I am new to bolt action rifles larger than a .22LR.

I recently got a 783 in .270 Win and really like what I have done so far at the range. It is the first high powered rifle I have ever had experience with.

As I research and learn more about the rifle, I am having trouble figuring out all the advantages of the barrel nut.

I understand that it makes replacing the barrel easier and that I swap out a heavier contoured barrel in .270, for example.

I am a newb so I'll man-up and ask the dumb question:

Does this allow me to change to a different caliber? I have the long throw action. I see that the magazine will work for both .270 and 30-06. Does this mean I can put a 30-06 barrel (for a 783) on the receiver and I've got a 30-06 with just a barrel change?

Welcome to the Remington Owners Forum Steve !!

Enjoy the forum !!

I"ll give it a shot. Barrel nuts are cheaper for the manufacturer when head spacing I believe. Savage has used em for many models. Think that conversion would not be possible. Leave well enough alone and save your money.

A .270 is all you need to take any North American game, with the exception of Grizzly and Polar Bears. It would still kill them, but it's advisable for your own safety to have a caliber with more knock down power to prevent an attack by a wounded large bear. I have taken elk with a .270 with 130 grain Winchester Power Points an it dropped right there at 80 yards. I sold that rifle several years back, and went solely .444 Marlin and .30-30 levers, but the price of 444 ammo skyrocketed so I went with a 783 compact in .308 and never looked back. Keep your .270. BTW I thought all 783 came with a contour barrel which is thicker that a standard barrel, but lees so that a bull barrel??? This is a good barrel and it provides exceptional accuracy.

Stix wrote:A .270 is all you need to take any North American game, with the exception of Grizzly and Polar Bears. It would still kill them, but it's advisable for your own safety to have a caliber with more knock down power to prevent an attack by a wounded large bear. I have taken elk with a .270 with 130 grain Winchester Power Points an it dropped right there at 80 yards. I sold that rifle several years back, and went solely .444 Marlin and .30-30 levers, but the price of 444 ammo skyrocketed so I went with a 783 compact in .308 and never looked back. Keep your .270. BTW I thought all 783 came with a contour barrel which is thicker that a standard barrel, but lees so that a bull barrel??? This is a good barrel and it provides exceptional accuracy.

Thanks, Stix! Yes it is a thicker than normal barrel. It does not heat up so fast.

I was just more curious about if I could switch barrels using the same receiver. I wrote Remington and asked them and they just answered that they don't sell spare barrels and really didn't directly answer my question so I thought I would ask here and see if it was possible.

It doesn't seem economically to be a good move because a new barrel would cost more than buying a new rifle.

Just trying to learn all I can.