Author Topic: Takedown rifle, any resources? (Read 2579 times)

jlwilliams · « **on:** June 27, 2009, 03:22:20 AM »

I'm planning a takedown "briefcase rifle" project. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time and have decided to get into a serious detailed plan. I would really like to do this in a bolt action.

I have seen some nice guns built on Mauser actions, which I have a couple of, or I could buy a Remington if that seems a better way to go. I'm looking for any good books or references to help me along. Any good gunsmithing books with a chapter on this?

The ones I have seen have been more or less standard looking actions with the receiver and barrel threads cut to an interupt to allow a quarter turn and pull apart. The Japanese made a takedown rifle during WWII, and it looks from the pictures to be something along those lines, but with some sort of button release. Anybody have one they could take some close pictures of?

Any input, opinions and advice will be apreciated. This is the early planning phase so now is when I can take any input and fit it all together.

Thanks.

iiranger · « **Reply #1 on:** June 27, 2009, 08:42:40 AM »

Couple years back in Gun Digest Annual there was a write up on an Alaskan gunsmith who did take down lever actions for the bush pilots of Alaska. Ground off half the threads, 1/4 top and 1/4 bottom, so a half turn would take the barrel in or out. No doubt something similar could be arranged for a bolt action. Or???

This was quite common with shotguns. 97 Win. 12 Win. (25 was the solid frame model 12.) Point, lower pressures. I believe it was fairly common with older Winchester and Marlin lever actions. Again pressures not that of modern bolt actions. Some target rifles have barrels that can be unscrewed, full thread. You just need to find a gunsmith willing to undertake the work to work out the terms. And bring money... -!- Luck.

gunnut69 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 28, 2009, 09:59:30 AM »

The Savage M99 was built is a takedown system with interrupted threads. The fore arm was remove much like a SxS shotgun and the action opened slightly to free the end of the barrel from the extractor. The barrel was then free to turn out. The fore arm acted to keep the barrel from unscrewing at and inoportune moment. The first were built with interrupted threads and they loosned rapidly.. There was simply not enought remaining therad to take the stress of repeated firing. Savage switched to solid threads which though they take a tiny bit longer to unscrew were much stronger and these proved entirely satifactory. Lever guns such as the Winchesters with tube magazines are fairly simple to convert to take down. The magazine tube is freed to turn in it's cavity and a lever with a detent is provided to give leverage to turn the magazine in and out of the frame.. The threads used are fairly coarse to facilitate the tubes unscrewing. A plate affixed to the end of the barrel supports the magazine tube and serves to limit the travel of the nuscrewed magazine to avoid it's loss. After the magazine is unscrewed from the receiver the barrel is simply unscrewed to allow the forearm/magazine assembly to be removed. A TC Encore/Contender or any of the break barrel NEF style guns can simply be broken down into their normal component parts. Some even allow barrel swapping and caliber changes.. Good luck with you project.. If there's any other questions just ask.. I do tend to run on a bit though..sorry..

jlwilliams · « **Reply #3 on:** June 28, 2009, 02:42:24 PM »

I do have a copy of an article that was given to me that details a lever action conversion to takedown. Although I really want to do it in a bolt action, the fact that the levers are well suited to the project does shine in their favor. Either way, the article was a must have for my research before wading into the project.

Tanks for the replies so far.

Rangr44 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 28, 2009, 04:07:21 PM »

I've only run across two different takedown centerfire boltguns, over the years.

The slickest was a European model, whose bolt locked into the rear of the barrel ILO the action.
The barrel was a slip fit in the front receiver ring, held by a grub screw.
The barreled action was removed from the stock, the grub screw loosened, and the barrel separated from the scoped receiver, etc.

The other was the commercial, Model 70 clone, Dakota Traveler.

.

trotterlg · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2009, 01:38:22 PM »

I think the problem with a bolt gun would be that the stock would be the longest part unless you find some way to break it in half also. I have a travel gun I use, it is in 17 Fireball, but it could just as well be in 30-06. It easily fits in a Briefcase, but it is a single shot. Larry

spruce · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2009, 03:40:28 PM »

Wasn't the Blaser rifle made in a switch-barrel version (maybe still is)? Not sure how many models they made, but the one I'm thinking of was a bolt action with a two piece stock.

Don't know much about the Blaser line other than they are supposed to be excellent quality - and pricey!

jlwilliams · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2009, 03:07:33 AM »

trotterlg,

Nice rig! A Handi is a good option for a briefcase gun.

