Who Makes the Best Switch Barrel Rifle?
- Thread starter LeadZeke
- Start date
Does anyone know of an action that has quick change like the Zeus, but doesn't have a built-in rail? I'm looking specifically for a long action rem 700 foot print to go into a Cadex Feild Tactical Chassis. Ideally so I can swap between 300prc and 6.5cm.
WTO Switchlug will probably be your best option, Stiller makes a great action that doesn’t have an integral rail but the recoil lug isn’t integral either so you would have to take the barreled action out of the chassis to switch barrels.
Is the Stiller Tac 300 lacking any specific features over any other actions? From researching, I saw someone used a Still Tac 300 and just "milled" out part of the chassis to access the switch lug. While they said "milled" it looked like a hack job but still means it could be done cleaner, and it would work.
I assumed with the WTO switch lug pinned, you wouldn't need to remove the action?
The WTO lug on my tempest is on bloody tight, it’s not coming off easily.
The Stiller is a great action, the only drawback is the lug is not integral that’s why the Switchlug with a Stiller would be the route to go if you want to swap barrels while the action is still in the chassis.
So showing that I'm completely new when it comes to bolt guns, does the stiller offer anything over a factory rem 700 LA? That's what I currently have, I'm just trying to sort out what I don't even know at this point.
Hmmm is this your chassis?
I would be sorta surprised if the rail on that would bolt on perfectly upon any old R700 clone action. Seems made to bolt on the Cadex COX-R7 action?
Edit: maybe I’m wrong. The compatibility chart they have lists Remmy rail screw sizes…
In any case, it looks like you can remove the rail section that goes over the action so perhaps then the chassis would work with any R700-based action?
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I recently got a Havak HIT Pro M3...love it! And the caliber swap option looks super easy, although I haven't done it myself.
Quality control and tolerances, for the cost (and wait time) of sending off your factory action to be trued the Stiller is the better option.
Better than me
I've let several friends shoot it, plus a couple of the RSO's at my local range, and everyone is impressed by it. I heard that one of them was asking one of my friends afterwards for the website of the manufacturer.
I’ve never seen or fired an AI or DT, but my MRAD has scratched the itch far better than I imagined. It’s ridiculously easy to swap calibers. The RTZ has been fantastic thus far, and the rifle makes me look like a far better shooter than I am. I’m not averse to paying for top of the line and had I known about the AI when I was hearing about the Barrett I probably would’ve purchased it instead since it’s more expensive. I think I spent $5500 on my 338 Lapua MRAD then bought the 308 conversion and topped it with a 5-25 NF ATACR. I couldn’t be happier. I’m considering a 33XC barrel to eventually replace the 338 Lapua.
Fortunately my girl is getting into long range shooting and the AR I built her isn’t going to cut it. I’m thinking of trying the Terminus Zeus in 300PRC in a KRG Whiskey 3 and Triggertech trigger. The main upside for me is I’ll get the 7-35 ATACR and give her my 5-25x.
I would be interested to see or hear why those that have used the MRAD and AI prefer the AI.
Fortunately my girl is getting into long range shooting and the AR I built her isn’t going to cut it. I’m thinking of trying the Terminus Zeus in 300PRC in a KRG Whiskey 3 and Triggertech trigger. The main upside for me is I’ll get the 7-35 ATACR and give her my 5-25x.
I would be interested to see or hear why those that have used the MRAD and AI prefer the AI.
I don’t own an MRAD, but I have an AIAT. Here’s some links.
AI AXSR Vs Barrett MRAD
I bought my first bolt gun about a year ago. The AI AT .308 20in folding stock, which I absolutely love. Still on the hunt for green skins/thumbhole set... Now I'm in the market for a heavy caliber rifle, was thinking .338LM but with the cost of ammo now .300WM seems more practical. Sadly I...
www.snipershide.com
Oh no another AI vs Barrett vs DT thread
So let me preface this with I live in Canada and our choices for rifles and availability is somewhat limited. AI and Barrett are repped by Wolverine Supplies up here. Good company, very traditional and getting a response from them takes at minimum a week. They don't carry much for stock on the...
www.snipershide.com
AI at-x vs Barrett Mrad
Have spent some time behind a few barrett mrad smr but none behind a ai at-x….. Given both a 6.5creed… whats everybody have to offer on pros/con one vs the other?
www.snipershide.com
Yep. This is by far the most simple and reliable switch barrel method. I believe it's one of those Internet/ shooting myths that you need some complicated thing(BARLOC/ Switch-lug, AI clamp, barrel extension) to make return to zero switch barrel.
That’s true. But they cut the barrel without the action specs they keep on file and they have all the common calibers you could want.
More than a few benchrest records have been set by shooters spinning a barrel on hand tight. Hand tight is fine for bench rest where you and your shit aren’t moving around but a little torque on wrench flats and you are gtg for a variety of conditions. We like to make shit more complicated than it needs to be.
