What's it take to put a new barrel on a target 6.5cm?

[gun'sRgood]

When I got my 6.5cm target. It came with a carbon fiber barrel. I don't seem to hear much good about these. It was the "Bomb" at the time. If I recall, there was a lot about getting the receiver and barrel in alignment?

 

[12Bravo20]

What action does your rifle use?

If the action is based on either the Remington 700 or the Savage 10/110 actions, then swapping barrels is pretty easy to do. With either type of action it is a matter of removing the barrel nut, swapping the barrels, reinstalling the barrel nut, and setting the proper headspace. You will want the correct tools along with Go and NOGO gauges for setting the headspace correctly.

 

[edwardware]

I'm not familiar with a manufacturer doing business as "Target". If you'd like meaningful feedback, you should specify the model and manufacturer of your rifle.

 

[N555]

If it's a 700, 700 clone, winchester, ruger take it to a gun smith.
Those have to have the barrel installed and head spaced, need a lathe.
The only one you could change your self with out advanced gunsmith tools is a savage.
Yeah I looked at those carbon fiber barrels very briefly. Figured they only belonged on 22lr, etc.

 

[LoonWulf]

If it's a 700, 700 clone, winchester, ruger take it to a gun smith.
Those have to have the barrel installed and head spaced, need a lathe.
The only one you could change your self with out advanced gunsmith tools is a savage.
Yeah I looked at those carbon fiber barrels very briefly. Figured they only belonged on 22lr, etc.

Not necessarily true anymore, plenty of nutted options available for the 700s and options for the others as well.

Carbon wrapped barrels are also pretty common now, every major offers a model in carbon i believe (tho ill admit, ive made no study of the mater.)


Second to last 700 i assembled used a prefit Christensen carbon barrel. Only specialized tools i used were the reamer and headspace gauges.

 

[N555]

A nutted 700? Are these custom or common?
If you have a lathe and enough time anything is possible.
I know a guy that's a 700 fan boi and never mentioned it, is it blasphemy?

 

[gun'sRgood]

Rainer built this. It's #28. They don't make them anymore. How do I tell? Thx.

 

[Walkalong]

A nutted 700? Are these custom or common?
If you have a lathe and enough time anything is possible.
I know a guy that's a 700 fan boi and never mentioned it, is it blasphemy?

Some actions these days are so precise you can get "prefit" barrels for them.

Semi Custom I guess. A 700 "clone" (footprint) action. Prefit barrel, barrel vise, action wrench, bingo.

 

[Varminterror]

@gun’srgood - send a closer picture of your action.

That kinda looks like a Defiance Tenacity action. Depending upon how old it is, it may or may not accept prefit shouldered barrels - new Tenacities do, old ones do not.

$385 for a Bartlein blank, $350 for a smith to thread, chamber, and muzzle thread. Done.

 

[Varminterror]

A nutted 700? Are these custom or common?

Both custom and common. “Remage” barrels have been around for a long, long time. So named because they are emulating a Savage barrel nut design on a Remington action. Nutted barrels are available for almost every action on the market these days; any action which doesn’t have an extractor cut. Remage was the first non-Savage I ever heard about being made, but they’re old news now, has to be 20yrs, at least.

Shouldered prefits, however, are a better idea - these require precisely machined actions which all share common thread, face, lug, and bolt dimensions. Terminus, Seekins, Impact, Tikka, Defiance, Bat, Bighorn, and I’m sure more brands have all adopted “headspace controlled” feature for their actions, such they all accept prefit shouldered barrels.

 

[Pivot Dr]

When I got my 6.5cm target. It came with a carbon fiber barrel. I don't seem to hear much good about these. It was the "Bomb" at the time. If I recall, there was a lot about getting the receiver and barrel in alignment?

Just money, sky’s the limit!

 

[JDeere]

I sent a Model 700 to McGowen for a custom barrel and it was a little over 500 bucks. I only needed to do one so I did not want to invest in tools. It was a 20 week wait but worth it. I had others to shoot during it's absence...

 

[N555]

You are probably looking at a power custom set probably get a bbl wrench, receiver vise protector, 2 sets of blocks that alone runs about $500, maybe chamber finish reamer, all finishing reams start at about $100 now.
Set of go and no-go gauges runs about $100. If you're a bad arse and can walk the head spacing in about a half thousandth a time you can get away with just a go gauge and a FL sized case. I'll use a FL sized case as a "keep going gauge".
Assuming you don't need a lathe.
Yeah $500 is a deal.

 

[Varminterror]

You are probably looking at a power custom set probably get a bbl wrench, receiver vise protector, 2 sets of blocks that alone runs about $500, maybe chamber finish reamer, all finishing reams start at about $100 now.
Set of go and no-go gauges runs about $100. If you're a bad arse and can walk the head spacing in about a half thousandth a time you can get away with just a go gauge and a FL sized case. I'll use a FL sized case as a "keep going gauge".
Assuming you don't need a lathe.
Yeah $500 is a deal.

It seems as if you haven’t done this before, and (like many of your posts) are attempting to make something simple into something apparently prohibitively complex and expensive.