The Blazer is a takedown and the stock could be adapted so it came apart too. They are very expensive, a bit out of my range. Also, it's a project I want to make and it's worth the difficulty for me to learn all that I will learn by doing it.

gunnut69 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2009, 08:41:34 AM »

Turning a bolt gun into a take down is quite possible. It would require a really good smith (or at least a machinist) because of the precision needed, at least if the takedown feature is to be used without absolutely necessitating resighting the rifle.. The barrel would have to be set up slightly more than finger tight with a set of witness marks.. The stock would start out as a 1 piece but would have to be split at the end of the front receiver ring. The forestock would have to be fastened to the barrel and plates installed over the cut ends. The front plate would be threaded to the barrel and would give the ability to adjust headspace.. The junction of the 2 plates would provide a lock mechanism, several variations are possible, to hold the alighment when the gun was together. Barrel length would be a limiting factor for the minimum length possible when the weapon was broken down. I've seen European examples of this sort of thing but not American made..though I would bet money someone has done this before. The action would'nt have to be heavily modified though squaring of the front ring to the threads would have to be done. The rear plate could simply be attached to the front of the back portion of the stock as it's sole purpose is to provide a strike plate to lock the 2 halves of the rifle together. A Rigby or a mannlicher type rifle would look well in this mode. the Rigby's short forearm would look right while the full length forestock of a Mannlicher would also be very appropriate. The rear part of the rifle would be somewhat set by the action. Most bolt actions would be in the 7-9 inch range overall with a pull length of 13-14 inches generating a rear half length of 20 to 23 inches.. Of course a single shot action such as a Ruger No.1 could be used but the forearm hanger used on the Ruger would make either action changes mandatory. A falling block such as a 1885 (high or low wall) would be simpler and any such SS action would shorten the package.. I would talk with Hamilton Bowen or Turnbull .. They have the skill set but I'm sure there are others,,those just popped into the aging gray matter.. To limit cost a '96 Swedish action could be used as long as pressures were kept moderate for the actions sake. Perhaps a 257 Roberts???7x57 Mauser? or just a 6.5 Swedish.. All would be appropriate for a light hunting rifle..for medium game.. This has gotten too long but many other things will be considered..scope mounts/sights, sling attachments, butt plate/treatments,etc.. Care would have to be taken also to ensure the rifle balances nicely and comes to hand easily.. this could indeed turn into a very nice project.

jlwilliams · « **Reply #9 on:** July 08, 2009, 02:36:58 PM »

I'm going back and forth in my mind between buying a Rem 700 action as a starting point or using a Mauser '96 which I already have. The barrel I have and bought to go with that Mauser action is a short chambered 7.62x39 sporter barrel. I have been meaning to put two 7.62x39 Mausers together for a couple of years (one for me, one for my dad). One of these may just turn into a briefcase rifle. Buying a 700 would be better, but I already have the Mauser...

Bearing in mind, this is not really a practical matter. This is mostly for fun. If I really needed it to use I could have a Handi fit into a case within hours, most of that time spent going out to get the briefcase.

Frank46 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 08, 2009, 05:24:25 PM »

There was a takedown swedish mauser featured quite some time back on milsurpafterhours.com. Extremely well done and very nice to look at. There have been other mausers done using the forearm attached to the barrel and the joint between the buttstock and forend with two steel plates. The japanese did at one time have a takedown based I believe on the 99 action. The barrel had two lugs which mated with similar recess's in the receiver and the barrel locked in place with a pin which is easily removed. There have been takedown's based on single shot actions as well. I have seen british bsa martini's that used a couple systems. Barrel held in place with a take down screw and ones similar on the mauser system. They have a style all their own. Frank

kiddekop · « **Reply #11 on:** July 09, 2009, 04:17:30 AM »

Quote from: jlwilliams on June 27, 2009, 03:22:20 AM

I'm planning a takedown "briefcase rifle" project. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time and have decided to get into a serious detailed plan. I would really like to do this in a bolt action.

I have seen some nice guns built on Mauser actions, which I have a couple of, or I could buy a Remington if that seems a better way to go. I'm looking for any good books or references to help me along. Any good gunsmithing books with a chapter on this?

The ones I have seen have been more or less standard looking actions with the receiver and barrel threads cut to an interupt to allow a quarter turn and pull apart. The Japanese made a takedown rifle during WWII, and it looks from the pictures to be something along those lines, but with some sort of button release. Anybody have one they could take some close pictures of?

