removing glossy sporter barrel

[jinx-)]

I'm having trouble with this one, I got it in the barrel vise with rosin between the blocks, I did degrease it, but I can't get any grip on it, it keeps sleeping whenever I try to turn barrel nut. What's the trick to get this thing to stay in place? I thought maybe action wrench can do it, but I have to order one first...

[Uncle Jack]

If you can get a hold of a action wrench, use the wrench as a vise and along with a barrel nut wrench it's pretty easy and nothing touches the barrel.

uj

If you can't locate a action wrench locally, PM me and maybe we can work something out.

[82boy]

Make sure the blocks are centered in the vice. You have to have even pressure on the blocks, not more on one side. After you have them centered give the vice handle a couple of hits with a hammer. You can also place a piece of leather around the barrel where it contacts the blocks for added traction. Some have reported that duct tape also works, I have never tried it.

[jinx-)]

Thank you Uncle Jack, local gunsmith have them, but I doubt they will let me borrow their tools, maybe for a price, but I have to call around to see who's willing.
82boy, I didn't try leather around it, but I did plumbers thread tape and it didn't work, I was tighting handle on the vise with 2 foot extension of steel pipe so the handle on the vise got bended, I think I have enough pressure. Now I will try with leather round the barrel, I got that leather piece to wipe water of my car, maybe that will do it, will see.

Thank you!

[earl39]

Jinx that is not leather. use an old belt or cut a pice out of an old leather glove. also get some "Kroil" and put it on the barrel just above the nut. soak it down and let it run down inside the nut and sit for about 24 hours and it will help also. be sure and stand gun up and put old rag around action to keep oil off stock and anything you don't want it on. I have found if it ain't supposed to be there that is the first place that get oil on it.
Then put barrel in blocks and wrench on nut grab action with gloved hand and hit the wrench with hammer like it was the most evil mother-in-law (pretend it is my ex inlaws) you can imagine and her hand is on the wrench. Just remember righty tighty...lefty loosy.

Gary

[jonbearman]

If your barrel vise is the type that goes between the jaws of the average benchvise,it wont work. You need a real barrel vise you can clamp or bolt down to your work bench .They look like a davidson with 4 studs that can be torqued evenly to produce a superior hold. There is a guy named paul on accurate shooter selling them under the tools section of the classifieds. His will do the trick. However I would get a midway action wrench and use rosin and the fabric strapping material to line the wrench with and tighten it up and use the barrel nut wrench and whack it with a dead blow hammer(to not damage the wrench) and it will come off this way the easiest.

[jinx-)]

I have croil on it for about 3 hours now, the leather wipe for car I tried seems not helping at all. I'll cut new blocks this ones cracked already. I'm using oak block which I drill with 3/4" bit, then I cut them in half. I think it has to do with high glossy surface this barrel has and sporter tapper. Now I'm using 2nd bench vise on top of the other, but it still slips. Maybe I got to much sweat on that barrel and I need to degrease it more ;D

[Slowpoke Slim]

Where do you live?

Maybe someone from the forum here lives close enough to you that they can take it off for you?

If you live near me, Phoenix, AZ, let me know. I have an action wrench and a barrel nut wrench, and I've never had any issue getting a barrel off.

I'll do yours for free, as I already have all the stuff.

[jinx-)]

Phoenix, I remember that place, I lived in Chandler AZ once ;-) Now I'm in the middle of nowhere, in between Ithaca Binghamton and Elmira. I think its best for me to buy action wrench, can't ask every time for tools. I usually buy all tools even if I use them once or twice, never know when they come handy.

[jinx-)]

OK, I tried this "use the wrench as a vise and along with a barrel nut wrench it's pretty easy and nothing touches the barrel" I put action between two oak blocks, then put everything in my bench vise and gave it a whack and I heard something snap. The barrel nut didn't move, but my the recoil lug cut through oak block and snap sound came from my one piece scope rail, it got ripped from the reciver leaving 2 broken screws inside. Now I will need to get them out drill it somehow... :-\

[Eric in NC]

OK, I tried this "use the wrench as a vise and along with a barrel nut wrench it's pretty easy and nothing touches the barrel" I put action between two oak blocks, then put everything in my bench vise and gave it a whack and I heard something snap. The barrel nut didn't move, but my the recoil lug cut through oak block and snap sound came from my one piece scope rail, it got ripped from the reciver leaving 2 broken screws inside. Now I will need to get them out drill it somehow... :-\

DOH! Need to take front mounts off to take the barrel off anyway. Front screw is probably in the barrel threads.

[MARK25-06]

why do you want to hold the barrel? the nut is tightened against the action. hold the action and whack the barrel nut wrench with a wooden mallet and it will come right off. MARK25-06

[jinx-)]

I tried to hold that barrel, but it keeps skidding in the wood blocks. The scope rail was bedded so I didn't remove it, it was my mistake.

