SAVAGE SWITCH BARREL QUESTION

demarpaint

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2002
Messages
423
Location
NY
Hi and Thanks in Advance,

I have been reading a lot lately about Savage Rifles and how good they are out of the box, and how easy they are to work with. Midway sells bolts and barrels to change caliber's and it seems interesting.

If I wanted a wildcat chambering that Midway didn't offer and say a longer barrel (30" or so), is there any barrel maker that would make up a barrel and chamber it for me?

What I am getting at is a father and son project, that my son and I can set up. We wanted to try the assembly ourselves, and the savage actions seem to lend themselves to this.

Is this possible, and where would I get the proper gauges to headspace it?


Thanks
Frank D
 
Any quality gunsmith will be able to chamber and install a barrel on the Savage for you. They would have all the necessary guages so you just need to provide the action and money. You can then switch barrels later. Just have the gunsmith index the barrel to the action - get rid of the barrel nut.

If you want to do the install at home, you may want to contact ER Shaw or Montana Rifleman and see if they will send you a chambered barrel. Chances are it will be short chambered and need final reaming.

Midway is unique in offering prechambered barrels.

For your first project, I would stick with the standard cartridges available from Midway. Dies and guages are available and there is lots of load data. Custom dies can cost a bunch. Once you get that sorted out, you can move to any combo you want.

Good luck...

Jerry
 
I have a Savage 110 that I just put the 416 Taylor barrel on. It is an easy thing to do except for a few items to watch for.

First thing to do is get a parts diagram so you know what to look for and how the parts are supposed to go together.

I would buy a magnum rifle first just to have the magnum magazine box if I had it to do over again. The standard calibers will work OK in the mag and you can single feed the small calibers.

After that, all you have to do is buy a bolt head for the standard and the small size (223) cases, they are as easy to swap as the barrels but you have to know how the parts fit. Call, email or write Sharp Shooters Savage Specialties, 4970 Lehman Rd., Delphos, OH 45833, 1-419-695-3179, [email protected]. I recommend calling to get all the information and his phamphlet. Midway has a gunsmithing catalog they will send you will all kinds of goodies for the S.S.B.(Savage Switch Barrel).

The barrel nut is the heart of the S.S.B. so don't be getting rid of it. If you want a rifle with a shouldered barrel, buy any one of the other brand and pay big bucks to swap a barrel. The nut makes it possible to switch barrels anytime you want and to set the headspace to your dies not the other way around. Use a new resized case from you sizing die as a gauge or buy a "go" gauge either way is fine. I just use a resized case and mark it as the gauge for setting the headspace.

If you are unfamiliar with what headspace is and how it is achieved read up on it before you start playing. It isn't hard to understand.

Basically all you have to do is remove the barrel/reciever from the stock, remove the scope, slide the barrel nut wrench down onto the barrel nut, put the barrel into a barrel vise and lock it tight, unloosen the barrel nut. You will have to hold the receiver with a large cresent wrench just behind the nut and recoil lug on the sight base, tape the jaws first, to make it easier. Unscrew the receiver off the barrel, remove the nut and admire your handy-work.

To install a barrel: Screw the barrel nut on the barrel, install the recoil lug, screw the barrel into the receiver, slide the nut wrench onto the nut, put the barrel back into the barrel vise and screw the barrel part way in, put the gauge into the chamber and close the bolt, screw the barrel down until it gently just touches the gauge, screw down the nut. Hold the receiver with the cresent wrench again so it doesn't move and lock the nut firmly, but don't get muscle bound with it. Put on the scope and back into the stock and you're done. Go shoot something. It took me longer to explain how to do it than it takes to change barrels.

I have contacted most of the major barrel makers and many gunsmiths and they will thread their barrels for the Savage 1"x20 tpi, some will also chamber. Sharp Shooters has many calibers to choose from and all the pieces and parts you will need to get started. Send him your receiver for his accuracy job and a flat, parallel recoil lug. For a hundred dollar bill you can have the nut wrench, the accuracy job,(bolt head and receiver faced), the "good" recoil lug and change for a burger. PacNor has just about every cartridge known to man and just about any length you'd want.

