Changing a barrel How hard is it?

[hereinaz]

I go with a grunt and three quarters, cause I feel better about it...

[Hawaiian]

Once I get the headspace set, I lay the whole shebang on the carpet, and with the wrench as the apex of the triangle, give it a rap with a rubber mallet.


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When I wanted to change my bolt handle. I was told to place an allen wrench in the bolt/screw. Put the bolt and allen wrench on a carpeted concrete floor and STOMP it. Scared the hell out of me, but it worked.

[19E60]

Rabbit hole huh...started with a 6.5 Stealth last August...now have 2 short actions, 8 barrels, 2 scopes, a Manners stock, a lathe, and I still haven't finished the kitchen remodel.

Jump into the barrel swap with both feet, you will love it.

[Freestone]

If you need a cheap vise and don't want to build one; the Viper Bench Rest Barrel Vise (sold at Brownells) works well if you wrap your barrel with painters tape and really tighten it down. It might slip a little when you first try to torque your nut, but tighten it down a second time and it shouldn't move. Afterwards, just use some acetone or Rem-Oil to clean off any tape residue. It works for me and I tighten barrel nuts to 35 ft/lbs. I also remove smooth nuts in the same vise with a monkey wrench and replace them with traditionally notched aftermarket ones. http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/general-gunsmith-tools/vises-accessories/barrel-vises/barrel-vise-prod58959.aspx


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[m12lrs]

Rabbit hole huh...started with a 6.5 Stealth last August...now have 2 short actions, 8 barrels, 2 scopes, a Manners stock, a lathe, and I still haven't finished the kitchen remodel.

Jump into the barrel swap with both feet, you will love it.

Know the feeling. Have 2 of the target actions. One i did with a richards microfit and.shilen 6br and 6.5 creedmoor. One is at SSS for time and true, benchrest trigger, stock and glass/pillar bed.

I set.my barrels up for switchbarrel. Only use about 20 lbs of torque when i set the headspace. Then i etch an index.line on the action, barrel nut and barrel. I then locktite the barrel nut. Have a barrel vice and rear entry action wrench. All you have.to do to switch barrels is screw the old.one.off and.screw the next one on. Line up the index lines and you are good to go.

[CriterionBarrels]

Hi All,
I've never swapped out a barrel before. I've read a few online articles and watched some Youtube videos and it seems doable. My questions are if you are just doing one barrel is it worth buying an action wrench, barrel vise, barrel nut wrench, gauges, new recoil lug and barrel nut. ( Please chime in if there's anything I left out.) It's something I'd like to become comfortable doing. It be nice not to have to take my rifle to a smith and wait till he can fit it into his schedule.

I have two rifles now that have barrels nuts ones a Savage Stealth. I'm pretty sure that most members of this board know that getting after market barrels, barrel nuts and recoil lugs are as easy as a phone call or an online order. The other rifle is a Ruger American, as far as I know there is only one gunsmith making prefits for it. I asked a few weeks ago on a Ruger forum If anyone had swapped out a barrel and have not gotten a reply. So I'm guessing while it can be done no one on that board has attempted it.

Would any of the tools that I purchase to change the barrel on the Savage be usable on the Ruger? I'm guessing no other than the barrel vice if I make wooden blocks that would work with the thinner Ruger barrel.

So what do you guys think? Buy the tools that are need it and do it myself or take it to a gunsmith? I haven't called any local smith to see what they would charge but I'm betting quite a few members of this board would know. Would it be cheaper to have a gunsmith change out two barrels?

Thanks Clyde

Savage installs are fairly straight forward. If you need any assistance with the install of the Savage pre-fit contact James at NSS and he will be able to help. We are currently looking at adding the Ruger American to our line-up soon but other projects are currently taking priority.