Rifles that offer quick change barrels?

[FlashAndPoof]

Only rifles I know that offer this are the Accuracy International AIAT and AXMC, the Barrett MRAD, and the Desert Tech bullpup rifles.
Am I missing any? Kinda surprised that there isn't a lower priced option that offers such a feature.

 

[Simia Dei]

Cadex Kraken

 

[GIXXER2000]

The R&D tooling cost and cost to manufacturer is what drives the price. You to maintain very tight tolerances so things fit and work as intended. You could go cheaper but you get what you pay for.
I have 2 AI's and looked at the DTA but don't like the bull pup style even though it is a very good platform.

 

[PBWalsh]

Any Remington 700 or custom thereof... google West Texas Ordinance Switchlug. As long as you have an inch pound torque wrench you can swap barrels in similarity to an AI.

 

[Erud]

Or, just get whatever rifle you want, and have a gunsmith fit more barrels for it. Then you can just get a barrel vise and action wrench and switch them yourself in the garage, takes 10 minutes. Unless you need to do 90-second barrel changes in the field for some reason, quick change barrel systems are just not that useful. Plus, they are crazy expensive.

 

[Covertnoob5]

The WTO looks promising. You just have to find a stock you like.
One thing I'd like to touch on is with the DTA, AXMC, mrad, and kraken, you can shoot both long action and short action calibers. That is harder to find I think than just switching barrels off a .308 bolt face.
For example I've never seen another another rifle that can go from .223 to .338LM which is great to have 1 optic, 1 manual of arms, one rifle to learn, etc.


Covert is as Covert does.

Plenty of good feedback on the scout site.

 

[Pro517]

Only rifles I know that offer this are the Accuracy International AIAT and AXMC, the Barrett MRAD, and the Desert Tech bullpup rifles.
Am I missing any? Kinda surprised that there isn't a lower priced option that offers such a feature.

Also the FN Ballista. Comes in three calibers so far (that I know of) .308, .300 WM, and of course.338 Lapua.

Also stupid expensive. Lol

 

[Citius7]

Mausingfield and Bighorn TL3 easy switch barrel when shouldered. Screw on screw off. Ur good to go.

 

[SRPowah]

What is your desired use that drives your interest in the setups?

 

[IanHusaberg]

Cadex Kraken

The Kraken might be the most complex and difficult to change barrels of all the quick change systems?

The Q "The Fix" is supposed to be a quick change barrel system, haven't seen any proof of that yet?

 

[Clint E.]

I just had a version built by a local smith on a TL3 action in an XLR chassis. The only special tooling was two flats milled into the Barrel just behind the suppressor adapter for an 11/16 crowsfoot. 30ftlbs and return to zero. Right now I have a .223 Wylde Barrel chambered. I have a 308 Palma barrel and a 6mm 1:7 Barrel waiting on the reamer to be chambered. I purchased a .223 BF bolt head from Zermatt and I can swap Barrels on the range without having to remove the Action from the chassis or any complex tools beyond a torque wrench.

How do you hold the rifle when tightening the barrel?

 

[TheGerman]

Just get a Barrett MRAD already.

 

[FatBoy]

16 years ago was the first time I saw John Chubb change his barrel on the firing line at ORSA. He had a sleeved 300WM and his smith set up several shouldered barrels with a flats machined behind where the iron sight tenon would be. John just pulled the bolt, put the stock between his feet, slipped on a wrench (7/8" I think) and just popped on the wrench with his hand. Then unscrewed it by hand, screwed the other barrel on (243 Win I think) put the wrench back on and whacked it with his palm. Made sure the index marks lined up, swapped the bolt and went right back down to shooting. It took maybe 2 minutes.

Before anyone talks shit, John retired from the Army with the AMU and is one of the best long range highpower shooters I have ever met. Triple distinguished. He had this perfected at least 16 years ago, probably much longer.

I think for John it was the "one gun" theory but I never asked. Personally, I take the "golf bag" approach.

 

[Just Macca]

Blaser (Sig) Tac 2 would also be a solid and quick option.

My vote is biased towards the DT SRS.

 

[Clint E.]

I put the chassis in between my legs and grip it with my thighs, mag in for additional leverage and scope facing away from me to ensure no torque is placed on it. This puts the muzzle about chest high in front of me so I can apply the wrench and turn it comfortably. All that is required is to break the torque and about half a turn, then I can set the gun on it's recoil pad and simply unscrew the barrel. Same in reverse. I should take a video. Goes pretty much as FatBoy describes except by torque and not indexing lines.

Thanks reubenski. I do my Tikka with a barrel vise and torque wrench, but I like the sounds of how you do it, much faster and less tooling.

I have had great luck with doing this with the Tikka, I have bought take off factory Tikka .223 barrels for training purposes and they have headspaced without any adjustment required from a smith. My donor tikka was a Magnum and I have managed to find used .223 and .308 bolts at reasonable prices. If someone started to make aftermarket Tikka bolt bodies that would be awesome.

 

[davidwiz]

The Kraken might be the most complex and difficult to change barrels of all the quick change systems?

