what happens to the scope on a rebarrel?

[mugsie]

I'm thinking of purchasing (yet) another barrel for one of my savages. Up to this point I have been always building new, but now I think I'd like to rebarrel one or two. All my rifles are scoped. During a rebarrel - wait - I think I just answered my own question - I have to remove the scope to get the action wrench on, so a rebarrel will force me to remove then put the scope back on to the bases. Most likely I will need to rebore site the rifle each time I rebarrel - am I right? anyone found a way to do it without disturbing the scope?

[bill2260]

I would suspect with all logic that a new barrell will shoot at a different spot. Would also guess that it would still hit a large box at 25yards for a starting point. Bill

[racinready300ex]

i bet you can still hit a target at 100 yards with it, unless something is wrong with one of the barrel causing it to shoot funny. I bet you'd be with in a few inch's at 100 yards.

This would somewhat depend on how you remove your scope and bases, and how you put them back on. I have a gun that I use for iron sights and scope. I take the scope off every month and put it back on at the bench. Still hit's the same place everytime.

[82boy]

No two barrels are exactly the same, (Even if they was made one right after another with the same tooling and same personalel.) and good chances are they will not line up. Case in point, I have a Bat action and I change barrels a bit offten,(I can do so without touching the scope.) going from a 6PPC barrel to another 6PPC barrel I have never found the scope to be even close. Most times it will be several inches to one way or another and higher or lower than the other. Now the funny thing is I can wright down the speck to the barrel say Krieger #1 barrel going to krieger #2 barrel I had to move the scope 4 minutes right, and 2 minute down, to go to zerro, now if I go back to the other barrel Krieger #1 and reverse the adjustements of 2 min up and 4 minutes left, the gun will be back to zerro. So if you going from one barrel to another and back you can easily find zerro, now if you throw in a third barrel it complicates things a bit.

[Stockrex]

No two barrels are exactly the same, (Even if they was made one right after another with the same tooling and same personalel.) and good chances are they will not line up. Case in point, I have a Bat action and I change barrels a bit offten,(I can do so without touching the scope.) going from a 6PPC barrel to another 6PPC barrel I have never found the scope to be even close. Most times it will be several inches to one way or another and higher or lower than the other. Now the funny thing is I can wright down the speck to the barrel say Krieger #1 barrel going to krieger #2 barrel I had to move the scope 4 minutes right, and 2 minute down, to go to zerro, now if I go back to the other barrel Krieger #1 and reverse the adjustements of 2 min up and 4 minutes left, the gun will be back to zerro. So if you going from one barrel to another and back you can easily find zerro, now if you throw in a third barrel it complicates things a bit.


Patrick, when you put the old barrel back on, are you lining it up to the same mark or something?

[Blue Avenger]

Most of the time I am within a foot.

[jhelmuth]

No two barrels are exactly the same, (Even if they was made one right after another with the same tooling and same personalel.) and good chances are they will not line up. Case in point, I have a Bat action and I change barrels a bit offten,(I can do so without touching the scope.) going from a 6PPC barrel to another 6PPC barrel I have never found the scope to be even close. Most times it will be several inches to one way or another and higher or lower than the other. Now the funny thing is I can wright down the speck to the barrel say Krieger #1 barrel going to krieger #2 barrel I had to move the scope 4 minutes right, and 2 minute down, to go to zerro, now if I go back to the other barrel Krieger #1 and reverse the adjustements of 2 min up and 4 minutes left, the gun will be back to zerro. So if you going from one barrel to another and back you can easily find zerro, now if you throw in a third barrel it complicates things a bit.


Patrick, when you put the old barrel back on, are you lining it up to the same mark or something?


I would guess that he is "lining up" to the same headspace he originally set it up with. That implies that the "marks" (if used) would "line up".

[snider6464]

There was a group of guys on here who mounted their scopes really high and made a stock that allowed for the barrel to be removed and then a new one placed, allowing them to go to the range and switch barrels through out the day. All barrels having the head spaced marked and all that, ill try to find the thread where they had pics and all the info.
But if you are just re-barreling and not using it as a switch gun then yes take the scope off, that's probably the easiest part of the whole thing...

[82boy]

Patrick, when you put the old barrel back on, are you lining it up to the same mark or something?


No marks, this is on a Bat action where the barrel is shouldered. There is not need to use any whitness marks, if the barrel was headspaced to begin with, then whe it is headspaced back on it will be in the same place, maybe + or- a 001, but close enough.

[seanhagerty]

I try not to remove my scope when I rebarrel. I use a brass drift with a hammer and use it to loosen the barrel nut. I have found it is easy to remove the barrel that way. Tightening up works the same, I set headspace, then use the brass drift and hammer to snug the barrel nut.

I put a mark with a sharpie marker on the barrel nut and recoil lug to make sure it doesn't loosen, and all is well.

Sean

[Baryngyl]

I put a mark with a sharpie marker on the barrel nut and recoil lug to make sure it doesn't loosen, and all is well.

Sean

You mean all these years I could have been using a Sharpie instead of Locktight on nuts/bolts? http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/smilies/chain.gif

Michael Grace

[seanhagerty]

I put a mark with a sharpie marker on the barrel nut and recoil lug to make sure it doesn't loosen, and all is well.

