Two barrels, one Tikka?

[HuntHarder]

If you are close to the poverty line, I suppose this is a good idea. With how inexpensive Tikkas are, I just opt to have multiple rifles for quick and easy cartridge changes.

 

[bojangles808]

Does anyone use a Tikka setup with multiple barrels? Is this common?

I know the factory barrels are tough to remove but once that's done, it seems like a simple swap. I have a Tikka in 6 creed and a new to me 308 barrel that I'd like to start shooting/loading for.

Unthreaded Tikka are pretty cheap right now if i was to buy for a donor action, but when you add a stock and optics and it gets expensive. I'd rather just swap barrels back and forth as the mood strikes, are there any pitfalls to this I'm not considering?

Edit to add: I'm thinking I'd switch a few times a year, at most.

West Texas ordinance does a switch barrel system and can do it for tikka. You have to send in your action though. I haven't done it just know a guy that did. Seemed kind of expensive not really sure what the point is I'd rather just have two rifles

 

[Speaks]

Swapping a barreled and scope action between a common stock would be easy enough. Pic ring scope not that bad either. Barrell seems like a giant pain.

 

[Axlrod]

I have been through this with T/C Contenders and Encores, a Tikka, a few CZ 457's and a couple Savages. It seems like a good idea, but in reality when you want to go shooting do you change barrels or just go shooting with the barrel that's ready? In my case I changed barrels once, and that was it.
Now I have several Tikkas and Savages, half dozen CZ 457's and a few T/C's- all complete guns. With a few spare barrels and stocks leftover.

Then there are the convertible handguns...

 

[mt100gr.]

I think I've seen this video before...

 

[Marbles]

Get two Tikkas, have two barreled actions. Put a pic rail on both. Swap the stock and scope between actions.

You will have to pull the action from the stock anyway to swap barrels. Good pic rings are easy to switch and should be consistent enough you can record the difference in zeros and be very close before ever firing a shot.

You really should torque the barrels to 100 ft.lbs to be consistent, so makes a proper swap a touch harder.

Edit: I see this has been covered already.

 

[SloppyJ]

It starts off as a great idea and it is. You can shoot the same rifle and get extremely comfortable with it.

What happens is that you get stuff dialed in and then you don't want to change anything around.

I started the same way with one zermatt action. Now I'm up to 4 with quite a few barrels laying around.

What I ended up on is a short action I use for hunting and then swap a 223 barrel on it for practice during the off-season. Another short action as a prs rig but I have the ability to run it as a short mag during hunting season. I have a medium length im building now for cartridges like 6.5prc and the new 25 western I built to get a little extra OAL room for heavy bullets. Then i have one long action setup as a 300prc for shits and giggles. I have 4 rifles with redundancy on the short actions during hunting season. All with similar stocks and a NX8 on top with the same reticle.

I went zermatt for the ability to swap bolt faces and a rem 700 footprint. That's the downside of the tikka, a new bolt is pricey but i believe UM is trying to make something to help there.

To sum it up, yes, do it but start with your main cartridge for hunting and a 223 trainer barrel. That's the most logical setup and you can buy one nice stock and one nice scope and be covered.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

If you are close to the poverty line, I suppose this is a good idea. With how inexpensive Tikkas are, I just opt to have multiple rifles for quick and easy cartridge changes.

I suppose if you have a $1,000+ scope, $100 rings, $500+ action, and aftermarket $600+ stock all adding up I can see where OP is going.

Multiple rifles is ideal for sure, but not feasible for all.

 

[wyosam]

I don’t do it with a single action and multiple barrels- I do it with 3 actions and 8 or so barrels currently. Works great. I like to shoot a lot of different cartridges. I’ve also got a model 7 with a couple remage barrels, and a savage. In no way is swapping barrel nut barrels “easier” than shouldered prefits. What they offer is the ability to headspace properly without a lathe for actions not held to tight enough standards to allow accurate prefits. Now there are plenty of options that allow prefits. A barrel nut barrel swap requires more skill. Headspace has to actually be set, and plenty of people screw it up. Shouldered prefit is righty tighty, lefty loosey, then Verify headspace is correct. If it’s not, you’re going to need to seek professional assistance.


