Multiple Barrels for Remington 700 Action

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  • Swaim13

    Active Member
    Jun 11, 2017
    327
    Random thought popped into my head so I figured I would ask, if I were to take a Remington 700 and utilize a remage barrel system, could I frequently replace barrels back and forth between calibers? Say one day I wanted to shoot 308, I install that barrel and headspace it, make sure I am using the correct bolt face, and then go shoot. The next week I wanted to use a 223 so I swap the barrel and bolt, head space it, and then shoot and just go back and forth depending on what I want to shoot that week?

    Will this be bad for the threading on the barrels and or action? Can I utilize multiple bolts on the same action or will that lead to issues with the bolt lugs as I would need to use one bolt for 223 and a different bolt for 308?

    I want to try out several calibers and rather than buying a new rifle each time, was interested if a new barrel and headspace gauges could be used. I would only be using short action based cartridges. This would allow me to keep the optic (although I would have to re-zero it every time), trigger, and stock the same and allow me to try different cartridges where the only difference is the barrel and cartridge.
     

    BradMacc82

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Aug 17, 2011
    26,177
    With a Remage, as I understand it, yes you could swap around at will. I'm more familiar with Savages, so I couldn't say if it'd be a wise move to have multiple bolts for 1 receiver.
     

    E.Shell

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 5, 2007
    10,244
    Mid-Merlind
    Random thought popped into my head so I figured I would ask, if I were to take a Remington 700 and utilize a remage barrel system, could I frequently replace barrels back and forth between calibers? Say one day I wanted to shoot 308, I install that barrel and headspace it, make sure I am using the correct bolt face, and then go shoot. The next week I wanted to use a 223 so I swap the barrel and bolt, head space it, and then shoot and just go back and forth depending on what I want to shoot that week?

    Will this be bad for the threading on the barrels and or action? Can I utilize multiple bolts on the same action or will that lead to issues with the bolt lugs as I would need to use one bolt for 223 and a different bolt for 308?

    I want to try out several calibers and rather than buying a new rifle each time, was interested if a new barrel and headspace gauges could be used. I would only be using short action based cartridges. This would allow me to keep the optic (although I would have to re-zero it every time), trigger, and stock the same and allow me to try different cartridges where the only difference is the barrel and cartridge.
    A good gunsmith could set up several barrels with the same headspace, pin your recoil lug and you could swap barrels with a couple strap wrenches.

    You won't need headspace gauges, because you cannot adjust it yourself. If the gunsmith fits it, it will always come back to correct headspace if the same bolt and torque value are used.

    When you start swapping bolts, it wouldn't be that hard to keep up with if that was all there was to it, but a mag box change usually goes with the boltface.

    If you go through similar families of cartridges, like .243, , 6CM, 6.5 CM, .260 & ,308, you can share mag boxes and bolts, so it's only a barrel swap.

    Though I realize it's not in your plan, if you go to a magnum cartridge, you'll need a bolt and possibly the longer action, because even the "short mags" are happier in a long action.

    Go to a .223, yet another bolt face and a very different mag box configuration.

    Replacement bolts are available through PTG, but require fitting/timing and are not cheap.

    Were I faced with this, I would (did) get different rifles in various calibers with a Picatinny rail, and just swap scope/ring assemblies if a scope shortage is the issue. I went through this with a pair of TC Contender frames and about 12 different barrels and I'd rather just have dedicated setup for each caliber.

    I'd also suggest researching your cartridge choices against your proposed usage and you may see that there are only a couple that overlap enough to even be competitors for your attention.
     

    4g64loser

    Bad influence
    Jan 18, 2007
    6,381
    maryland
    I shoot switch barrel rifles (one is a RemAge using tubes from Northland Shooters Supply, they a great folks), and I can say that most of the time I just leave a given barrel in for a while. My primary varmint gun has tubes in three chamberings but all share a boltface size (.473). I am not much for swapping bolts in a receiver (this statement goes only for factory receivers) as this often requires, as Ed mentioned, changing out magazine box, follower, spring, and spacer block. If you are dead set on a switch barrel, switch bolt face, rig, I strongly suggest that you start with a custom receiver designed to support that goal such as a Bighorn TL3 or an ARC Nucleus. You can swap bolt faces on either action rapidly and the tolerances on the action are such that all you need is a bolt face in the appropriate size. A gentleman named Josh Kunz up at Patriot Valley Arms can set up a Nucleus for you with an attachment called a BarLoc that will enable in-the-field barrel changes. He can also set you up with the barrels you need.
     

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