Following. Was considering this same thing for a back country hunting rig with a proof research savage prefit for a TL3.
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I called James at NSS and asked him if they/ he would sell prefit shouldered barrels for TL3's to get the best of both worlds. Unfortunately he won't. As of now, if you want the speed of a shouldered switch barrel you'll have to pay more.
My shouldered prefits cost $745 each. I haven't considered remage/ Savage bc I want to change barrels anywhere without dissembling any part of the chassis or scope. I have 800 rds on my K&P Dasher barrel. It is shooting great but the throat has eroded .040" over the 800rds. I placed 1st, 2nd and 4th with it torqued in at 40ft/lbs over the last three weeks at local matches. Just got a Krieger and will have it chambered up and will be able to get it broken in and load developed while still shooting the K&P bc of the ease and speed of switching barrels. When the K&P stops shooting I'll be able to seamlessly switch over to the Krieger and use the old barrel to fireform without having to use a barrel vise or get weird brass dimensions from using differently chambered and installed barrel nut prefits.
Using a Trmr 2 and locking turrets I just dial on the differing zeros between my 223 Wylde practice barrel and the Dasher. Once the 308 Palma barrel is chambered I'll establish the zero offset and just hold for all of my shooting like I do on the previous two barrels. The 223 and Dasher return to zero perfectly once reinstalled.
Ya, I totally agree. Cool test BTW. It sounds like it may just boil down to a Shilen vs. Bartlein test though. Lots of guys running savage prefits already and getting good results. I'm sure Bighorn wouldn't have tailored their action to the capability if those barrels don't perform. I would be interested in a Criterion vs. Shilen select match test. Although it may be difficult to suss out the true differences with all of the potential variables that could influence the accuracy comparison as a previous post'r mentioned. When comparing one manufacturer to another I think one would have to compare an aggregate of dozens of barrels.
Another thought for you PADOM, is I think when most folks think of quality in a barrel they think of accuracy. I think accuracy is becoming one of the easier characteristics to achieve these days for manufacturers. I'm starting to think longevity is my next criteria for quality. I paid $285 for the K&P and $315 for the Krieger. If the Krieger's throat lasts longer I will gladly pay $30 more. In fact, how much would you more would you pay for a barrel that gets 20% to 40% more barrel life given the same accuracy. In my experience those sweet .2's don't always last for 2000rds and if your throat is growing you're forced to chase the lands(best case) or develop another load (often the case) and then you're getting less, effective-barrel life and spending more on components. So, I'm also curious how the life of those cheaper Shilen barrels goes but given it's a .223 we may have to wait a while to see. At any rate do you know where Shilen sources their barrel steel from? Is it a softer european source?
BTW, I hope you don't take offense to my post on your thread. I figured folks may be attracted to the thread by the title and would like to see how people are achieving switch-barrel'ness. And hey! I have a XLR/ TL3 switch barrel, ha ha! I also thought it serves as another data point for accuracy, in addition to yours, using shouldered prefits that switch regularly on the gun(specifically not a gunsmith-installed shouldered barrel that was taken off with a barrel vise and action wrench). To be completely transparent, my sub-agenda is the satisfaction of people realizing they can build true switch-barrels for no extra cost and don't need to spend the $7000 to $9000 of a CADEX, AI, Surgeon CSR, or MSR. I like these threads bc it is a good day when all these options, variations, and variety of quality DIY barrels are available to us and the more people see that the more satisfaction I get.
My goal isn't to use the cheapest barrel (right now). I want to switch barrels anywhere, quickly without inducing the errors incurred by disassembling the rifle. Locktite'ing a barrel nut sounds a little problematic and having a custom barrel nut or savage prefit made sounds like you would lose the cost savings when it is all said and done. And isn't that what a shouldered prefit is anyway? A custom threaded machined shoulder/ "nut" to consistently seat on one specific action? Regardless, you could you buy a savage prefit and locktite the nut and tell us how it works out and then I'll guess we know. But we disgress and this discussion distracts from PADOM's intent with this thread of comparing Savage pre-fits to shouldered barrels.
