I've seen some references to this, wondering how hard or easy it is to actually switch barrels?

I've got a BRNO ZKK in 375 I was thinking I could use as a base platform but I'm no kind of gunsmith and am wondering how hard it is to switch for the avg guy?

When referring to switch barrels, most are referring to a purposely made rifle allowing for barrel switching. Examples are the Blaser R8 or sauer 202 takedown.
It ain't an option on a standard actioned rifle like your BRNO.

Cheers

Nick

There are gunsmiths that make switch barrels for standard bolt action rifles. I don't remember who made them; I saw them at a Dallas Safari Club convention. They looked very nice but for the price, you'd be better off with a Blaser.

I've seen a few custom bolt rifles for sale with two barrels - echols was one of them, forget the other.

I have one I built on a Rem 700 that switches from .257 wby to .300 wby to .338 RUM to .375 H&H to .458 ackley. 1/2 inch POA change with dedicated scopes on QD rings for each caliber. Under MOA in all calibers and set up with a Sako extractor on the bolt. All barrels were profiled identically by CNC and barrels all threaded by CNC.uses the same recoil lug on all barrels. Just uses a Simple barrel wrench with the barrels just hand tight.uses a synthetic stock glass bedded to 1 inch over the barrel shank. Rest is free floated. No iron sights so no clocking issues. Very doable given the right gunsmith.
To do this on a Mauser type action it's best to use custom forearms and a mechanism to lock a plate on the action to one on the barrel. Really not that difficult! It's all in the precision threading and achieving square surfaces. Two screws in the plates can be used to adjust for any long term wear-Rob

Have a few switch barrel rifles, makes life in Australia much simpler because we are restricted on the number of firearms we can own, but not the number of barrels for each!
I have them on Rem 700's, which are the easiest with a few simple mods, Win Model 70's which are indexed on a shoulder to give the same headspace time after time and one Mauser 98 which is easier than a Model 70 due to there being no coned breech or extractor cut in the barrel.
There are a few ways to have the scope just right for each barrel, but I have notes for scope changes between barrels and I always get within a poofteenth of where it should be. I tried QR rings and different scopes but it wasn't quite up to the task.
It can be a very good option if done correctly and all you need is a good bedding job with pillars because you need to remove the stock to undo the barrel on hunting proflie barrels, this is not needed on my target rifles, and a barrel vice and action wrench. These are available from Brownell's at reasonable prices.
To have this done has never been expensive for me, it was in fact quite reasonable.

Cheers.

The Blaser is the best system for a switch barrel rifle IMHO.

I can go from a 22LR to a 416 Rem Mag with my R 93 in less than 5 minutes, and all barrels maintain perfect zero.

Heck,I even have a 28ga shotgun barrel for my R 93. With it I have taken dove, quail, squirrel, rabbits, mountain grouse, ducks and turkey...

Switch barrel rifles are made by Blaser, Sauer, Merkel, HS Precision, Dakota, Luxus Arms and probably others. Justin Sipp is a gunsmith in Utah that specializes in creating take-down models on many actions, but they're not cheap. As 450 NE No 2 mentioned above, the Blaser system is the best I've used.

I had a Montana action rifle and 416 Taylor and 375 HandH barrels for. It wasn't a big deal to have them timed and a witness mark put on then unscrewing one and screw the other on. As long as each lined up with the witness make they were good to go.

Sauer 200/202. I have 3 with barrels in 243, 6.5x55, 308, 30/06, 30/06, 9.3x62. I can swap a barrel in a couple of minutes with no POI shift (although I always verify) and the gun can be had in a standard caliber for 1500-200 and additional barrels 600-1000 depending on caliber.

I am still on a quest for barrels in 25/06, 270, 8x57. I don't need them but one day if funds allow I do want to round out the set.

The06 and the 6.5x55 have been to Africa and acquitted themselves well.

It's an easy way to get into a very accurate switch barrel.

You need to check out the Mauser MO 3. I own one and it's a wonderful rifle. I own the following barrels for the MO 3.
404 Jeffery
375 H&H
308 Match
308 match suppressor ready
6.5X55
22-250
Barrels and scopes retain zero every time!
The best thing about the MO 3 is that you don't have to send it to a gunsmith to get it to shoot accurately or feed properly. It does that right out of the box!
Only drawback is that you have to use Mauser's mounts and rings. They aren't cheap.

Next to my doubles the Mauser MO 3 is my favorite rifle!

Rusty, that's right! I forgot the M03 in the list above, and I used to own one. Doh!

The T/C Dimension for calibers up to 300 Win. Mag. is quite low in price compared to their European counterparts.
https://www.tcarms.com/firearm...n/components#barrels
Lefteris

I believe the BLaser R8 is the ultimate switch barrel platform.
I have both steel and alloy receiver models and have barrels in 223,
308,7mm mag ,300 win mag , 338winmag, 375H&h, 416 rem mag, 500 jeff.
Got most things covered with that!!!
Each barrel set shoots sub MOA, even the 500 j!!!!

A lot of bang for the bucks for sure!!!

Nick

I own a couple of multiple barreled firearms.

I decide a long ago that instead of buying expensive extra barrels it was and easier just to buy more guns and some times cheaper.

The only time it seems to make sense is if you live in area the restricts the number of guns you can own or travel with.

I have not shot the Sauer system. I have shot several Blaser R8s and everyone of them has been accurate right out of the box.

Just a sidebar Sauer, Blaser and Mauser are three companies producing firearms under the same factory roof in Germany! They all make outstanding products!

I am contemplating a switch barrel on a LH Zastava. First off it would probably be limited to two calibers with a reasonable spread ie. 300 win mag and .338 win mag.or a .3oo Wm and .458. Can't see going to the extra expense of close calibers like 7 mm Rem mag and .300 wm. My major concern is feeding.One would think that two off the same parent case as in .300 wm and .338 wm would be no problem .However stepping up from the .300 to .458 makes me cautious. Anybody done this? I am paranoid about rifles that don't feed reliably especially the larger calibers. I would use the Hartmann & Weiss latch. Martin Hagn swears by them.

Actually, any rifle can be made into a switch barrel.

But, it requires some workshop tools to switch barrels on the.

By this I mean a barrel vice and a barrel wrench.

We have built many rifles, on which we have installed several barrels.

The trick is the threads on the barrel have to be well cut, and smooth.

Not like what one gets on factory rifles, where sometimes the threads look like have been cut with a rough file.

Also, barrels do not have to be super tight into the action.