Stuck barrel nut

[brentwoodkris]

So I'm in the process of trying to get my barrel nut removed from my .308 with the factory 22" sporter barrel on it. Apparently I got one of the ones with the gorrilla tightened nut. I know there are many here that swear by action wrenches, but I went the cheap route (college student) and ended up with a wheeler barrel nut wrench.

I made a barrel vise out of hardwood contoured to my barrel but try as I might, the thing still spins under a HUGE amount of torque in my vise. Today I'll be adding corn starch (cheap man's rosin) to the vise to try and create more friction as well as adding some penetrating oil to the nut and through the front base mount.

Provided that I can actually get the vise to hold the barrel, I'll be using the propane torch to hopefully expand the metal too.

Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!

[keeki]

put some duct tape on the barrel where you clamp it

[earl39]

don't try to push or pull on the wrench just hit it with a deadblow hammer. a couple of really good whacks should break the nut loose.

[thirty06]

Forget the deadblow HIT it with a real hammer. No reason to be nice to it now.

[brentwoodkris]

put some duct tape on the barrel where you clamp it


I tried this, but it actually made the barrel spin more freely.

[stomp442]

Just clamp it in and whack the crap out of it. It will come off.

[Eric in NC]

Forget the deadblow HIT it with a real hammer. No reason to be nice to it now.


Nope - deadblow is way better than a standard hammer - transfers all the energy to the wrench instead of bouncing off.

1 - make sure your front scope base is removed
2 - yes penetrating oil
3 - make sure your blocks have a hole that is smaller than the barrel (you can shave off some of the "legs" on either side of the hole to do this). You can also line the blocks with tough leather (old boot tongue).
4 - tighten the HECK out of the vice
5 - use a 3 or 5 pound dead blow hammer (not rubber mallet but a true deadblow).

If you heat it and let it cool back down without getting it off, you will have made the problem worse!

[Armed in Utah]

Couple of ways....

don't bend the action for an $11 nut....

use Kroil...hairdryer....vise....

If all fails split the nut with a Dremel tool.....get a new nut.....

Don't bust your nut trying loosen a Savage nut......

[calib]

Couple of ways....

don't bend the action for an $11 nut....

use Kroil...hairdryer....vise....

If all fails split the nut with a Dremel tool.....get a new nut.....

Don't bust your nut trying loosen a Savage nut......
yeah that last line

[Werewolf]

Use the penetrating oil
wrap electrical tape around the recoil lug and front of the action to prevent marring
get a large crescent wrench and clamp it around the recoil lug, lay the whole operation on some padding on the floor
put wheeler wrench on nut at about 45 degrees to the floor
step on wrench til seal breaks
haven't found one yet (out of six) that could resist 200 lbs of redneck standing on it

[brentwoodkris]

Use the penetrating oil
wrap electrical tape around the recoil lug and front of the action to prevent marring
get a large crescent wrench and clamp it around the recoil lug, lay the whole operation on some padding on the floor
put wheeler wrench on nut at about 45 degrees to the floor
step on wrench til seal breaks
haven't found one yet (out of six) that could resist 200 lbs of redneck standing on it


At this point, should I be considering upgrading my recoil lug? Also, is there any risk in this approach to twisting the action?

[earl39]

Use the penetrating oil
wrap electrical tape around the recoil lug and front of the action to prevent marring

I use a piece of leather.


get a large crescent wrench and clamp it around the recoil lug,

I have a 15in cresent i use for this

lay the whole operation on some padding on the floor
put wheeler wrench on nut at about 45 degrees to the floor

step on wrench til seal breaks

This is where i use the hammer

haven't found one yet (out of six) that could resist 200 lbs of redneck standing on it

I have broke 5 loose like this


At this point, should I be considering upgrading my recoil lug? Also, is there any risk in this approach to twisting the action?

If you keep the wrench tight and all the way up on the lug and action with the tape or leather you will not twist the action nor mar the finish. Just remember the lug goes down in the jaws of the cresent.

You will have it all broke down and you are ordering a barrel so i would order a new machined lug.

[brentwoodkris]

you are ordering a barrel so i would order a new machined lug.


Actually I have a factory takeoff heavy barrel from a 12FV. I have an open order for a longer bolt handle over at SSS, should I add a recoil lug to it? Or just not bother? Any real benefit for the recreational shooter like myself?

[earl39]

If all you are looking for is minute of deer/hog or something like that then the factory lug will work fine. If you decide you want to get every bit you can out of the gun without all the extra gunsmith work then the lug is a well spent 20 something dollars. For your recreational shooting i would just go with the factory lug.

[brentwoodkris]

If you decide you want to get every bit you can out of the gun without all the extra gunsmith work then the lug is a well spent 20 something dollars.

Where can I find it for 20 something? I've seen mid 30's even from SSS.

[earl39]

If you decide you want to get every bit you can out of the gun without all the extra gunsmith work then the lug is a well spent 20 something dollars.

Where can I find it for 20 something? I've seen mid 30's even from SSS.


Northland has small shank lugs for 27 and large shank lugs for 29 Just call Jim he is a great guy to deal with and will get you a lug out asap

[brentwoodkris]

If you decide you want to get every bit you can out of the gun without all the extra gunsmith work then the lug is a well spent 20 something dollars.

Where can I find it for 20 something? I've seen mid 30's even from SSS.


Northland has small shank lugs for 27 and large shank lugs for 29 Just call Jim he is a great guy to deal with and will get you a lug out asap


Well I finally got the nut off...with a dremel. Ended up screwing the thread up a bit on the factory barrel too, oh well (although it still threads fine, hmm). In the process I marred up the recoil lug anyways. I guess it gave me an excuse to upgrade it. I'll be ordering (hopefully both if he sells them) tomorrow first thing! Thanks!

[BobT]

Don't use heat, you don't need it and it can damage your action. Powdered sugar works better than corn starch. I have had zero luck with homemade wooden barrel blocks. Buy an action wrench, use it, then resell it if you don't want to keep it for future use, it is far cheaper than damaging an action.

Bob

[MNbogboy]

Sorry I didn't see this one yesterday....The nut & lug are about equal in value with the take-off barrel....Therefore, a good pipe wrench with your barrel nut wrench could have worked.....Also the advice to stand on it is all I ever do...I lay a clean rug or cardboard on the floor and "bounce" a little on the real tough ones...I weigh 180 and it has worked everytime..I do, however, use this in combination with an action wrench but used a pipe wrench one time with no problem....
Good luck with your project and welcome to this "affliction"...
randy

[devildogandboy]

GunShack has the items you need also.

http://www.gunshack.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=25