I sometimes swap barrels without pulling the action from the stock or removing the optic.


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[liveaxle]

West Texas Ordinance has a product called a Switchlug (https://westtexordnance.com/home-extended/switchlug/) that converts actions into switchbarrels. They have one specifically designed for Tikka actions. The product only costs about $155, but installing it requires machine work to the action.

With the labor, it would still be cheaper than building a second gun, and with the ability to quick change barrels, you may find yourself with more than just 2.

 

[mt100gr.]

I don’t do it with a single action and multiple barrels- I do it with 3 actions and 8 or so barrels currently. Works great. I like to shoot a lot of different cartridges. I’ve also got a model 7 with a couple remage barrels, and a savage. In no way is swapping barrel nut barrels “easier” than shouldered prefits. What they offer is the ability to headspace properly without a lathe for actions not held to tight enough standards to allow accurate prefits. Now there are plenty of options that allow prefits. A barrel nut barrel swap requires more skill. Headspace has to actually be set, and plenty of people screw it up. Shouldered prefit is righty tighty, lefty loosey, then Verify headspace is correct. If it’s not, you’re going to need to seek professional assistance.


I sometimes swap barrels without pulling the action from the stock or removing the optic.


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Have you ever seen a shouldered barrel that head spaced correctly at one time fail to head space correctly on the same action?

Clearer question: once a barrel and action are proven to be "in spec" do you still check head space or do you spin it on and shoot? (Shouldered barrels)

 

[Shortschaf]

There is no risk trying out the barrel swap option.

You can sell barrel swap tools at any time, and you can but tikka actions, scopes, and stocks at any time too.

I have two barrels for my Zermatt and it works for my uses. It wears each barrel roughly half the year. You don't need more guns than you (and family) can shoot at one time. And reloading for lots of cartriges sucks

 

[5811]

West Texas Ordinance has a product called a Switchlug (https://westtexordnance.com/home-extended/switchlug/) that converts actions into switchbarrels. They have one specifically designed for Tikka actions. The product only costs about $155, but installing it requires machine work to the action.

With the labor, it would still be cheaper than building a second gun, and with the ability to quick change barrels, you may find yourself with more than just 2.

This is a very interesting option.
Pros:
- Easy swap without removing optics or stock
- People who have this system love it
- Reasonably priced - I'm guessing 155 for the lug and maybe 2-300 for instal plus barrel work

Cons:
- Any new prefit must have the shoulder turned back
- May need to switch to higher rings to clear the barrel as it slides out of the channel
- Irreversible change to receiver by taking 0.100 off the face
- Did see a report of zero shift on an installed barrel that did not repeat on a traditional shoulder fit. Whack with 2x4 caused a 1-2 moa shift on switch lug that was not present when done on a torqued shoulder install. I did not see the the video referenced; this may be hearsay.

It would be hard for me to buy into the drop test/zero retention durability mindset and then add something that might detract from everything else. But boy does that system fit the bill.

 

[wyosam]

Have you ever seen a shouldered barrel that head spaced correctly at one time fail to head space correctly on the same action?

Clearer question: once a barrel and action are proven to be "in spec" do you still check head space or do you spin it on and shoot? (Shouldered barrels)

I always check (own gauges for everything I shoot), but I’ve never seen one that once worked then was out of spec another time. The only way I could see it happening is something being between the mating surfaces.


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[sndmn11]

I dont remove the stock on the vanguard in a Stockys. With the Tikka in a bravo, I can leave the scope on as well. It takes all of 5 minutes to swap a barrel; one of those things that taking the tools out is the hardest part.

