Building a switch barrel rifle, slowly.

[RockyRandy]

I have a Tikka that I can switch between three calibers in less than five minutes per caliber. I had my smith put 3/4" flats near the muzzle on my 22 BR and my 6.5 Creed barrels. My latest barrel is a 6 Dasher from Preferred Barrels with the same flats. I can hold the rifle between my legs and swap barrels with a crows foot and a torque wrench. Very repeatable, just have to write down scope adjustments between the barrels.

Sounds to me your going to be burning barrels out pretty fast but I think that's awesome none the less. But just like old elk hunter said It's only money!!!

 

[OldElkHunter1961]

An old school solution: The Remington M8 and 81are both take down rifles. No tools required. If your go with the family of cartridges designed for the M8 (.25, .30 and .32 Rem) all you have to do is drop the forend, unscrew the bolt that holds the barrel assembly in the receiver and slip in the other desired caliber barrel assembly. Viola caliber switched in a minute and change. Brass and dies are available for all 3 cartridges. Not exactly a long range proposition. ~300 yards +/- cartridges.

 

[swat]

sell your rem 700 actions, buy the Origin action, and buy shouldered barrels from Preferred barrels. I shoot from 223 rem to 6.5 Saum out of the same stock. You will love it.

 

[P7M13]

Still in the process of completing one.
Savage LH long action
Separate bolts for Standard and Magnum bolt faces.
i bought profiled blank barrels for different calibers, and had my gunsmith finish them, shouldered to my action / bolt face for the following:

• 6mm Remington 40° Improved
• 6.5 Swede 40° Improved
• 284 Winchester
• 308 Win
• 338 Edge (waiting on barrel)

Barrels with threading, chambering and muzzle threading are ~$500 apiece.
Need a barrel clamp to swap the barrel, and use an action wrench. The torque to swap the barrel is 25-30 ft-lbs.
I've standardized on a one piece rail so it's easy to mount different scopes.
Finding the perfect stock has been the challenge given the different balance requirements due to the different barrel profiles.

 

[Rflshootr]

I'd pick a 22-250 over the 223. Same bolt face, same magazine. I'd also go with a pinned factory style lug.
Done!

 

[Dragoon300]

Desert Tech SRS.
Most rigid and repeatable QC system.
(And it is made to be field changeable)
Extremely accurate,
Triggers are great.
No need for a special stock / chasis and bedding.
Barrels, bolts and mags readily available.
60 degree bolt throw.
Shortest overall length makes using 30" ÷ barrels for more velocity, or suppressors very feasible without being overly long.
Mags are long enough (4") for 338 LM with 300 grain Bergers seated at the shoulder junction.
One proven platform, ready to use from 223 to 338!
Total up the dollars for all the pieces and parts to make your own and compare. Put it towards a DT. I love mine! It is worth the wait, you won't be sorry.

 

[Rob01]

Guy is trying to do this on a budget and not start with a $5500 rifle and pay $1700 for conversion kits. They also don;t show a .223 which he wants.

 

[SteelBanger]

I'd pick a 22-250 over the 223. Same bolt face, same magazine. I'd also go with a pinned factory style lug.
Done!

This is a very valid and overlooked point on this thread. I too once thought I wanted a .223 trainer barrel but it's really not worth the hassle of the extra bolt head and magazine. I'll be ordering a 22GT barrel next, in place of the .223.

 

[Hard rock]

This is a very valid and overlooked point on this thread. I too once thought I wanted a .223 trainer barrel but it's really not worth the hassle of the extra bolt head and magazine. I'll be ordering a 22GT barrel next, in place of the .223.

The pined WTO.lug is the simplist way too build a switch barrel, all it is doing is replacing the standard factory lug for a $150 dollar cost. You can use any 700 footprint action that doesn't have a intragal lug. From what I'm reading on this post it's evident not many on here are familiar with the West Texas Ordance (WTO) switch lug.It works flawlessly and the only tool you need is a Allen wrench. The only other thing you have too take in consideration is the barrel channel, you can either use the same contour are have the channel cut too the biggest barrel so the smaller contour will fit . You will have too remove the barrel action from the stock if the barrel fits the stocks barrel channel, example just floated too the barrel channel.

 

[Hard rock]

The pined WTO.lug is the simplist way too build a switch barrel, all it is doing is replacing the standard factory lug for a $150 dollar cost. You can use any 700 footprint action that doesn't have a intragal lug. From what I'm reading on this post it's evident not many on here are familiar with the West Texas Ordance (WTO) switch lug.It works flawlessly and the only tool you need is a Allen wrench. The only other thing you have too take in consideration is the barrel channel, you can either use the same contour are have the channel cut too the biggest barrel so the smaller contour will fit . You will have too remove the barrel action from the stock if the barrel fits the stocks barrel channel, example just floated too the barrel channel.