Any input, opinions and advice will be apreciated. This is the early planning phase so now is when I can take any input and fit it all together.

Thanks.

www.WildWestGuns.com has your answer they make takedown rifles

Antietamgw · « **Reply #12 on:** July 12, 2009, 01:44:26 PM »

If the ability to dismount the barrel and forearm doesn't need to be "quarter turn", most any good accuracy gunsmith can set you up by blueprinting an action (700's are popiular) and properly fitting a barrel. Benchrest guys often switch barrels without removing the barreled action. My switch barrel 700 is set up that barrels are screwed in by hand pressure and require a little more than hand presure to remove. I use a small clamping type barrel vise I made up - gives me something to grip other than the barrel. If a sporting rifle were built that way with a 2 piece stock, I'll bet the forearm would give you enough to hold onto to remove the barrel without a barrel vise, but it wouldn't clear the scope if the "splice" was at the reciever ring. Just a thought, it's an easy way to go and should stand up to repeated mounting and dismounting without wear, though the forearm cound easily be set up to adjust for any wear if necessary. My interests in a takedown ran more along the lines of leverguns - I'd like to set up my Rossi 357 as a takedown and would be doing the work myself. The only thing that's held me up was that my old lathe doesn't do metric threads. A friend just bought a lathe that has metric change gears so that problem is solved. I recall seeing something about it in a gunsmithing manual - NRA's, I believe. You had mentioned an article you had. Any chance of getting a copy? I'll dig mine up and scan or copy it for you as well though it is basically done with leverguns in mind.
Thanks!

jlwilliams · « **Reply #13 on:** July 13, 2009, 01:20:52 AM »

The article I have is a copy of the NRA gunsmithing guide article. I'd like to get a copy of the guide it came from. My NRA gunsmithing guide is an older edition and it's not in there. Which edition am I looking for?

IIRC, the takedown conversion for the lever action doesn't involve having to cun a thread for the barrel. You may be able to do it on your Rossi without any problems.

Antietamgw · « **Reply #14 on:** July 13, 2009, 02:35:38 AM »

Sounds like we may have the same article, I'll check my NRA Gunsmithing Manual for the edition. Changing the existing Rossi barrel over to takedown probably wouldn't require any threading (unless I screw up!) but the reason I wanted to change it is that I'd like fool with a .30-357 wildcat and maybe another .357 barrel. The Rossi has a real slow twist that doesn't handle the heavy bullets slow very well and a long chamber with a huge funnel for a throat. I have a spare .30 cal takeoff barrel and a piece of .357 X 16 twist barrel that should work well. I figured to make up seperate assemblies. That little Rossi is my "daily driver" and I didn't want to pull it down until I had all the bits, pieces and tooling together.

wreckhog · « **Reply #15 on:** July 24, 2009, 04:30:17 AM »

Choate folding stock on an Contender or Encore action (Encore is heavier but handles higher pressure) with a barrel cut to 16.5". Folds to about 21". BATF (but not every state) measures it with the stock extended. So about 31" OAL. Legal. Scoped and folded, it fits in a large backpack. Broken down into pieces that take 1 minute to assemble, in any briefcase.

Headache · « **Reply #16 on:** July 28, 2009, 07:21:33 AM »

USRAC (Winchester) custom shop offered a take-down rifles six or seven years ago. I believe it had plates attached to the front of the receiver/butt stock and barrel/fore end with a lever operating a tapered plunger to locate and lock the system together.

Headache

mechanic · « **Reply #17 on:** July 28, 2009, 09:38:17 AM »

I still have one of the original Marlin "Papoose" with screw off barrel in 22lr. Certainly not a powerhouse but easy to travel with and very accurate. If it all fell apart, this is the rifle I would grab as I left, along with a few thousand rounds of 22lr.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #18 on:** July 28, 2009, 10:46:52 AM »

Here's my "take down rifle"...

On fly in trips, i shove it in my duffle bag, with cloths packed around it, and it's ready to go when i get there It's "never", not even once, changed the POI in all the years i've been doing this.

DM

Chappers · « **Reply #19 on:** September 05, 2009, 04:14:52 AM »

If you like a “takedown” rifle a brake actions is the way to go.

I find that if you place your shot well you only need one shot and if that not the case you will be surprise how fast you can reload on the fly.
Other than that you looking for a set of gunsmith skills that not common in this day and age or there are some takedown leaver actions on the market.
Bolt actions takedowns are hard to find... but good luck
cheers