Lots of options out there:

Again, shouldered prefits which require nothing more than a $75-100 action wrench and a $80-100 barrel vise can be installed like screwing in a lightbulb. Under $200 as a one time cost and a bit of high torque grease, done in an hour, and no cost for future barrels.

Nutted prefits can be installed with the same barrel vise and a $40 barrel nut wrench, and a headspace gauge can be rented for $35. Under $200 with most of it as one time cost, $35 per new barrel thereafter, and again, done in an hour. A lot of guys use sized brass or factory ammo to set their headspace instead of renting gauges.

Short chambered barrels aren’t as popular as they once were, but reamer rentals are $40, and pull through kits are pretty cheap (sometimes available for rent), again, renting the gauges and using the same wrench and vise mentioned above - $300 with $200 as one time costs, and only the reamer and gauge rentals recurring for future installs.

And of course, as mentioned above, a gunsmith will typically charge around $300-400 for threading, chambering, and muzzle threading a contoured blank.

 

[gun'sRgood]

Some actions these days are so precise you can get "prefit" barrels for them.

Semi Custom I guess. A 700 "clone" (footprint) action. Prefit barrel, barrel vise, action wrench, bingo.
View attachment 1132484 View attachment 1132485 View attachment 1132486

Where do I get a Bingo? That vice looks like Harbor Freight might have 'um on sale? Geeeze, the Wife's gonna kill me!

 

[gun'sRgood]

@gun’srgood - send a closer picture of your action.

That kinda looks like a Defiance Tenacity action. Depending upon how old it is, it may or may not accept prefit shouldered barrels - new Tenacities do, old ones do not.

$385 for a Bartlein blank, $350 for a smith to thread, chamber, and muzzle thread. Done.

Yeah, I'll do a close up. Thx. Guess "done" and "bingo" are gun tech talk....

 

[Walkalong]

That vice looks like Harbor Freight might have 'um on sale?

Sure.................

It's a very old Craftsman vice under that plate with an ARCA mounting base and barrel vice from Short Action Customs. Overkill a bit, but nice, and versatile.

 

[gun'sRgood]

Both custom and common. “Remage” barrels have been around for a long, long time. So named because they are emulating a Savage barrel nut design on a Remington action. Nutted barrels are available for almost every action on the market these days; any action which doesn’t have an extractor cut. Remage was the first non-Savage I ever heard about being made, but they’re old news now, has to be 20yrs, at least.

Shouldered prefits, however, are a better idea - these require precisely machined actions which all share common thread, face, lug, and bolt dimensions. Terminus, Seekins, Impact, Tikka, Defiance, Bat, Bighorn, and I’m sure more brands have all adopted “headspace controlled” feature for their actions, such they all accept prefit shouldered barrels.

As usual, awesome! Thx. Don't know if you can tell without better photo's but, Can this rifle/action, undergo the ^^^ mentioned machining?

 

[gun'sRgood]

It seems as if you haven’t done this before, and (like many of your posts) are attempting to make something simple into something apparently prohibitively complex and expensive.

Lots of options out there:

Again, shouldered prefits which require nothing more than a $75-100 action wrench and a $80-100 barrel vise can be installed like screwing in a lightbulb. Under $200 as a one time cost and a bit of high torque grease, done in an hour, and no cost for future barrels.

Nutted prefits can be installed with the same barrel vise and a $40 barrel nut wrench, and a headspace gauge can be rented for $35. Under $200 with most of it as one time cost, $35 per new barrel thereafter, and again, done in an hour. A lot of guys use sized brass or factory ammo to set their headspace instead of renting gauges.

Short chambered barrels aren’t as popular as they once were, but reamer rentals are $40, and pull through kits are pretty cheap (sometimes available for rent), again, renting the gauges and using the same wrench and vise mentioned above - $300 with $200 as one time costs, and only the reamer and gauge rentals recurring for future installs.

And of course, as mentioned above, a gunsmith will typically charge around $300-400 for threading, chambering, and muzzle threading a contoured blank.

I guess your correct. I hold a handful of degrees from USC, worked my ass off for years and got to retire comfortably designing corporations. I wanted to try my hand at muzzle devices and other gun parts so I bought a mill and a gunsmith lathe. Problem solving has always been a passion, not a road block. The sage advice you have provided me has been invaluable in my quest to hit that darn "X". I have yet to find any of my hobbies prohibitively complex or financially straining. I only wish I had the time to spend for this adventure as I wish I had for all my hobbies. Your help with custom ammo is pretty much useless if the gun is not capable. This seems to be the next obvious course of action? I'm considering a new barrel. However, I'm also considering just acquiring a new rifle. At the time of this purchase, an AI was my choice. But it had a build time of several months. So is it a baby and the bathwater issue or a new baby? Either way, I really appreciate your words and time. Thx.

 

[N555]

It seems as if you haven’t done this before, and (like many of your posts) are attempting to make something simple into something apparently prohibitively complex and expensive.

