Happened on an article online last night on real guns. http://www.realguns.com/articles/263.htm

Talked about a switch barrel Mini Mauser work done by Dennis Olsen. They admit since the action must be removed from the stock it is not a field type swap.

Anyone have any information or have tried something like this?

I didn't read the whole article, but my Interarms came as a 7.62X39, became a 270X39AI(270 PPC), and is now a 220 Russian. All using the original mag box and follower. I can change barrels and load the appropriate ammo and shoot. It does take a scope adjustment.

Do you have some type of quick change system? Locking screw or just use something like a strap wrench to snug up the barrel?

I do have to take the barreled receiver out of the stock and use a barrel vise to change barrels.
I have no need for a 1/4 turn quick change, but I do have a portable vise for the range if I ever decided I needed to do that.

Here is my feeling on TD rifles; if you want a true take down, then make it a quick change barrel system. Otherwise, just get another rifle. You can use a set screw to hold the barrels in place.
Switch barrels? Impractical to me.

dpcd for the most part I agree with you.

To me a quick TD never made much since the rifle would need to be sighted in anyway.

When I first started and $$ were real tight. I tried to build use from varmint to elk just changing bullets. Then I started adding rifles to cover all the bases and wants.

Just bought a mini barreled action in 7.62. Guessing 90+% of the time it is going to be something like a 6.5 or 6 Grendal. Just a wild hair that once in a great while a 358 something might be fun to play with. Hog from the blind in TX (yes I know the Grendal would do that fine)

Probably won't happen just read the article and got my old brain turning.

Have more rifles now than I use just looking at a way to have an option without needing to find extra space in the safe.

Darn Butch that is a nice looking rifle.

In that case just fit two barrels and change them in that once in a great while.

Kind of my thought. Just thinking of an easy way to insure headspace without using a gauge. Probably overthinking it. Us a strap and just snug it up would probably be plenty.

Might make a lot of sense in places where owning more firearms is hard but for me I just by more guns also.

I know I know. You guys are starting to sound like my wife. She say you want it buy it. Need more space get another safe.

Not sure I can remember another combinations.

I change barrels on my BR rifles quite often and I'm able to hold headspace to? Brass always interchanges and has just a light touch closing the bolt.

This is the tooling that I use to check both headspace and bolt nose clearance.
I take my previously chambered barrel and install the headspace gauge and screw on the checking tool with the headspace gauge in the chamber and check the mic reading. I do the same with the valve looking tool to measure bolt nose clearance. Now I chamber the new barrel to match. Pretty neat and easy. There are 12 lines around the tool. When I'm checking headspace on the old barrel I see which line that lines up with the lettering on the barrel. Now I can engrave the new lettering in the same place on the new barrel.



This could be done on other rifles if you make a tool to fit your receiver. Also, I don't need a rifle or the barrel to do a replacement barrel for anybody that I may have chambered one for in the past.

quote:

If your barrel is against the receiver, then you are good. Tightening it will only decrease it by .003 or so.

I knew I was totally overthinking this from the get go.

I should have simply had another and thought it through. I knew the answer just wasn't thinking.

After all that probably should just buy the second rifle.

quote:

After all that probably should just buy the second rifle.

For the price of most 2nd barrels on a switch barrel one you can buy a 2nd rifle one cheaper

I built a takedown/switch barrell on a Mauser 98.

No tools required for takedown. Talley QD mounts. Just take off scope, pull a button under the forend and screw out the barrel. Does not require resighting after barrel is removed and replaced. Headspace after about 600 rounds is spot on.

Why ??? Mostly because I wanted one.

Is the takedown feature practical .......... Yes. Because it requires no tools and does not need rezeroing after replacing barrel.

If you have a second scope, zeroed for your second barrel, swapping barrels and maintaining zero shouldn't be a problem. Just use the barrel's appropriate scope.

.300 Wby Mag is too big for most of what I shoot. But ....... I wanted one.

.375 Wby Mag barrel to follow (because cartridge dimensions are near identical for feeding out of same magazine with same bolt).

You soon get tired of taking it down to show people but it is great to travel with.....and it's nifty.

I'd do it again. Next time it will be a shortened Mauser 98 action in .243 (or .22/250) and .308.

Although the work to convert them to takedown isn't complicated if you have to take it to a gunsmith to do it will be expensive. In that case it may be cheaper to buy a second rifle........but that wasn't the point when I did mine (1999).

I don't consider a takedown that requires tools to takedown and rezeroing after replacing the barrel to be practical. But if you've got one of those and are happy that's fine.

Ramrod "don't die wondering". If you want one get one.

I appreciate all the comments.

