Actions that accept DIY barrel changes (Savage, Rem-age, etc)? and question about Tikka barrel swap

[Leozinho]

I dipped my toe into precision rifles with a Savage since I liked the ability to change calibers/barrels in my workshop. Put a McGowan barrel on and rented some go/no go gauges and I had a shooter in 6.5cm (before Savage was even offering that caliber, I think.) Pretty neat.

But we know Savage lacks refinement and, importantly, after market support is a little slim.

The Nucleus action isn't in my budget.

I just read there is a barrel nut for the Tikka from PVA. Does it work like my Savage, or is something else needed to be done to the action to allow the Tikka to accept a prefit barrel?

What about Howa?

I understand Bergara is a no-go.

What other actions accept the barrel nut/change system?

Thank you.

 

[308pirate]

What about Howa?

Yes. Barrel nuts and shoulderless barrels available from McGowen and Criterion.

 

[MountainHunter]

I personally love Tikka actions/triggers. I’m planning on picking up a Ross Vise and swapping back and for between my creed barrel for practice and a new 6x47 barrel for matches.

I’ve never done it but Carl goes back and forth between barrels in what seems like a minute.

I believe all you need is to order shouldered barrels?

 

[260284]

I have a Tikka CTR that currently has the BugNut system on it. I have a PMA Tools vise and I use a PVA inside action wrench to swap barrels. I did have a local smith cut my old barrel off, but I have heard the universal outside action wrench that Brownells will work with the cap reversed. I picked up a new unfired 20" CTR takeoff barrel that headspaces perfect on my action. I can swap between it and the BugNut barrel in 20 minutes or less. I just bought another Tikka for the action and trigger. The same local smith will be fitting a new barrel to it when I am ready. He can fit shouldered barrels that I can still swap at home.

 

[spife7980]

I just read there is a barrel nut for the Tikka from PVA. Does it work like my Savage, or is something else needed to be done to the action to allow the Tikka to accept a prefit barrel?

All nut set ups work just like the savage. Instead of cutting the shoulder (controls how far it screws in) precisely on a lathe you just screw it in until its in the proper location and use the nut to lock it in place: its an adjustable barrel shoulder.

What about Howa?

I understand Bergara is a no-go.

What other actions accept the barrel nut/change system?

Thank you.

Howa has some offerings now.


Bergara has a remington threads but the bolt isnt recessed making all of the prefit remage barrels a nonoption, the bolt will hit the barrel before it can go in deep enough to rotate and lock closed. You could get a nut set up cut for that non recessed bolt, it would just be a custom job and not one of the "remage" prefits sitting on the shelf ready to go. (My 2 personal remage set ups were all custom jobs anyways, its not the end of the world, just a bit of a wait)

Bergara

Remington

Other than that pretty much everything can be made to a barrel nut set up. Remington, savage, howa, tikka, ruger etc all have offerings right now from various sources.

 

[kthomas]

Any rifle is a "switch barrel" rifle. The whole switch barrel thing is a bit of a fad.

I swap between shouldered barrels all the time. Takes 2 min or less.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Any rifle is a "switch barrel" rifle. The whole switch barrel thing is a bit of a fad.

I swap between shouldered barrels all the time. Takes 2 min or less.

What equipment do you need to do this?

 

[JMcBurn]

What equipment do you need to do this?

Action wrench and barrel vice. Or if you have a sturdy chassis you can probably make it work with just a barrel wrench with a torque wrench socket.

 

[jbell]

Don't forget Scott McRee's offering. Scott is one of the best guys in the industry and has excellent products:

https://shop.mcreesprecision.net/Rifle-Kits_c493.htm

 

[MountainHunter]

What equipment do you need to do this?

Check out Ross Precision’s website. Awesome step by step instruction.

https://www.rossprecisionmt.com/

 

[Crang]

I did the Tikka PVA barrel swap yesterday. Or should say I finished it yesterday after 3 weeks of tearing my hair out. The PVA internal wrench for the Tikka is designed to shear at 135 lbs I believe and mine sure did before the OEM barrel popped free. A $20 Tektonik 31mm wrench off Amazon however fit the receiver flats perfect and easily took the barrel off with a cheater over it with just mild hand pressure. I did end up using a strip of beer can to shim between the wrench and receiver so as not to mar it and that was tight enough I had to tap the wrench on with a hammer and a bit of grease. Used a Brownells barrel vice BTW. I wanted to keep the OEM barrel for hunting so did not make a relief cut on it.

