I am trying to change barrels on my 110 w/ accutrigger. I have my barrel nut wrench, but my barrel is slipping in my homemade barrel vice. What is the best way to remove the barrel? Should I buy a barrel vice or an action wrench?
Mike
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I am trying to change barrels on my 110 w/ accutrigger. I have my barrel nut wrench, but my barrel is slipping in my homemade barrel vice. What is the best way to remove the barrel? Should I buy a barrel vice or an action wrench?
Mike
Action wrench is way easier.
I've used a barrel vise and truly hate them. Some others have had luck putting rosin or powdered sugar on the barrel blocks but I could never get it loose.
Got a cheap wheeler action wrench and haven't use curse words on an action since.
I just got done five min. ago resetting the headspace on my 6.5x55AI using the Wheeler action wrench. I got the wrench from the get go and never tried a barrel vice but I can tell you the action wrench works slick. TB
Thanks, that was the direction that I was headed. Where did you get your wrench? How much?
Think Midway has them on sale. Fifty bucks, give or take. Maybe sixty shipped.
<edit> Kinda erred to the high side...
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=710783
Action wrench all the way! But the barrel vise is usefull as a "third hand". Plus Midway has them on sale for $48 right now.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=710783
Andrew
It is interesting to see how the preferred method of barrel removal / installation has changed over time here....
When I first started coming to the site the use of an action wrench was not even mentioned as I recall.
Every barrel change FAQ or post referred to the use of a barrel vise, so I started out with that and had nothing but trouble with it. After switching to an action wrench life was beautiful!
Anybody use a rear-entry action wrench?
Probably not what you want for removing stubborn factory-installed tubes, but for swapping barrels on the go it seems like it might make things a little easier? This spring I had to have the chamber in a barrel tweaked just a smidge, and when it was reinstalled the 'smith clamped the barrel in a Davidson vise he had bolted to a divider in the bed of his truck (serious varmint hunter) and stuck in a rear-entry wrench with a square-drive head for a torque wrench... clickety-click done. Seemed pretty slick compared to my usual farting around with taking the scope and stock off and clamping the barrel (as the Midway action wrench above requires removing the scope rail, another step that I'd rather avoid) and then remembering that I forgot to snake the barrel nut wrench over the barrel before I clamped it, so unclamping and starting over...
Just wondering how good of a grip I could get with a modified barrel nut wrench - modified to clear a scope tube ;)
All the time after rip'n off the factory barrels.Quote:
Originally Posted by memilanuk
http://i42.tinypic.com/2hz7sli.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/20iwen6.jpg
As you can see in those pics that one was pulled on a workbench in the gun room, but I have swapped as many as four one session at the range on a shooting bench and/or the tailgate of my truck.
Bill
Any particular brand of rear-entry wrench? I think the one the guy I know used was a standard Remington pattern, but I'd have to ask to be sure.
Can you post some close-ups of your nut wrench? I get the general idea, just want to make sure I don't go too thin and make it prone to twisting under strain. Do you think that wrench as is would be up to withstanding 80-100 ft-lbs of torque?
I confess I've done the bit with a large flat blade screwdriver and a small mallet before... actually works pretty well, but gets me some funny looks if other folks are around... ;)
One for a 700-40X will work, that was what I made that one for. I haven't tried a port entry wrench, never had the need to use one.Quote:
Originally Posted by memilanuk
The nut wrench...
http://i34.tinypic.com/72ggep.jpg
Thats on older pic, the ends are more tapered now for additional scope clearance.
As far as springing it, I dunno. I don't make them that tight, only about a grunt to a grunt and a quarter. ;D I'm not sure if that enough since I have had any come loose yet to find out, but if I had to take a WAG I'd say maybe in the neighborhood of 30-40 ft/lbs.
Bill
I ordered an action wrench from Midway on Monday. UPS dropped it off Wednesday morning and 30 minutes after I unpacked the wrench and read the instructions........The barrel came lose on the first whack. Wrench was $48.00 plus shipping. Not too bad, the nut wrench was on sale for 22.00 when I ordered it a few weeks ago. I just wish that I would have ordered them on the same day. I think I have the right set up for many barrel swaps.
Mike
Mike,
If you have a 1/2" drive breakover bar, use it in the square closest to the barrel nut. Leverage beats brute force every time.
Dana
I use SSS barrel blocks and a homemade internal action wrench- just a piece of bar stock spun on a lathe to match the bolt lug profile, ( and a big crescent wrench) this is just to break off the factory barrel as I don't put the replacement on any where near as tight.