Rifle Barrel Swapping - Tikka T3

[SwamperT]

Wondering if anyone has advise on swapping out barrels on the Tikka T3 .30 06?

I am trying to decide if it would be practical - or even safe to switch out my .30 06 barrel to a .22 250?
I want to go yote hunting but dont have an appropriate rifle to do that, so it's either buy another gun or could this work?

Do I also need to change the bolt, and magazine?
Can I do it myself?
What tools would I need?
Are there certain specifications I need to ensure are followed - checked?

 

[mikeelliot]

You can buy a T3 22-250 for $600.
You can swap barrels, any gunsmith can do it, you would need a short action mag for the 22-250.

If you aren’t setup to headspace and torque a barrel have it done...

 

[BCBRAD]

I have 3 Tikka T3's barreled, 280 ai, and 2, 6 Dashers.

Plan on spending ~$1000 for a good barrel, chambering and installation.

The T3 with a YoDave spring will be competetive on the 1000 yard line.

The T3 is an excellent donor, no blueprinting , no truing of actions and no aftermarket trigger group.

The Dashers will 1 hole 5 shots at 100m and stay under 1moa to 1000 yards, a long range 'yote cartridge for sure.

Long barrel life too.

 

[Scotty454]

Given the questions you've asked, I'd lean towards no...

Bolt action rifles aren't exactly modular like an AR-15 would be. Can't just swap barrels to do caliber changes on the fly. It's a pretty involved process, like others have said.

The bolt face diameter is for both the 22-250 and 30-06 is .470". The T3s are all long action, even with a short cartridge, as far as I know? So in theory you could use the same bolt?

But again, after buying the barrel and paying a gunsmith to do the work, you might be better off buying a new rifle and swapping the scope.

 

[hometownhero]

Phone gunsmith, get barrels chambered in what you want. They can make shouldered profits for the tikka that will headspace perfectly as ling as the smith is competent. Then at hole you can swap barrels all you want.

You don't need a short action mag either. I run my 7mm-08 with a 30-06 mag it works perfectly.

I paid less then a grand for a prefit barrel. Threaded on both ends, chambered and ceracote.

 

[Chilly807]

I did it with a .308, it became a .243. The T3 take-off barrel came from the EE, less than $200 shipped to my door. My 'smith removed the old barrel, installed the new to me .243 barrel. I had never done it myself, wasn't set up to do it.

The 'smith came highly recommended, and the price was reasonable. As luck would have it (I AM generally pretty lucky!) the headspace was good without shimming or setting the shoulder back, and it shoots like a dream.

It's not something I'd suggest going back and forth with, it really isn't worth doing if you need both calibers. 22-250 Tikkas are quite common on the EE.