Tell me why this won't work-barrels with the nut

[Bradley Walker]

So, let's say you have a Savage barrel with the nut. Let's say you set the nut and headspace BUT you put red Loctite or similar adhesive on the nut.

Add an index mark on the bottom of the action, and mark the nut to the index mark.

Then you could remove the barrel after the adhesive set and the nut now is the shoulder.

No need to re-headspace the barrel next time. Just tighten to the index mark. Done. Just like a standard shouldered barrel.

[okie2]

yes you can do that but what are going to do when you need to set the barrel back and rechamber it?

[sharpshooter]

Loc-tite tends to creep into places you don't want it to go. What is so hard about head spacing a barrel multiple times? If you did it once, you probably still have the gauges.

[pdog2062]

I had considered using a set screw or two to do the same thing to make a switch barrel

[soewe812]

Here is an article detailing just this idea.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/savage-model-12-and-112-review-1.php

[stangfish]

I had considered using a set screw or two to do the same thing to make a switch barrel

Exactly. This is what I would do. Or take a vibrating marker and put one straight line from the bottom of the action to the bottom of the barrel after you headspaced it where you want it.

[MrMajestic]

Loc-tite tends to creep into places you don't want it to go. What is so hard about head spacing a barrel multiple times? If you did it once, you probably still have the gauges.

What he said......

[Apache]

Witness marks on the bottom of the barrel..........

[Bradley Walker]

From the article:

"The Savage barrel lock nut is 0.875" in length with 11 internal threads over the back two thirds of this length. The remaining tapered portion of the lock nut is not threaded and serves to cover the otherwise exposed threads of the installed barrel. The unthreaded front part of the shroud has a 0.02" gap between it and the barrel, per se, which I put to good use and will describe later. But first, on to cartridge headspace using the barrel lock nut.

With the barrel securely held in a padded barrel vise, and a lock-nut wrench all ready to go, screw the barrel lock nut onto the barrel, as far as it will go, with your fingers. The recoil lug is then put in place against the barrel lock nut with the receiver engaging lug or pin toward the receiver. At this time the receiver engages the recoil lug and is turned onto the barrel with the bolt in place and carefully screwed farther onto the barrel until the bolt face makes contact with the barrel. You’ll have to back things up until the bolt can be closed freely. At this time try the headspace gauge and back off the barrel lock nut until bolt can be closed down on the GO headspace gauge with some feel. The lock nut wrench is now tightened to the desired foot pounds of torque and the headspace gauge is again tried. This maneuver is applied until such time the correct cartridge headspace is attained.

At this stage I put witness marks on the barrel lock nut and the barrel to refer back to as I remove the receiver from the barrel with an action wrench inserted into the bolt hole. The receiver should loosen at the juncture of the back part of the recoil lug as you look for movement at the witness marks. This is precisely how the barrel will later be removed from the action as it is bolted into the stock. The barrel lock nut is then bonded in place so headspace is permanently maintained without referring back to the witness marks each time a barrel is installed. The barrel lock nut could be fixed in place with Loc-Tite, a thread locking agent, but I have discovered a better way. I simply slide a thin, metal shim between the non-threaded barrel and barrel lock nut shroud coated on both sides with J-B Cold Weld. This does the trick. As the bonding agent is setting I install the barrel in the action and torque it to about 25-foot pounds with the witness marks in alignment. This assures coaxial alignment at the barrel-to-receiver thread juncture.

Then, should you later want to move the barrel lock nut or further adjust headspace, simply apply heat over the J-B Cold Weld tab and the lock nut can be turned. Re-apply the Cold-Weld tab as needed. I’ve never had a barrel lock nut loosen in changing dozens of barrels with my system of switching barrels on these Savage rifles."

[Ray Gunter]

I like the shim and JB Weld idea. Solid but not totaly permenant.

[yorketransport]

I've used set screws on a few barrel nuts. I don't really swap barrels that much anymore though. Using the head space gauges is almost as easy once you've done it a few times.

Andrew