Wanting to do a switch barrel setup on an action i have. I dont really want to have to remove optics, scope bases, and hopefully not even have to remove action from the stock. Which is better and why?
WTO switchlug vs ARC barloc
- Thread starter DynamicAccuracy
- Start date
What I'm about to say is parroted from a discussion a couple years ago, and I can't remember who said what (read: if I plagiarize other Hiders, my apologies in advance).
Anyhow, as I recall, the takeaway was that the Switchlug grips the barrel (obvs), but that it relies upon the pins (pinning the recoil lug to the action) to mitigate barrel rotation (read: the barrel unscrewing from the action). Obviously, those pins are pretty small, and could shear. The Barloc, by comparison, essentially "gorillas" the barrel to the action (read: gets it really tight) by basically being a collar that drives apart two cones (one on the action side, and one on the barrel side) and produces a strong friction fit as a result (akin to tightening a shouldered barrel to the action).
I can see merits to both approaches, but have personally chosen the Barloc, as I am somewhat of an accidental ARC fanboi and can get Barloc-compatible recoil lugs for my ARC actions.
The takeaway is that the Switchlug offers a combination of friction (between the Switchlug and the barrel tenon threads) and mechanical (the pins holding the lug in place at the action) means to hold the barrel in place while the Barloc uses friction alone (basically serving as a pair of conical wedges to push the barrel away from the action in a longitudinal direction).
Anyhow, as I recall, the takeaway was that the Switchlug grips the barrel (obvs), but that it relies upon the pins (pinning the recoil lug to the action) to mitigate barrel rotation (read: the barrel unscrewing from the action). Obviously, those pins are pretty small, and could shear. The Barloc, by comparison, essentially "gorillas" the barrel to the action (read: gets it really tight) by basically being a collar that drives apart two cones (one on the action side, and one on the barrel side) and produces a strong friction fit as a result (akin to tightening a shouldered barrel to the action).
I can see merits to both approaches, but have personally chosen the Barloc, as I am somewhat of an accidental ARC fanboi and can get Barloc-compatible recoil lugs for my ARC actions.
The takeaway is that the Switchlug offers a combination of friction (between the Switchlug and the barrel tenon threads) and mechanical (the pins holding the lug in place at the action) means to hold the barrel in place while the Barloc uses friction alone (basically serving as a pair of conical wedges to push the barrel away from the action in a longitudinal direction).
Unless you get the Barloc that uses the special shouldered barrels, you’ll need to remove the stock and or optic to tighten the barrel nut.
If you’re going to go that far, a traditional shouldered barrel with wrench flats would be better in my opinion.
If you’re going to go that far, a traditional shouldered barrel with wrench flats would be better in my opinion.
I've also used the a savage prefit without torquing the nut (hand tight, no wrench) prior to torquing the barloc (against ARC recommendations I'm sure), and it worked fine. Could keep the action in the stock and the scope mounted.
I installed Savage pre fits with the barloc on two of my rifles and never took them out of the stock.
it doesn’t always work out like that though. Some guys have to modify the spanner yo clear their scope or come up with other methods.
ARC recommends you torque the nut into the barloc BEFORE tightening the barloc so that the barloc spreads open far enough to fit the wrench inside the gap in the top.
You don't necessarily have to do that, though. You can screw the barrel down on a headspace gauge, then screw the nut down to make contact with the barloc (and/or snug it as far as you can by hand), then tighten the barloc and it will hold everything in place. If you can find or show an example of where this won't work, I'll be happily educated.
The spanner wrench modification is for guys trying to follow the ARC instructions to the T while keeping the rifle together. Personally, I think the wrench tightening of the nut is overkill to begin with, but I didn't engineer it, don't sell it, and don't have any liability.
You don't necessarily have to do that, though. You can screw the barrel down on a headspace gauge, then screw the nut down to make contact with the barloc (and/or snug it as far as you can by hand), then tighten the barloc and it will hold everything in place. If you can find or show an example of where this won't work, I'll be happily educated.
The spanner wrench modification is for guys trying to follow the ARC instructions to the T while keeping the rifle together. Personally, I think the wrench tightening of the nut is overkill to begin with, but I didn't engineer it, don't sell it, and don't have any liability.
Every time I have the switch barrel conversation in my head I always end up at this conclusion or get an AI. The only con I can think of is bringing tools to the range. Is there really anything else that’s such a huge bonus to a Barloc or Switch lug.
KRG has a tool-less barrel nut design. They've yet to offer it for sale by itself though.
It can be seen on the Dakkar rifle shown here.
https://nemoarms.com/rifles/dakkar-short-action-308
It can be seen on the Dakkar rifle shown here.
https://nemoarms.com/rifles/dakkar-short-action-308
I’ve had a WTO Switchlug for almost 2 years now and have zero issues with it. It’s very nice to not have to remove the action from the stock or remove the scope.
I used the Barloc many times without issue and never once took off the scope or the action out of the chassis. I did have my scope in high rings to be able to use the spanner wrench, but I'm a tall long necked mofo and never had any issue with the high rings.
I do have a couple of shouldered barrels with wrench flats now and ironically rarely ever remove them.... My father's age old advice is truly sage if its working perfectly stop fucking with it.
I do have a couple of shouldered barrels with wrench flats now and ironically rarely ever remove them.... My father's age old advice is truly sage if its working perfectly stop fucking with it.
Unfortunately not everyone has the room or money for a nice workbench and vice, or the budget for the more expensive offerings (like AI, Cadex, etc). The Barloc gives the option to rebarrel with just a few tools and off the shelf prefits. Least that's my train of thought with going that route vs barrel vice and action wrenches and such.
Havning been down this path already, I would advise to go for shouldered barrels with flats.
The shouldered ARC BarLoc with witness marks on the barrels will get return to zero close but not the same zero every time. No matter how meticulous I was with my setup it always required me to re-zero after swapping barrels. Most of the time it was 0.2-0.3 mils, other times more.
It makes changing barrels in the field super nice and easy.
While I have not used the WTO switchlug, I suspect the results to be similar with return to zero.
The shouldered ARC BarLoc with witness marks on the barrels will get return to zero close but not the same zero every time. No matter how meticulous I was with my setup it always required me to re-zero after swapping barrels. Most of the time it was 0.2-0.3 mils, other times more.
It makes changing barrels in the field super nice and easy.
While I have not used the WTO switchlug, I suspect the results to be similar with return to zero.
The tools in total cost less than a Barloc or Switch Lug. I’m very limited in space and even I could figure out a way/place to mount a 4”x4” barrel vise. If you have a vehicle with a tow hitch...
Which I don't. It's simpler for me to have a barloc for the time being. I actually have a barrel vice, just nowhere good to mount it at the moment. I'll worry about it once I move again.
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