The Q "The Fix" is supposed to be a quick change barrel system, haven't seen any proof of that yet?

The Kraken's barrels can be done in the field, though it is not "tool-less" like the AI AT or post-14 AXs. The Fix is supposedly a tool-less change. By tool-less I mean you only need an allen/hex wrench, not a barrel and action wrench.

 

[tsu45]

Has anyone tried the West Texas Ordinance lug?

 

[IanHusaberg]

The Kraken's barrels can be done in the field, though it is not "tool-less" like the AI AT or post-14 AXs. The Fix is supposedly a tool-less change. By tool-less I mean you only need an allen/hex wrench, not a barrel and action wrench.

Watch the Kracken video. I don't think you will be out in the field with the tools and extra barrel/magazine/bolt and ammunition to do a caliber conversion for any quick change barrel? Why? With the MRAD all you need is a t-handle allen Torque wrench preset to 140 in/lbs. and your good to go.

I've seen tool-less bolt disassembly and or tools on board, forend compartment or underneath the check riser.

I would see any caliber change being done at home or staging area. I see calibers as mission specific for a lack of better terms as a civilian.

260 Rem.- Competition/PSR

308 Win. -Practice/Fun/suppressed short range

300 Norma -Long range Competition

338 Lapua Long range Hunting/ Field work?- Energy on target at distance.

 

[dannySH]

Thanks reubenski. I do my Tikka with a barrel vise and torque wrench, but I like the sounds of how you do it, much faster and less tooling.

I have had great luck with doing this with the Tikka, I have bought take off factory Tikka .223 barrels for training purposes and they have headspaced without any adjustment required from a smith. My donor tikka was a Magnum and I have managed to find used .223 and .308 bolts at reasonable prices. If someone started to make aftermarket Tikka bolt bodies that would be awesome.

How difficult have been to remove the factory Tikka barrel? Have you used the internal wrench for removing the factory barrel? I've heard horror stories about it. Thanks.

 

[FatBoy]

The field? Why are we talking about National Guard field problems in the context of POW/ civilian guns? What is this "Field" everyone talks about?

Staging area?!! Ha ha! That sounds so OAF!

That depends on how you hunt. If you are one of the lucky ones who can Basecamp for moose or bear in Alaska or even Montana, having shit that can fall off a rifle (like a tool kit, buttstock adjustments, cheek piece or even a magazine) is a risk. How much of a risk is up to you to decide.

I will admit, as an former infantryman, I looks for stuff that is going to break, fall off or not hold up when I pick my gear. Old habits die hard.

 

[Clint E.]

How difficult have been to remove the factory Tikka barrel? Have you used the internal wrench for removing the factory barrel? I've heard horror stories about it. Thanks.

Sorry, I cant comment, my gunsmith removed the factory barrel and I am nit sure what type of wrench or vise he used.

 

[morganlamprecht]

buddy running an AIAT separated a case in a match this weekend...day 2, 1st stage...it was like 3 minutes and 5 positions...it was his 2nd or 3rd shot...didnt have any tools with him cause we were a long walk from the truck, so a buddy grabbed his torque wrench, we screwed the barrel off, picked the case out with a pocket knife, put the barrel back on, and he got into his next position and managed to get another hit before the time expired on him

 

[Dlwheel]

How difficult have been to remove the factory Tikka barrel? Have you used the internal wrench for removing the factory barrel? I've heard horror stories about it. Thanks.

I don't know about Tikka, but Josh from PVA makes an action wrench that works for the Bighorn TL3's, Savage, and Massenfield.

I do know this, though, when that factory barrel breaks loose it can be violent. Probably a good idea to remove the scope and maybe even the trigger.


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[dannySH]

I don't know about Tikka, but Josh from PVA makes an action wrench that works for the Bighorn TL3's, Savage, and Massenfield.

I do know this, though, when that factory barrel breaks loose it can be violent. Probably a good idea to remove the scope and maybe even the trigger.


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Thanks, I was aware about Josh Tikka internal wrench, in fact I have PVA nut barrel but and I was planning to buy the wrench for that rifle but I have another Tikka with factory barrel and I was thinking to use the internal wrech for taking out the factory barrel but I've heard that somo of them came too tight from factory and is better to use an external wrench and sometimes you have to relief cut the old barrel.

 

[davidwiz]

Watch the Kracken video. I don't think you will be out in the field with the tools and extra barrel/magazine/bolt and ammunition to do a caliber conversion for any quick change barrel? Why? With the MRAD all you need is a t-handle allen Torque wrench preset to 140 in/lbs. and your good to go.

When I was at the Shot Show, the Cadex rep changed the barrel on a Kraken in pretty short order. Don't need a bench or a vice. The tools needed are small enough to fit in the case carrying the rifle, as well as the other components. That being said, I got a AI AT, and all I need is an allen wrench to change the barrel.