Sean

You mean all these years I could have been using a Sharpie instead of Locktight on nuts/bolts? http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/smilies/chain.gif

Michael Grace


Ok, the sharpie does not stop it from turning, it just let's me know if it does loosen up.

[efw]

Are you going to be running this rifle as a switch-barrel, or are you just rebarreling once and wondering how to handle the scope issue?

If you're going to a switch-barrel set up, have you considered using 2 scopes in identical QD rings? I suppose you could also fire the weapon at a target at 100 yds w/ each barrel and record the scope clicks necessary to input in between changes?

One thing is for sure... you'll have adjustments that'll be necessary when you switch. Not sure how significant those would be, though...

[mugsie]

I'll be using this as a true switch barrel, swapping whenever the mood strikes me. I like the idea of a drift punch on the barrel nut, I also don't see why I can't make a "half nut" wrench to fit the barrel nut. I think I see a project coming on!
I realize when I do swap barrels I'll still need to rezero the scope, I just don't want to go through the entire bore sighting procedure again.

[Ray Gunter]

Set everything up so that each barrel has a witness mark .
Record the scope settings for each barrel. You should be able to get back to around an inch error switching barrels. With good marks and a very good scope, mounts and rings that are repeatable.

The repeatability of this technique depends on your scopes ability track. There are some scopes that track very well. Lots more that wont.
One way to check your scopes tracking is to shoot a BOX target.
That is fire one round
change windage 1 inch left shoot,
Change elevation 1 inch down, shoot
change windage 1 inch right, shoot
change elevation 1 inch up, shoot
you should then have 5 holes that form a box with the upper right corner having 2 holes.

If your scope wont track then when you switch barrels and reset the scope settings for that barrel the return to zero error will be greater. will be greater

[kelbro]

Notch your barrel nut wrench and you will not have to remove your scope. I got the idea/plans off an old post here.

[Blue Avenger]

It get thrown away and a new one is put on! Sorry, in one of them moods ;)

[chestsprings]

Mugsie,

1st let me say, I never take off my scope when changing barrels.

I have mounted on my VLP (short action) a Bushnell Elite 4200, 8 X 32, in Burris rings. Base is a Farrell.
I have a wrench I bought from SSS. the Burris ring is approx... .357 , so I’m not sure if it’s a med., or low. Mounted, from the barrel to the scope (objective end) is approx... .380. the wrench just clears between the barrel & objective end of the scope.

As previously posted, I switch 3 barrels frequently. Not factory, all 26 inches varmint contours from Jim (Northern) One…223, one…22-250, one…Rem 6mm.

I hope you don’t think I’m high jacking this thread with the following, if so I apologize, but I’ll mention what happened in my case on changing barrels.

Here is an update of previous post I made, where switching barrels in the field, the 223 & 22-250 which shot 22 inches right, & low. The 6mm shot worst, & I had to use Burris inserts, 10’s & 20’s with scope adjustments to get to zero at 100 yds. Very frustrating, & for a yr. I just put the whole outfit in the safe.

Nov. 2011 another forum member & I went shooting. With the scope set to mid-range, zero inserts in the rings, front & back, at 100 yds. the 223, & 22-250 shot 22 inches right, & low. 6mm worst.

So I contacted SSS, explaining the situation. Told Fred I was in no hurry, could be spring of 2012, but could he look at it when he got time. Fred said, send it in, he would look at it when he got back from hunting. he had some additional mandrels/jigs he made to verify the actions.

Within 5 weeks, I recv. The action back.

This last Fri. we got a weather break here in VA I & a forum member who was with me last Nov., went to the range to see what Fred had done.

The 223, & 22-250 barrels, with the scope set to mid-range, zero inserts, and 100 yds. Now shoots 2 to 2 ½ inches right, approx. 2 inches low.

We said WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! He corrected it 20 inches. The 6mm barrel shoots within 1 inch of right-zero, but a lot lower. The situation of “low” I think I know how to fix, just have to give it more thought.

What did Fred do? I hope I don’t screw this up, & maybe if he sees this post, he can correct me, & maybe explain it better than I can.

If I understood him correctly, the threads on my action were initially cut crooked at the factory. Fred has a mandrel (for a better word) he puts in the action raceway to verify it’s straight. Mine was. Further checking, because of my complaint, he found the threads cut crooked. Seldom encountered situation. Now I’m sure it’s a lot more involved then my simple explanation of above, but I should have been smart enough 2 ½ yrs. Ago to ask Fred to check it. Dumb me.

Bottom line of all this is when I switch the 223, & 22-250, shooting in both, 50 gr, 69gr, & 75 gr. They all, now, shoot within 2--2/12 inches to the right, not 22 inches as it did before Fred fixed it. Now I can just tweak the scope.

Now, with this long winded story above, yes, you can change barrels & tweak the scope as some people have posted. Also, as I said, you don’t need to remove the scope, I never do.

One last note, I wasn’t charged on my credit card until the action was shipped. I didn’t have any of the “so called problems” that some on here complain about with SSS. 1st class service, by 1st class people, whom someday I hope I get to meet in person