I would say there's an aspect of this where barrels and actions are designed to be threaded together. So, when your method is to screw The barrel on and apply some torque you are using the system in the way that it was designed. I think some of the other systems out they're threaded on hand tight and then you use some sort of grub screw or clamp isn't really in the pure form of how a barrel and action were designed to be used for accuracy. The only difference in the CSR design and a conventionally installed barrel is how much torque is being applied. And gunsmiths are all over the place on these numbers. I can torque a barrel on to an action (in the CSR method) to 40-50 ft lbs. I have tested on-off -on return to zero and accuracy at 20, 30, and 40ftlbs. There was no difference in accuracy or precision and they all return to zero. I am pretty convinced that a barrel doesn't know how many foot pounds of torque it's got on it. Once the shoulder hits the face of the action and a little bit of torque is applied, that's it. The difference between 20 and 70 I think makes no difference. It's not like the barrel is going to move or thread in any further. I think at that point you're just stretching the threads.
Just got back from the range, doing my very first round of load development (so nothing finalized for the rifle, all experimental). Some examples of how good the rifle is, and how much I am holding it back:
That reminded me about a post from @Ledzep, whom I believe is an honest-to-god bullet engineer for Hornady.
Gunsmithing - Is torque wrench mandatory for barrel swap
I’m getting a fixed shoulder prefit for my tikka, I’ve got an action wrench but not an internal action wrench. Am I safe to just use the external action wrench to tighten the action on? I’ve done a lot of work on vehicles/equipment and have a fairly good idea to be “close” to let’s say, 80 ft...
www.snipershide.com
Anyway, he found that headspace changed a bit from hand-tight to 120 ft/lbs. I wouldn’t have believed it if he (or someone like him) hadn’t reported it. Weird
Not sure if that amount even matters. I’m no gunsmith.
Are Hornady bullets his bonafides?That reminded me about a post from @Ledzep, whom I believe is an honest-to-god bullet engineer for Hornady.
Gunsmithing - Is torque wrench mandatory for barrel swap
I’m getting a fixed shoulder prefit for my tikka, I’ve got an action wrench but not an internal action wrench. Am I safe to just use the external action wrench to tighten the action on? I’ve done a lot of work on vehicles/equipment and have a fairly good idea to be “close” to let’s say, 80 ft...
Anyway, he found that headspace changed a bit from hand-tight to 120 ft/lbs. I wouldn’t have believed it if he (or someone like him) hadn’t reported it. Weird
Not sure if that amount even matters. I’m no gunsmith.
That reminded me about a post from @Ledzep, whom I believe is an honest-to-god bullet engineer for Hornady.
Gunsmithing - Is torque wrench mandatory for barrel swap
I’m getting a fixed shoulder prefit for my tikka, I’ve got an action wrench but not an internal action wrench. Am I safe to just use the external action wrench to tighten the action on? I’ve done a lot of work on vehicles/equipment and have a fairly good idea to be “close” to let’s say, 80 ft...
Anyway, he found that headspace changed a bit from hand-tight to 120 ft/lbs. I wouldn’t have believed it if he (or someone like him) hadn’t reported it. Weird
Not sure if that amount even matters. I’m no gunsmith.
I have that guy muted, but for the sake of context I uncovered what he posted and was reminded of why...
I can't believe I am seeing Desert Tech so much here. I miss my A1, I truly loved it. I think DT has the best quick change system with brain dead reliable return to zero out there. I sure as shit wouldn't call it the best rifle that has that feature..
AI or MRAD have to be the best options for reliable complete systems with caliber switching capabilities. My next switch barrel setup will be built around a Zeus though.
AI or MRAD have to be the best options for reliable complete systems with caliber switching capabilities. My next switch barrel setup will be built around a Zeus though.
Holy shit.. almost half a thou between hand tight and 80 ft lbs? So for someone like me that is likely only at 20-30 ft lbs, I will never worry about headspace differences as a variable. I still found a wrench to be more reliable for RTZ, but have no explanation for why. Maybe I just sucked when doing the hand tight test.Anyway, he found that headspace changed a bit from hand-tight to 120 ft/lbs. I wouldn’t have believed it if he (or someone like him) hadn’t reported it. Weird
Not sure if that amount even matters. I’m no gunsmith.
Lol man I’m staying OUT of this one. I actually like both of you two dudes. All I know is he’s an engineer and I most definitely am not (nor am I a military guy like yourself, with decades of teaching and shoot-house experience).
I’m just some pencil-neck douchebag with zero knowledge of this subject, but just passing along what I read. Tying to be helpful but don’t want to step in a landmine
I don’t have a micrometer, but if you do it would be easy enough to test with some lead (I think).
Yeah I'm aware there is some compression after a large amount of torque. My gunsmith and I discussed it the first time we tested the light torque values. But it's extremely minimal. Like 1/2 thou. And the irony is, the way a barrel is chambered the headspace number used to verify the chamber is in range is, it's done with hand tight. No one screws the action on at 100ftlbs while the barrel is in a lathe. So you're getting the true, original headspace number with lighter torque.Lol man I’m staying OUT of this one. I actually like both of you two dudes. All I know is he’s an engineer and I most definitely am not (nor am I a military guy like yourself, with decades of teaching and shoot-house experience).
I’m just some pencil-neck douchebag with zero knowledge of this subject, but just passing along what I read. Tying to be helpful but don’t want to step in a landmine
I don’t have a micrometer, but if you do it would be easy enough to test with some lead (I think).
Yeah, I definitely agree with you regarding torque. I’m not sure what some people are trying to accomplish with 150 ft/lbs. I think it’s cool you did some accuracy testing that also included different levels of low-ish torque.
So much of gun info is handled down in a holy book with the phrase stamped upon its cover (in gold foil), “Trust Me”. lol
