WOO-HOO!!! Removed first barrel!

[Ol' BW]

I removed my first barrel today. It has a smooth barrel nut so I had to use a pipe wrench. I soaked the barrel nut down with PB Blaster and let it set overnight. I got up this morning and mounted the action in the Northland Shooter Supply action wrench before I went to work. I came home from work and tried the pipe wrench, no go. So I got out the heat gun and heated it up and tried again, no luck.
Took a couple of hammers and put one on one side and whacked the barrel nut with the other, tried the pipe wrench, not budging. Time to pull out the "big guns".
Took the whole mess out to the shop and put the action wrench in the vise with the widest side between the jaws so the barrel was parallel to the jaws. I put the pipe wrench in place on the barrel nut then found a "cheater bar" which consisted of a 4 ft. section of 11/2" diameter galvanized pipe installed on the end of the pipe wrench. Eased on the pressure and turned the barrel and nut right out!

I then followed a suggestion in another thread, removed the barrel lug and threaded the barrel back in the action with the bolt closed and bottomed the barrel out on the bolt then turned the barrel nut to get it started off the barrel.

I'll try and post some pictures later.

Nothing like having the right tools and a plan coming together!

BW

[Russmerle]

Good job. My stock barrel with smooth nut was tough too... Installing the new barrel with a standard precision nut was the best decision. That NSS action wrench certainly is awesome!

[yew plucker]

Congrats! Both the barrels I have removed (helped by an amateur gunsmith friend), came off fairly easily. Both were knurled nuts. we just put the barrel in a barrel vice and cranked the nut off. Wasn't too hard. That smooth nut must be a bear to deal with.

[GaCop]

I have yet to experience the smooth barrel nut. That said, I've been very lucky over the years and have had no problems breaking loose the slotted barrel nuts using the standard nut tools available.

[pbmax84]

Has anyone ever tried machining flats on a smooth nut? Don't know if there's enough meat. Haven't tried it. Just thought of it............

[Ol' BW]

Congrats! Both the barrels I have removed (helped by an amateur gunsmith friend), came off fairly easily. Both were knurled nuts. we just put the barrel in a barrel vice and cranked the nut off. Wasn't too hard. That smooth nut must be a bear to deal with.
I'm sure the smooth nut is no tougher to remove than the knurled or splined nuts with the exception that it is impossible to remove without damage. The pipe wrench gets a good grip on it for sure, you just have to get enough leverage!

I don't believe that there is anything more keeping you from turning the smooth nut as apposed to the splined nut. I actually thought about smoothing out the tool marks and cutting splines into the smooth nut.

BW

[Jamie]

Has anyone ever tried machining flats on a smooth nut? Don't know if there's enough meat. Haven't tried it. Just thought of it............

That is exactly what I did. Got tired of fighting it, took it over to my coffee buddies garage laid in the mill and cut two flat spots. put an adjustable wrench on it and spun right off. Easiest way to do it, might be able to cut/grind some flats with a dremel as you are not going to reuse the nut anyway.

[futurerider103]

I cut a slit in the bottom of my smooth nut and used a punch and a hammer. Came of nicely. I'm going to try to use it when my new X Caliber 7.62x39 barrel arrives

[Russmerle]

I'm sure the smooth nut is no tougher to remove than the knurled or splined nuts with the exception that it is impossible to remove without damage. The pipe wrench gets a good grip on it for sure, you just have to get enough leverage!

I don't believe that there is anything more keeping you from turning the smooth nut as apposed to the splined nut. I actually thought about smoothing out the tool marks and cutting splines into the smooth nut.

BW
It is possible as long as you use the smooth nut wrench and brass shim that comes with it... Regardless, they should just be replaced IMO so it shouldn't matter how it comes off ;)