Good to know. Sounds like you have already harvested the results PADOM is going after. Do you always get the freebore you're looking for in those prefits? Also, if you don't mind me asking, how many barrels a year do you go through. Wondering how durable those .. Criterion? Shilen? ...are.
I shoot 75/77 all day in mine.
Im thinking something is up with yours because my results are definitely the norm.
What is your length to ogive?
Very intruiged as well. I have a TL3 and am about to either have Josh cut me three more barrels (.308, 6.5 Creed, 6 Dash) at North of $2k, or look seriously at this nut system, of which I know nothing.
Anyone know if barrel nuts fit in the MPA chassis?
Earthquake, I also had concerns about a nut fitting under the Evolution handguard, although it doesn't seem to be a problem after all looking at Padom's rifle. That however directed me towards the Bug-nut. In the end I decided not to do one bc he didn't have the freebore on his reamers I was looking for.
I got more velocity with RL15 than Varget, with the 77smk. I haven't had a chance to work a RL15 with the 75 or 80 a max.
Bartlein is sending me a blank and Josh @ Patriot Valley Arms is donating some gunsmithing time to chamber the barrel for this test. Big thanks to both of these companies for contributing to this test. We will have a true apples for apples direct comparison between the Shilen button rifled prefit/nut setup vs a shouldered single cut rifled barrel. Both are 7 twist barrels. After I finish my testing with this Shilen prefit I will be putting the shouldered Bartlein through the same tests. Same action, trigger, chassis and optic. Both these barrels will be tested at distance with the 75 ELD-M's, not just at 100yds. Plan is 300 and 500.
I agree with you on that point and a well machined pre fit often proves it.This test was set out to compare how Shillen prefits at half the cost compare to shouldered barrels at double the cost. There was much interest in this topic from many forum members which is why Im doing it. If you feel the prefits are not up to par then you already have your opinion and answer on this matter. If your paying a smith to make you a prefit then we are talking the same money they would charge to make you a shouldered barrel (I already looked into that with various smiths). So why wouldn't you just get a shouldered cut rifled barrel and not deal with a nut at that point? Less tools you need to invest in. Just rear entry action wrench and barrel vise. Torque the barrel on and shoot...I actually prefer and use shouldered barrels but decided to do the prefit testing for those that wanted to see it and for my own interests.
That Bartlein isnt going to shoot any different as a prefit vs shouldered either...
Bartlein is sending me a blank and Josh @ Patriot Valley Arms is donating some gunsmithing time to chamber the barrel for this test. Big thanks to both of these companies for contributing to this test. We will have a true apples for apples direct comparison between the Shilen button rifled prefit/nut setup vs a shouldered single cut rifled barrel. Both are 7 twist barrels. After I finish my testing with this Shilen prefit I will be putting the shouldered Bartlein through the same tests. Same action, trigger, chassis and optic. Both these barrels will be tested at distance with the 75 ELD-M's, not just at 100yds. Plan is 300 and 500.
Here's the other thing, you want a Bartlein spun up by PVA or any other smith to be used with a nut, its going to cost you the same price as a shouldered barrel.
ive done Criterion prefits on a stiller tac30 before...you couldnt tell an accuracy difference between nut vs shouldered...i suspect youll be happy with either option, but the nut is obviously cheaper
Having gone both routes I am interested to see the results of your test.
There is also the "intermediate option" of getting a Bartlein prefit from someone like Southern Precision Rifles. The price comes out to be about $520 which is between the Shilen/Criterion prefits and the Bartein shouldered barrels. They also offer the Bugnut which is a prefit but with a different barrel nut that allows you a wider choice of barrels and contours.
Accuracy at what distance? 100yds? Or did you test both at distance as well? Also what were your SD's for the CBI prefit and the shouldered barrel? Was the shouldered barrel a single cut rifled barrel?