Switch barrel savage

Q

Quackaddict

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 7, 2009
321
22
39
Minnesota
#1
A question for you guys, I have finally gotten my Savage 10FCP HS in 308 to a point where I enjoy the rifle, shoots good, has almost all the mods I want to do etc... However while the 308 is a great cartridge, I have been looking into ordering a 243 win barrel to give me a better varmint cartridge option. Since I like the 308 and have load data for it, I would like to keep both barrels and have a multi barrel rifle. I am aware of the technical aspects of changing back and forth, ie headspacing and such, but have a few more questions.

The barrel it has now has a timed brake, assuming I keep the recoil lug, or use one that is the same thickness, will the timing stay true when I take it off and put it back on?

Will removing the barrel affect the load data I have for the 308 and eventually the 243? I have a load with Varget and 155 scenars that is nasty right now, will I need to tinker with it every time to maintain accuracy?

I would really like to push the 6mm 70grn blitzs for small critters with the 243, but I don't want to lay out another 2k for a new rifle and optic.

Any opinions are appreciated.
 
#2
Re: Switch barrel savage

id have to guess yes it will be affected but i am guessing it can be compensated for as well. there is a guy that changes his barrel on the line during shoots i read and still places very well. i would guess you could make an index mark on the barrel and underside of the receiver and get the barrel back to where the brake is where you want it. maybe over repeated taking on and offs, i would think there would be some "give" in the threads and you might get the brake timed, but not have the headspacing right, but that could take hundreds and hundreds or repeated on/off with the barrel nut. im clueless about that stuff really. im gonna guess the loads wont need much tweaking since your just swapping known barrels, not a new one. i still think indexing the barrel somehow would help out in this. there are guys here with switch barrels that can speak firsthand, im guessing again.
 
#3
Re: Switch barrel savage

Im convincing myself more and more to just move completely to 243 but the bullet weight of the 308 is nice sometimes, deer come to mind for example.

I wouldnt be switching the barrels all the time, more in the range of a couple times a year, all winter it would wear the 243 for dog hunting. In the fall I would have the 308 on it for deer and for distance work.
 
#4
Re: Switch barrel savage

if it were that infrequent , you should be ok. jim at northland will sell you a receiver. you could just swap out barreled actions instead of barrels maybe? or look for a cheap savage and just have 2 rifles possibly
 
#5
Re: Switch barrel savage

I would look at another barreled receiver or whole rifle. It seems simple enough to swap barrels back and forth, but everybody needs a spare rifle ....... right?
 
#6
Re: Switch barrel savage

You guys! I am seriously considering a 243 build, just take my time and build it up right, set it up for 70-85grn pills and away I go! And there you guys go telling me thats the way to do it, there goes 2k out the door!

I might play with a remington this time though......
 
#7
Re: Switch barrel savage

Find yourself a Remington 700 varmint rifle in .243 and you'll be all set as long as you are using lighter bullets. The SPS varmint is in the $550 and under range(had a $40 rebate and may still), but needs a stock. Buy a used one with a laminated wood stock and build it up as you shoot it over the next year or so.
 
#8
Re: Switch barrel savage

Once you are set up, swapping the barrel takes all of 10-15min.

Your timing should be ok, your only difficulty will be the very first time you take the barrel off. I use a go-gauge to set the chamber back to minimum specs when I take them on and off. If yours is not set to minimum spec, the barrel may screw in a little further and throw your timing off. You could avoid this by headspacing off a fired .308 cartridge, though the "expert" at switch-barrel.com claims he could not get it set consistently enough due to the springyness of the brass. Others contest this and say it's fine. I've only used a gauge so I can't say.

My gun was set up as a switch barrel from Day 1, I've had zero issues.

Your other problem will be the scope. Likely you need to remove it to get to the barrel nut. I mounted mine on Leupold quick release rings, so I can just pop it on and off when I switch barrels. You can make your own barrel vise for a few bucks.
 
#9
Re: Switch barrel savage

Get a Savage Target Action, a pre-fit barrel, stock of your choice, action wrench and barrel nut wrench and you are good to go!

The Target Action is a solid action and one that you can not better for the same amount of money for a new action. Go for it! Call Benchmark Barrels, get a barrel ordered, threaded and chambered and reap the rewards of the Brotherhood of the Barrel Nut! You could also order a Shilen that is pre-fit and chambered that are typically off the shelf. Lothar-Walthers barrels are pretty darn good too!

Savage is just a dream come true for the average Joe and more and more people are using them in competitions.

See the Savage Factory Team ( Savage Factory Team Breaks 1000yd Record )
 
#10
Re: Switch barrel savage

I think your needs, varmint and target, would be neatly met with a .260 chambering. 'Chucks (95 V-Max), Elk (Nos 140 partition), 1Kyd paper (140 A-Max), it does them all quite effectively with a 24-26" 1:8" barrel.
 
#11
Re: Switch barrel savage

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think your needs, varmint and target, would be neatly met with a .260 chambering. 'Chucks (95 V-Max), Elk (Nos 140 partition), 1Kyd paper (140 A-Max), it does them all quite effectively with a 24-26" 1:8" barrel. </div></div>

Now thats some good advice.
grin.gif
 
#13
Re: Switch barrel savage

if you screw the bbl down onto a fired case and then back it out the few degrees to relevel the brake it should do what it did before
 
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