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Buying a used barrel??

tsonda

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 22, 2014
196
7
Central Texas
What are the odds of buying a used barrel of the Hide and fitting my Defiant action. I have a SA Defiant action, if I buy a used barrel that was made for a defiant action will it work on mine? I also have a Surgeon XL in 338 lapua. I was thinking of a 300 Norma barrel, will a barrel work Surgeon to Surgeon? Thanks
 
The issue would be headspace. Kelbly and Badger are the only manufacturers where I've seen claims that their tolerances are so tight that the barrel doesn't need to be headspaced to the particular action. I have no idea specifically about the Defiant, but in general it's a bad idea to screw a barrel from one action onto another and expect that the headspace will be right except if you get lucky.
 
Isn't that like putting used tires on a Ferrari?
 
Will work if you are prepared to treat it like any other wildcat. Fireform brass with false shoulder or jammed bullet if you've got excessive headspace, size brass down if you have too little headspace, etc. Just don't fire it with an unsupported case with excessive headspace, check/test/measure before loading up a bunch of rounds.

Odds are it's going to be +/- a thou or two. Biggest potential issues might be trying to shoot brass that was from a "short" headspace action in one that was longer, with the affect of stacked tolerances making total headspace on that brass excessive.

Action timing will probably not match up, engraving could be in the wrong place.
 
Will work if you are prepared to treat it like any other wildcat. Fireform brass with false shoulder or jammed bullet if you've got excessive headspace, size brass down if you have too little headspace, etc. Just don't fire it with an unsupported case with excessive headspace, check/test/measure before loading up a bunch of rounds.

Odds are it's going to be +/- a thou or two. Biggest potential issues might be trying to shoot brass that was from a "short" headspace action in one that was longer, with the affect of stacked tolerances making total headspace on that brass excessive.

Action timing will probably not match up, engraving could be in the wrong place.

Sounds like a swell idea
 
Ok I wasn't thinking a different brand of action fitting another action with same thread specs. I didn't ever think that would work. I thought I had read that people where swapping barrels with defiant action. I guess not. And if my poor blue collar butt actually found a "deal" on a Ferrari I would probably put used tires on it!
 
Ok I wasn't thinking a different brand of action fitting another action with same thread specs. I didn't ever think that would work. I thought I had read that people where swapping barrels with defiant action. I guess not.

For clarification, my comments were related to keeping barrels within the same make/model of action. Ie. would buying a barrel chambered for someone else's Defiance Deviant work on my Defiance Deviant.

I would not recommend even trying to interchange barrels across different manufacturer's actions.
 
Kinda like buying a used pair of underwear. You never know exactly what they have been through. Might be ok but you also might end up with something you didn’t expect. Good luck.
 
For clarification, my comments were related to keeping barrels within the same make/model of action. Ie. would buying a barrel chambered for someone else's Defiance Deviant work on my Defiance Deviant.

I would not recommend even trying to interchange barrels across different manufacturer's actions.

Unless Defiance tells you this will work, I would NOT assume it will. If it were so simple there would be a host of suppliers of prefit shouldered barrels for common manufacturers.

Some people say I'm crazy to test newly assembled AR-15s with a headspace gauge as they're supposed to be plug-and-play...yet I've seen one come with a matched bolt with incorrect headspace and since the owner didn't check it the first round fired wrecked the firearm.

If you got a killer deal on the barrel it may be worth the risk, but I'd certainly go/no-go gauge it before pulling the trigger.
 
I would definitely check it with go/no-go gauge. I was really asking the odds of it working. From the sounds of it it sounds like a fairly risky gamble. Thanks for input. Although I did just talk to a very reputable gunsmith that says he will just spin up a barrel for a Kelby action. He said he has checked hundreds and they are no more than 1.5 thou difference
 
People do this with AI barrels all the time. I have done it with surgeon actions.
 
My most accurate rifle is one I found a used barrel for. Had a Borden action, found a used barrel for sale basically to my specs. Happened to be smithed by Jim. Sent barrel and action to him to be screwed together.

Maybe I was extremely lucky but it can be done. I'm into that barrel $200, which easily could have been 8-900 with the smith work. My go to hunting rifle.
 
the tolerances are pretty good on the defiance actions. talking to some smiths, they all measure up pretty tight. one of the reasons smiths really like them. I would think it would be ok on the defiance. still check with a go/no go though.

the surgeon should be good too. but maybe a little more room for error. again, spin it on, torque it down and check with a go/no go. if you are buying a used barrel on here, I would prob feel pretty good about taking a chance on the defiance. a little less so on the surgeon. if its someone who has it local, spin it on and check before you buy
 
I have 3 Bighorn TL-2 short actions and 3 barrels for them; .308W, 6x47 Lapua and .223R. To my surprise and delight, they headspace identically. Bighorn's tolerances and consistency are amazing. I never intended to swap barrels and actions, but it is good to know that I can if need be. Having said that, faced with the same situation that you are inquiring about, I would not spend money on a used barrel, betting on the come that it will "drop in". You are smarter (and money ahead) to buy a new blank and have a competent, honest and respected smith chamber it for you. Cry Once.
 
I have 3 Bighorn TL-2 short actions and 3 barrels for them; .308W, 6x47 Lapua and .223R. To my surprise and delight, they headspace identically. Bighorn's tolerances and consistency are amazing. I never intended to swap barrels and actions, but it is good to know that I can if need be. Having said that, faced with the same situation that you are inquiring about, I would not spend money on a used barrel, betting on the come that it will "drop in". You are smarter (and money ahead) to buy a new blank and have a competent, honest and respected smith chamber it for you. Cry Once.

Bighorns are awesome in that regard. My pair of TL-3's headspace exactly the same so I can swap barrels between either action. I even borrowed a bolt from a friend with a TL-3 in a match when my firing pin had broken, again headspaced exactly the same. I just bought a used barrel and bolt head from someone else who had a 7 SAUM chambered for their TL-3. The barrel clocks up perfectly on my action, the engraving lines up in exactly the right place on the sides of the barrel and chamber headspace again matches perfectly from his TL-3 to mine.