Switch Barrel action - Pinned vs Integral Recoil Lug

[jayquiver]

Wanting to explore my first "switch barrel" set up, never done this before.

My main question is is there much of an advantage with a integral recoil lug vs a pinned recoil lug when swapping barrels with a action wrench and barrel vice.

I currently have a new Defiance Classic SA (pinned recoil lug). I could sell it and get a new action with a integral recoil lug.

Thanks

 

[khuber84]

Wanting to explore my first "switch barrel" set up, never done this before.

My main question is is there much of an advantage with a integral recoil lug vs a pinned recoil lug when swapping barrels with a action wrench and barrel vice.

I currently have a new Defiance Classic SA (pinned recoil lug). I could sell it and get a new action with a integral recoil lug.

Thanks

I have swapped barrels MANY times on my origin actions that have a pinned lug. The defiance classic has a better lug systrme VS zermatt, as it's double pinned and stays in place very well, whereas the zermatt is a single pin and a lil sloppy.

Integral lug is a lil simpler as there is nothing to come loose when making breaking barrels but it's not a big deal. I have my smith headspace 0.0005 deeper in chamber in a non-integral lug to accommodate for lug crush VS my integral lug actions and headspace has been withing 0.00025 with same cartridge on non-integral VS integral lugs. That way I don't need to run different groups of brass for different rifles.

Defiance has discontinued the classis action for 2026, and now has an integral lug model called the misfit that replaced it. The downfall of the new action, it's not available in the lightweight anti cut option the classic typically came in. So they're now all a half pound heavier. I just sourced another 90° classic lightweight nitride AW cut action from OTM last week, as that was the only true lightweight AW cut action on the market.

So now I have 4 barrels for the 2 classics I have. No problem swapping barrels. Get a good barrel vice, and a good action wrench and you're off to the races. I used to use a torque wrench, now I just give it "enough" torque in my mind, probably still close to 100'/#. A torque wrench is probably a good idea to start off it, to calibrate your body to know where the torque forces should be.