It has been suggested that I use an action wrench to remove my barrel. Is it really needed? I have seen some folks using their bench vises with compression blocks. Looks effective to me. Any comments would be greatly appreciated :)
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It has been suggested that I use an action wrench to remove my barrel. Is it really needed? I have seen some folks using their bench vises with compression blocks. Looks effective to me. Any comments would be greatly appreciated :)
If it's a Savage the wrench makes it a lot easier.
I would not install one without it.
Terry
I just use my bench vise or the barrel vice I made w/blocks...not a single problem in 26 yrs of swapping.
Thanx for the replies and yes it's a stevens 200 action.
How do you tighten the barrel nut while maintaining proper head spacing?Quote:
Originally Posted by 5spd
I made good oak blocks for the action and use a bench vise. When removing a "factory" barrel, I have a threaded hole for a 1/4"x20
socket head cap screw that I install against the recoil lug, preventing the action from turning ( an idea I got from another member ).
So far, I have always been able to break the new nut loose with a 2' "persuader" without resorting to the "violence" of useing a steel
hammer. Action vices are great if you can justify the cost, and , with a little "operator error", the action can still twist in the vise. This
can't happen with the cap screw installed. When I install the barrel, I put the "go" gauge in, run the barrel down to it, then rotate
back ever so slightly, then tighten the nut to 40 ft lbs. I have also used this method useing a "fired" case, and it has always worked
perfectly. I keep some factory loads arround to make sure they chamber, but I always shoot my reloads. After shooting and everything
is cooled, I make sure my fired cases will "chamber" then neck size only. I don't full length resize until a fired case is tight chambering.
I feel that the only "true" headspace is "zero" headspace, and can only be achieved through "fireforming". Factory loads conform to
"general" headspaceing. It takes a certain amount of mechanical skill to swap barrels and requires some "feel", and understanding of
what headspace is and what it accomplishes. This goes beyond what was asked ::) but it all works for me. Good Shooting Fortune-Jim
Nope, I have installed and removed a few dozen barrels without one. All I use is my benchvise and a set of wood blocks. If you need more proff, Sharp Shooters Supply has installed and removed litterly thousands of barrels without one. They dont even own one. They have a barrel vise. They have also used the same nut wrench from day #1, and they only use 1 wrench.Quote:
Originally Posted by stewart33
You hold the action with your other hand.Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry Balding
Yup, nothing to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by 82boy
I started out my Savage addiction with a barrel nut wrench and a barrel vise.
Had I come here first I would have learned that the barrel vise is NEVER needed and is in fact a vastly inferior way to swap barrels.
No question now, after thousands of barrel swaps, the ACTION wrench with a barrel NUT wrench is the way to go. Any basic setup to hold the barrel will work if you feel the need but I have not used a barrel vise for about a decade now, even though I own several nice ones.
I got an action wrench from Midway dumped the handle and put it in my bench vice. Lock down the action and pop the barrel nut wrench with a big hammer and the barrel screwed right out without the use of a cheater pipe or any other device. I put the action wrench at the edge of the vise so the barrel nut is exposed and can be tightened correctly.