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Guys I have a Stevens 308 action I just removed the factory sporter from. I bought a used heavy 308 barrel and was ready to begain my first barrel swap. I started screwing the heavy barrel into the action by hand and got about 1/4 of threads into action and then it stopped. I can no longer screw barrel into action by hand. Is something wrong or does this take a little force? Any thought or tip to get be started will be very helpful.
Thanks
Check to make sure there are no scope mount screws protruding into the barrel threads in the receiver.
Remove the barrel and and clean the inside and outside threads. Look to see if the front scope mount screw is protruding into the threads. Remove and shorten if needed. Using some lubricant try to thread the barrel in again. If it is still tight Measure the threads. If they are over 1.055 take some fine emery and lightly sand the top of the barrel threads. Clean the sanding grit and debris. Try once again and report back.
Edit: Apache beat me to it.
There is no scope mount on action. Took it off thinking it might be a screw. I will clean action in morning and get back with y'all tomorrow
If your barrel nut goes in and out fine then it has to be something in the action. Clean it good.
Another thought, how far will the barrel screw into action before you get to the point to start checking headspace? Will all the threads of barrel be in action?
Once it's far enough in the the go gauge will reach the barrel. I went to far and had a dilemma with the barrel being to tight in the action or the barrel nut being to tight on the barrel to tighten down to the action. I had to pull the whole thing apart spend some time cleaning the threads again and start over with the new lesson learned. It went together in a few minutes on the second attempt where I spent most of the day on the first go at it.
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I will clean action and play some more. My gauges have not come in yet so I was using a piece of brass to get close, but can not get barrel to screw in far enough to fill the brass
Cleaned both actions. No luck on either one. It will screw in farther on one the the other but neither one far enough to set headspace. I am screwing them in by hand only.
Any thoughts
I had best luck mounting the barrel in a bench vise between to boards to avoid scratches and turning the action on with and action wrench. Otherwise I could create enough torque.
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hmmm, I would not force it too much at this time. Do you have any problem with the barrel nut? Is that barrel nut new? You should have no problem screwing it by hands, actually, that is he only way I would do it when headspacing. I wont want to torque that barrel on the gauge. If you remove the gauge when the barrel get tight, what happens?
The barrel hasn't threaded far enough I the action for the op to start headspacing.
The action wrench provided me just enough additional torque to continue threading the barrel into to action. I did not force it in if it was caught up I backed up and tried adding some oil or backed off completely and further cleaned the threads with a wire brush and a small amount of acetone and added a few drops of clean oil before starting again until it finally threaded to where I could start headspacing.
The oil I used was Gatco honing oil for sharpening stones. It's very thin and soaks in quickly. Also is clear and makes it easy to see what is going on.
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I have not put the barrel nut on. I was just playing to see what it was going to look like and when it would not thread in I knew I had a problem
try the nut, see if you have the same problem. If it is a good nut then it will tell you if you have a barrel problem. where are you located about bigred94? if you are close to charlotte nc maybe I can help you. Im not expert but I have mount/swapped my share of barrels.
I'am in Alabama
You guys that have done barrel swaps, is the barrel suppose to thread on freely? Just thinking if it is very tight how do you fill the gauges or brass to set headspace?
It should thread freely. I can turn by hand up to the gauge then stop and tighten nut. If the threads are clean and unbstructed and still won't thread on then the threads are the wrong pitch.
Barrel should turn freely. The gauges are steel so once you got it tight against the go gauge the barrel just won't turn and then when you use the no go the bolt won't close so I would stop at the first sign and swap gauges.
However, i would be worried I am damaging the threads. I might have missed it but did you try the barrel nut on that barrel?
Rereading this entire thread this morning I was wondering if we confirmed that you have the proper shanked barrel. I would assume the Stevens is a short action and requires the small shank which has a diameter of 1.055.
Someone please correct me if I am incorrect on the diameter. Also what brand is the used barrel and if possible what did it come off of?
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Er shaw barrel. Small shank Stevens 200 action. The nuts are in the mail somewhere
If i am reading this correctly you just took a barrel off this action. Where is the nut that was on that barrel? Try threading that nut on the new barrel. If it won't go odds are something is wrong with the barrel.
