Prairie Dog hunting. If and when I ran out of ammo, I changed barrels.
I change barrels a lot on my hunting rifle to set up for Varmint shooting. I use a 30-06, .308, .260 .243, 22-250 A.I., and a 22-243 A.I. depending on the caliber mood I am in.
The JB weld or weld option would work if you never change the bolt or bolt head, or bolt head spacing, but I will just use the head spacing technique.gun)
KBR
Years ago I would take a extra barrel with me Prairie Dog hunting. If and when I ran out of ammo, I changed barrels.
I change barrels a lot on my hunting rifle to set up for Varmint shooting. I use a 30-06, .308, .260 .243, 22-250 A.I., and a 22-243 A.I. depending on the caliber mood I am in.
The JB weld or weld option would work if you never change the bolt or bolt head, or bolt head spacing, but I will just use the head spacing technique.gun)
KBR
Homer Oz
Active Member
G'Day Fella's,
I design and manufacture a number of firearm accessories, some of which attach to the muzzle of a firearm.
To reduce my reliance on humping around a swag of different rifles to undertake testing of these accessories, I recently purchased a New Savage Model 12, Stainless Dual Port action.
Once I have received all the various parts for this project, my plan is to have a series of different complete bolt heads (to suit- .223, PPC/M43, .308/06 & H&H Mag), barrels and barrel nuts, wrench etc that I am able to swap and switch around!
I plan to then use this one action/rifle combo, to undertake most of my muzzle accessory testing.
The ability to swap different Bolt Heads, Barrels, Bolt handles (and also from RH to LH bolt handle), really was a bit of a reality check about the Individual or Team, that originally designed the Savage 110 action!
Man, these blokes really were thinking, Outside the Square!!!
Anyway, if I can work out how to post images on this forum I'll do that, as you know what they say about a picture........................................
Doh!
Homer
I design and manufacture a number of firearm accessories, some of which attach to the muzzle of a firearm.
To reduce my reliance on humping around a swag of different rifles to undertake testing of these accessories, I recently purchased a New Savage Model 12, Stainless Dual Port action.
Once I have received all the various parts for this project, my plan is to have a series of different complete bolt heads (to suit- .223, PPC/M43, .308/06 & H&H Mag), barrels and barrel nuts, wrench etc that I am able to swap and switch around!
I plan to then use this one action/rifle combo, to undertake most of my muzzle accessory testing.
The ability to swap different Bolt Heads, Barrels, Bolt handles (and also from RH to LH bolt handle), really was a bit of a reality check about the Individual or Team, that originally designed the Savage 110 action!
Man, these blokes really were thinking, Outside the Square!!!
Anyway, if I can work out how to post images on this forum I'll do that, as you know what they say about a picture........................................
Doh!
Homer
rscott5028
Well-Known Member
One of the great advantages of quaility modern scopes with picatinny rails is that you can swap them in minutes from one rifle to another, bore sight, fire one shot to get on paper, make one adjustment to set the correct zero, and fire a second shot to confirm.
Even with a well done Savage switch barrel, or a Blaser with the scope affixed to each barrel, you'll need to confirm your zero with one or more shots when swapping barrels.
If swapping barrels is your only avenue to enjoy/explore a variety of cartridges, then go for it. But, you need to have realistic expectations.
Happy hunting!
Richard
