Need help with barrel swap

Ok, so here's the story.
Bought a brand new model 111 in 7mmMag
Ordered a McGowan barrel through northland shooters supply.
Took the gun and barrel to a smith today to have the barrel installed an free floated.
Smith says 1) he doesn't know how he is going to get the old barrel off because the locking nut is smooth. He says the old ones had grooves or notches for a wrench and mine doesn't.
2) he says that the barrel (new one) is .0060" bigger than the factory barrel where it comes out from the locking nut. Therefore he says he doesn't think it will fit even if he can get the barrel off.

What gives??? How do you get the factory barrel off with nothing to grip?
Has McGowan sent me a barrel of incorrect size??

Surely someone on here can help me out. If need be, I can try to post a pic of my gun if this helps.
Thanks in advance for the help.

As far as getting the smooth nut off there is a wrench that is made for them. Rather than having teeth it uses a friction type collar that your tighten down onto the smooth nut.

As far as the barrel fitting it is all speculation until you get the old barrel off.

Click here for barrel nut wrenchs (including the smooth wrench)

Dolomite

Thanks alot buddy!! Thats one question answered!

CRNA,

Did you order a large or small shank barrel? Your rifle probably has a small shank barrel. If the new McGowen barrel has a large shank, then it won't fit.

The barrel is supposed to be a small shank. What is the difference between the two sizes?

Small shank is 1.055 large shank is 1.120 a difference of 0.065

Standard barrel shank diameter on standard calibers are 1.055" x 20tpi. On the new WSM, RUM, and SAUM calibers it is 1.120" x 20tpi.

some times McGowen & others make a sharper higher VVVVVVVV point on the crest of there threads. Some have had to do a VERY, VERY LIGHT touch of a file or emery cloth.

And the shank is the threaded portion of the barrel correct?
Thank you guys for all of the excellent advice!

Took the gun and barrel to a smith today Your missing out on the fun of having a Savage by not doing it yourself ;D

I'm pretty handy at things, but I am a little apprehensive about doing work like that since I've never done it before.

everybody is untill they do there first one

a little apprehensive Nothing like your a-hole getting real small when you pull the trigger ;D

Haha!! Yeah I can just see me shooting this thing for the first time if I do it!! Small butthole for sure!! Hmmmmm..... I wonder how I could talk my mother in law into firing the first shot for me????

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CRNA

Haha!! Yeah I can just see me shooting this thing for the first time if I do it!! Small butthole for sure!! Hmmmmm..... I wonder how I could talk my mother in law into firing the first shot for me????

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That's the funniest thing I've read in a long time. :D

As far as getting the smooth nut off, I just took a pipe wrench to mine. I'm just going to replace it with a new slotted nut. For the cost of the wrench to remove a smooth nut, I can buy four replacement slotted nuts.

Andrew

I wouldn't worry yet about the .006. From what I have seen of a number of savage barrels the thread is not full depth. By that I mean that the thread may be a 1.055x20 but in reality the minor diameter is being met but the major diameter is is not, so the thread comes to a flat instead of a point. I just measured three barrels and the OD was 1.045 on each of them.

epmn

Ok, so I'll take the barrel off and see where I stand. Thanks for all of the good advice.