Reuse of Barrel Nuts?

[KMW1954]

Have done a number of web searches on this and can't find an answer. Covers everything but.

Reason for asking about the reuse is because I will be replacing the barrel on my Model 10 soon with a factory take-off and everywhere I look all I can find right now are Stainless nuts. Would just hate to have to put a Stainless nut on a matt black barrel and receiver. That would look foolish.

[Txhillbilly]

Unless your barrel nut was installed by the Savage gorilla like some are, there's no reason why you can't reuse it. If it was torqued way too tight like some are, I'd replace it with a new one.
Although pricey, you can buy or have a new one Cerakoted, or you could just sand it and mask it off after you install it, and paint it with some matte black paint.

[geezerhood]

I always re-use my barrel nuts. Maybe not on the same gun. The only one I have ever had ruined was on an old 222 Rem Model 340. The guys at Bullberry could not get it loose and ended up using a pipe wrench on it.

I have intentionally built several rifles with blued barrels, stainless barrel nuts, blued actions, stainless bolts. Come to think of it it does look kind of foolish! (But I like it!) I also routinely use precision ground stainless steel recoil lugs on blued actions. I have seen some factory barrel / action / barrel nut threads that were loaded up with those tiny steel balls which can be very difficult to get out. Removing the barrel from the action and the barrel nut from the barrel was extremely difficult on some. Be sure you do get rid of the mini balls or they can mess up your threads if they didn't already. I also have seen at least one factory rifle that had some kind of locking compound on the threads that required a heat gun to break loose.

[Chris_in_Idaho]

When working with newer rifles do most of you stick with the smooth nut or swap them for the splined nuts?

[Phreddie30.06]

Splined ones are much easier to work with.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[HammerDown]

As long as you don't damage it during removal, you should be able to reuse it many times.

[Blue Avenger]

Unless your barrel nut was installed by the Savage gorilla like some are, there's no reason why you can't reuse it. If it was torqued way too tight like some are.

People who have been on the factory tour claim it's Girls that put them on.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

People who have been on the factory tour claim it's Girls that put them on.

So, they would be Girllias?? ;)

[mnbogboy2]

I always re-use my barrel nuts. Maybe not on the same gun. The only one I have ever had ruined was on an old 222 Rem Model 340. The guys at Bullberry could not get it loose and ended up using a pipe wrench on it.

I have intentionally built several rifles with blued barrels, stainless barrel nuts, blued actions, stainless bolts. Come to think of it it does look kind of foolish! (But I like it!) I also routinely use precision ground stainless steel recoil lugs on blued actions. I have seen some factory barrel / action / barrel nut threads that were loaded up with those tiny steel balls which can be very difficult to get out. Removing the barrel from the action and the barrel nut from the barrel was extremely difficult on some. Be sure you do get rid of the mini balls or they can mess up your threads if they didn't already. I also have seen at least one factory rifle that had some kind of locking compound on the threads that required a heat gun to break loose.
I mix & match them both ways, I do not think the looks make a difference. I have found the stainless nuts to be better (true) and are easier to machine( softer, notheattreatedashard).
I have manythati drill & tap forsetsrewsforswitcharrela and found latelytheyarespedy ,($15 to $30)
My stash of over20extrasisusedup andihavetornfown workingriflesto use theut!

[geezerhood]

I mix & match them both ways, I do not think the looks make a difference. I have found the stainless nuts to be better (true) and are easier to machine( softer, notheattreatedashard).
I have manythati drill & tap forsetsrewsforswitcharrela and found latelytheyarespedy ,($15 to $30)
My stash of over20extrasisusedup andihavetornfown workingriflesto use theut!

If I sold all my Savage rifles, I would still not be able to part with my extra barrel nuts or recoil lugs!

[Robinhood]

I fully understand what TX hillbilly is talking about. If a thread, weather it is the male or female is over torqued, the threads can get pulled causing the V to start to lean the direction of the stress. Basically the could loose their shape. He may be right, it may be enough stress to do that.

However, i typically run a quality tap through mine before reusing them and i have not found the type of metal being removed to indicate this is happening. I tend to be like TXhillbilly in that I like my stuff to be right so I get what he is saying. IMHO, the eveyday Savage-Smith will probably never see an issue.

[Fordoldfart]

If I have one that comes off hard ie full of blast media and bluing salts. I run my savage tap through it and the receiver.

[KMW1954]

Thank you all so very much. Like I said I sis a web search and didn't find these sorts of answers!

Now before I start I will give mine a double Christian sign of the cross blessing and hope for the best!

[Chris_in_Idaho]

If I could piggy back a barrel nut question here, on NSS website they show two types of spline nut wrenches. One for square notches and one for round notches. How common are the round notches and when did they switch to square?

[KMW1954]

The Wheeler nut wrench I received has both, one at each end and then the separate wrench for the smooth ones.

[Newtosavage]

If I could piggy back a barrel nut question here, on NSS website they show two types of spline nut wrenches. One for square notches and one for round notches. How common are the round notches and when did they switch to square?

Round notched are quite old now. Not sure when they switched but everything I use now is square.