Sundo
09-22-2011, 01:00 AM
I have a new 116 FCSS .30-06 and an E.R. Shaw .308 barrel (yeah, I know the .308 is a short action cartridge and the 116 is a long action). I've been preparing to do the barrel change. I'm looking for any tips for doing a first-time barrel change on a new rifle. I've read that the barrel nut is on pretty tight from the factory.
I've ordered the smooth barrel nut wrench from Sharpshooter Supply (SSS?). I have the Wheeler barrel vise, but don't have it mounted to anything, yet. That leads me to my first question: Is there any advantage to using an action wrench instead of a barrel vise, especially for a first-time barrel change? It seems to me that an action wrench and barrel nut wrench will put less stress on the barrel than a barrel vise and a nut wrench. I've considered getting an action wrench, but realized that I'd have to take off the scope base every time I use the action wrench. I wonder if the wear of repeatedly unmounting/remounting the scope base is worse than the stress of a barrel vise. For the first barrel change (when the barrel is tight from the factory), should I consider using an action wrench instead of the barrel vise?
I've read about using Kroil and/or heat to unlock the threads before the first barrel change. Will this do any damage to the surface? Is it easy to thoroughly clean off the Kroil once the barrel is off? Does a standard hair dryer produce sufficient heat, or should I go for a real heat gun? Or, preferably, can I get away with not using heat at all? I'm looking for the barrel change method that will put the least wear on the parts.
When I install the new barrel, how beneficial is it to use the "competition recoil lug" from SSS? Does the competition recoil lug produce a measurable improvement in accuracy over the factory recoil lug, or is it just a gimmick?
Answers to these questions, and any other tips, are highly appreciated. FYI, I did do (at least a cursory) search, and didn't find any obvious relevant thread results. If I missed a relevant thread, please accept my apologies in advance and help me find the right threads. Thanks!
I've ordered the smooth barrel nut wrench from Sharpshooter Supply (SSS?). I have the Wheeler barrel vise, but don't have it mounted to anything, yet. That leads me to my first question: Is there any advantage to using an action wrench instead of a barrel vise, especially for a first-time barrel change? It seems to me that an action wrench and barrel nut wrench will put less stress on the barrel than a barrel vise and a nut wrench. I've considered getting an action wrench, but realized that I'd have to take off the scope base every time I use the action wrench. I wonder if the wear of repeatedly unmounting/remounting the scope base is worse than the stress of a barrel vise. For the first barrel change (when the barrel is tight from the factory), should I consider using an action wrench instead of the barrel vise?
I've read about using Kroil and/or heat to unlock the threads before the first barrel change. Will this do any damage to the surface? Is it easy to thoroughly clean off the Kroil once the barrel is off? Does a standard hair dryer produce sufficient heat, or should I go for a real heat gun? Or, preferably, can I get away with not using heat at all? I'm looking for the barrel change method that will put the least wear on the parts.
When I install the new barrel, how beneficial is it to use the "competition recoil lug" from SSS? Does the competition recoil lug produce a measurable improvement in accuracy over the factory recoil lug, or is it just a gimmick?
Answers to these questions, and any other tips, are highly appreciated. FYI, I did do (at least a cursory) search, and didn't find any obvious relevant thread results. If I missed a relevant thread, please accept my apologies in advance and help me find the right threads. Thanks!