Well , I saw this, and it really excited me.. being different...but they wanted $1250.00 for it... so I thought I would just put one together myself...

Was at a gunshop locally, and this came in on an estate sale...

Mid 70s Winchester Model 70 with a varmint stock, and a heavy magnum 28 inch stainless steel barrel, in 17 Mach IV... topped with a Leupold 4 x 12...

I have one just like that set up, in a mid 80s Varmint Stocked Model 70, but my stock has seen more mileage and abuse that this rig had....mine has a 28 inch stainless heavy magnum barrel on it also, but is chambered in 22.250 with a 6.5 x 20 older Leupold on top of it...

since I am getting into and getting set up to do these switch barrels on rifles, I was looking to borrow a 223 bolt out of my 223 Featherweight, for my Model 70 Varminter, and chamber a barrel for it just like I have in 22.250, but in 17 Mach IV... the money saved, I can get me a Leupold 4.5 x 14 x 50mm objective with the Varmint Hunter Reticle....for that 17 Mach 4 barrel...

you have to be a dedicated varminter to get excited seeing that long stainless barrel, in that heavy magnum contour, sporting that little 17 caliber barrel...

after that, 20 BR time???

cheers
seafire

Seafire doesn't 20 BR mean another bolt face? I'd serious think about 20 Practical, 20 .222 or 204 Ruger in that order. That way you could use the .223 bolt face.

Jay, the rifle has a 22.250 barrel on it now, and hence a .473 bolt face like the 20 BR would take...

The 223 bolt would be borrowed from another rifle...but the barrel headspaced to that 223 bolt face when I install the 17 Mach 4 barrel..

cheers
seafire

Seafire

I was under the impression that 20 Br had a .445" dia bolt face?

Jay,

the .445 bolt face is the PPC's bolt face...

the BR has a regular .473 bolt face as does the 22.250, 243 etc...

There is a 20 PPC also...but all are wildcats..

Douglas Barrels out of WVa chambers a 20.250, which would be interesting, but the down side would be the cost of dies and also, I would assume that it is considerably overbore, which would lead to short throat life in the barrel....

over on 6 BR.com, they have some good info on the 20 calibers...some real interesting reading..

Met a guy at our local range a couple of weeks ago that took a couple of ADL Short action Remingtons and had one chambered in 20 Tactical and the other in 20 BR...he changed the Tupper Ware stock for a Hogue Rubber stock in each...

He had both at the range and they were definitely pretty cool.. he let me shoot both...
He also preferred a heavy magnum barrel contour as opposed to the varmint contour...

He was telling me that he never likes to shoot a varmint cartridge except the 22.250 and .223, that one can buy factory ammo for...

He also had a couple of Remington ADLs in 19/223 Calhoon, 221 Fireball, 17 Mach 4, AT least he claimed... but I saw no reason not to believe him...

I am becoming a dedicated varmint shooter myself...its almost as cheap as a drug addict, some claim...

cheers
seafire

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
Jay,

the .445 bolt face is the PPC's bolt face...

the BR has a regular .473 bolt face as does the 22.250, 243 etc...

I am becoming a dedicated varmint shooter myself...its almost as cheap as a drug addict, some claim...

cheers
seafire

Seafire you're right about that. Yes it is cheaper than drugs by a little.

Say I have a Savage FV12 in .223 and when I get home from this vacation it's tupperware stock is going away. I'm going to make it into a switch barrel as well first barrel is a Ruger .204. But I really have an interest in the 20 practical or the 2o 222. Lots of good info over on Saubier.com if you haven't aready been there.

I'm on the hunt for a sporter weight rifle for carry/calling. I'll be about half way to your country by tomorrow I'll be in Fort Stevens. Next spring I may make it to The Bend area after hunting Turkeys in LaGrande.

Good luck with the rifle.

Jay,

I'd invite you by for a visit, but I live down by the California line...

I think you would still be closer to home in Renton than here..

for practicality at the load bench and ease of loading with a longer neck, I have been looking at the 20/222 over the 204...I like cartridges that don't have a short neck...

I thought I was going to make it as far south as Bandon or Gold Beach. But it took nearly a week to resolve some trailer problems before I could get on the road. Might just take you up on the offer later. Retired and living the life of Reily.

Talk about trying to matfch up bolts to make a switch barrel rifle is why people are switching to Savage these days, that and that awesome Accu-trigger. Fifteen (?) years ago I wrote an article for Precision Shooting on building a do-all switch barrel on a 12BVSS. That is the stainless steel action, stainelss fluted 26" barrel, single shot, on the laminated staock. Order a .223 to start with, it has 1:9" twist. As soon as the rifle gets to your house, pull the barrel off and send it back to them to have another 223 barrel fitted. Order a 308 Bolt head while you are at it. Shoot both barrels with a known accuracy load, like the Black Hills stuff. Take the most accurate one and rechamber it in my sweet little 22-284 using the 308 bolthead. Pull the barrel and send it back for a 243 barrel, or buy an aftermarket one. I like the way Savage cuts all the flutes at one back and forth pass, keeps from warping the barrel. Rechamber that one to my sweet little 6mmImp-9.3x64Brennecke. It is a basic .507" diameter at the base 2 1/2" long case. Add 350-400fps to 6-284 loading data. You got a very adaptable set up, and adding a mag bolthead will let you have a 7mm or 300 varmint rifle to boot.

Rich

Sharpshoot:

I have a 223 Savage 12BVSS... I still like Winchester Model 70s better...

However, once I get my feet wet on the Ruger I am rebarreling right now, I have already gotten another bolt for the 223 with a 308 boltface...

I also have a 116 Savage in 7 Rem Mag, that I have ordered a Varminter Stock from Boyd's for, and also a 308 bolt face for that one....

The two Savages are going to be stationary guns, shooting off of benches etc...

The Winchesters and Rugers are having heavy magnum contoured barrels to make them a little more of a heavier walking around varminter...a tarp and a bi pod, and off I go...

seafire,
I just bought a Savage Model 12 Long Range Varminer, right bolt left port single shot in 5X35 smc from the non-existant
Savage Custom shop. They are building them on order as a trial. No announcement, it just took a bunch of guys asking them to chamber it.

By Smalley has ordered 500,000 pieces of brass from Lapua that will be headstamped and built to the specs. Will save someone from having to fire form and neck size the brass.

I do like your idea of the switch barrel but it would frustrate me to try to dial the scope in from one caliber to the next. I am sure with a good set up and some reliable numbers you could have a set of clicks to go from one to the other. Probably isn't that tough and you could even have a target set up to verify your zero. The sage rats won't mind the wait. I am sure I would get used to it in no time.

I have a Leupold VX-III 6.5-20X40 Long Range with the Varmint hunter reticle on it . I have been using the scope on my .223 and really like it.

CustomStox:

I have found that when having calibers close in size, say going from 223 to 6 x 45, when using the same powder for both, say BLC2.. and close to the same charge weight, then there isn't much scope adjustment to do..

I have to admit, it would be just easier to put Weaver bases and dedicate a scope per caliber barrel, but you would have to be frugle on the number of barrels, or just plain rich.. to have a nice Leupold like you mention PER BARREL...

I am sure like everything, as the project moves along,I will get it all figured out...

cheers
seafire