Question about my PWS .308

[DTOMinga]

I own a pws MK216MOD1-M. As you know it has a 16.1” barrel. I want to swap the barrel out for a 18” or 20” so I sent pws an email and asked them what I had to do in order for this to be done. They told me that this cannot be done at home or at most gunsmiths. Why is this? I have never heard of anything like this and if anyone is familiar with these rifles please help me. I appreciate it. 

[edgecrusher]

I would guess proprietary barrel nut. Why do you want to change the barrel? Just curious...

[EZTundra77]

I can't see why this would be the case but I have never tried it.  If it were a proprietary nut,  I would think you could swap to one of their longer barrels. My 2¢: the 16" barrel is amazingly accurate from a semi auto platform.  I have a 24" bull barrel on my bolt action Rem. M700SS.  As expected, the 700 is sub MOA at 100m.  But my Mk216 Mod 1 is just as good at 100.  I'm sure the shorter barrel makes a big difference out at 600-800m.  If you aren't shooting that far, I think you'll be happy with the 16".  But far be it for me to tell a man what to do with his barrel.  I was just surprised that I was sub MOA with the Mk216

 

[98Z5V]

13 hours ago, EZTundra77 said:

 I'm sure the shorter barrel makes a big difference out at 600-800m. 

 

Nothing you can't account for with the proper drop of the load you're using.  Once you know how much it drops, you can run it out there just like anything else.  I've got a 13.5" .308 with a red dot.  For shiits and giggles, I'll put a magnified optic on it and run it out to 845 and see how it does.  I know I have a 14.5" 5.56 gun with a red dot that'll do 575 yards.  A 12.5" Grendel that's suprisingly accurate at that 845 yard target.  It's the drop, dope, and holds, man.  Just find out where it goes transonic. Any distance after that speed is a crapshoot, unless you have a badass ballistic app to run it out further.