Tikka barrels are ~$100, nowhere near a new rifle cost. I even traded a havalon knife for a barrel.

 

[ElPollo]

I have zero interest in switch barrel rigs. My focus is on making a rifle as consistent as possible for it’s zero. Anything you do to create a switch barrel system that is easy to use would be counter to that. I want may barrels torqued to “holy shit” levels and I want my sighting and action screws torqued a paint-penned or lok-tited to the point where they won’t come lose and it takes more work to get them apart. For me a second gun and scope combo is worth the piece of mind.

 

[ddowning]

I have done the switch barrel thing. Works fine. Red loctite the barrel nut at the correct headspace and you have a shouldered barrel. You can change barrels without removing anything. There is a tiny risk that the jolt from the barrel breaking loose will damage something, but I have never had it happen. Zeros are pretty repeatable.

That said el pollo is on the right track. Best case scenario is torque barrel to holy shit. The rifles that I have switched barrels a lot on were match rifles going from 223 to 6mm and back. When a rifle will shoot a legit .5-.75 30 shot group there is much less risk zeroing with 5 shots than a rifle that shoots a 1.25-1.5 30 shot group. Zeroing with 10 or 20 rounds every swap and swapping often is a lot of ammo/barrel life. There are pros and cons to both choices. Actions, scopes, stocks, triggers, etc aren't cheap. Some people can't responsibly afford one custom rifle but buy one anyway. For some, $10k is a drop in the bucket.

 

[Brucebarker024]

I dont remove the stock on the vanguard in a Stockys. With the Tikka in a bravo, I can leave the scope on as well. It takes all of 5 minutes to swap a barrel; one of those things that taking the tools out is the hardest part.

Tikka barrels are ~$100, nowhere near a new rifle cost. I even traded a havalon knife for a barrel.

View attachment 853714View attachment 853715View attachment 853716

I was looking at the best way to mount my new barrel vice with taking up as little room as possible. I’m gonna do this haha. Way more convenient

 

[Macintosh]

Im not close to the poverty line, I just chose to spend the money on other stuff—ammo. I have one tikka lite with 2 barrels. It works well for me, and saved the equivalent of a couple thousand rounds of practice ammo compared to setting up a second identical gun. I only switch a maximum of 1x per year, it takes 10 minutes and a range trip. I rezero after a switch, takes me 1 box of ammo each time, ie a 10-round group, adjust one or two clicks, then 10 to verify. Have never needed more. I dont hunt at long-enough range that an additional 10 or 20 rounds per group matters, to me thats more a diagnostic/cone of fire tool, not a zeroing thing, even with an oem barrel.

I would recommend sticking with the same bolt if you go this route. That might rule out some cartridge combos, especially if using oem barrels. The “old school equivalent”, ie 22-250 instead of 22creed, 243 instead of 6creed, 270win instead of 6.5prc, 7rm instead of 7prc, etc, and you can easily have a lower-recoil practice gun, and a bigger cartridge if you want that. For me the first is a 6.5cm for practice bc its cheap and easy on the shoulder, second cartridge is a 270win, its just 300fps faster because I prefer to hunt with copper. If I was hunting with lead ammo or if I reloaded Im not sure it would make as much sense.

If you have to have a second bolt face just for one rifle, and you arent burning thru barrels and using the equipment frequently, thats when a second gun starts to make more sense imo simply because the bolt itself is half the price of a new gun, if you can even find one. Add in a barrel, headspace and other tools, and you’re not so far from the whole second setup.

 

[The Harbor Master]

A little off topic but can the Tikka action "safely" manage 7mm Backcountry chamber pressure? I guess anything for a little more wallop, huh?

This is my plan. Bought .243 Tikka, will shoot the barrel out, then rebarrel probably 6 dasher or GT for almost all year, then get long action bolt stop and mag to use 284 win or 7 Backcountry starting right before hunting season for more wallop if I get an elk tag.