Switch barrel with different bolt faces?

[FamilyMan]

So I was running all these scenarios of what you could with a switch barrel action with a pinned lug and I was wondering if its practical to run a standard caliber like a .260,6mm's and another barrel In a magnum caliber like a 300wsm? I understand these use different bolt faces but can you just have 2 different bolts that are trued to the action and timed with the barrel they correspond with? Obviously the best answer is to buy 2 separate rifles but can this be done effectively? I am a novice when it comes to this stuff so in my mind it makes sense that it would work but that doesn't mean it will. The only scenario I could see this being practical is if a person had I high end action like a surgeon or the likes and wanted more variety with it . Anyways this is just food for thought unless it proves to be practical.

Brett

 

[Force_Multiplier]

Re: Switch barrel with different bolt faces?

I have a Savage now w/ a std bolt and a 223 bolt, wears a 308 bbl now and I'm waiting on a 300blk bbl

 

[rusty815]

Re: Switch barrel with different bolt faces?

Savage rifles are the best for this sort of stuff, unless of course you go for a really expensive switch barrel rifle. switching barrels, bolt faces, and mags is easy and takes about ten minutes. I have a model 110 that I now use as a 243 and 284, and somewhere down the road I plan on making it a 300wm as well.

 

[frankythefly]

Re: Switch barrel with different bolt faces?

Blaser, DTA, come to mind for accurate switch barrel platforms. I know a few "custom shop" rifles in Europe also make rifles that are switch barrel platforms.

You can also put a savage barrel nut on remington 700 and clones, which makes it easier to do barrel changes, but this is something that you would need to do at home. Not quite a field solution. A few guys here on the hide do this and have a separate bolts and calibers.

 

[Jeffvn]

Re: Switch barrel with different bolt faces?

I have two different swap barrel / swap bolt rigs:
One is a Barnard "P", with 7 WSM for magnum bolt and .284 Winchester for standard bolt.
The other is a Surgeon S/A with 7 WSM for magnum bolt and 6x47 Lapua for standard bolt.

I agree that savage is probably the easiest to do the swap, but if you get the barrel vice and action wrench you can do most any rig yourself.

Jeffvn

 

[LRshooterwgt]

Re: Switch barrel with different bolt faces?

I have a Remington 700 LA with a standard bolt face and a lapua bolt face, 6.5-284 and 338 lapua AI. Pin the recoil lug and I had the machinist cut two flats on the barrel 3 inches from the recoil lug that measure to be 1 1/16 apart so to swap barrels I just use a box wrench and yank the barrel off, thread the new one in and line up the headspace indexing marks that they put on the barrels when they were headspaced. If you want it done make sure that they headspace at 25-30 ft/lbs so you can take it off easier

 

[UNCIVILIZED]

Re: Switch barrel with different bolt faces?

tag

 

[Boltfluter]

Re: Switch barrel with different bolt faces?

Actually a very cost effective way to go. I have several 700's set up this way.

Regards, Paul