Help me with a switchbarrel setup!

[Jacko9]

G'day Lads.

After a bit of thinking, and a few words of encouragement from the smith, I am going to be building a switchbarrel cz 527.

I already have the first barrel done. A cz 527 sporter contour finished at 22" or 24", chambered in 223. Why? Cheap to run, factory ammo is available, cheap components, that little bit more for pigs, and brass availability. It is what I'll use as my roo shooting barrel.

The second barrel though, I am not sure! I am after something for smaller acreage blocks, mostly foxes and rabbits really, something quiet for a centrefire, and minimal recoil!

the contenders so far are
20 vartarg
20-222
of a smaller 17 of some description.

so help me out boys, What cartridge would you choose for the second barrel, and why?

PS, I am getting a custom action wrench made when I get the second barrel made, and a barrel vice too. It won't be changed all that often, it will use the 223 barrel at home, and when I am up at wagga, is when the other barrel will get most of its run, on the farms my old man runs up there.

Cheers,
Jackson.

[Glenn]

Quite flat 17 Fireball!

Glenn

[malcolm]

Well---------- it has to be a caliber with a 223 bolt face. Why go the smaller calibers? why not try a 6x45 --which from memory is a 6mm on the 222 case, or a 6x47 6mm on a 223 case? I think the 223 will have most of your varminting covered-- go the 6mm.
Cheers Malcolm

[Branxhunter]

I reckon you have the two best options right there - .17 Fireball and 6x47. These two with the .223 barrel would make quite a versatile battery. If noise was an issue I am sure the 17 FB called be loaded back a bit, and the 6x47 might be better medicine for pigs than a .223.

Marcus

[Con]

The 'quiet' bit makes it difficult, they're all loud. It'd be kind of kinky-fun trying a 30/223 with sub-sonic cast pills, or super-sonic 110gr for larger game. Limited trajectory though. Could try the same with a 25/223, 86gr pills from a 25/20 at slow speed, 100gr pills for medium game. Years ago an article on a 6x40 appeared, trying to emulate the 25/20, but even the shortened 222 brass ( from memory) gave more velocity than expected. Then again ... a 40gr pill in a special reduced load will turn your 223Rem into a 22Magnum, so there's your quiet load.

Better a 30/223 ... and play ... as the 223Rem will do all the small stuff with ease.
Cheers...
Con

[Jacko9]

Quite flat 17 Fireball!

Glenn

That is worth a thought mate, that is actually the 17 I think I was thinking of, I think!

Well---------- it has to be a caliber with a 223 bolt face. Why go the smaller calibers? why not try a 6x45 --which from memory is a 6mm on the 222 case, or a 6x47 6mm on a 223 case? I think the 223 will have most of your varminting covered-- go the 6mm.
Cheers Malcolm

G'day Malcolm, I looked at originally running a 6x45 on it, as it's only barrel, and found myself pretty limited with the overall case length, I am stuck to 2.260, which is essentially an AR mag, and I personally thought I would be seating the pills in a bit far for my liking into the case capacity....

I reckon you have the two best options right there - .17 Fireball and 6x47. These two with the .223 barrel would make quite a versatile battery. If noise was an issue I am sure the 17 FB called be loaded back a bit, and the 6x47 might be better medicine for pigs than a .223.

Marcus

I think a 17, 22, and 30 would work pretty well

17 loaded light for quiet work.
223 loaded reasonably hard with a 55 grain NBT for night time work
30 cal barrel loaded with something and topped with an aimpoint for fast work on the quad!

The 'quiet' bit makes it difficult, they're all loud. It'd be kind of kinky-fun trying a 30/223 with sub-sonic cast pills, or super-sonic 110gr for larger game. Limited trajectory though. Could try the same with a 25/223, 86gr pills from a 25/20 at slow speed, 100gr pills for medium game. Years ago an article on a 6x40 appeared, trying to emulate the 25/20, but even the shortened 222 brass ( from memory) gave more velocity than expected. Then again ... a 40gr pill in a special reduced load will turn your 223Rem into a 22Magnum, so there's your quiet load.