The PVA barrel was ridiculously easy to put on and headspace with the nut. Took less than 10 minutes to get it right and triple check it. It was my first time using a barrel nut so it took more time to watch a Youtube video on doing it than to actually do it.

 

[MountainHunter]

Damn that's crazy! I've heard the Tikka barrels are tough to get off. Glad you got it done.

 

[260284]

Action wrench and barrel vice. Or if you have a sturdy chassis you can probably make it work with just a barrel wrench with a torque wrench socket.

And a go gauge to check headspace. You can either use scotch tape or paper on it for a no-go or buy a no-go to check it.

 

[260284]

I did the Tikka PVA barrel swap yesterday. Or should say I finished it yesterday after 3 weeks of tearing my hair out. The PVA internal wrench for the Tikka is designed to shear at 135 lbs I believe and mine sure did before the OEM barrel popped free. A $20 Tektonik 31mm wrench off Amazon however fit the receiver flats perfect and easily took the barrel off with a cheater over it with just mild hand pressure. I did end up using a strip of beer can to shim between the wrench and receiver so as not to mar it and that was tight enough I had to tap the wrench on with a hammer and a bit of grease. Used a Brownells barrel vice BTW. I wanted to keep the OEM barrel for hunting so did not make a relief cut on it.

The PVA barrel was ridiculously easy to put on and headspace with the nut. Took less than 10 minutes to get it right and triple check it. It was my first time using a barrel nut so it took more time to watch a Youtube video on doing it than to actually do it.

I started to tweak my PVA inside action wrench trying to break my factory barrel loose. That is good to know about the 31mm wrench.

 

[JMcBurn]

And a go gauge to check headspace. You can either use scotch tape or paper on it for a no-go or buy a no-go to check it.

It can be done off brass also.

 

[flyer]

I dipped my toe into precision rifles with a Savage since I liked the ability to change calibers/barrels in my workshop. Put a McGowan barrel on and rented some go/no go gauges and I had a shooter in 6.5cm (before Savage was even offering that caliber, I think.) Pretty neat.

But we know Savage lacks refinement and, importantly, after market support is a little slim.

The Nucleus action isn't in my budget.

I just read there is a barrel nut for the Tikka from PVA. Does it work like my Savage, or is something else needed to be done to the action to allow the Tikka to accept a prefit barrel?

What about Howa?

I understand Bergara is a no-go.

What other actions accept the barrel nut/change system?

Thank you.

Probably re-think your budget. The Nucleus is not that much more than some of the other suggestions and if you buy a Barloc instead of a receiver wrench, barrel vise and barrel nut wrench, you're saving money there too.

If you're on a real budget, the Savage small shank barrel threads open up a huge market of inexpensive prefit barrels compared to the limited amount of Remage pre-fit barrels available and there are also Savage take off barrels which are quite inexpensive.

Beside being easy to use for a switch barrel setup, the Nucleus has many features not available outside of a custom action so the premium you pay is buying something.

It's too soon to say what used Nucleus action resale will be like but I imagine it will hold value better than a factory original or slightly tuned up factory action.

 

[bschneiderheinze]

Bug holes is the way to go awesome wrenches and barrels

 

[Sheldon N]

Check out Ross Precision’s website. Awesome step by step instruction.

https://www.rossprecisionmt.com/

This is what I'm using to swap barrels. Thumbs up.

 

[coltm4]

I also used a Bugnut system. Original barrel threads were not as bad as I had heard they could be. But then, I kroiled and PB Blastered it for 4 days waiting on tools to arrive too, so maybe advance preparation helped. I used a brownells universal wrench and a viper barrel vise. I'm looking for cheap tikka actions now for my kid to have his own switch barrel setup.

 

[260284]

Probably re-think your budget. The Nucleus is not that much more than some of the other suggestions and if you buy a Barloc instead of a receiver wrench, barrel vise and barrel nut wrench, you're saving money there too.

