Quick change action and durability

[CST]

I was interested in the quick change actions from Zeus and Curtis valor.
If anyone has some personal insights......

With these quick change systems it appears you have a little less barrel threads going into the action with the set screws to hold the barrel in.
I'm wondering how durable this design is in the field when your hunting or running and gunning in a tactical match rather then a PRS style match where the gun is subject to alot more stress or falls. Say my can is stuck and I'm trying to get it off, for examples.

I guess it's all tension based like the lug and seekins style quick change designs....

Id have more piece of mind if the channel in the threads has a dimple like a AR-15 gas block to make sure it doesn't un thread...

 

[spife7980]

If you’re that worried about the actions design then I would skip it or just simply torque the barrel on like any other rifle.

 

[shoots100]

After doing some research for you, the Valor is what the Zeus was supposed to be, so I would go with the Valor.

SJC

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Buy an AI.

 

[E. Bryant]

I'm not a big fan of using set screws to keep an undertorqued fastener from loosening. The AI system is meaningfully different and exempt from this concern.

 

[kthomas]

I'm not a big fan of using set screws to keep an undertorqued fastener from loosening. The AI system is meaningfully different and exempt from this concern.

Personally I would never get a QC system that relied on a set screw.

AI and DTA seem to have a good track record with their QC systems, though can't say I have personal experience with either.

 

[Csafisher]

After doing some research for you, the Valor is what the Zeus was supposed to be, so I would go with the Valor.

SJC

I think you have that backwards….. Joel is great to deal with and the Zeus is a fantastic action.

While I don’t run a suppressor, I’ve never had an issue with the barrel coming loose. I have an adapter for an EC tuner which I’ve tightened on with a wrench and removed without the barrel coming off. When you tighten the barrel you can snap it hard and it’ll seat pretty tight. And then you have the set screws.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I'm not a big fan of using set screws to keep an undertorqued fastener from loosening. The AI system is meaningfully different and exempt from this concern.

Exactly, it actually clamps the tenon. Those set screws are a fucking joke.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Have had no issues with a zues and 2 valors. As I've said before, I run several barrels on all 3 of em interchangeably. I shoot suppressed all the time. They work great. Honestly, I don't think the barrel moves from being hand tight, the set screws just keep it from being able to turn, the barrel still seats against the action on the flat and you can get it pretty tight by hand then tighten set screws.


All that said, I have several actions. If you are that worried about it, just get an action that torqued the barrel on as @spife7980 said.

 

[Maurygold]

anything is a quick change with a t-wrench and a $40 barrel vise!

 

[kthomas]

anything is a quick change with a t-wrench and a $40 barrel vise!

If you're changing barrels at home, there's not really much reason not to just do a standard shouldered barrel.

The argument for quick change in that case would be easy barrel cleaning - but taking a shouldered barrel off is really not that hard.

 

[Maurygold]

If you're changing barrels at home, there's not really much reason not to just do a standard shouldered barrel.

The argument for quick change in that case would be easy barrel cleaning - but taking a shouldered barrel off is really not that hard.

two c-clamps and a bench and that baby is coming off at the range too. outside the AI and DT systems I can't see any advantage to the quick change offers when it's been pretty well documented they MAY be negatively impacting accuracy (looking at you WTO).

 

[JR1200W3]

Quick change needs to be defined as not having to remove your barreled and scoped action from the stock or chassis. And being an efficient enough a system to return to zero to within .2 mrad. Using a barrel vise isn't quick.

https://surgeonrifles.com/product/rifles/concealable-sniper-rifle-csr/concealable-sniper-rifle-csr-16/

This rifle was part of a 3 prototype proof of solution test for a governmental agency. It offered the simplest solution which was barrel flats on the belly of the barrel under the handguard. The original RACs chassis was modified to quickly remove the forend to expose the barrel flats. It had a 14.5" 1:8" 308 barrel for shooting subs and supers. I stole the idea and just had flats machined into the muzzle end of my barrels. AI style. Torque the barrel to 20, 30, or 40 ft lbs...it doesn't matter. The zero or accuracy doesn't know the difference. I don't even use a torque wrench anymore. I just use a crescent wrench. Impeccable return to zero. Simple solution. Reliable. Doesn't require some sort of clamp, set screw, BARLOC, Switchlug, whatever. I've even used the basic concept without muzzle flats. Just a strap wrench. Doing it this way you can change barrels in about 40 secs.

 

[kthomas]

Quick change needs to be defined as not having to remove your barreled and scoped action from the stock or chassis. And being an efficient enough a system to return to zero to within .2 mrad. Using a barrel vise isn't quick.

https://surgeonrifles.com/product/rifles/concealable-sniper-rifle-csr/concealable-sniper-rifle-csr-16/

This rifle was part of a 3 prototype proof of solution test for a governmental agency. It offered the simplest solution which was barrel flats on the belly of the barrel under the handguard. The original RACs chassis was modified to quickly remove the forend to expose the barrel flats. It had a 14.5" 1:8" 308 barrel for shooting subs and supers. I stole the idea and just had flats machined into the muzzle end of my barrels. AI style. Torque the barrel to 20, 30, or 40 ft lbs...it doesn't matter. The zero or accuracy doesn't know the difference. I don't even use a torque wrench anymore. I just use a crescent wrench. Impeccable return to zero. Simple solution. Reliable. Doesn't require some sort of clamp, set screw, BARLOC, Switchlug, whatever. I've even used the basic concept without muzzle flats. Just a strap wrench. Doing it this way you can change barrels in about 40 secs.
View attachment 8523704

The only downside is you are putting torque on the action screws, however a lot of people use this method with success.

 

[JR1200W3]

The only downside is you are putting torque on the action screws, however a lot of people use this method with success.

Yep, but I haven't seen any effects from that. I did do the "smack" test, smacking the barrel with a wood block. Bighorn TL3 in an ATX AICS chassis. I zeroed at 300yds prior to a match. Slipped my turret to .8mrad with a 5 rd group on POA. Shot a second group to confirm. Smacked the barrel. Then shot a third 5rd group and watched the group string from a POI shift at 7 o'clock 4" out, back up to the original POA/ POI by the 5th round. I ended up bedding the chassis due to that. Not because I was placing torque on the action screws from swapping the barrels. But it can't hurt that aspect either. Because of the smack test. I've been shooting this type of setup in TL3 's and Tikka T3's for 6 years. The torque on the action screws doesn't show any POI change. I also have an AI. Both systems work. If anything the simple 40ftlbs/ muzzle flats is faster than the AI clamp just because you don't have to change tools from the clamp to unscrewing the barrel.