Switch BBL Custom

[Tod Soeby]

I have 3 new tubes for my LG (BAT "M"). I have a couple of questions to you guys about actualy changing the tubes. The gun was built by a top smith as were all the bbls....all by the same smith.

Lets say I have BBL "A" zeroed at XXX yards. I then switch to BBL "B". Can I assume it will shoot in at least the same zip code (assuming the trajectorys are the same)? Lets say I shoot a shot with BBL A, Then switch to B and shoot a shot, then switch back to A, and back to B...ect....shoot a five shot group with each BBL, but alternate between the BBL's between each shot......will I have 2 seperate, distinct groups, or will I have a poor shotgun pattern? I guess what I am asking is if I can predict where the gun will shoot when I switch tubes. Just dial X min up and XX min left to zero from "A" to "B". Is it possable to be that simple?

Also, how tight should it be. I took the bbl off after the match season for inspection and re-installed for hunting season. It had 1200+ rounds through it the first time and had never been off, so it took a little work to get off. When I took it off the second time for the rebuild after hunting season (about 50 more rounds) It still took a lot of work to get the tube off. I used "never-sieze" on the threads and don't remember thinking I over tightend it, but I had to take the stock off so I could slide the bbl vice all the way up to the reciever to reduce the leaverage on the action when trying to unscrew the bbl. I remember reading about screwing bbls onto custom actions....just spin 'em till they "chunk" on to the reciever. I don't think they even used the action wrench to tighten it.

I know the short range guys all have eleventeen different BBL's....from "important" match tubes to FF tubes, and everything in between, so what I am doing is nothing new.....but it is new to me.

Thanks,
Tod

 

[Chisolm]

Todd,
If the stars are all aligned you will have one 10 shot group but most likely there will be 2 distinct 5 shot groups.
You should be able to record the scope click differences between the barrels and at least be on paper when you switch barrels.
On the rare occasions that I have remembered to write down the scope clicks it has worked that way for me, usally I do not remember to write them down though.
Out of curiousity are the barrels chambered for the same cartridge or different ones?
James

 

[Tod Soeby]

Todd,
Out of curiousity are the barrels chambered for the same cartridge or different ones?
James

I will have 1 used 300 wby-.330 neck, 2 new 300 wby-.334 neck(one a Spencer 1-10 and one Braughton 5C 1-11 twist) and a 6.5 WSSM 1-8 twist.

My guess is that all 4 barrels should have more or less the same trajectory....unless one of the tubes likes a pittifly slow load (like I did last year) and the others don't.

How about how tight to have them....it shouldn't take two 1/2 men to change out a tube!!!

 

[Jeff in OH]

How about how tight to have them....it shouldn't take two 1/2 men to change out a tube!!!

Would like to know if the top smiths torque to a specific value or if it is by touch. If/when I start switching barrels around I will at least put them on to the same ft-lb every time. I've had some barrels that rattled the rafters when they broke loose. I don't believe that much torque is needed.

Will be curious to see what we get on this question.

 

[Lynn]

Tod Soeby

Tod
I had a barrel come loose at the nationals one year and my 6BR was shooting 15 inch groups at 600 yards!!!!!!!
Billy Copelin came out of the pits and said there is something real wrong with your heavygun.It is not what you want to hear at a nationals.Luckily he had a action wrench on him and got me all fixed me up.
I now carry a Harbor Freight torque wrench $20 and a 3/4 inch socket behind the seat in my truck along with the action wrench.Anything between 85-100 pounds seems to work without having to worry.
Lynn

 

[f d shuster]

Switch barrel

Tod: My recent 6BR to 308 Win. switch barrel is holding nicely with 65 ft. lbs., as advised by the gunsmith who did the work. Have a very small white paint "dot" for a reference mark where the barrel meets the receiver, and no movement.

 

[Tod Soeby]

Tod: My recent 6BR to 308 Win. switch barrel is holding nicely with 65 ft. lbs., as advised by the gunsmith who did the work. Have a very small white paint "dot" for a reference mark where the barrel meets the receiver, and no movement.

Like I said, I don't know how tight I had that bbl, but I have torked enough bolts to know it wasn't anywhere neer 100 ft/lb. I still had to take the stock off and slide the BBL vice all the way up to the action because the whole setup was moving around in the table vice. Once I slid the BBL vice closer to the action everything stayed put and it came off no problem. Maybe I just need to tighten the hell out of the table vice holding the BBL vice!!!. I am fixing up a "jig" to hold my BBL vice that fits into a standard 2" reciever hitch. Just slide the jig into the hitch, clamp down the BBL and change 'em out.........at least that is the plan. I will not even attempt to swap BBL's if I must take the BBLed action out of the stock to do it!! Life is confusing enough!!