How do I get the barrel off the action?

**dsotm** · 07-27-2015, 04:01 PM

I've got the barrel nut loose but the action seems stuck. Using the barrel nut wrench and the wheeler action wrench.

**Bolthead** · 07-27-2015, 04:45 PM

You will need to secure the barrel with a barrel vice. They are available commercially or you can make one out of a couple of blocks of hardwood with a groove cut in them. Search barrel vice and there will be many suggestions on this forum. In the mean time, soak the threads with PBBlaster, Kroil, or some sort of penetrating oil. Some heat (not much) may be required. Once the barrel is secured, the action wrench should turn it loose.

**LHitchcox** · 07-27-2015, 04:52 PM

Make sure you haven't overtightened the bolt that goes into the front receiver hole. Its job is to keep the receiver from turning in the vise. It can bottom out on the barrel threads.

**foxx** · 07-27-2015, 05:11 PM

Also, don't over tighten the wrench screws. I just hand-tighten them and twist the barrel/action so the recoil lug is set against the side of the lug inlet. I can't use the action screw hole in that case, but I do get pretty good leverage against the side of the lug that way with very little wrench pressure or squeezing action of the action.

**foxx** · 07-27-2015, 05:13 PM

Also, you can turn the barrel nut all the way down until it bottoms out on the threads, then hit the wrench one time with a good smack of a 5 lb hammer... that usually starts the barrel turning out of the action for me.

After that, you'll be asking how to get the nut off the barrel you just smacked-tight against the bottom of the threads...

Turn the wrench around, hold the barrel in one hand with a rubber pad (or maybe the open-weave padded shelf liners your wife might put in her cupboards) wrapped around it for a good grasp, then hit the wrench the other way so as to break the nut from it's tight spot in the bottom of the barrel threads. Be careful it (the wrench) doesn't swing around and hit you in the gonads when it does break free. ...don't ask.

**short round** · 07-27-2015, 05:19 PM

Take receiver wrench off, with nut loose, receiver should turn off by hand. If it does not turn easily, check for polishing media that looks like little balls. These need cleaned out.