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Savage barrel change idea

Quackaddict

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 7, 2009
304
12
38
Minnesota
Has anyone ever done any work with fixing a barrel nut to a particular savage barrel to keep the headspacing correct?

Say you had two barrels and two barrel nuts. You headspace them both and lock the barrel nuts in the correct spot (pin, red loctite, etc) then you could simple pop off one barrel and spin on the next without any headspacing.

Thinking of ways to change my savage back and forth from 308 to 20 practical without a ton of fuss each time...

I realize I need a different bolt face for each cartridge.
 
Re: Savage barrel change idea

I don't see why not... Seems like you'd need to precision-grind the face of the nut that contacts the recoil lug for excellent repeatability.

I don't really see what time savings you would realize from this. How much time/fuss is involved in dropping a HS gage into the chamber and closing the bolt?
 
Re: Savage barrel change idea

It will take you longer to change the bolthead than it will to use a Headspace guage; and it's worth it not to blow your face off, or your rifle up..........
 
Re: Savage barrel change idea

Just keep a piece of once fired brass and use it to head space the barrel the next time you install it. Did that very thing when I installed my barrel onto my cousin's action and the load remained perfectly the same and the headspace identicle.

Good Luck,
Merritt
 
Re: Savage barrel change idea

Taking shortcuts in certain areas (such as headspacing) does not seem prudent to me.

Often times there is a generic term for folks who do things like this.
.
.
.
.
Victim.

Be safe.
 
Re: Savage barrel change idea

I think swith-barrel guns are more of a novelty than anything else. You'll at least have to remove the stock and scope, so it's not a real quick process. Now you still have to go to the range and sight it in and again when you switch back. What's one more step with a headspace gauge or fired case going to hurt?

Do a little shopping around and you'll only have about $200 in a used action.