Switching barrels on Savage

[DCM]

I have never owned a Savage Center Fire rifle before but intend to buy one soon. I want a 30-06, a 25-06, and possibly a 257 Roberts later.

I like 26 inch barrels so it looks like the only economical way to do it on these calibers would be to switch barrels because I did not find any 26 inch barrels on the Savage site except in the heavy barreled rifles.

Barrel switching seems like a good thing but I may have been looking at more tools than are actually necessary to swap barrels. When I priced the tools that might be needed to do it, it seems like it might be better to just buy the rifles and have the barrels replaced by a gunsmith.

What tools would I really need to change barrels on a Savage?

Thanks

[82boy]

Welcome to the site.

All the tools you need are 1. a barrel nut wrench 2. A set of barrel blocks ( both sold at Sharp Shooters Supply) 3. a bench vise mounted to a bench. 4 a big hammer to hit the wrench with and that is it.

[Bad Water Bill]

Take it from the man (Pat) who has changed ONE bbl so far. OOPS make that ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY SEVEN and holding. Get the tools from Fred even tho they may be a little more expensive initially. Also get a dead blow hammer. Do not ask me how I know. With 4 actions and 9 bbls I can go from 20 VT to 30-06 in 10 minutes any day of the week.

Welcome to our happy home

[Cycler]

One question not related to the mechanics of barrel changing but your plans for them. Why both the 25-06 and a .257 Roberts? They are pretty much tweedle dum and tweedle dee with the 26-06 having more potential than the Roberts and no downside. They both require long actions so what possible benefit is the Roberts?

[DCM]

I have always wanted a 257 Roberts and think that I would like it better than the 25-06 because of the muzzle blast.

The 257 Roberts barrel might be added at a later date but that would probably be a few years away. Might never even happen though.

A 25-06 barrel would be useful though because I have so much 25-06 ammo and brass that I could use up in it. My Ruger 25-06 is just too heavy for what I would be using it for at this time.

The 30-06 barrel would also be useful because I have a lot of ammo and brass for it too. My 30-06 was stolen several years ago.

Thanks for the replies. I will look at those tools and may go for it soon.

[MattinAZ]

I too am a Savage barrel changing novice. But I have been a Glock and Colt AR system armorer for about 12 years and a hunter/shooter for the last 25 or so. I changed my first Savage barrel this past weekend with a barrel and tools picked up from vendors on this site. I took my old model 116 stainless left hand long action factory chambered in .223 to a .243. Magazine box, follower, bolt head and barrel. No major issue. If you can change the oil in your car you can change a Savage barrel. The biggest issue I experienced was breaking the factory installed barrel nut loose. Major PITA. But I got it done. After that the rest was cake. I can surely see how this switch barrel thing could become an addiction.

I already have a TC Encore but I am not very happy with the accuracy from the break action with the two screw fore end. Don't get me wrong, it will do minute of coyote/deer and has killed everything it has been fired at but my factory savage in .223 has on occasion spit out a three shot group of Sierra 40gr HP at 3600 fps into .4. It is very rare that the Savage has shot any .223 hand load I fed it into anything greater than 1 inch. With that kind of potential, a 1 to 1.25 inch (on a good day) TC loses.

May be selling some Encore barrels and buying more Savage barrels. We shall see.
Good luck