Savage rebarreling idea/theory/curiosity

[mellogeek]

Hi there, I have read on this post for a while now... lurking... reading... learning...

Over the past couple of years I have been acquiring mainly AR type rifle/parts with a theory of using a variety of specific lower setups (different triggers, different stocks) and a variety of specific upper setups (16" - red dot/26" variety of scopes) I can have a mix and match that could provide me with a very wide variety of options to quickly configure for a particular task.

Following this theory, I am looking at a savage 110 (or long action in general). and am thinking that initially I would only have 1 barrel, but with the ease of barrel change (so I have read) I could easily change the barrel to go from 25-06 to 30-06 or 308 or 300 or longer barrel, shorter barrel. Each barrel would have a dedicated optic (or maybe more than one ex 2-7 and 6-20 that are set up with a barrel).

Now since I am using the same bolt, trigger, stock for this I should be able to put money into those things for upgrades, and all the calibers would have the same trigger, stock... feel.

I am mainly looking at this as a way to save money (I am cheap and frugal) and still have 'lots' of potential choices in caliber. I do reload (started because the <$10 box of 9mm was just too darn expensive for plinking).

I am not thinking I would be changing a barrel every day, but I know I want 270, 308, 30-06 (I know why 308 and 30-06, purely due to ammo availability, and family stockpiles depending on where I am), maybe 223 (I am currently an AR guy and have lots of those, but I would probably need to get a smaller bolt for that right?).

So do you think this is feasible, or worthwhile (I am not looking to have a benchrest 1500 yard 1" group...). My eyes are so bad, and I have such limited access at shooting over 300 yards that I most likely wont more than maybe once a year if that. Most shooting would be at the range, with the occasional food gathering (at which I currently use my dads 30-06).

thanks for the thoughts and input... have a delightful day.

 

[jon_in_wv]

Having different scopes for each barrel wouldn't be practical. The scope is attached to the receiver, not the barrel so you would have to sight it in either way. You can get the barrel with sights on it. That way it wouldn't be necessary to sight in every time. The savage also uses a bolt face that is separate from the bolt so you would only need to change the bolt face, not the whole bolt when trading calibers. You can find used take off barrels in the 50-100 dollar range and bolt faces are less than 20 bucks. You would also need the barrel wrench, action vise, and the go/no go gauges.

Honestly, If you buy new or match barrels its just as cheap to go find a used or pawned complete Savage.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Yes, you can get pre-fit barrels for all of those calibers. They should all use the same bolt face except for the 223. You will need a go-gage for each caliber and a Savage barrel nut wrench. It takes about twenty minutes to switch a barrel when you know what you are doing. The Savage Shooters forum has plenty of details.

I started down this path with Savage rifles a while ago thinking I could switch barrels, but honestly after you get one shooting so nicely, I can't bare to take it apart and swap barrels.

 

[mnnate]

.308 is a short action caliber, not a long action

 

[jpwilly]

.308 is a short action caliber, not a long action

But with a 308 bbl in the Savage 110 action it won't matter and will work.

 

[jerkface11]

That is a perfectly good idea. Although I wouldn't bother with more than one optic.

 

[jmr40]

I'm going to disagree. Between the 30-06, 270, and 308 there is not a nickles worth of difference. Pick one and since you handload you can do anything with one that you can do with the other.

If you want to be able to change barrels that is fine, but pick something that offers something the other calibers do not. For example 243, 308, and 338 Federal on a shot action. Or 25-06, 30-06, and 35 Whelen on a long action.

The idea of different optics makes more sense than different barrels to me. You could buy a rifle in 30-06 and have 2 different scopes zeroed for it. Something in a 4-12X zeroed for long range with 150 grain bullets and a smaller compact 2-7X scope zeroed at closer range for heavier bullets depending on what you are hunting. Using Weaver type rings and bases this is possible and will not be terribly expensive.