The pined WTO.lug is the simplist way too build a switch barrel, all it is doing is replacing the standard factory lug for a $150 dollar cost. You can use any 700 footprint action that doesn't have a intragal lug. From what I'm reading on this post it's evident not many on here are familiar with the West Texas Ordance (WTO) switch lug.It works flawlessly and the only tool you need is a Allen wrench. The only other thing you have too take in consideration is the barrel channel, you can either use the same contour are have the channel cut too the biggest barrel so the smaller contour will fit . You will have too remove the barrel action from the stock if the barrel fits the stocks barrel channel, example just floated too the barrel channel. [/QUOTE

The pined WTO.lug is the simplist way too build a switch barrel, all it is doing is replacing the standard factory lug for a $150 dollar cost. You can use any 700 footprint action that doesn't have a intragal lug. From what I'm reading on this post it's evident not many on here are familiar with the West Texas Ordance (WTO) switch lug.It works flawlessly and the only tool you need is a Allen wrench. The only other thing you have too take in consideration is the barrel channel, you can either use the same contour are have the channel cut too the biggest barrel so the smaller contour will fit . You will have too remove the barrel action from the stock if the barrel fits the stocks barrel channel, example just floated too the barrel channel.

The OP in his original post described exactly what too do. ( great idea ) the only other thing is too work out his bottom metal and magazine choices . Hawkins precision can probably accommodate that . Good luck hope it works out.

 

[SteelBanger]

The pined WTO.lug is the simplist way too build a switch barrel, all it is doing is replacing the standard factory lug for a $150 dollar cost. You can use any 700 footprint action that doesn't have a intragal lug. From what I'm reading on this post it's evident not many on here are familiar with the West Texas Ordance (WTO) switch lug.It works flawlessly and the only tool you need is a Allen wrench. The only other thing you have too take in consideration is the barrel channel, you can either use the same contour are have the channel cut too the biggest barrel so the smaller contour will fit . You will have too remove the barrel action from the stock if the barrel fits the stocks barrel channel, example just floated too the barrel channel.

Not sure if you meant to quote my post in this response, but I was talking about having a .223 switch barrel and the extra hassle that comes with the extra bolt / bolt head and magazine compared to having a 22 caliber cartridge that shares the same case head as the .308. The WTO lug is a great way to build a switch barrel rifle, in fact I almost went that route myself. But the simplest way to do it, IMO, is on the Terminus Zeus action. The Zeus is purpose built and designed with the switch barrel functionality built right into the action, why buy an action you then have to modify with an aftermarket lug to do the same thing?

 

[KR260]

Sounds to me your going to be burning barrels out pretty fast but I think that's awesome none the less. But just like old elk hunter said It's only money!!!

None of those calibers are barrel burners, but I do see barrels as a part that is easily replaced.

 

[Hard rock]

Not sure if you meant to quote my post in this response, but I was talking about having a .223 switch barrel and the extra hassle that comes with the extra bolt / bolt head and magazine compared to having a 22 caliber cartridge that shares the same case head as the .308. The WTO lug is a great way to build a switch barrel rifle, in fact I almost went that route myself. But the simplest way to do it, IMO, is on the Terminus Zeus action. The Zeus is purpose built and designed with the switch barrel functionality built right into the action, why buy an action you then have to modify with an aftermarket lug to do the same thing?

Not sure if you meant to quote my post in this response, but I was talking about having a .223 switch barrel and the extra hassle that comes with the extra bolt / bolt head and magazine compared to having a 22 caliber cartridge that shares the same case head as the .308. The WTO lug is a great way to build a switch barrel rifle, in fact I almost went that route myself. But the simplest way to do it, IMO, is on the Terminus Zeus action. The Zeus is purpose built and designed with the switch barrel functionality built right into the action, why buy an action you then have to modify with an aftermarket lug to do the same thing?

I didn't modify my Curtis Axiom Action , just changed recoil lugs The Curtis Axiom is a pinned lug .My response was too the op stating he didn't want too spend money on a custom action , but work with what he had , a 700 action . I might be misreading something .Good luck for whatever switch set up he chooses.

 

[SteelBanger]

I didn't modify my Curtis Axiom Action , just changed recoil lugs The Curtis Axiom is a pinned lug .My response was too the op stating he didn't want too spend money on a custom action , but work with what he had , a 700 action . I might be misreading something .Good luck for whatever switch set up he chooses.

Right on, you must have accidentally quoted my post up above (post # 51) so it looked like a response to me. No worries though, I agree the WTO lug is a pretty slick design, especially for someone who already owns an action and wants to turn it into a switch barrel setup. Otherwise I'm a big believer in buy once, cry once and would rather by the action that's purpose built to do what I need it to do.