Is my barrel nut undersized?

I picked up a stainless barrel nut from the classifieds a while ago to use on my long action build. Got my 25-06AI barrel and when I went to do a test fit tonight it appears that my barrel nut may be undersized. As I slid it down the barrel to install it stopped on the taper well short of the threads. Barrel is duracoated so I thought that might be the issue. Rather than trying to force it and self-clearance the coating, I decided to measure first.

Barrel shank measures as it should - 1.055" - across the top of the threads.

Inside dimension of the nut measures .040" smaller - 1.015".

I also measured the barrel shank right in front of the threads and got 1.035".

I know that I am measuring different dimensions between the nut and barrel threads. That's why I measured the barrel right in front of the threads as well to see if the nut would even fit over that dimension.

I don't have any other barrel nuts to compare too unfortunately and would rather not bugger up the nut or barrel in the name of stupidity.

Any chance someone can measure a nut or nuts for me and/or provide sage advice on what I experienced?

Thanks for the help.

It doesn't slide down the taper, it installs from the threaded end. Screw the nut onto the threads.

Funny. Rookie mistake! Thanks for the education.

I was gonna move the thread to the humor forum but I didn't wanna hurt your feelings.

Wouldn't have hurt my feelings!

I blame it on to much multitasking. Between fixing dinner, managing the 3 year old, and test installing my first barrel to action something had to give.

Ya live and learn, nothing wrong with that!:biggrin-new:

No worse than sending in an action to get checked out because the trigger wouldn't cock. Come to find out I had the bolt handle on the wrong side. It was a lefty action and I had been working on righty actions. Some days are better than others. You would have to have been there to appreciate it.

That was kinda funny.
Well, if you have a sense of humor it was DANG funny.
The BEST, hardest and most satisfying laughs are when you're really laughing at yourself.