I kind of break my ideas into "NEEDS" "WANTS" and "interest" . I then work on the assumption that if an idea stays around in this swiss cheese mind for a couple of weeks then "interest" is probably really a "want or even a need"

Here I haven't decided 100% what the first caliber on the mini is going to be. So for sure it is till only and "interest".I did mount the barreled action into a factory stock picked up to boxes of brass cased ammo. Now just waiting on some bases so I can go play with it.

Machine shop skills not my high point. Yes I could thread, mount and chamber a rifle. Drill tap and replace a bolt handle. Even did blueing. Major machining not a chance. Nice job on the Winchester.

dpcd,

Pleased to see that you went along the lines of the original winchester takedowns.

My next takedown is a Model 92 Winchester. I cheated and bought takedown plate and magazine tube (complete) from Taylor Firearms far too cheaply to begin to build them.

I have a Winchester 92 in 45 Colt (Original Winchester barrell made by Miroku) with a pistol grip stock which will now get the takedown treatment.

Great little feral hog stomper with Hornady XTPs.

T/D rifles are something one can leave intact most the time.
i.e.; For a lot of hunting/travelling situations and general storage, theres no need to disassemble a T/D rifle.

Then on those occasions When one really needs to fit the rig into very limited space on small aircraft, ones then can use the T/D feature.
then check/tune the sighting of the resembled rig in camp (if necessary) and get to doing your hunting for however many days or weeks.

ITs designed primarily as a practical feature, not a novelty to demonstrate to any/all friends that visit ones home,
nor to use the feature to posture onself at the rifle range, each time one goes.

Outside of necessary compact travel or demonstrating the feature to a genuine serious prospective purchaser,
you can otherwise leave the t/d rifle in one piece-accurately sighted and ready to hunt with.

but I know boys will be boys and will like to play with the thing from time to time...

quote:

T/D rifles are something one can leave intact most the time.i.e.; For a lot of hunting/travelling situations and general storage, theres no need to disassemble a T/D rifle.Then on those occasions When one really needs to fit the rig into very limited space on small aircraft, ones then can use the T/D feature.then check/tune the sighting of the resembled rig in camp (if necessary) and get to doing your hunting for however many days or weeks.ITs designed primarily as a practical feature, not a novelty to demonstrate to any/all friends that visit ones home,nor to use the feature to posture onself at the rifle range, each time one goes

Maybe I need more but you are breaking out a T/D vs a switch. I see a T/D for exactly what you describe. I see a switch barrel as one that you swap out the barrel. Often it must be removed from the stock, normally it doesn't really break down that compact.

So in my simple old brain. A T/D is normally for what you describe. A T/D could also be in fact be a switch barrel but "probably not normally"

A switch barrel wouldn't normally be considered a T/D.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
Maybe I need more but you are breaking out a T/D vs a switch.

Yes I am cause someone others before me started posting on T/Ds when your actual thread subject is plain jane - switch barrel.
SO i just thought i would add a bit about actual T/D rifles.

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Originally posted by dpcd:
Exactly; TDs and switch barrels are two completely different animals with different purposes.

completely Different??....well nOT entirely,

Some people purchase T/D rifles with add. switch barrels, not primarily for travel compactness,
but simply for having the versatility of different calibre options in just one rifle...just like ordinary switch barrel rifles owners do, right?
(some have switch barrel T/Ds rigs and have rarely ,or never used the other additional barrel in yrs)

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Yet a switch barrel T/D rig is not that different in purpose to a plain switch barrel rifle.

Nope it for sure has more CLASS

I consider a "switch barrel" to be a takedown with two (or more) different barrels easily interchangeable. Common bolt faces and magazines being preferable...though I think there are some out there that change those when changing barrels.

If you've got to take the action and barrel out of the stock and use a barrel vise and action wrench to change the barrel how is it different to any other firearm that has a removable (meaning not one peice with the action) barrel ???? and a second barrel fitted and headspaced to that action ???

I know some benchrest guns can be "switch barrels" however they usually don't have tightly inletted forends nor magazines to deal with. Therefore a change of bolt is also feasible.

quote:

I consider a "switch barrel" to be a takedown with two (or more) different barrels easily interchangeable. Common bolt faces and magazines being preferable...though I think there are some out there that change those when changing barrels.

Hey years ago I had a switch barrel with about 6 or 7 different barrels. Never thought of it that way. Was playing with my PDK wildcats and couldn't afford multiple actions so simply pulled the barrel and installed the next. Now that I think if it I have that action in my go to hunting rifle. but several of it's barrels were tossed, reused or now mounted in actions of there own.

I guess you can get into if it is hand tight with a set screw vs just a little tighter using a strap wrench vs REAL tight and a barrel block.

