Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing rebarrel a rifle

Can you just unscrew a barrel and reinstall a new one of different caliber? If so how does it line up properly? For example a 7-08 to a 308.

It's a crap shoot on most models. Headspace, sights, extractor slot, etc., all need to be considered.

To adjust for that do you mill, file, spacers?

The new TC rifle is what you are considering, FWIW.

If you want a rifle that can do that you have a couple of options.
The TC is going to be the first choice as it's designed to swap barrels.

Then you have the rifles with barrel nuts i.e. Sako's and Savage's
Get a set of head space gages for each caliber you intend to shoot and a barrel wrench. You can swap barrels at will so long as the case head stay the same.
Proper set up and head space of each barrel is required before shooting.

Now when smith install muzzle brakes they do remove the barrel and reinstall it afterwards using a witness mark on the barrel and receiver. Head space is still checked and confirmed correct.

If you want to switch barrels a conventionly fitted barrel is superior to the "barrel nut" system. The only advantage to the barrel nut is that a barrel can be chambered to a pre-determined depth then the headspace adjusted via the nut.This means there is no need to ream to a precise depth and the barrel can fit numerous actions of the same type.
If a barrel is conventionally fitted, the shoulder establishes headspace and this is constant for that action. To change barrels one then needs a barrel vise and action wrench. If the barrel uses a nut, he needs a wrench for the nut and an action wrench so it's pretty well a wash.
When switching barrels between individual actions of the same make, headspace will usually be within acceptable limits but the barrels will probably not index properly. Pre-64 Winchesters are an exception. Model 70's prior to 1964 all index the same. In fact, even the Model 54 is interchangeable with the model 70's. GD

[ Pre-64 Winchesters are an exception. Model 70's prior to 1964 all index the same. In fact, even the Model 54 is interchangeable with the model 70's. GD
[/quote]

That ain't always true, sometimes they don't headspace of orient correctly, sometimes they do.

That ain't always true, .....[/quote] And THAT is so true..

I have probably switched barrels between a few dozen pre-64 Model 70's and Model 54's and all registered within 1/8 turn or less and on all the headspace was within usable limits. This is not the case with any of the post-64 Winchesters. By the way, the same was true of Model 94's.
I only point this out by way of saying that the manufacturing method was different for those older rifles and the barrel threads were timed. I was especially fascinated to find that the model 54 threads were, apparently, timed the same as the Model 70's. I have a Model 54 and four pre-64 model 70's in the shop right now and the Model 54 barrel screws in to within a couple of degrees of the same on all four of those Model 70's which range from 1938 to 1958 in vintage. On all of them it would tighten to perfect register if I had taken the time to do so. This is why I say they are the exception. GD

What I'm thinking is a model seven Remington I have two in 7-08 and was wondering about making one a 308 they seem to be hard to come by in stainless

Actually you only need an action wrench once. Barrels are torqued far to tight and the barrel nut makes life easy. You can whack a barrel nut wrench and get enough torque to hold the barrel in place.
Not so with a conventional barrel. Unless set up correctly.