Barrel Switch for a Mark II?

[Cycler]

Is it reasonable to change the barrel on a Mark II?  I have a standard blue Mk IIGL (left handed) that I'm considering rebarreling with a heavier contour target barrel.  Is it feasable and who can provide the barrel and do the work?  It may not be practical if it turns a $200 rifle into a $800 rifle but I was curious if it can be done.

I'm aware of the easy barrel switching procedure on Savage centerfires and on Ruger 10/22's but what about Mk II's?

[JCalhoun]

The barrels on the Savage rimfires are pressed into the receiver.

[Cycler]

The barrels on the Savage rimfires are pressed into the receiver.

That's what I thought so it makes replacement nearly impossible, or at least impractical. Too bad.

[shelbyfan]

Pressed and glued, guess how I know. Impractical, maybe. The factory barrels are fairly good, before you go through the trouble and expense try other options such as polishing the crown, bedding the action, floating the barrel, adding a tuner.

The Ruger 77/22 and 10/22 barrels slip in nice and tight, and the 77/22 barrels extractors line right up. All you need to do is deepen the tenon and secure it properly and away you go. You will need a machinist for that part. Ask me how I know.

[handirifle]

I have read threads either here or at rimfirecentral that detail the steps necessary.

[Cycler]

The Ruger 77/22 and 10/22 barrels slip in nice and tight

I've never had a 77/22 (I'm left handed and that eliminated it from my shopping list) but I've replace the factory barrel on a 10/22 Carbine with a Green Mountain and it was an easy and very straight forward. 

[mprtech]

I'm a lefty as well and wanted a HB.  I swapped out the factory for a 77/22 GM Stinger chamber 22lr fluted heavy.  It was quite easy and I didn't need a machinist.  It took some time but quite worth it.  If you have any smithing experience it shouldn't be too hard. 

[Cycler]

The Rugers are all pretty straight forward and, as i mentioned, i've already done it for a 10/22.  The Mk II's aren't, as best I can tell.

[handirifle]

Here's a link for ya!

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=241110&highlight=ruger+barrel+swap

[Cycler]

Here's a link for ya!

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=241110&highlight=ruger+barrel+swap

Great link.  Thank you.  However, this does confirm my thought that the project isn't a drop-in. I don't have access to a machine shop so I guess I'll continue to use my MkII in OEM form. 

[handirifle]

Read all the posts.  I think some one did it just sanding the barrel down, but I might be mistaken.

[shelbyfan]

Read all the posts.  I think some one did it just sanding the barrel down, but I might be mistaken.

the tenon is nearly 1/4" longer on a savage barrel than a Ruger. You at minimum need a metal lathe. The sanding was done to remove some over sized material on the tenon because the hole in the receiver is a bit narrow.

[epmn]

I am doing a custom left-handed bull barreled rifle for my son based on a Mark II. Since Savage won't sell me either a blued left handed action with a bull barrel or a bull barrel I am modifying a Whistlepig Ruger 77/22 barrel, 20" with compensator. The barrel already has the extractor grooves and just needs the tenon turned to fit the receiver. My son prefers the blued guns and doesn't like the BTVS stock so buying the left handed BTVS won't work. Plus, it gives me another reason to go play in the shop.  The stock is being replaced with Richards Micro-fit Tac-Driver in red and black laminate. 

Having said that, I think that the difficulty in removing the existing barrel varies from gun to gun. I was able to easily get the stock barrel out of the action.  The tenon on the stock barrel is 1.305" into the receiver while the 77/22 barrel tenon is shorter.  The stock tenon is .6835" in diameter and the 77/22 barrel tenon is .687".  At a minimum, lathe work is required to make things fit.

I will say though, that I would have preferred that Savage sold me the barrel or the barreled action, but they were emphatic that that wasn't going to happen.  Whistlepig or one of the other 77/22 barrel makers should think about offering a Savage cut for people who want something other than stock, like the lefties of the world who prefer something other than a pencil barrel.  Or, Savage could offer a bull barrel in something other than stainless.  In the end, I will have more in the gun than  if I had just purchased a BTVS, but, my son will definitely have something unique that I put together for him. 

epmn

[Cycler]

Or, Savage could offer a bull barrel in something other than stainless. 

I've got no problems with stainless, in fact I prefer it.  What I was trying to find out with my OP was could I do a fairly simple barrel swap on my existing Mk II GL at reasonable cost similar to the easy barrel changes for 10/22's.  The obvious answer is no.

Apparently it can be done given adequate machine shop availability but that's beyond what I had in mind.  Thanks for all of the details.  This has been a real interesting thread to follow and learn from.

[blackgunguru]

Is any body out there familiar w-complete bolt disassembly on a savage mark II .22