[Uncle Jack]

I'm not sure how you could have been using a action wrench and still have your recoil lug cut into wood blocks.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...sting-_-710783

uj

[jinx-)]

I didn't use action wrench, I tought I can use bench vise and wood blocks to get action secured without barrel vise :-\

[sharpshooter]

I've taken off thousands of barrels, and yes I said THOUSANDS, and never have used an action wrench, not once.
Your problem lies in that the barrel is not getting enough contact with the blocks because it is tapered. It does not help much that it is glossy, but it will come loose when the barrel is secure.
One trick I used is bedding the blocks to the barrel. Wax the barrel up with release agent, and bed it into each half of the block with JB weld ,Devcon or whatever you prefer. When it is cured, clean off the wax and clamp the barrel in the same spot. It has never failed for me.

[10ring]

I have an action wrench and I also live about a hour and a half from you. If you need help just let me know maybe we can meet half way or something.

[bootsmcguire]

When I get one of those stubborn "factory tight" nuts, I have a system that has yet to fail me. I have a "monkey wrench" or you may call it a "smooth jaw plumbers wrench" that I have made plastic jaw inserts for. I have then wrapped the backstrap of the wrench with electrical tape to protect the action and anything else. I put the barrel in a bench vice with wood blocks, put the nut wrench on the barrel nut and "my wrench" around the recoil lug. I then just put a steady hand on "my wrench" and tap on the nut wrench with a rubber or plastic hammer. By using the second wrench it helps keep the pressure on the nut and keeps the barrel from spinning in the blocks.

It doesn't damage the action, lug, or nut, and I can use it with my scope bases on or off. The first time I tried it, I had no plastic or tape on "my wrench". I had just wrapped a little cardboard around the action and lug and put the wrench on. Works but u need new cardboard each time :D.

[dwm]

This is an alternative way that does not require you hold the barrel or use a hammer ...

The key to this approach is applying enough leverage in the right spot.

[img width=600 height=450]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh61/dwmeyerjr/DSCN1323.jpg[/img]

[jinx-)]

looks like everything so easy, today I almost ripped my bench vise of the bench trying to get this thing loose, at the end I ripped my scope rail and now got bigger problem of getting those screws out which are seating on loctite. Had anyone did this before, I will need to drill them very carefully using drill press with reversible drill bit, then use appropriate Easy Out bit, hopefully I'll get them out, by that time I should have my action wrench...

[bsekf]

Did you try the duct tape under the barrel blocks? Duct tape and WD40, the RedNeck tool box! ;D

If it is a factory recoil lug and you plan to replace it, clamp that in the vise and whack the wrench. I agree, the nut is locked against the action so things work better when you clamp the action. Sorry to hear about your scope base, this has been a learning experience ::)

[jinx-)]

I read some place that sometimes they hire gorilla to screw that barrel nut, I guess I can use gorilla tape to get it off ;D
I had this rifle for 5 years so its been trough rain and snow, but how much torque do I need to get this thing turned. I'm using wheeler wrench plus 1/2" 1 foot wrench with 2 foot galvanized pipe, that's like 4 feet extension...

[stangfish]

I have used a large adjustable wrench opened up to fit the action and used the lug up against the wrench flats to stop the action from turning. I put a leather piece on the action to preven marring...worked on every new action I have busted.

[jinx-)]

got scope base screws out and decided to give it a try with gorilla tape wrapped around the barrel, but still skidding, so I increased pressure on it with my bench vise and I heard a snap, wasn't the barrel nut, but my vise got jinxed ;D I knew those chinese made vises are no good, well got another thing on to buy list, new bench vise...

[Slowpoke Slim]

I did that once trying to use a bench vice to press in U-joints in a driveshaft.

It sounds like you're not using a hammer. Instead of using a long extension and trying to muscle off the barrel nut, you need to "shock" the nut to break it loose. That's the main principle behind an air or electric driven impact wrench. You need a "dead blow" hammer, put the wrench at an angle that makes it easy to whack. I usually place mine about perpendicular to the floor, then with both hands on the hammer handle, I come down with full force straight down with the hammer and strike the barrel nut wrench.

It works every time, and I've taken off several blued barrels. The blued ones are usually harder to get off, as the bluing salts and chemicals tend to migrate up the threads during the bluing process. You'll see what I mean when you look at the threads after you get it apart.

I wish you lived close enough for me to help out.

[img width=600 height=450]http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr268/slowpokeslim/Step4.jpg[/img]

I orient my wrench like this, then whack it near the end with the dead blow hammer.

[img width=600 height=450]http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr268/slowpokeslim/Step3.jpg[/img]

Before I put the action wrench on the receiver, I wrap the receiver in Scotch tape. This stops the action wrench from marring the finish.

[img width=600 height=450]http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr268/slowpokeslim/Step7.jpg[/img]

I clamp my action wrench in my bench vice. Locked in like this, there's no where for any of the shocking force to go, but straight into the barrel nut.

[img width=600 height=450]http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr268/slowpokeslim/Step8.jpg[/img]

Close up of the orientation of the action in the wrench.

[img width=600 height=450]http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr268/slowpokeslim/Tools2.jpg[/img]

The Wheeler action wrench needs a notch ground in it for the recoil lug key. I don't know why Wheeler doesn't notch them, but there you go. When you test fit the action wrench on the action, you'll see what needs to be notched. I used my Dremel tool, and it took just a couple minutes to do.