Barrel Nut Woes....

I am officially stumped. For the first time, I have let a barrel nut beat me. I was attempting to remove the nut on a SA RH SF donor rifle I purchased a few years ago. I has a 7MM-08 barrel on it that I really don't care about but it shot pretty well so I really didn't want to damage it. Went through my normal ritual preparing barrel and action for divorce. I have never had to use an action wrench in the past. Wrapped barrel in a leather strap and clamped just in front of the nut in my barrel vise, adjusted the wrench to the proper position and gave it a really sharp blow with a my 18" stick of 2x4. Nothing. Gave it another. Still nothing. Gave it a Manitoba 2 fister and still nothing. Nut wouldn't budge but barrel moved in the blocks for the first time ever. Tightened again and repeated the earlier process and actually tightened blocks to the point where one cracked. Still nothing doing. Broke out the Kroil (never needed before either)and applied liberally and left it alone for the night. Got home from work tonight and dusted off my action wrench. Got action set up in the wrench and positioned barrel nut wrench to correct position. Set my piece of 2x4 on top of wrench and struck it with a 4# hammer. Sheared my Grade 8 1/4-28 right off. WTF??? Any suggestions for when I get this little stub of broken bolt out of the action?

Thank you for my laugh of the day! That's a great story ha-ha.

As far as your issue, I've never done a barrel removal. I would imagine letting it soak in a penetrating oil and supplying some low heat for a couple of days would help loosen it up.

Been dealing with the same thing quite a bit lately... Even with Wheeler barrel vise and action wrenches. Might have to cut it off with a dremel.

to remove the broken screw, I cut a slot in the top of it with a dremel and turn it out with a flat head screw driver.

Is this a "ratchet type" nut?

I have never had one this tight, unless someone installed it with Red Loctite.

What nut wrench are you using? Action wrench?

Just curious, and want to make sure it's not a smooth nut.

Dennis

Forget about the 2X4. Too soft to transfer the SHOCK to the nut wrench. You need STEEL against STEEL. A good sized "Steel" hammer" applied with extreme predjuice on the nut wrench will transfer the SHOCK to the steel nut wrench. It's the SHOCK from metal hitting metal that brakes the nut loose. Been there, done that more than once and, have chased a few actions around in the vice trying to brake the nut loose.
As far as using a Wheeler Action Wrench? Bought one, tried it, listened to the barrel SQUEAK in the action when trying to turn the barrel. Put it (the Wheeler Wrench) back in the box and havn't looked at it since. That was at least 3 or 4 years ago and I have changed a BUNCH of barrels since then with NO PROBLEMS. The Wheeler would cost more to ship if sold than it's worth so it sits under the bench, out of sight, out of mind.

^^^ Good advice on the metal to metal part. the trick to the Wheeler action wrench is to not overtighten the bolts when clamping it down. I put the side of the recoil lug against the recess in the wrench so that it won't sli[p even if the bolts aren't real tight. That way you're not squeezing the action down onto the barrel threads. )Skip the bolt in the action screw hole, it will not line up if you do as I suggest. The Axis, however, require the bolt because there is no recoil lug)

Also, on the same note as the metal to metal "shock", I recently relocated my work space and my new bench is not as sturdy as the old one. I am sure that has something to do with some of the trouble I have been having lately. Will need to correct that, and would have already but I am forced to work in a temporary spot for the moment.

I don't even consider trying to hold the barrel for a first time removal.

"Mikie" is right about the steel on steel, but I don't like subjecting my actions to that much shock.

Dennis mentioned Red Loctite and I am convinced that it or some other brand is used on the nut by Savage at the factory.

Therefore, the last three I have done, I heated the nut with my propane torch until that stuff bubbled up from out of there, about 300deg. At that point the nuts came loose with about 60ft lbs of torque.

I use oak blocks I have made, placed in a bench vise, to hold the action, with a cap screw installed against the recoil lug to prevent rotation. But remember, when we immobilize the lug, that little alignment nub is taking all the stress and is the weak point. That's another reason I don't like shock or excessive torque.

I've heard there is no "Mongo" and I am convinced the nuts are "glued" on at the factory. Therefor, I choose to use a reasonable application of HEAT.

Works for Me...JMHO :-) ... Jim

Thought about trying heat gun to warm things up?

I have to ask, you're sure you're trying to turn the the the correct direction right? Clockwise away from the action. I just had a barrel changed and a single wack loosened it up.

Thanks for all of the advice guys. I will try a little bit of heat after I get this nub of broken bolt out after slotting with the dremel. I have removed several barrels from new rifles in the past. Blued, stainless, fluted varmint, heavy tactical, never an issue using my barrel nut wrench and a good thunk with a 2x4. All the metal to metal shock attempt did was dent my barrel nut wrench yesterday. Every Savage I have owned (at least a dozen) 110 variants and have never had a nut act like this. After some closer examination, I am not completely sure that the threads are not rusted. The rifle is of the black parkerized looking finish and shows signs of pitting in several areas that are not readily obvious because of the low gloss. Hopefully some carefully applied heat will do the trick. Will keep you posted.

Jeff

I have had one that was that hard to get off. It was a model 10 and I had to heat it with a propane torch. I have swapped barrels on about 2 or 3 dozen swaps involving factory barrels.

Quote:

---

Thought about trying heat gun to warm things up?

---

Not hot enough, and covers too large of an area.

I have always used oak blocks and never had an issue taking a nut off, either smooth or ratchet.

You must have a good barrel nut wrench, one a lot better than Wheeler.

Dennis

I have only removed one barrel nut, a smooth one. A 3 ft piece of pipe on the end of the pipe wrench made it easy-peasy, only after I had put heat on it, PB Blaster, and got an action wrench mounted in the vice.

I know more about getting metal pipes loose from their fittings. My Dad showed me a trick long ago. Put the fitting (in this case the barrel nut) on its side on a hard surface such as an anvil and give it a couple of good licks with a small sledge or blacksmiths hammer, turn it a quarter turn and wail it again. That seems to break loose any rust etc. that may be keeping the threads locked I guess. I have seen that make daylight and dark difference when working with galvanized steel pipe.

BW

I just had a donor a couple months ago make me wonder if I was going do damage the action.

It was the 3rd action I did(10 accutrigger round back), and way tighter than the others(both 110 pre accutrigger flat back).

I tried heating the nut. Let kroil go at it for 24 hrs.

Ended up applying a lot of force to things that I really should not have. I was almost expecting a twisted action. Luckily everything worked out.

In hindsight, I should have cut the nut, or barrel and nut. Best advice, if applying torque to the receiver, stay as close to the barrel as you can. The farther back you go, the more likely that it will twist.

Best of luck too you.
Adam.

I've pulled 4 now, 2 Axis, a 110, and a 10. All with a big vise and a pair of oak blocks around the barrel . And a dead blow hammer. No issues.

I am not having issues loosening the nut, but actually removing it after removing the action.

The trick that was shared with me to remove the nut from the barrel was:

- Take off the recoil lug
- Thread barrel back on the action with the bolt closed
- tighten the barrel up against the bolt face using the barrel nut, barrel nut should start turning once the barrel bottoms out on the bolt face.
- remove the barrel from the action and hold with a pair of vice grips wrapped with leather or rubber around the barrel.
- loosen nut and remove from the barrel.

BW

I'd rather be LUCKY...but when I'm not, I have to be GOOD!!! ;-))

The advice of Steel-on-Steel for breaking things free is right-on.
At this point, I don't even fool with them anymore. If 2 good smacks don't do the trick, the Dremel comes out and I cut the nut off. For the $5, it isn't worth the headache.