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