Did my SWFA 3-9 take a dump on me?

[Formidilosus]

If I recall correctly, Tac Ops has progressively increased their barrel torque over the years. Not sure what it is now, but hundreds of foot-pounds rings a bell.

That’s correct. Things shoot loose, not tight.

 

[JakeM51]

If I recall correctly, Tac Ops has progressively increased their barrel torque over the years. Not sure what it is now, but hundreds of foot-pounds rings a bell.

Around 250 ft lbs for Surgeon actions and around 500 ft lbs for Rem 700s.
He uses his own proprietary threads though, if you go that far on most things out there you’ll break something.

 

[Formidilosus]

Around 250 ft lbs for Surgeon actions and around 500 ft lbs for Rem 700s.
He uses his own proprietary threads though, if you go that far on most things out there you’ll break something.

To any critical thinking person, the 30-40ft-lbs of barrel torque that is common with “custom” rifles is a joke.


Tac Ops has torque figured out. Some of the European, Scandinavian, Finnish companies have it figured out… and then we have American to who “hand tight” is good enough.

 

[Backofbeyond]

I never would have thought barrel torque. Good heads up for me, thanks.

 

[JakeM51]

I never would have thought barrel torque. Good heads up for me, thanks.

Your barrel connects to the action meaning that there is a surface between two parts there, as you shoot your barrel heats up and that connection between the two parts becomes a joint that doesn’t heat and move as one piece, meaning your barrel will literally flex and move inside of the action if it isn’t torqued enough.

 

[JakeM51]

To any critical thinking person, the 30-40ft-lbs of barrel torque that is common with “custom” rifles is a joke.


Tac Ops has torque figured out. Some of the European, Scandinavian, Finnish companies have it figured out… and then we have American to who “hand tight” is good enough.

Yep, some Euro companies don’t even do threads, they heat up the metal and the press the barrel into the action.
The same company that does that is known for making extremely accurate sniper rifles-Steyr.
I think Sauer also has a few models like that.

You can’t have the barrel flex independently of the action, if you get it tight enough in there they will thermal expand together and you won’t have wild POI changes after a few shots. That and you don’t have to worry about your barrel falling off.

People are in disbelief when Tac Ops says that they have minimized cold bore shifts.
( It’s because people are just copying the BR shooters who put their barrels on hand tight and then only start shooting groups after their barrel has warmed up and they have adjusted to that shift. )

 

[willfrye027]

happy with the knowledge being brought to this thread, thanks guys

 

[TaperPin]

Competition guns don’t need a lot of torque because they are nicely machined - 70 ft lbs is much more common than someone with hand tight barrels. No top competitor would be fine with a barrel that had any movement or change in impact.

Dont forget the classic point of aim gremlins - scope bases, action screws contacting stock before recoil lug, action screws bottoming out before sucking things up tight, trigger housing contacting stock.

I had a cool JC Higgins 308 purchased from a hunting guide so it had a lot of scabord wear and a Leupold 4x scope. The gun just never shot better than 2” groups. 100 rounds later a buddy of mine bought it. The first box of factory ammo and a lens inside the scope fell over and could be seen moving around loose! Leupold replaced the entire scope and the gun often shot MOA after that.