If you're on a real budget, the Savage small shank barrel threads open up a huge market of inexpensive prefit barrels compared to the limited amount of Remage pre-fit barrels available and there are also Savage take off barrels which are quite inexpensive.

Beside being easy to use for a switch barrel setup, the Nucleus has many features not available outside of a custom action so the premium you pay is buying something.

It's too soon to say what used Nucleus action resale will be like but I imagine it will hold value better than a factory original or slightly tuned up factory action.

The BugNut for Tikkas uses the small shank Savage barrels.

 

[MDM]

In most cases, all it takes to put a Remington prefit on an action that does not have a nose recess is to cut the recess off the prefit. Should take your smith 15 minutes. I've done this to a couple prefits to put them on my Curtis Axiom.

 

[10ring1]

It can be done off brass also.

I will be soon getting a RPR in 6 creed, and will be changing to 6.5 creed. Do have gauges and always thought it would be possible to do with brass. How do u do it with brass? I may try it

 

[spife7980]

I will be soon getting a RPR in 6 creed, and will be changing to 6.5 creed. Do have gauges and always thought it would be possible to do with brass. How do u do it with brass? I may try it

The same way you do with gauges. Chamber the brass like a go gauge, spin the barrel in until it touches and tighten it down. Make sure the brass chambers again and then add a layer of scotch tape to the back to convert it to a no go and make sure it doesn’t.

It just won’t be to a spec. Dependimg on this one particular lot of brass you might find that another lot doesn’t fit the same and thus precludes chambering or has too much room.

 

[JMcBurn]

I will be soon getting a RPR in 6 creed, and will be changing to 6.5 creed. Do have gauges and always thought it would be possible to do with brass. How do u do it with brass? I may try it

The same way you do with gauges. Chamber the brass like a go gauge, spin the barrel in until it touches and tighten it down. Make sure the brass chambers again and then add a layer of scotch tape to the back to convert it to a no go and make sure it doesn’t.

It just won’t be to a spec. Dependimg on this one particular lot of brass you might find that another lot doesn’t fit the same and thus precludes chambering or has too much room.

You can do it 2 ways. Either with fired brass or with sized brass(could be fresh brass or sized brass). I would prefer using fired brass as you are setting it to a max.

 

[TexLuke]

The BugNut for Tikkas uses the small shank Savage barrels.

So the bugnut for Tikka is limited to savage contours?

Or can Greg use any normal contour like with bugnuts for Remingtons etc ?

 

[260284]

So the bugnut for Tikka is limited to savage contours?

Or can Greg use any normal contour like with bugnuts for Remingtons etc ?

Contact Greg and ask him. My Tikka was the first one he did, but he didn't like the look of the finished product. He has two options on his website for Tikka nut sizes.
http://www.bugholes.com/product-p/bug-nut-1-16tpi-mag-1.20b.htm

 

[JMcBurn]

So the bugnut for Tikka is limited to savage contours?

Or can Greg use any normal contour like with bugnuts for Remingtons etc ?

Also, the Tikka action is a little too small to use a full contour barrel. The shank needs to be turned down to around 1.1875" in order to not have the shank bigger than the inscribed circle of the action.

 

[Covertnoob5]

Curtis Vector. Super easy, 2 set screws and shouldered prefits. Can do it in about 30 seconds in the field.

 

[JMcBurn]

Curtis Vector. Super easy, 2 set screws and shouldered prefits. Can do it in about 30 seconds in the field.

I don't exactly trust 2 grub screws to hold a barrel on though. Might just be me.

 

[Covertnoob5]

I don't exactly trust 2 grub screws to hold a barrel on though. Might just be me.

I’ve got a little over 500 rounds and 3 comps through mine. No issues here. Took 4th at the last match.

 

[MDM]

I wonder how I ever trusted a direct thread suppressor, yet somehow they just stay put. With those two screws, that barrel isn't going anywhere. In fact, it likely wouldn't go anywhere without the set screws with a properly machined tenon and barrel snapped into place, use some anti-sieze or it will lock up just like a suppressor. Don't like the screws, don't use them. Want to use a Remington pre-fit and a nut, have a smith knock the nose recess off. I can understand the skepticism, but once you see it and how secure the barrel is, you will realize how simple and effective it is. I've swapped barrels a dozen times. I even pull them to clean now because its just so damn easy.

