Is it possible, or pratical, to remove a barrel with just a wheeler action wrench and barrel nut wrench? My vise died. Or will I just screw up the action in the process? It is a 110 la. Seems like if I place things just so, use a wood or rubber mallet I can pull it off but this is a factory mount so Mongo has his say too. Thanks, kb
Its much easier to undo Mongo' work by holding the nut and turning the action, why I came up with this gadget. Seldom if ever had I had to use all my 245# to loosen one. In fact it take me longer to set it up than to takes break an action loose.Originally Posted by COplains
No, it won't screw up your action, thousands of barrels (Remington, etc) have been removed with them. That one in the picture has done more than it's fair share.
Bill
Each morning eat a live green toad, it will be the worst thing you'll have face all day.
The key to the action wrenches, to avoid damage to the finish, is the bolt in the front action screw hole. Without that, expect that the wrench will slip and mar the finish. With Bill's setup, he can remove a mongo on steroids barrel nut.
Originally Posted by keeki
Guess it doesn't really matter. If ya cant afford $15, you won't be buying much anyways
I might add I put a layer of vinyl electrical tape on the wrench bore to protect the action and use a G8 Allen bolt through the wrench head in the action. I don't like the wrenches with a cutout to engage the lug. "IF" the wrench slips on the ring the pin in the lug will or can enlarge the cutout in the action and you'll have a slop fit forever more.
Bill
Each morning eat a live green toad, it will be the worst thing you'll have face all day.
Yeah, until I got an action wrench, I fought like heck to remove 2 different factory nuts and never succeeded. Damaged a barrel, though.
Once I got an action wrench, it was slicker than snot. Never bothered with the barrel vice. I put a long handled wrench on the nut wrench, though, for extra leverage. Laid it out on the floor, lifted on an end of one of the wrenches and it just eased itself loose. I laughed at my prior efforts, it was so easy.
I just removed the barrel from my rifle just as you have asked while I was at home for lunch. This was my very first attempt at this, and was very simple. I did just as BillPa did, without the fancy jig, just laid it on the floor.
But you did use an action wrench, right?
Yes, I used an action wrench and barrel nut wrench. Once the barrel was off the receiver, I had to put the barrel (wrapped in leather) in a vise to remove the nut. I had to work the nut back and forth a few times before it was able to be completely removed.
Gotta love that blast media they mix in with the threads!
Originally Posted by keeki
Guess it doesn't really matter. If ya cant afford $15, you won't be buying much anyways
This is the single largest cause of mongo tightness in my opinion.. Little silver beads throughout the threads...
NRA Endowment Member
Yep, I usually only use my vise if I have a stubborn barrel, otherwise I just use the action wrench, barrel nut wrench, and maybe a rubber mallet.
I never put the action in a vice if it has the slotted barrel nut. Rap on the Wheeler wrench with a hammer while holding the action in my legs.
I never use a barrel vice myself. I find them completely unnecessary if you have an action wrench and a barrel nut wrench. I put the action wrench in my bench vice and whack the barrel nut wrench with a dead blow hammer...
Mongo never stood a chance with this setup.
And I also wrap the front receiver ring with tape to prevent any finish marring with the action wrench.
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BillPA, can you remove original, factory-installed nuts with these tools?
I only have difficulty with the initial removal.
No, especially with the open spanner. You'll spring the ends open. I tried it once and had to squeeze them back in place in my 6" vise.
Bill
Each morning eat a live green toad, it will be the worst thing you'll have face all day.
BillPA, that looks like a homebuilt tool, got pics of the end that fits in the action?
Not the best pic of it ...
I made it years ago for my Rem switch barrel guns. Its a piece of bar stock slotted for a piece of flat stock tig's in for the lugs and a old 1/2" drive socket tig's on to use a T handle. I don't have the dimensions off the top of my head, I have to measure them.
Google "Remington rear entry action wrench". I know Davidson make one, probably some others.
Bill
Each morning eat a live green toad, it will be the worst thing you'll have face all day.
Amazing how much useful information came out of such a simple question....hot damm!
I use a barrel vise and wrap two layers of file folder cut as long as the vise, or just a little longer. I put the barrel in the vice with the paper wrapped around the barrel at the thickest point determined with a caliper. tighten the vise nuts evenly not using too much force. They need to be tight, but over tightened.
Using a 2 to 3 pound hammer, I pop the barrel nut wrench a few times (after removing the front scope nut) and the barrel nut has loosened every time.
Many use two pieces of 2x4's in a vice. Either way, I have never damaged a barrel, but I always use common sense when removing one.
Dennis
[B][SIZE=3]Dennis[/SIZE][/B]
Keep working it back and forth. Eventually it will come off. If not, screw it all the way to the muzzle end and look for damaged threads. They can be cleaned up with a triangular file usually.
Originally Posted by keeki
Guess it doesn't really matter. If ya cant afford $15, you won't be buying much anyways
Thanks Hot, I figured that would be the answer. I did find a couple flatted threads, got them fixed up. I'll just keep back-n-forth, wish I had a thread chaser. It's Mongos' fault. kb
Good Grief....Hot, it must have been waiting for me to send out another SOS, no sooner did I run it back to the muzzle, put a couple drops of oil along the way, it spun right off. I don't know wether to laugh or cry. Thanks again to all for your input. kb
Ah...hum..well.... a few flattened threads usually means the front mount screw in the ring was too long and smashed'm, not mention it probably wasn't doing much to hold the mount tight either!
Another old gunweaker gadget.....
A length gauge used to measure the mount screws BEFORE installing them.
Bill
Each morning eat a live green toad, it will be the worst thing you'll have face all day.
My thoughts exactly Bill, I'm measuring where I found the flats, looking at "end-of-threading" i.e. where the bluing starts again in the reciever and the barrel, although the barrel doesn't show much, to see where the barrel was originally. I didn't notice any 'loose' during take down but I wasn't really looking either. From looking at the barrel again, I'm guessing the action screw was too long after whomever did the bedding...removed material, bedded, prob never checked after that. kb
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