Actions with interchangeable bolt faces or 2nd bolt?

jayquiver said:
Not sure yet, but with the costs of stocks ( Manners $1500 TO $2000), Scopes ($2500 to $3500 Nightforce), Actions ($1500 and up) I would like to future proof myself and also have 2 setups to hunt and ring steel with, and buy barrels when needed.

For the SA - I have a Defiance Classic (new in box) with 308 bolt face. Will most likely buy a barrel in s 6 or 6.5 Creedmoor for it, this will be used ALOT for shooting and hunting. Would like something smaller like a 223 or similar - will need another bolt or bolt face.

For the LA I think I could get away with just a mag bolt face. Run a 7 PRC or 300 PRC and with the Hawkins Hunter mag and mag spacer kit I could run a 6.5 PRC or 7 saum.

I do thinking have a SA and LA set up is about perfect! Which complicates things as I currently I own a Defiance XM (med action in 7 saum) which I could sell to fund a LA with Mag bolt face.

I have a Manners Pro Hunter Adjustable Stock, on order for the SA. If I really like that stock I may order one in a LA and sell the 7 Saum.
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The "smaller" solution is unnecessary. There are smaller cartridges that use the 308 boltface, such as a 6 BR and 22 BR.
For comparison, a 223 is about 25 grains of powder, and a 6 BR is about 29 grains of powder. There is almost no component cost savings to shooting 223 versus 6 BR, and it saves you having to buy new shell holders and a new bolt/boltface. Also, 6BR is a more accurate cartridge with better velocity SD.
 
Budweiser360 said:
IMO there is just about no such thing as future proofing, especially a hobby. Your tastes will change, your needs will change, your life circumstances will change, you'll get tired of keeping track of 6 different barrels for one action with multiple bolts and scope zeros for each barrel etc..
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Hammer on nail right there.
While the theory is appealing I think the reality is once the novelty wears off one barrel would stay in place for a long time.
This was a peripheral reason why I never proceeded with a Tikka build (yet..boredom and curiosity is only being restrained by fiscal responsibility).
 
adamg said:
The "smaller" solution is unnecessary. There are smaller cartridges that use the 308 boltface, such as a 6 BR and 22 BR.
For comparison, a 223 is about 25 grains of powder, and a 6 BR is about 29 grains of powder. There is almost no component cost savings to shooting 223 versus 6 BR, and it saves you having to buy new shell holders and a new bolt/boltface. Also, 6BR is a more accurate cartridge with better velocity SD.
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6BR is crazy fun to shoot because it is so effortlessly accurate. It has little recoil, doesn't heat up the barrel and won't consume the throat.
 
I have decided to go with a second bolt.

Next question...

For barrel swapping is there much difference (time, effort, consistancy) between using a pinned recoil lug on a Defiance vs a integral recoil lug? Just wondering if it matters in the process of swapping barrels?
 
I can see the attraction to the 223 bf if your not going to reload for it and have a source for good, cheap ammo. But if you going to reload 223 you might as well just do a 22 br variant of some kind and save yourself the extra money.
I think the barrel swap idea sounds good in theory but you will end up not using it as much as it's worth. And wish you just setup two different rifles.
If you do proceed, do shouldered barrels and make it so you can pull the barrel without removing the scope and stock/chassis. To do so you can't have a tapered barrel channel.
This will be closest you get to being able to swap the barrel out ,hopefully have your sight offsets recorded and be close to zero.
 
jayquiver said:
I have decided to go with a second bolt.

Next question...

For barrel swapping is there much difference (time, effort, consistancy) between using a pinned recoil lug on a Defiance vs a integral recoil lug? Just wondering if it matters in the process of swapping barrels?
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It MAY only be a concern if you bedded a conventional stock and haven't relieved the sides and bottom of the lug enough and the pins have a slight amount of play. Time, effort, consistency will be the same either way, no difference. If you use a standard chassis, it will be never be an issue
 
Budweiser360 said:
It MAY only be a concern if you bedded a conventional stock and haven't relieved the sides and bottom of the lug enough and the pins have a slight amount of play. Time, effort, consistency will be the same either way, no difference. If you use a standard chassis, it will be never be an issue
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Its going into a Manner Pro Hunter with Micro Chassis. From your post I think this wouldn't be an issue?
 
joehunt said:
I can see the attraction to the 223 bf if your not going to reload for it and have a source for good, cheap ammo. But if you going to reload 223 you might as well just do a 22 br variant of some kind and save yourself the extra money.
I think the barrel swap idea sounds good in theory but you will end up not using it as much as it's worth. And wish you just setup two different rifles.
If you do proceed, do shouldered barrels and make it so you can pull the barrel without removing the scope and stock/chassis. To do so you can't have a tapered barrel channel.
This will be closest you get to being able to swap the barrel out ,hopefully have your sight offsets recorded and be close to zero.
Click to expand...
Hi have a 308 bolt face now. 2nd bolt would have a magnum bolt face - I don't think I would need a 223 bf for what I want to do with it.

I have thought about how much I may swap barrels but with cost of scopes, stocks, actions etc...it seems like a good option to have 2 or more barrel/cartridge options to cover all my hunting. This would also free up some cash to build a precision rifle, on a totally different platform in the near future.
 
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