Spare Rifle

[freezingduck]

How many of you guys have a spare rifle in case your primary breaks down or is being rebarreled.
It would be great if you could tell me how much you shoot.
Competitions, professionally, or just once every month.

 

[VKC]

I have a spare rifle in same caliber and scope but different rifle set-up.

 

[freezingduck]

Can you use the same load in them or do you have to use different loads?

 

[bohem]

I have a common configuration spare, it has a couple barrels that is currently shod with a 223. There is a spare 6.5CM barrel that's cut with the same reamer and the same length barrel if I need to swap out. I don't trust the chamber dimensions to be close enough that I can always swap out the brass, but a body die fixes that quickly.

My primary rifle sees upwards of 5k rounds a year and gets a new barrel every 8-9 months

 

[freezingduck]

Thats what I concerned about.
My primary rifle is a 6,5x55 Sauer 200STR in a SSG 3000 stock.
I can swap the barrels myself and its only 500USD/barrel.
The rifle weighs in at 12lbs without optics.
Is that heavy compared to your rifles?

 

[bohem]

12lb without optics is a little more than my current setup weighs, the last barrel that I just took off in August was about 1.2lb heavier and I was running right about 12.5lb without bipod or optics.

Overall it's not unreasonable for a match rifle though and having barrels to swap out right away is a good idea IMO. It's like keeping spare parts around for a race car. If you're going to play in this arena at any serious level, you'll burn out a barrel, so start planning for it to happen and get the tube on hand sooner so your down time is minimized.

 

[freezingduck]

I keep going back and forth if I should build myself another ligher gun.
I am pretty set on a mcmillan a5 stock, but since I'm located in Norway I pretty much have to start out with a factory rifle.
I'm torn between building a second Sauer, but then I am stuck with a 12lbs rifle, 6,5x55 and .308, 5rd mags, ssg3000 stock, but I can change my own barrels and there are parts everywhere.
Tikka T3 supervarmint in .260 with a mcmillan a5 and aics mags.
Remington 700 in .243 with a mcmillan a5 and aics mags.
on the last two rifles, there is a 5 month wait to get them rebarreled when I shoot out the factory barrel.
I like what I am reading about the tikka, but it seems like everyone is running custom or 700 actions.

No matter what, I am pretty set on having two identical rifles.

 

[VKC]

I use the exact same load in both rifles and have minimal velocity differences.

 

[Red_SC]

I don't have multiple rifles in the same caliber, I have one match rifle and a practice/backup .308. The only I time I really needed one was this year, I broke the bolt handle off in a match and my .308 had just been rebarreled and wasn't set up. My partner had brought a backup rifle, so I finished with that.

That said, I just ordered a stock for my next rifle, based on a Badger action and a Sentinel stock. I will be able to order prefit barrels and screw them on myself, which will eliminate downtime when a barrel is shot out. I still don't plan to have an identical backup rifle though.

 

[TimK]

I don't have a spare rifle, but wish I did. I just bought a spare barrel, and I'll drop it and the rifle off to my smith soon and have him put it on for me. Then at least I'll only be down a few days next time it needs a barrel.

I shoot competitively every month, but my round count is not very high. At the peak of the summer shooting schedule, my rifle sees a maximum of 200 rounds a month. During the winter with its curtailed match schedule, it might only get 50 rounds a month.

 

[mcfred]

√ No, Don't have a spare, but am able to promptly fix my own.

I do my own smithing (or as much as I want to). I have to mess something up real bad to have significant 'down time' on my primary rifle.

That is assuming I can find components to run through it.

I'm also guessing you don't mean pistols or plinking. All together I probably don't ever exceed 100-150 rnds a month.

 

[PAGhillie]

I have a Remington 700 and a Savage 110 as backup. Yep just had to see who was really better.

 

[Nuttshooter]

I have a AIAW as primary and a GAP Rem700 as backup for now, both in .308 but not identical. That's for sure.

 

[D_TROS]

No, but I do have friends...who own rifles that shoot!

My barrel went out at the Heat Stroke Open. Was saving to switch calibers/action, so when it wasn't done by the next match, I had to make a phone call. Not only did my friend lend me his rifle, he LOADED the ammo for me as well. ha lucky lucky. The only bad part of this deal is I had the best finish of my career with HIS rifle. Good times.

Having a backup would be a good idea. Am going to the Las Vegas match this weekend. My new barreled action came in the mail yesterday! cutting it close.

Regards,
DT

 

[triceratops3]

I voted no, but I wish I had one. My main comp gun is the one in my signature. I don't really think it'll break down or I'll have significant down time during the summer months since I don't shoot it nearly as much as I'd like to.

I however have a bolt gun in .223 that I can't decide if I want to build it up similar to my main gun in either 6.5creed, 6creed, 243 or something like that so I have a back up (or spare to lend to someone if they want to use it). or turn it into a .223AI with a 1-8 or 7 twist barrel as a trainer (and it would be a better spare than a .223 with a 1-9).

Also, bohem, I dream of being able to put anywhere close to 5k rounds down range every year. lol. especially on just my primary rifle. I'm at about 1200rounds in about a year and a half.

My primary rifle sees upwards of 5k rounds a year and gets a new barrel every 8-9 months