T2K and ATR both have 70 degree bolt throws and bolt throw force is very similar. You can run it with 2 fingers if you like. I have had Bighorns in the past and have a Buddy's bighorn in the safe (action only) to kind of compare to and bolt lift is very similar to the Bighorn. Running the action has a little different feel for a couple of reasons. The ATR has an aluminum receiver so there is a little bit different coefficient of friction between steel and Al going on there vs steel on steel. Also the Al is absorbing that bolt force a little differently than steel so you might not feel momentum of the bolt as solidly when as when a steel bolt slams shut...again just a different feel. Most of the friction is coming from the bolt centralizer on the back running through the tubular butt which other rifles don't have this point of contact, easily broken in with Slip2000 and running the bolt a lot. Additionally the mag follower sits proud so the bolt has to push that down when running it without ammo. To get a more apples to apples comparison to T2K and Bighorn I dropped the mag and ran the bolt fast...real smooth. I'm not going to say it is as smooth as some of these DLC coated actions people talk about, but seriously, if you know how to run a bolt it's way plenty fast. People get a little too tied up in some of that speed and feel stuff.
Once barrel extension is torqued to the barrel tennon, exactly like a Desert tech barrel, the barrel can then slide into the receiver, and it indexes on a pin at 12 o'clock. A barrel nut slides over the barrel and mates against the face of the extension and is tightened down with an armorer's wrench like an AR. David recommended 50 to 100 ft lbs on the barrel nut, and 50 is probably plenty. You can either have barrel in a barrel vise or maybe the receiver in some soft jaws to tighten the nut. It is recommended to hold backup with the rear action wrench so as to not put much force on the indexing pin. All this said with a breaker bar and action wrench and a torque wrench on the nut I was able to apply 50 ft lbs pretty easily with the rifle simply on the floor, as I was trying to mimic a field barrel change without a vise. Sounds like a lot, but it's not, just trying to be thorough. Now is it as easy as an allen wrench on your AI, DT, switchlug, barloc, etc....NO. Can you get barrels pre-spun and shoot a large variety of cartridges in it. Definitely. I would liken it to a AXMC that is a lot lighter, but doesn't have an ultra quick barrel change system. I could still change a barrel in a matter of minutes though. As long as your torquing down and away from the scope to take the nut on/off when not securing the rifle in a vise I think you could leave the scope on, but that might make some nervous. Rifle weighs 7.1 lbs with bolt, empty mag and barrel extension and nut. Add weight of your scope, rings, and barrel for total weight.
For me, i think it will shine as a PRS match rifle and a medium weight hunting rifle if done right....proof barrel, smaller scope, etc. It will also shine with the short mags and loading them long in this mag system. Nosler and Norma mags will probably work in a pinch, but I'm thinking some bullets might have to be seated a little deeper and will need a specific throat for adjusted OAL. True ELR work, probalby easiest to just single feed the rifle.
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