Question of the Day...

[fgw_in_fla]

It's officially time to change out the barrel on my .270win. I've been putting it off long enough & lately, accuracy / consistancy has gotten bad. Real bad. Disappointingly bad. I already have a shiny new Savage factory replacement barrel (I got for next to nothing) and the barrel nut wrench. I need to locate an action wrench however, I keep coming up with 2 types. One type captures the action from the exterior, another type slides inside the action like the bolt would.
Am I missing something (besides my marbles) on this action wrench issue? If there is in fact 2 types, which one would be best? I'm concerned about damage to the action in the event I have a rifle where the barrel nut is superglued in place.
Thanks in advance for any input, opinions, criticism, innuendo or threats.

P.S. - One last item of interest. I am, in fact, a full fledged Savage addict. My other guns are occasionally neglected because of my Savage rifles (except my carry Glock). Whatever action wrench I end up with, I'd like it to be reuseable. Very reuseable. I can't help think this will not be the last time I change a barrel on a Savage.

[bbradford71]

From my understand you really do not need a action wrench if you have a good vise that you can use. I have heard of people that have taken wood blocks and cut a "V" shape in each block and used it with their regular bench vise as a Barren vise and that was all that was needed to change out the barrel along with a nut wrench. If I am wrong someone will correct me.

[Armed in Utah]

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=36311/Product/Davidson-Action-Wrenches

this is what you need.......along with barrel vise....factory (especially blue) nuts can be very tight....get some Kroil along with a hair dryer to heat nut

[airaddict]

One of those would come in handy to break loose those gorilla tight factory barrel nuts. After that all u need is a good vise and the barrel nut wrench. A good rap on the end to set the threads and thats all it takes. Too bad u cant rent them.

Brian

[keeki]

you dont need an action wrench if your gonna toss the barrel your taking off. all you need is a good pipe wrench to hold the barrel.lol

[fgw_in_fla]

Ya know, keeki just brought something to my attention. I have no use for the old barrel, especially since I can't even set a decent COL on bullets the throat is so burned away. When I set a 130 gr. Nosler, It sets half way into the brass neck & STILL won't touch the rifling. I suppose it's a product of being used as much as 3 times a week at the range. I might just as well use my 24 inch long pipe wrench. After I have the old barrel off, I can use the barrel for a tomato stake or something...

BUT.... Every post I have read here & every article, etc. I have read says: barrel nut wrench & action wrench to break the nut loose then, remove the barrel while the action is still fastened with the action wrench. Point being, I don't want to damage anything I don't have to, I don't want to get half way thru this project & find out I'm short a tool and, last but certainly not least, health issues prohibit me from giving it an a55 whopping like I'm 25 years old. Gotta be careful & make it as easy as possible.
Hence, If you could do it the easiest way / best way / carefulest way, Would you use a "slide in the bolt hole" type wrench or a "squeeze it from the outside" type wrench?
Oh, and "Utah", Thanks for the link. I have a Sinclair catalog around here somewhere. I'll have to dig around a bit.
Thanks to all for your input.
Frank

[fgw_in_fla]

Ooopps... I forgot. Sinclair the best place for a barrel wrench?

[keeki]

the only use for the action wrench is when the barrel nut is so tight that a barrel vise wont hold by itself. Ive never had my barrel vise slip and made it myself, but I would still like to have an action wrench. I just put my barrel in the vise, put the wrench on and slap it with a dead blow and voila.

[chemist1]

I have removed two savage barrels. One on my friends gun and one on mine. The first one was my friends and we could not get it off with a vise. We eventually took a dremel and cut off the barrel nut. The second was mine and I purchase an action wrench that goes on the outside of the action and we got the barrel off with one blow from a hammer. I know that that is not a large sample and he may have had a barrel that the savage gorilla put on but the difference between removing a barrel with the vise vs. the action wrench was night and day. IMHO if you are going to be removing several barrels it is worth the $45 or so to get the action wrench.

[montana bob]

I have action wrenches for Rem-Win-Browning ( nutless barrels, that didn't sound good) but have not used one for Savages. Clamp that barrel in a barrel vice or other holding mechanism and give that nut wrench a good wack( in the right direction of course, did that one time before). I haven't had a problem.

[CJ in WY]

The red-neck Savage barrel swapper. No need to take the action out of the stock or scope off the action but it might be easier sometimes?
I bought a nut wrench but still use the old chisel and hammer method more often than not.
The pic shows the chisel a lot ruffer than it actualy is, it seldom marks the nut and for the first time removal I try to hit the bottom of the nut where it will not show....Specialy on a blued nut.
http://photos.imageevent.com/cjnmn/guns/websize/diesandbullets%20001.jpg