Anyone running a Barnard S action

[BATattack]

I'm looking at building a .223 for my girlfriend to shoot (and maybe something bigger down the track) and I'm thinking the S may feed the .223 better and help save a bit of weight over the P.

[jasmay]

The S is a great alternative to the P, I do t have one personally, but Mark Fairbairn and I ran a heap if tests on the S and SM for different rifles.

We even made up some shims so that P barrels could fit S actions using the same brass, it worked a treat.

At some stage I plan on busk g an FTR rig based on an SM action!!

[KHGS]

I'm looking at building a .223 for my girlfriend to shoot (and maybe something bigger down the track) and I'm thinking the S may feed the .223 better and help save a bit of weight over the P.

Barnard "S" actions are a sweet action. A Barnard "P" will feed .223 cartridges very well if your gunsmith sets them up right, I have put many .223's together on the "P" action all have fed flawlessly. I have shot 223 in both actions myself. The "S" will handle .308, .284 & .280 Remington as well as anything. I have personally shot thousands of .308 & hundreds of .280 rounds through an "S" action.
Keith H.

[bruce moulds]

keith,
what do you use the 280 for?
my medium game hunting rifle is a 280, and well into its second barrel.
a wonderful cartridge.
keep safe,
bruce.

[KHGS]

keith,
what do you use the 280 for?
my medium game hunting rifle is a 280, and well into its second barrel.
a wonderful cartridge.
keep safe,
bruce.

"F" Class Open. Some years ago I had a .280 hunting rifle, I loved it, it was just flat out reliable & a joy to shoot.
Keith H.

[Paul Janzso]

Hi Adam.
Ian Pavy has one set up for his son.
To keep weight down in a FTR rifle an S action would be the way to go.
Cheers
Paul

[BATattack]

I'm looking at building a .223 for my girlfriend to shoot (and maybe something bigger down the track) and I'm thinking the S may feed the .223 better and help save a bit of weight over the P.

Barnard "S" actions are a sweet action. A Barnard "P" will feed .223 cartridges very well if your gunsmith sets them up right, I have put many .223's together on the "P" action all have fed flawlessly. I have shot 223 in both actions myself. The "S" will handle .308, .284 & .280 Remington as well as anything. I have personally shot thousands of .308 & hundreds of .280 rounds through an "S" action.
Keith H.

From what I've seen I thought it was just because the bolt on a P was so much bigger in diameter than the little .223 case and that was the cause of the feeding problem? What problems have you seen with the way they are set up that can cause feeding issues? I just thought it was just the design.

[KHGS]

The design is fine, a lot of "gunsmiths" do not look past the end of their nose & consequently don't take advantage of the design!!! Maybe some of the guys that I have fitted .223 barrels to their "P" actions will chime in & confirm that if done right, they feed just fine.
Keith H.

From what I've seen I thought it was just because the bolt on a P was so much bigger in diameter than the little .223 case and that was the cause of the feeding problem? What problems have you seen with the way they are set up that can cause feeding issues? I just thought it was just the design.[/quote]

[IanP]

Hi Adam.
Ian Pavy has one set up for his son.
To keep weight down in a FTR rifle an S action would be the way to go.
Cheers
Paul

My SM action is now in action as a 30-06AI with a heavy palma barrel. It does the fireforming for my Model P action with the 1.25" parallel barrel.

Michael, (son) and I both shot a Model P for years in 223 without any feeding problems whatsoever. It fed the 223 rounds nice and smooth every shot, as KHGS says it just needs the barrel set up properly.

Ian

[BATattack]

The P is a massive over engineered action in my opinion and I don't know that it's worth the weight on a .223 or .308 fs / ftr gun. I've got a couple of big BAT M's for anything really serious.

So no real negatives from anyone about the S action by all accounts?

Any idea of what they are worth? I know they don't come with a trigger like a P so I'll have to allow for that.

[Matt P]

Bat
The S action is $1555 (plus postage), it doesn't include a trigger, any Rem style trigger will work and there are 3 "trigger hangers" available, Jewell, Timney and a blank.
Regards
Matt Paroz

[IanP]

The P is a massive over engineered action in my opinion and I don't know that it's worth the weight on a .223 or .308 fs / ftr gun. I've got a couple of big BAT M's for anything really serious.

So no real negatives from anyone about the S action by all accounts?

Any idea of what they are worth? I know they don't come with a trigger like a P so I'll have to allow for that.

Most of the USA F T/R shooters use the Kelby F-Class action because its so light and comes with a nice trigger.

I can tell you from personal experience that the model P handles high pressure loads better than the SM. I get pressure signs from the brass sooner in the SM and I would not want to run long parallel barrels on it as it is simply nowhere near as strong.

Want the best F T/R action, then I would money up for the Kelby F-Class and enjoy the light weight of recycled aluminium cans.

You may have seen these actions somewhere before on a fellow Barossa Valley shooter's (hello Shobby) rifle. http://www.kelbly.com/actions.html

Ian

[BATattack]

The P is a massive over engineered action in my opinion and I don't know that it's worth the weight on a .223 or .308 fs / ftr gun. I've got a couple of big BAT M's for anything really serious.

So no real negatives from anyone about the S action by all accounts?

Any idea of what they are worth? I know they don't come with a trigger like a P so I'll have to allow for that.

Most of the USA F T/R shooters use the Kelby F-Class action because its so light and comes with a nice trigger.

I can tell you from personal experience that the model P handles high pressure loads better than the SM. I get pressure signs from the brass sooner in the SM and I would not want to run long parallel barrels on it as it is simply nowhere near as strong.

Want the best F T/R action, then I would money up for the Kelby F-Class and enjoy the light weight of recycled aluminium cans.

You may have seen these actions somewhere before on a fellow Barossa Valley shooter's (hello Shobby) rifle. http://www.kelbly.com/actions.html

Ian

Yours is also a SM with a big mag cut out as well and that may have something to do with it. The one of mark fairbains I used in tazzy handled some pretty serious f/tr loads with ease.

I won't be running parallel barrels off of it. F standard or f/tr as a future project.

Yes ideally a kelbly would be nice but at a minimum of a 12month wait and still not having parts readily avaliable having something simple and not too exotic is appealing for a change.

[IanP]

I won't be running parallel barrels off of it. F standard or f/tr as a future project.

Adam, if your not running heavy barrels then the Model P with a heavy palma or heavy varmint would make weight so long as you use a modern light scope.

My F T/R rifle was based on a Model P with 32" HP taper barrel and a March scope. If you used a March, Sightron or the new Target NF scope on top of an aluminium Barnard picatinny ramp then you would make weight. I used a Mastin laminated, low forestock, F-Class stock with adjustable cheek piece and length of pull. I also used a SARA barrel tuner on the barrel and it all came in under weight.

Buy the Model P and you also have a lot more options available for any future f-class setup you may want to run. The S and SM actions dont really save much weight but they do limit your future options.

Ian