Don't let anyone snow you here, this is easy to do and safe as long as you use your head and follow the rules. Cheap, quick, easy and a whole lot more accurate than ANY factory rifle. I learned about the S.S.B more than 30 years ago from a knowledgable gunsmith. This closely guarded secret just got blabbed and now the whole world knows about it. Don't give me no ugly nut-on-the-barrel stuff, Blazers are ugly, Savages are just homely and I would rather have a rifle that shoots pretty, than a pretty rifle. Have a good time with your new toy.
 
Thanks for the reply....I have a savage in a short Action, I am looking for another one in a long action Stainless Steel. I was considering building something in a wildcat using the 30.06 as the parent case.

[ 02-12-2003: Message edited by: demarpaint ]
 
I'm waiting on a barrel from Pac-Nor for my Savage 12BVSS-S action (should be here today or tomorrow). I've decided on the .264 Winchester Magnum. The barrel is 28" long and has a muzzle brake. The twist is 8" and has three grooves. I'm going to use the barrel nut also.
I've also ordered a Long Ranger stock from Sharp Shooter Supply. Fred's going to make it weigh 18 pounds. For glass, it's a Leupold 8.5-25x40 in Burris Signature rings (you just DON'T go cheap in some areas).
I'm just getting my feet wet in LR and I thought the Savage would be an economical way to jump in.
wink.gif
 
My envy matches the color of your gunstock.

That is a very nice setup. Let me know all the load and target details. I haven't had a 264 WinMag yet.
grin.gif
 
My envy matches the color of your gunstock.

That is a very nice setup. Let me know all the load and target details. I haven't had a 264 WinMag yet.
grin.gif
 
Lee,

Does Pacnor supply the ss nut or did you pick that up somewhere else? Is it threaded and chambered, it's hard to tell? How much did they charge?

I have a Striker I'd like to put a Loooong barrel on and it would be nice to get it all done from them, threaded and chambered so I can just stick it on when it shows up.
 
Thank you Makatak. I've been wanting a setup like this for a few seasons now. I won't be able to do any shooting for a little while yet, though. I'm waiting on a magnum size bolt head from Sharp Shooter Supply as well as a heavy (18 lbs.) long range stock from same. You can bet I'll be posting my results when I get to burn some powder.
grin.gif
grin.gif


Brent,
The nut is from the action, but they are also available from Fred Moreo at Sharp Shooter Supply (http://www.varminthunters.com/sshooter/). The barrel is pre-threaded and pre-chambered. Including the muzzle brake it cost just over $400. It was delivered five weeks from order date.
That's really all you have to do, get the barrel, spin the nut on, mount the barrel, headspace with a piece of resized brass, and tighten. Savage is a po man's switch barrel.

assembled%20rifle.jpg


[ 02-14-2003: Message edited by: Lee in OH ]
 
Cool! It was chambered, threaded and had a brake installed for just over 400!! **** that's pretty fair I'd say!

Sounds like they'll get to do one for me soon!
smile.gif


Your bbl nut looked stainless and your action CM, that's why I figured they might have supplied the SS nut too.

Let us know how it shoots.
 
The action was purchased several years ago, before the stainless actions were out. It's from a BVSS-S....CM action, SS barrel and nut.
 
Hi,
**** nice shooter. (GREAT pics)
The only thing I probabily would change is the scope base. I would use one of the "Ken Farrell" one piece weaver bases, from Graf & sons, and with the 20* taper. You can see these at kenfarrell.com

Hope this helps.
C'ya. John.
 
The Burris inserts allow for up to 40 MOA adjustment by themselves. I figure that should be enough. I don't like the way the Burris Zee rings (for Weaver base) are attatched to the base either. I know I want to use the Signature rings, so I'm left with Dual Dovetail or Std. Which rings do you use with the Farrell base (I was considering using the Farrell base).
 
Warning! This thread is more than 22 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Recent Posts

Top