Lots of options out there:

Again, shouldered prefits which require nothing more than a $75-100 action wrench and a $80-100 barrel vise can be installed like screwing in a lightbulb. Under $200 as a one time cost and a bit of high torque grease, done in an hour, and no cost for future barrels.

Nutted prefits can be installed with the same barrel vise and a $40 barrel nut wrench, and a headspace gauge can be rented for $35. Under $200 with most of it as one time cost, $35 per new barrel thereafter, and again, done in an hour. A lot of guys use sized brass or factory ammo to set their headspace instead of renting gauges.

Short chambered barrels aren’t as popular as they once were, but reamer rentals are $40, and pull through kits are pretty cheap (sometimes available for rent), again, renting the gauges and using the same wrench and vise mentioned above - $300 with $200 as one time costs, and only the reamer and gauge rentals recurring for future installs.

And of course, as mentioned above, a gunsmith will typically charge around $300-400 for threading, chambering, and muzzle threading a contoured blank.

I call doing that right, striving for perfection not half assing it and maybe even learning something along the way.
Yeah I should have known 700s would have cheaper sources for tools.
Plus I didn't make it more expensive. I made my own power custom wrench and vice protector. All in had to buy was power custom inserts and some long 7/16 grade 8 bolts. As that was the only option I could find for taking apart a mini14.
To get barrel nut setup I would probably go with a savage since I can just get power custom receiver blocks for almost anything and blanks to make anything in could want.
I needed 5.56 go and no-go gauges for mixing and matching AR15 barrels and bolts. As I already found messed up head spacing can at least make for very poor accuracy.

 

[Varminterror]

Still no idea why you’re pretending this is so complicated. The PC vise blocks are $40 per set, not $500. What a waste of time…

 

[gun'sRgood]

Still no idea why you’re pretending this is so complicated. The PC vise blocks are $40 per set, not $500. What a waste of time…

I'm not and it's my time. You are a welcomed source and entertaining. You are also one of the many. Mostly communications with people I know are those who actually design, test and manufacture products. I know the CEO of the company that made my barrel. I have met and have known folks in these positions for years. They are my primary source of information. However, sites such as these, are lots of fun. There are so many interesting people and getting to know the knowledge base amongst the consumer in comparison to what the marketing departments of the manufacture's believe it to be is fascinating. In my earlier years I thought I was king of the knowledge hill. Gratefully, humility allowed me to look up and see a vast crowd of true intellects. To you, nothing but respect. I only hope you do not feel your intellect, Hx and time have been a wast

Sure.................

It's a very old Craftsman vice under that plate with an ARCA mounting base and barrel vice from Short Action Customs. Overkill a bit, but nice, and versatile.

I'd love to spend a day with you in your gunroom! Thx.
e of time. Thx.

 

[Walkalong]

Sounds like you have to means to buy whatever you want, and since you are interested in changing your own barrels, whether changing same case head calibers, or simply replacing worn out barrels, I would suggest one of the actions that barrel makers like Proof make prefits for, and naturally many places on the net offer prefits for these actions however you want them made.

Actions like Impact, Defiance etc.

Search prefit barrels for one of those actions and it will open up a whole new world. They are not the only two actions that you can buy prefits for of course, but they at two of the best.

Some more actions

Curtis

https://masterpiecearms.com/cat/mpa-bolt-action/mpa-ba-rifles/pmr-rifles/

https://www.gaprecision.net/

 

[N555]

Still no idea why you’re pretending this is so complicated. The PC vise blocks are $40 per set, not $500. What a waste of time…

Now you are just making up BS so you can claim you were right about something.
I never said the blocks alone were $500. That's the price for the whole set, wrench, a block vise or block protector and 2 sets of blocks will run up to around 500, especially with sales tax, shipping.
That's why I made my own wrench and vise protector.

 

[gun'sRgood]

Sounds like you have to means to buy whatever you want, and since you are interested in changing your own barrels, whether changing same case head calibers, or simply replacing worn out barrels, I would suggest one of the actions that barrel makers like Proof make prefits for, and naturally many places on the net offer prefits for these actions however you want them made.

Actions like Impact, Defiance etc.

Search prefit barrels for one of those actions and it will open up a whole new world. They are not the only two actions that you can buy prefits for of course, but they at two of the best.

Some more actions

Curtis

https://masterpiecearms.com/cat/mpa-bolt-action/mpa-ba-rifles/pmr-rifles/

https://www.gaprecision.net/

This is awesome! The next post was going to be, "what barrel would you choose?" You are a sage mind reader! Thanks! I kinda figured I get responses as varied as if I were to ask, "What's better, a 9mm or a .45?" M

Now you are just making up BS so you can claim you were right about something.
I never said the blocks alone were $500. That's the price for the whole set, wrench, a block vise or block protector and 2 sets of blocks will run up to around 500, especially with sales tax, shipping.
That's why I made my own wrench and vise protector.

Please, don't do this. He's very knowledgeable as are you. We are all in this together with more days behind us than those ahead. No time for this. It's just not worth it. I thoroughly enjoy your thoughts, knowledge and advice. Thx.
any appreciations!