It was a new smooth nut. I sold it with the barrel so I can replace it with old style
If you are using action wrench, remove it & try screwing action & barrel together they should go together without use of tools. Check barrel threads for burrs or bent threads. Threads can be cleaned up with small triangle file. screw action & barrel together till they stop, mark were threads stop, remove barrel, clean with file, repeat till they go together. It has been advised to clean thread of receiver, be sure they are clean.
Whatever you do be careful. You don't want to mess the threads. I would wait for the barrel nut but I put my money that the problem is in the receiver. I would be surprise a McGowen barrel was threaded improperly. You might have to visit a smith if only to have him look at it. Messing up the receiver or barrel threads will cost you more. Good luck, wish you were closer so I could help better.
I did a 116 with a new er shaw barrel. couldn't screw it in. was too tight. I had read here and finally noticed myself that the threads were "sharp" or basically too tall. all i had to do was lightly sand the barrel threads by hand until it freely screwed into the action.
Got it guys!
Sanded it some and finally screwed in far enough to touch the brass. I'am going to attempt to set headspace by using a fl brass. Any pointers?
Glad to hear it worked out! Was getting worried about this one.
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Im glad too. I now remember reading that thread. Good stuff.
Great idea!:cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by bigred94
Use it like a go gauge. mark the barrel and the action in a straight line. Back of a few degrees and snug it up. Check the line and ad some shim(cellophane tape) to the base of the case and it should act like a no go.
Well I thought I had it but when I put recoil lug and barrel nut on it will not let me check headspace. Guess barrel is not in far enough.
Here's what I know
I have it now where the barrel will screw into action until it will not allow bolt to open
When you add the recoil lug and barrel nut it will not let the bolt grab a brass from chamber.
The barrel nut will screw all the way up the threads until it hits something and stop. Not sure if it is suppose to screw off muzzle end or not.
Had to sand some more on barrel to get nut to go all the way up.
Something is still not right
Any thoughts
Either not enough threads, threads are too large, barrel damaged by something. Is it a Mcgowen barrel?
If you have the action clamped in an action wrench you may have it clamped too tight. Loosen it and see if the barrel will screw in.
Bought two barrel nuts, one screwed on all the way the other didn't, so now i'am ready to set headspace finally! When using a peice of fl brass, do you use one that is max case length(2.015) or one that is trimed to length (2.005)?
If you are going to use brass then use fired brass re-sized in your die. Never use virgin brass as it tends to be on the small side and might even be below Sammi spec. Unless the neck is cut bad short you could use the untrimmed brass but the trimmed brass will remove any doubt that you may have as to not head-spacing correctly. After setting the head space measure your brass then add one piece of tape to the end until you have 2-4 thousandths added to the length. This is now your no-go. Insure the bolt will not close on this and you are ready to go.
Ok thanks for the great help and info!
Can someone explain what would happen if you use the 2.015 brass to set the headspace vs the one trimed to 2.005 as this is the recommended one to use?
This is my first time to do this so just trying to make since of it all
Headspacing is done off the shoulder of the brass. So the length of the neck shouldn't matter unless it is really long. Headspace gauges for bottleneck cartridges do not even have the neck portion. If you use fired but non resized brass you could end up with the headspace being too long and SAAMI spec. cartridges might be too short to fire or the case head could break off.
If the fired brass has been full length resized and the OAL is too long (because the case necks need trimming) you take the chance of the case mouth being crimped on the bullet at the end of the chamber. (Bad JU JU!!) Trim them back to minimum trim length. That's a good starting point so you'll know how far the case grows when resizing.
Thanks guys. Starting to make since now. I will take a fired brass fl resized with my rcbs dies then trimmed to 2.005(as to book specs) then set headspace.
Check your bolt cycling with a few sized cases after setting the headspace. I have had to back off the barrel because the bolt would close too hard.
Ok just set headspace (I think). Have a question. On the fl trimmed case it's tight but will close. On a factory federal round it closes very easy. Can someone explain what's happening?
My understanding is that some manufacturers cases are smaller than sami specs. So if you headspace using brass that is smaller than Sami specs when you put a shell that is up to sami it will chamber tight or not chamber at all. That is why I tell everyone to head space using a gauge which will be up to sami. That is the only way to make sure all rounds will work. If you are reloading and have zero plan to use commercial ammo then headspacing with the same brand brass you will be using is not such a big deal.
Good luck.