Changing a barrel How hard is it?

[Hawaiian]

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

[Phranque]

Well, I can't speak to the Ruger, but Savage barrels are very easy to swap... maybe a little nerve-wracking the first go around, but once you do it & see what it's about, it's no problem. IMO, for probably right around what a smith would charge, you can have the tools yourself & do it as many times as you want from there on out... provided you don't need new go/no-go gauges for a different caliber.

I say go for it... it's very satisfying to totally tear apart a rifle & be able to put it back together the way you want, and then stand back and say "I built that!"

[minnesotamulisha]

I would do it myself. I built a barrel vise from a block of oak, a piece of "C" channel and threaded rod. Here's a pic. I drilled a hole through the wood slightly smaller than my barrel diameter so that it would hold well. Just make sure to put your barrel wrench on the barrel nut before installing the assembly in the barrel vise.

Many have said you only need a go gauge and they shim it for a no go gauge, but I bought both so I wouldn't have to mess around at all.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[lungpuncher1]

Where did you find that thick of a piece of oak?

[minnesotamulisha]

I think it came off of a pallet. If you need to, screw two thinner pieces together and drill a hole through them. I think pine would work also, I just didn't want pine sap all over my barrel.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[minnesotamulisha]

I also drilled two holes into my counter top of the reloading bench that the threaded rod goes through. The thin steel plate goes under the bench to stop the rods from pulling through as the rods have to be pretty tight to stop the barrel from spinning.



Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[lvjake7761]

i mulled it over for a long time too finally broke down and bought the wheeler action wrench you can clamp in a vise and the nut wrenches
i had the smooth nut so needed that wrench and bought a new square bottom nut to replace the smooth one so needed that wrench too
it was scary but all worked just as everyone said it would the action wrench held the action tight and the nut wrenches worked like a dream
i also bought both the "GO" and "NO GO" gauges
it was a little pricy buying that stuff but i've got drawers full of special purpose tools i may never use again
it was so worth it in the end
i now understand more about my rifle and have my new 1:8 Shillin bull barrel on my 7mm RM
love my new setup

[hereinaz]

The wood for barrel vice has to be pretty hard. I used a piece from a pallet, but it seemed too soft. Maybe it was me though. I am not sure pine would work.

The heavy duty action wrench is really nice to use with a barrel vice.

You can always sell the tools on ebay or the classifieds on this site if you decide you are done, and recoup most of your investment. Certainly will be less than a gunsmith.

But, I doubt you would sell it off...

[RC20]

A lot of satisfaction in doing it yourself, tools are about $150.

Once you get hooked you tend to want to do more (yep)

I prefer the Action Vice, get the one from NSS if you go that route, its by far the best setup, also has instructions including toque settings for the parts on it when hooking up and the nut on the barrel.

Torque wrench is optional , I use one because I have one. If not I know I have enough feel to get it close enough.

Combo or end wrenches, some hex wrenches.

I would get the Go and No Go Gauge to start with.

Most serious part is understanding the setting and headspace.

Once you have the stuff in front of you and work with it , it all makes sense.

[Keith_A]

The Savage Stealth is easy. All that is needed is a barrel Vise, rosin, barrel nut wrench, go/no-go gauges, and a torque wrench. Home-made vise as described above works well with a little rosin on the oak blocks. No need to replace the barrel nut or recoil lug. When you have the barrel off, carefully measure the thickness of the recoil lug to ensure uniform thickness (use sand paper and flat surface to make uniform thickness, if necessary).....
Keith

[Robinhood]

The Ruger American is the same as the later model 77 If I am correct. 1"-16tpi

[Hawaiian]

Thank you all. I like the idea of being able to do it myself. I don't mind on waiting on a smith for things I can't do or don't have the equipment for. Changing a barrel does seem to be something I can do. If I don't run into something that messes me up.

What should I watch out for? Where are the problem spots that might have me thinking What was I thinking when I thought I could do this?

I see a lot of posts concerning setting head space. Is it as simple as the GO gauge fits and the NO GO doesn't or is there more to it?

THanks again for the tip on tools, the pictures are a huge help. If fabricating my own vice and clamps like minnesotamullsha did doesn't work or gets to complicated I'll keep NSS in mind. I see them mentioned often on a number of boards.

Thank's again for taking the time to help out a nervous newbie.

[minnesotamulisha]

There are many videos on YouTube that show how to use the gauges. But basically, remove the ejector and extractor from your bolt, chamber the go gauge and screw the barrel on until it just touches the gauge. You will feel when the two surfaces make contact. Remove the gauge before you torque down on the barrel. When you are done, the go gauge should chamber and the bolt will fully close without resistance. If you try to chamber the no go gauge, the bolt will not close.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Robinhood]

Something to consider. Do you know the difference between .020" and .002"? How about .006" and .003"? What is proud metal? Do you know what parallel is? Perpendicularity?

[Hawaiian]

Something to consider. Do you know the difference between .020" and .002"? How about .006" and .003"? What is proud metal? Do you know what parallel is? Perpendicularity?

The "proud metal" has me stumped. I thought I could just google it but I get a bunch of rock references.

