Lucky or normal?

[wreckhog]

I have 2 Handi's, one purchased recently (HUxxxxxxx), one purchased yesterday (NNxxxxxx), the barrels from both seem to swap. Lockup is good, release has a little play, have not bothered looking at the latch. If I order factory accessory barrels for one, I assume a high percentage of the time, that they should swap to the other receiver. I'm even thinking that I should swap them back and forth on a regular basis to maintain compatibility as they wear in.

[tallyho]

wreckhog,
I guess, from my own experience, I'd say I've been normally lucky.

There was a time when I had a number of receivers and barrels, and enjoyed playing musical barrels with them. The only thing that didn't swap well was a 30/30 barrel that fit only one receiver. And no other barrel fit its receiver. The other barrels and receivers would mix and match just fine. Only exception was that one 30/30 barrel and rifle. It was a good rifle, and accurate, but eventually I sold it.

Of probably a couple dozen barrels I've had pass through my hands only that one 30/30 barrel didn't fit my "favorite" receiver. This favorite is from a .308 Ultra I bought used and somebody had done a great trigger job on it. As of today, it is the only SB2 receiver I have, and it has a .308 barrel and a 22 rimfire VersaPak barrel, both purchased from members of this forum. Since I've had it, that receiver has had barrels from .223 to 45LC attached to it, and I am to the stage now where I have a (maybe foolish) belief that any barrel I acquire will fit it. That, and the lovely trigger is why I call it my "favorite". It is the one that has remained in my possession through a few financially (and health related) dicey moments, and I have no interest in parting with.

And yes, I know that my belief may tested with the next barrel I get; in the meantime, it is a belief that I am comfortable with.

And so, I'm guessing that my experience confirms your assumption about barrels "that they should swap to" another receiver. They should, but like most everything else in life, there are no guarantees.   

Cheers
Kerry

[Jimbo47]

I'm not a fan of swapping barrels, and probably can be accused of the pot calling the kettle black, because all three of my rifles are mixed and matched, but now that I have them on receivers that fit, and also shoot well, that is where they will stay.

I had to do the Handi two-step a couple times with barrels that didn't fit, and it's not as much fun as having a barrel that simply fits like it should, and when you do have one consider yourself fortunate.

It's more the rule than the exception, but still there will be a time when you swap one and it won't work for you.

What I have found is just because a barrel fits, it may not shoot as well from one receiver to the other, so you won't know until you shoot them as I think anytime you mate two seperate parts together they have to develope that fit for each other, and eventually over time wear into "that fit," which will only come from staying mated to the same receiver.

You could do that swapping back and forth between the two, but that would mean each time you did that, it would be another trip to the range just to make sure your still at zero.

Consistency is the key to accuracy, and that goes for the rifle, as well as the ammunition!

[petemi]

I agree with Jimbo, mine are all on their own frames......and stay there.

Pete

[Troyboy]

I switch barrels but i keep groups of barrels with certain frames.

[coop2564]

I tried switching barrels and always had slight to sometime large POI changes when swapping my high velocity rifle barrels, didnt seem to bother my ML though. And living in the city its a pain to have to go to range and spend $10 then gas and time fighting dallas traffic to make sure Im going to hit what I'm shooting at. So now I am tweaking each barrel to a frame getting them as accurate as I can and leaving them be. If you live where u can shoot somewhere close its not as big a problem. Or if u dont hunt much and just target shoot its not a problem, but i have guns to hunt not to shoot (targets) and I spend a lot of time scouting and a lot of money to get that shot at mister big my gun has to hit where I'm pointing it. So the barrel swapping just doesnt work for me and the handi's.

[tallyho]

coop2564 makes a good point about being able to test the fit of any swapped barrels, and how much hassle that might become. So far I've been fortunate enough to have a range close by, so that is not much of a factor in my experience.

Cheers
Kerry