Switch barrel rifles anyone?

[tikkathreebarrels]

I'm new here. After 15 years-ish of acquiring and shooting various fullbores I find myself reviewing the number of scoped rifles taking up cabinet space and, as part of the wider "where am I going" question, am open-minded to the idea of going down the switch barrel route, either selling up and starting from scratch, or by rationalising what's there already.

I know about needing to stick with the same case head size so could run with a combination of moderated .22/250 for weekly foxing (I need something which shoots flat into a self-imposed 3" kill zone out to 250 yards) and 6BR for targetty stuff to 600 yards but might want something else which would reliably and accurately have the potential to go further, out to 1200.

Disregarding the lightweight stalker altogether as a completely separate issue this simplifies four scoped rifles into one scoped rig, one or more moderators and two maybe three barrels.

This would mean, of necessity, that my 225 yard .22/250 zero would become the basic scope setting with all adjustments on range days being from that setting and back again. Weight isn't an issue as the foxing is chauffeur driven with the majority of shots from a window bag but occasionally also bonnet or roof according to the situation presented.

I'm assuming that switching barrels doesn't mess the point of impact - so whipping the .22/250 off and then putting it back on wouldn't cause a change of impact?

The question of what I've got currently as potential conversion material is a secondary issue so I will disclose this bit once I've got a feel for how well the principle works.

So, I'm interested to hear from guys who've had or have switch barrel systems and how well they've worked for you please? What works? What doesn't?

[Sim G]

I've never owned a "switch barrel" as I just don't like the idea. I can see the advantage, but to my mind, when you want your rifle to give the best performance it can, barrels in and out of actions can only cause a problem with wear on the parts being switched, at the vital area of support/joining, increasing tolerances and degrading performance.

And, an "off topic" but related point, from a strategic point of view, the more guns owned legally, the less attractive it is to government for sweeping legislation. There is "strength in numbers"! So, if you need eight rifles in your cabinet, then keep eight as to my mind, it looks better on paper that one rifle and seven barrels.....

[tikkathreebarrels]

Hi,

Yes, I can see you're not keen on the idea. In mitigation switching isn't going to be a daily activity, more likely fortnightly/monthly. I would hope that barrel steel could accomodate this amount of in/out switching.

As to the second point, surely firearms licensing will regard each chambered barrel as a separate item requiring FAC approval and it therefore becomes a number of approvals on licence rather than one firearm and x supplementary pressure bearing parts?

I've never owned a "switch barrel" as I just don't like the idea. I can see the advantage, but to my mind, when you want your rifle to give the best performance it can, barrels in and out of actions can only cause a problem with wear on the parts being switched, at the vital area of support/joining, increasing tolerances and degrading performance.

And, an "off topic" but related point, from a strategic point of view, the more guns owned legally, the less attractive it is to government for sweeping legislation. There is "strength in numbers"! So, if you need eight rifles in your cabinet, then keep eight as to my mind, it looks better on paper that one rifle and seven barrels.....

[Ovenpaa]

We shoot a Schultz & Larsen with a switch barrel and although it is only chambered in 6,5-284 right now I have not noticed any issues with repeatability or change of POI when removing and refitting the barrel. Personally I quite like the idea of swapping barrels and would consider a 6BR in the future, a spare barrel takes up a lot less room than a rifle and saves on the cost of 'scopes etc.

Seems like a good idea to me

I do agree with SimG though, hold onto to your rifles if possible, plus I did read quite recently that items such as spare barrels and moderators should not be taken into account on the rifles held, so 6 rifles plus 3 mods and 3 barrels is still only 6 rifles.

[Sim G]

Yep, in the Home Office Guidance and the Security Handbook, mods and barrels do not count towards total.

That said, Blaser looks like real Gucci kit! If I wanted one, that would be it!!

[tikkathreebarrels]

Well, my moderators are on ticket and I simply presumed that chambered & finished barrels - as opposed to barrel blanks - would constitute "pressure bearing parts" and would therefore require specific permissions?

That being said, if I decide to go down the switch barrel route, it had been my intention to contact my local FLA to seek his advice on how to traipse through the paperwork. You're making it sound like one-for-one variations may not be required to replace a fully stocked rifle in calibre A with a chambered barrel in calibre A?

I could probably fund the conversion to switch barrel and new barrels from the disposal of rifles and scopes!

[Sim G]

Each mod and each barrel or barrelled action require a separate variation on your FAC, with the corresponding "good reason" and security. In essence, each mod and barrel is reagrded as and treated as an additional firearm, except for the purposes of "totting up" for statistical purposes and/or overall security requirements.

[Gun Pimp]

Tikkathreebarrels,

Just about all of my modern rifles are switch barrel - it's the most ecomomical way to have several rifles in different chamberings.

Swapping a barrel takes about five minutes max. Point of impact will vary a little but not if you take the same barrel off and put it back on.

If you wanted three barrels for one action/stock/scope you would just have to note your 100 yd (or whatever) zero for each barrel.

Recoil lugs sandwiched between barrel and action make the process more tedious but not too difficult.

Vince

[tikkathreebarrels]

Tikkathreebarrels,

Just about all of my modern rifles are switch barrel - it's the most ecomomical way to have several rifles in different chamberings.

Swapping a barrel takes about five minutes max. Point of impact will vary a little but not if you take the same barrel off and put it back on.

If you wanted three barrels for one action/stock/scope you would just have to note your 100 yd (or whatever) zero for each barrel.

Recoil lugs sandwiched between barrel and action make the process more tedious but not too difficult.

Vince

Thanks Vince, that's a definite vote in favour.

My "adapt what I've got" choices involve either my TMR1 remmy short action and Choate stock or or one of two Tikka M55 actions in Supersporter stocks. Obviously the remmy involves a recoil lug, to be honest it's that long since I pulled a Tikka out of its Supersporter stock that I can't recall what the lug arrangement is but it's definitely not like the T3.

The TMR1 is in .22/250 with barely 2000 rounds through it, the M55s come with a very recent pacnor match barrel (less than 500 rounds) and a fluted long (and growing older) .308 which could be replaced by a different chambering to give me a bit more distance.

Tell me, do you need to apply a lot of torque when putting a barrel on? Even if it doesn't do you pull the barrelled action from the stock so as not to apply strange forces to the bedding and stock bolts? I'm imagining clamping the barrel in a soft faced clamp and applying a lateral force to the action?

[Ovenpaa]

The one I know is Accuracy International which are torqued up to 100 ft/lbs - you need an action spanner which is something that effectively replaces the bolt and takes a torque wrench at the end plus a barrel clamp/vice which is a couple of lumps of wood or similar cut to half circles which are clamped between a couple of steel plates and to something robust. I know a few people who uses a scribed line to bring the barrel back to original position. you will also need a go and no-go gauge.

All very easy but not ideal for quick changes in the field.