[Hawaiian]

There are many videos on YouTube that show how to use the gauges. But basically, remove the ejector and extractor from your bolt, chamber the go gauge and screw the barrel on until it just touches the gauge. You will feel when the two surfaces make contact. Remove the gauge before you torque down on the barrel. When you are done, the go gauge should chamber and the bolt will fully close without resistance. If you try to chamber the no go gauge, the bolt will not close.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks for the tips. I would have left the gauge in place. I've saved a few videos and articles to my favorites. Still looking for more, I haven't get the barrel ordered yet so I have time to go over them. Also have time to go back and forth on doin' it or not.

[Robinhood]

The face of most savage actions need to be honed at the minimum or trued for optimum results. Inspect the action to lug mating surface for "proud metal". The stuff that stands up and makes mating parts go askew.

[RC20]

Thanks for the tips. I would have left the gauge in place. I've saved a few videos and articles to my favorites. Still looking for more, I haven't get the barrel ordered yet so I have time to go over them. Also have time to go back and forth on doin' it or not.

While you have to do what you feel comfortable with, I do not buy in that you have to remove the ejector and extractor.

The gauges have a rim on them.

The theory is the two items interfere with good head space.

I have not found that to be the case.

I worked with them on other guns before the Savage and while one had a peculiarity all its own, the ejector and extractor was left on.


Lot of fussing, parts disassembly and possible piece losses for no gain in my book.

[RC20]

The "proud metal" has me stumped. I thought I could just google it but I get a bunch of rock references.

It can be boiled down to metal stuff sticking up.

[hereinaz]

It can be boiled down to stuff sticking up.

High spots... where the action isn't flat so the lug and action don't make full contact.

Look up "truing" an action.

[Robinhood]

High spots... where the action isn't flat so the lug and action don't make full contact.

Look up "truing" an action.

yep

You can touch up the face with a fine hone if you know how to use it. A flat surface supports and reduces the chance of the barrel action junction from being a source of accuracy issues. A flat jewlers file will work as well. The goal is to only remove the high spots.

[Texas10]

Is it just the mechanics of changing a barrel you're interested in? Or are you exploring your options with the intent of building a better, more accurate rifle? If the latter, there is a lot you can do that doesn't cost a lot of coin, OR you can spend a fortune on, depending upon your desired outcome, before you start assembly.

I changed my first barrel simply because I'd shot out the original and wanted a tighter twist to shoot heavier bullets with the intent of shooting long range. So I literally bought the barrel, action vice and go gage and was done in like 20 minutes. Kinda anti-climatic after all that waiting for parts to arrive. But I didn't gain much over the performance of the stock barrel as I kept it as originally chambered, and didn't go Ackley improved for instance.

Share your goals with us and perhaps more suggestions will pour in, but beware.....when you start changing barrels, you're about to fall headfirst down a verrrry deep rabbit hole!

Kinda addicting!

[Hawaiian]

Is it just the mechanics of changing a barrel you're interested in? Or are you exploring your options with the intent of building a better, more accurate rifle? If the latter, there is a lot you can do that doesn't cost a lot of coin, OR you can spend a fortune on, depending upon your desired outcome, before you start assembly.

I changed my first barrel simply because I'd shot out the original and wanted a tighter twist to shoot heavier bullets with the intent of shooting long range. So I literally bought the barrel, action vice and go gage and was done in like 20 minutes. Kinda anti-climatic after all that waiting for parts to arrive. But I didn't gain much over the performance of the stock barrel as I kept it as originally chambered, and didn't go Ackley improved for instance.

Share your goals with us and perhaps more suggestions will pour in, but beware.....when you start changing barrels, you're about to fall headfirst down a verrrry deep rabbit hole!

Kinda addicting!

The Ruger barrel is about shot out. Honestly I could not find a prefit barrel for it so I got the Stealth. Just recently found a smith that is making prefits for the Ruger. I've considered a caliber change, maybe a 6 creedmoor. Not to big of a change, but I have a lot of 6.5 brass that I could neck down. I've thought 6.5 x47 too, but at this point is just I have a rifle with a barrel that's gone.
Barrel and tools will probabbly cost more than just buying a new Ruger American but I'd like to learn to do it. Even if it does have me jumping head first down that Rabbit hole. My thoughts are learn on the Ruger because at some point the Stealth's barrel will go to.

[Mozella]

It's dead easy; however, you do need a couple of tools as mentioned above; a vise, a special nut wrench, etc.

Most people don't like to loan tools, but you could pound these particular tools with a hammer without causing any harm and since they're only used very occasionally, people usually don't hesitate to loan them out. I've loaned mine several times. Don't ask to borrow my chain saw, but my Savage nut wrench is available to my friends.

Why not ask around at your local range, especially if you spot a Savage shooter with a non-factory barrel. Chances are, if you look around your local area, you'll find someone to loan you these tools for a one-time use.

[hereinaz]

It's dead easy; however, you do need a couple of tools as mentioned above; a vise, a special nut wrench, etc.

Most people don't like to loan tools, but you could pound these particular tools with a hammer without causing any harm and since they're only used very occasionally, people usually don't hesitate to loan them out. I've loaned mine several times. Don't ask to borrow my chain saw, but my Savage nut wrench is available to my friends.

Why not ask around at your local range, especially if you spot a Savage shooter with a non-factory barrel. Chances are, if you look around your local area, you'll find someone to loan you these tools for a one-time use.

I wouldn't loan tools, but I would have 30 minutes for someone to come to my backyard and help them using my tools to swap a barrel... just not between 11am and 7pm in the AZ summer.