Savage switch barrel???

[TC338]

Alright guys, need some advice. I'm thinking about trying to build a switch barrel bolt action rifle set up. My current thought is to start with a savage long action, XLR chasis or McMillan A-5, and McGowen prefit barrels. I know I will need seperate bolts for standard and magnum bolt faces. I know I'll need the nut wrench and barrel vice and go gauges for each caliber. Can anyone tell me if my idea is sound? Anyone done this before? Any issues I need to be aware of? Any other equipment? Which action would be best?

 

[kshunter]

Sounds like your on the right track to me. Lots of guys do it. I am in the process of gathering components to do the same thing. The parts you listed should get it done for ya! I'm curious to see how it all works out myself. I should have a barrel stock and tools in the next couple weeks I'll try and post pics and an update of how it goes. I love the idea of being able to have just about any caliber I want and not have to build a whole new gun, purchase optics and extras and so on. I don't see why it won't work out great for you. I say go for it!
Forgot to add I'm just using a plane jane stagger feed long action to start with. Guess it all just depends on your budget as to what action you choose I would just stay away from the large shank stuff because pre fit barrels aren't as readily
Available but there is nothing wrong with any of the savage 10/110 actions as far as I'm concerned

 

[yorke-1]

It will work out just fine. At one point I had 9 rifle actions and 21 different barrels that I would rotate. I had one short and one long action repeater in .473 bolt face, one of each with a magnum bolt, and then two target actions, one with a .473 and one with a magnum bolt in addition to a few semi permanent builds.

Once you have the original barrels off of the actions all you really need is a port entry action wrench and a barrel nut wrench. I notched my barrel nut wrench so that it would fit under the objective of the scope so that I didn't even take my scopes off when I swapped barrels. I also drilled and tapped my barrel nuts for a set screw. All I had to do was headspace the barrel one time, tighten the nut, lock it down with a set screw and I was good to go. I never had to mess with headspace again on that barrel. When installing the barrels on the action all I had to do was thread it on tight to the "shoulder" of the barrel nut. You can swap them out on the tailgate of a truck or on the bench at the range.

The switch barrel game is a ton of fun if you like to constantly mess around with different calibers. I'm down to just one short, one long, two target actions and a few Striker actions now. Everyone seems to find a few barrels that get used the most the rest just kind of sit and collect dust.

Andrew

 

[Barrelnut]

I like York's idea of the set screw on the barrel nut. That's clever. He is also right on not needing a barrel vise. I just put the action wrench on the action. Put the handle of the action wrench in a strong vise mounted on my bench and work that way.

Now I just need a hack saw to notch my barrel nut wrench.

 

[FEENIX]

You gotta love Savage actions and it's DIY friendliness.

 

[TC338]

Alright, now that I know my idea is sound and not a complete waste of time and money. What action to use? What are the differences in the 110, 111, 116? Would I run into any problems trying to run a short action caliber in a long action? I'm thinking for example of running a 6.5 creedmore in the same action as a 300 WM. different bolt faces obviously, and other problems I'm not seeing?

 

[kshunter]

I too am interested in hearing some first hand experience with potential feeding issues swapping from standard size cases to magnum type cases. I have stuck a mag full of 7mm rem mag dummy rounds in my 30-06 blind mag well and they seem to stagger and seat just fine but feeding could be a whole different story??

 

[yorke-1]

If I only had one action to work with it would be a long action. With the proper mag box and follower the short calibers feed fine from a long action. I ran the entire line of 308 based cartridges from a 30-06 action and mag box for a while. The short mags can be a little tricky to get the feeding right sometimes but they work out of a long action as well. Swapping out the mag box and springs only takes a minute and the parts are pretty cheap.

Andrew

 

[TC338]

If I only had one action to work with it would be a long action. With the proper mag box and follower the short calibers feed fine from a long action. I ran the entire line of 308 based cartridges from a 30-06 action and mag box for a while. The short mags can be a little tricky to get the feeding right sometimes but they work out of a long action as well. Swapping out the mag box and springs only takes a minute and the parts are pretty cheap.

Andrew

Thanks for the info, glad to know it can be done without a lot of trouble. I am definitely going to pursue this idea as soon as I get funds available. With a 1 year old that may be a while but I'll post photos as the project gets started.

 

[TC338]

Back up to see about more info on this.

 

[Rich Coyle]

tag

 

[toddc]

Alright, now that I know my idea is sound and not a complete waste of time and money. What action to use? What are the differences in the 110, 111, 116? Would I run into any problems trying to run a short action caliber in a long action? I'm thinking for example of running a 6.5 creedmore in the same action as a 300 WM. different bolt faces obviously, and other problems I'm not seeing?

SAs will run fine is a LA. I do it all the time. I have never run SA on SA in a Savage.
110/111/116 same critter. 116 are SS. 111 is a package rifle. 110 has been many different rigs.
It doesn't matter what action you use. They are all the same.
A 6.5 SAUM & 300WM would be easy to do on the same action as would a 264WM. A Creed and WM would need a bolt head change. Not a huge deal.
There are no problems. If you can put a lug nut on a car............yeah.

 

[TC338]

Toddc, what stock are you using on your LA?

 

[toddc]

Toddc, what stock are you using on your LA?

I have used the Choate, Varmint, sniper, tactical, Boyds thumbhole, BVSS.

I try to come in under $1k on all of my builds so Manners, Mcmillan....uhhhhh nope.

Built under .5MOA on all of those stocks, Barrels used Savage, ER Shaw, Douglas, CBI, Mcgowen, Hart, Kreiger, Pacnor, Brux, Bartlein and others.

Honestly I usually end up seeing a bargain on here or Savageshooters.com and buy cheap so I don't have any GOTTA HAVE brands. They all work.

Nowadays I use EGW recoil lugs usually and true the nut myself, however I have used many brands of recoil lugs in the past.
You can home true a Savage pretty well using lapping compound and measurement tools. Maybe not high end custom true, but under .5 MOA true.
I usually build on LA blind mag as they are easy to pick up on the pawnshop circuit and most of my shots are over 500 so I usually just single shot it as a lot of the stuff I build wont hit the lands out of a mag.