Better a 30/223 ... and play ... as the 223Rem will do all the small stuff with ease.
Cheers...
Con

Con, do you think i'd be limited by the OAL of 2.260 with a straight 30/223? Otherwise, it sounds like a pretty bloody awesome plan to be honest!

[Glenn]

The 'quiet' bit makes it difficult, they're all loud. It'd be kind of kinky-fun trying a 30/223 with sub-sonic cast pills, or super-sonic 110gr for larger game. Limited trajectory though. Could try the same with a 25/223, 86gr pills from a 25/20 at slow speed, 100gr pills for medium game. Years ago an article on a 6x40 appeared, trying to emulate the 25/20, but even the shortened 222 brass ( from memory) gave more velocity than expected. Then again ... a 40gr pill in a special reduced load will turn your 223Rem into a 22Magnum, so there's your quiet load.

Better a 30/223 ... and play ... as the 223Rem will do all the small stuff with ease.
Cheers...
Con

Just get a 300 Whisper!

Glenn

[Con]

I dont think a COL of 2.260" will hinder the 30/223 at all. Reason I didn't suggest the 30Whisper is pure economics, if you wanted to throw heavy pills at subsonic speeds, it or the Blackout are ideal, but you'll need a fast-twist 30cal barrel. A budget 30/223 I could see being done a bit easier. The cartridge intrigues me as a cast pill shooter too.

Gotta say though, I dont feel your build is condusive to a switch-barrel set-up, easier using a varmint gun donor so barrels can be removed without the need to pull the stock off.
Cheers...
Con

[frakka]

.....Then again ... a 40gr pill in a special reduced load will turn your 223Rem into a 22Magnum, so there's your quiet load........

Two guns in one without the hassle. The second load for my Cooper is a 45gr Hornady hornet bullet over 7.5gr of trailboss, judging by JBM/trajectory it scoots along at about 2000 fps. Nice quiet load for rabbits out to 100m or so without destroying them.

[trevort]

stop stuffing around. just get three guns. the little 17 is not what you would call quiet, you still need ear muffs or have the same ear effect as you do with a 222/3 etc

It you go with it on 527 a 222 magazine would ensure flawless feeding but you already have a 223 (the magazines aren't interchangeable)

each extra barrel will have some sort of compromise, just get three dedicated you beaut rigs and show us the photos

[Glenn]

The second barrel though, I am not sure! I am after something for smaller acreage blocks, mostly foxes and rabbits really, something quiet for a centrefire, and minimal recoil!

a smaller 17 of some description.

The reason I mentioned the 17 Fireball for quietness and no recoil!
They are on a par, maybe a touch louder than a Hornet!

Missed has a 20VT and said his 17MK IV is noticeably quieter.

You can use 20, 25 bullets.
The 17 FB shots fast, flat and bullets blow up when they hit.
Point and shoot fox gun!

A 30-223 would be dangerous in a small acreage blocks due to ricochet.

As for the the 6x47 there is only one I of those will have and it has a Lapua at the end of it!

Glenn

[trevort]

As for the the 6x47 there is only one I of those will have and it has a Lapua at the end of it!

Glenn

couldnt agree more

[malcolm]

Trevort is on the money. I tried a switch barrel rig--- 6.5/06 and 338/06, built up on a Interarms (Mauser 98 ) action. Both barrels shoot great, but fiddling around with barrel vices and action wrenches are not the sort of thing you do out bush. If you want a different caliber just buy another rifle.
Cheers Malcolm

[Con]

... or pay the price of admission and buy a Blaser with a few barrels.
Cheers...
Con

[curan]

I'm just chucking this in for discussion, but I've wondered about this option.

How about a T/C Dimension? Get a .223 barrel and a 204R barrel and away you go?

Not sure what other options you could make by rechambering as far as "exotica" go.

Just a thought..........