Hi everyone,

Spent hours this weekend trying, unsuccessfully, to remove a smooth barrel nut from my Model 14 .308. In desperation took advice from our site and tried using a hacksaw to cut the barrel nut off. I was able to chip away at it but is looks and feels frozen or glued to the barrel.

I used some DPMS barrel brackets in my large vise with leather around the barrel. I even used a 4 foot black pipe as a cheater bar to get the vice torqued down. My first attempt was using the Wheeler barrel nut wrench for the smooth nut - it has a retainer bolt to tighten the wrench to the nut and a brass shim that purports to protect the barrel nut. All it really did was slip on the barrel nut. After I snapped the retainer bolt, visited Lowes, bought several more, and snapped them too I was starting to get mad.

I had wanted to save the nut and barrel, try to get it recrowned, and reinstall them both. With the hacksaw, I ruined the nut and in fact the barrel too. Now I just want it off and will get a new barrel and new nut with grooves. I'm headed to a gunsmith tomorrow but fear the action may get bent up trying to take this abomination off.

Is there anyway to save my gun? I fear it is ruined.