After lugging around my Predator with the fluted barrel for the 2021 NY Predator season I wanted to lighten it up a bit with the addition of a carbon fiber barrel.
Since predator season was over I also wanted to educate myself on the QC barrel system and proceeded to dismantle the rifle to get a better look at the QC barrel parts.
Since it's a switch barrel rifle system I wanted the parts to be able to use it as such, but Savage wasn't being cooperative so I made the decision to have my machinist savant coyote hunting buddy take a look at the parts.
Before removing the QC parts I took headspace measurements and got the procedure down pat to headspace a barrel.
My buddies shop is very busy, so after he said the parts look doable we went about programming and making aluminum prototypes in the wee off hours till we got it right.
That took over a years time to happen, but it was worth the effort.
Since I didn't want to use a special spanner wrench for the barrel nut, we went with a flat sided nut for ease of use.
After making sure everything fit right we bought the appropriate hardened steel & tooling after contacting several reputable firearm engineers and proceeded to make a few sets to test.
I used a spare .260 rem barrel I had lying around, headspaced it, triple checked it and went to the range with a string and some flak jackets.
We were confident in durability and safety after several range trips with hot loads fired and lots of part inspections in between.
I then had the parts professionally black oxide finished after trying to do it myself and not getting the results I desired.
After the QC parts were confirmed to work I ordered the X caliber .243 chambered CF barrel and another Impulse Predator rifle as a backup.
I also found a bolt knob from Area419 that fits me perfectly.
I was all in now folks !
I also wanted to chamber it in a .20 caliber cartridge like my 20 Practical Axis turn bolt that I use to hunt predators in caliber restricted zones in NY state, but couldn't because the predator has a .473" bolt face.
So now I needed to find a .20 caliber cartridge that had a .472" rim diameter.
I settled on the 20-250 as I have plenty of 22-250 brass to form cases and its OAL has better reliability feeding from magazines compared to the stubby 20 caliber cartridges that need special magazines.
Found a 20-250 long ass barrel twisted for 55 gr bergers and acquired the appropriate parts to reload.
A walking varmint rifle it isn't by any means, but it can shoot and functions flawlessly.
Finally received the beautiful X caliber CF barrel.
Mounted thermal scopes, dialed them in and now I was all set for the 2023 NY predator hunting season.
The Journey continues.........
SJC
Since predator season was over I also wanted to educate myself on the QC barrel system and proceeded to dismantle the rifle to get a better look at the QC barrel parts.
Since it's a switch barrel rifle system I wanted the parts to be able to use it as such, but Savage wasn't being cooperative so I made the decision to have my machinist savant coyote hunting buddy take a look at the parts.
Before removing the QC parts I took headspace measurements and got the procedure down pat to headspace a barrel.
My buddies shop is very busy, so after he said the parts look doable we went about programming and making aluminum prototypes in the wee off hours till we got it right.
That took over a years time to happen, but it was worth the effort.
Since I didn't want to use a special spanner wrench for the barrel nut, we went with a flat sided nut for ease of use.
After making sure everything fit right we bought the appropriate hardened steel & tooling after contacting several reputable firearm engineers and proceeded to make a few sets to test.
I used a spare .260 rem barrel I had lying around, headspaced it, triple checked it and went to the range with a string and some flak jackets.
We were confident in durability and safety after several range trips with hot loads fired and lots of part inspections in between.
I then had the parts professionally black oxide finished after trying to do it myself and not getting the results I desired.
After the QC parts were confirmed to work I ordered the X caliber .243 chambered CF barrel and another Impulse Predator rifle as a backup.
I also found a bolt knob from Area419 that fits me perfectly.
I was all in now folks !
I also wanted to chamber it in a .20 caliber cartridge like my 20 Practical Axis turn bolt that I use to hunt predators in caliber restricted zones in NY state, but couldn't because the predator has a .473" bolt face.
So now I needed to find a .20 caliber cartridge that had a .472" rim diameter.
I settled on the 20-250 as I have plenty of 22-250 brass to form cases and its OAL has better reliability feeding from magazines compared to the stubby 20 caliber cartridges that need special magazines.
Found a 20-250 long ass barrel twisted for 55 gr bergers and acquired the appropriate parts to reload.
A walking varmint rifle it isn't by any means, but it can shoot and functions flawlessly.
Finally received the beautiful X caliber CF barrel.
Mounted thermal scopes, dialed them in and now I was all set for the 2023 NY predator hunting season.
The Journey continues.........
SJC
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Thank you for sharing. 