To me the class act is the ones that the forearm goes with the barrel and it breaks down for a small case. The Dakota comes to mind I'm sure there are plenty of others.

Switch barrels are not take downs by any definition. If that were the case, then any Savage bolt rifle can be a take down because you can easily "switch" the barrels,
Not the same thing at all. Take downs need to be done without tools. By my definition. Different purposes.
And yes, TDs are "class"; Switch barrels; less so.

I think the separation between T/D and "switch barrel" gets into semantics AND the vs thing is always inherent in ANYTHING posted on these forums ...something like I, say "Potato", you say "Patato".

You can take dp's 94 and add another barrel/caliber assembly and it would become a "T/D-switch barrel" would it not.

I ran into the Savage accuracy problems way back and started looking for a fairly simple solution if one could be found.

I ended up just recutting a Savage SA receiver threads half a thread depth deeper/oversize (set the receiver up in a spider), turned a mandrel to fit the bolt raceway and set up on corrected centers, then cleaned up the OD of the receiver and cut the barrel threads to a close fit, then headspaced to a case color coded as the headspace gauge and didn't use a nut.

I chambered two 22" #3 contour Douglas air gauged barrels, a 223 and a 308, built two bolts from all the Savage spare parts I have, cut a flat on the bottom of each barrel and made a wrench to fit and also chopped the heck out of a plastic stock(ugly but it works).

I carry that setup(with scope) and other essential/required tools/items, in my vehicle stuffed away out of sight in nooks and crannies with the wrench, a two lb plastic hammer, and ammo.

Not counting digging them out, I can assemble/reassemble the shooter in ~5 minutes give or take, without hurrying and so far after quite a few "test" assembly/targeting, both barrels have stayed within ~1" of center and 2" high. This setup has worked for me for ~30 odd years and only once went titzup when the scope puked.

This barrel swapping doesn't always work without some consideration...if you witness mark the barrel/receiver/nut for EACH barrel you want to swap you can get back very close to center with any swap...this isn't something that very many do....many didn't/don't know HOW to do it... ALL my Savage barrels are witness marked, the scopes adjustments are noted for specific loads/cartridges, etc and while targeting is required most times, if you know what it's all about you can be centered to a specific drop for hunting purposes within maybe 300 yds with one or two shots.

Hardly anyone switches barrel in the field, even me, for the most part, except for experimental purposes. I just take several rifles to cover the field, but with a modicum of effort ANYONE can have a neat setup it they want to...always discounting the naysayers.

The scope is set for the 308 with 165 gr Hornady SP's with 45 gr Varget at ~2600 fs, the adjustments are zero's out and the scope readjustments are noted for 26.0 gr WW748/military surplus ammo 55 gr/bullet.

It takes only a slight tap with the hammer wrench to loosen the barrels, and a half turn wrist snap to lock them onto the receiver.

What I did isn't something new, people were doing 60 years ago at benchrest event with a bit more effort.

You DON'T need a barrel vise to do this in the field, although if you want to go King Kong on the barrel nut you might need a set of vises AND a 3 foot snipe.

So WHAT would you call my setup...a switch barrel...YES...a T/D...YES...a T/D-Switch barrel...YES...a morpho-dyte...DEFINITELY...USEFUL...ABSOLUTELY...something for everyone...a very definite...NO

I had plans to do a LA for both standard and mag cases but life has a habit of screwing up the plans of mice and men, doesn't it.

I understand...semantics again in my view...what has tools got to do with whether it is defined as a T/D, a barrel swap or just making pieces and parts?...but if you need a definition and that is it...What the Hey...it works for you and that is what matters to you....we all need parameters to be comfortable.

I have a Savage 99, 300 Savage 26" bbl take down, defined by Savage as a TAKE DOWN MODEL 99. It is factory custom made with a 12" stock, curved butt plate and marked under the plate. Just pull down the latch on the very skinny forend, pull it off and out comes the barrel.

I would like to do a T/D 250 Savage barrel for it but I doubt that will happen. It has been taken apart so many times and shot so many times that I had to shim the barrel/receiver junction by 0.007" to take out the wobble and the muzzle had to be recrowned. I installed a tang sight and it shoots great now...but definitely NOT bench rest quality but ~4" or so at 125 yds with my cataract blurry eye.

I could stretch the point a bit and say my THUMB is acting like a tool...and it IS in the modern biological sense as defined by some evolutionary biologists... n'est-ce pas?...but splitting infinitives or too narrow, finely defined...is only interesting to English majors.

Basically depends on whether you are a "lumper" or a "splitter" when it comes to definitions of "things".

A tempest in a tea cup as, in the real world, who gives a hoot "WHAT is a T/D vs a barrel swap"...many have no clue and those that do have their own thoughts.