 

[davidwiz]

To add to the list, David Tubb's Adaptive Target Rifle has a switch-bbl. http://www.davidtubb.com/David-Tubb-Rifle-Gun

 

[IanHusaberg]

When I was at the Shot Show, the Cadex rep changed the barrel on a Kraken in pretty short order. Don't need a bench or a vice. The tools needed are small enough to fit in the case carrying the rifle, as well as the other components. That being said, I got a AI AT, and all I need is an allen wrench to change the barrel.

I've got an MRAD and all I need is a star bit with my torque wrench to change my barrel.

 

[cubswin]

How difficult have been to remove the factory Tikka barrel? Have you used the internal wrench for removing the factory barrel? I've heard horror stories about it. Thanks.

I just removed one last week and it was the hardest barrel I've removed out of a half dozen or so. All others were Rem 700. I use a barrel vise and action wrench. I ended up needing to relief cut the Tikka barrel to remove. Mine was a blued gun I purchased new about 9 months ago. There was some rust on the threads. I hunted in the rain with it a bit. Maybe that is why it was so hard. It appeared to me there was a minimal gap between the barrel and receiver.

 

[drglock]

Has anyone tried the West Texas Ordinance lug?

Just finished up load development on my WTO Switchlug 6.5 Creedmoor. So far really liking this setup. After deer season is over I'll test it by shooting a group and removing the barrel and reinstalling it and shooting another group.

 

[brianf]

been done forever, its just in the limelight now because of the military contract a few years ago, its all about tolerances.
and the new styles dont need a barrel vise, you just use a set screw, but we have been changing barrels for a long time.
have the recoil lug pinned when you send it out for a barrel.
the smith now has your dimensions, want a new barrel just send the dimensions and you have it.
get a barrel vice and your done.
with all the prefit barrels being sold now, you can also have your smith set up you action and pinned recoil lug to match a particular manufacturer.
you can then be set up for a AI barrel (if there is sufficient room/material on your particular action)

 

[davere]

I have a WTO built rifle w/ a SwitchLug on it. I haven't yet had a second barrel spun up for the rifle, and haven't bothered to test out removing the barrel and re-installing it. Been having too much fun shooting it... ha ha. I have no reason to doubt that it works like they say - I just haven't tested it, so I can't speak from personal experience.

One thing I don't see people mention with this setup is that it sort of gives you the best of both worlds in the current 700 style action switch barrel situations. Once the lug is installed and your smith has dialed in your first barrel, they can take a headspace measurement and use that later to spin up additional barrels without having to have your action on hand. If done correctly, you can essentially order a pre-fit barrel from your smith and install it, without a need for go/no-go gauges or a jam nut. Again, I haven't tested this part of the functionality, either. I believe the measurement taken is from the bolt face to the front of the lug, but I may be completely incorrect on that (so if that doesn't make gunsmithing sense, just ignore... ha ha).

This feature was my primary reason for getting the SwitchLug included on the rifle. I may end up buying a .223 bolt (it's a Stiller TAC30A/W action) and having a .223 "trainer" barrel spun up at some point, as well, so it would serve that need, too.

 

[earthquake]

reubenski I am doing the TL3 range swap too, but on a Viper vise mounted to my hitch. Always thought ya needed 65-75 ft-lbs torque on these barrels, but sounds like you're running significantly less in order to break it while holding between your legs!

I like this idea better than removing scope and chassis. Only takes me 10-15 min depending on my hustle now, but...

So 30-ish lbs is GTG you're finding?

 

[yej0001]

Sig Sauer SSG 3000- no longer imported (it's a real pity). Bolt locks into barrel that makes head spacing irrelevant. You will need to find a used one that pops up here and there

 

[SHKyle]

Reubenski are you leaving the action in your stock while you change the barrel?

 

[MTRecon]

Proof Research in Columbia Falls, MT.

 

[m6z]

The price to get into a AXMC or SRS is steep, but the ability to have one gun for short action and long action cartridges is appealing. Is the ability to shoot long and short actions calibers worth the premium to you?

Looks like current cost for a AXMC in 338 with a 6.5 Creed barrel will run you around $9k and the SRS is around $6,500.

You can currently get the KRG SOTIC rifle or build a short action 700 custom for around $3k. Plenty of cash to build a long action magnum custom as well, but two rifles takes up twice the space of one..

 

[srt-4_uk]

The price to get into a AXMC or SRS is steep, but the ability to have one gun for short action and long action cartridges is appealing. Is the ability to shoot long and short actions calibers worth the premium to you?

Looks like current cost for a AXMC in 338 with a 6.5 Creed barrel will run you around $9k and the SRS is around $6,500.

You can currently get the KRG SOTIC rifle or build a short action 700 custom for around $3k. Plenty of cash to build a long action magnum custom as well, but two rifles takes up twice the space of one..

And twice the scope

 

[kthomas]

Every rifle is a "switch barrel" rifle - you just need the proper tools (vice, action wrench, torque wrench - or barrel with flats, crescent wrench, hammer).

The whole "switch barrel" thing is a bit of a fad IMO. I have a 6BRA and 6.5 Creedmoor barrel on my Mausingfield which I swap out all the time - pretty damn easy.