 

[10ring1]

Thanks brother

 

[10ring1]

The same way you do with gauges. Chamber the brass like a go gauge, spin the barrel in until it touches and tighten it down. Make sure the brass chambers again and then add a layer of scotch tape to the back to convert it to a no go and make sure it doesn’t.

It just won’t be to a spec. Dependimg on this one particular lot of brass you might find that another lot doesn’t fit the same and thus precludes chambering or has too much room.

Thanks brother

 

[JMcBurn]

I wonder how I ever trusted a direct thread suppressor, yet somehow they just stay put. With those two screws, that barrel isn't going anywhere. In fact, it likely wouldn't go anywhere without the set screws with a properly machined tenon and barrel snapped into place, use some anti-sieze or it will lock up just like a suppressor. Don't like the screws, don't use them. Want to use a Remington pre-fit and a nut, have a smith knock the nose recess off. I can understand the skepticism, but once you see it and how secure the barrel is, you will realize how simple and effective it is. I've swapped barrels a dozen times. I even pull them to clean now because its just so damn easy.

Those things are not the same. Talking about shoulders at allow you to put some sort of torque on it, then talking about screwing a savage blank which does not have that. Do I believe if you have a shouldered barrel that you can hand toque then lock in place with grub screws, yes. But to have no shoulder to speak of then locking in with set screws is a different story. Maybe you are talking about hand threading the barrel and then finger tightening the nut on, I still think you won't be able to get enough torque on the barrel.

 

[dannySH]

Also, the Tikka action is a little too small to use a full contour barrel. The shank needs to be turned down to around 1.1875" in order to not have the shank bigger than the inscribed circle of the action.

Greg did my Tikka bugnut barrel with a regular barrel, he just turned down the shank to Tikka's action specs.

 

[MDM]

Those things are not the same. Talking about shoulders at allow you to put some sort of torque on it, then talking about screwing a savage blank which does not have that. Do I believe if you have a shouldered barrel that you can hand toque then lock in place with grub screws, yes. But to have no shoulder to speak of then locking in with set screws is a different story. Maybe you are talking about hand threading the barrel and then finger tightening the nut on, I still think you won't be able to get enough torque on the barrel.

No, you misunderstood me and maybe I misunderstood you as well. I'm talking about using the action as intended with a shouldered barrel. If you use Remington prefit, you obviously need to use a barrel nut and torque the nut as you normally would and not use the screws. That's why I said "want to use a Remington pre-fit and nut". The set screws are for shouldered barrels with a tenon made to spec, however, a pre-fit with nut can be used with the nose recess removed, not using the set screws. Want to use a shouldered barrel without the set screws? You can do that too, just torque as normal. Since this is a thread about pre-fits, I think covertnoob was pointing out how easy it was to swap shouldered barrels on the Vector. I.E have your smith make as many barrels up as you want and you can swap those barrels out in less than a minute without ever having to remove the action from your stock or scope from the action.

 

[AXMC]

The BugNut for Tikkas uses the small shank Savage barrels.

Are you saying a savage small shank prefit will thread into a tikka, or that he turns savage prefit blanks down to use on a tikka? If the former, that might be rather difficult as the savage is 1-1/16" x 20 TPI and the tikka is 1" x 16 TPI...

 

[260284]

Are you saying a savage small shank prefit will thread into a tikka, or that he turns savage prefit blanks down to use on a tikka? If the former, that might be rather difficult as the savage is 1-1/16" x 20 TPI and the tikka is 1" x 16 TPI...

http://www.bugholes.com/product-p/bug-nut-1-16tpi-mag-1.20b.htm

http://www.bugholes.com/product-p/bug-nut-1-16tpi-small-1.055b.htm

That would be a question for Greg to answer as I only have his original BugNut on a medium palma barrel.

I am getting ready to build another rifle on a Tikka action using a light varmint Bartlein. Probably going shouldered barrel as it will save me the cost of a nut and wrench. I bought a new Tikka take off 20" CTR barrel and it headspaced perfect on my CTR action. Shouldered barrels should be easy swaps on the Tikka actions as long as I use the same smith.