barrel removal help!

T

themouser

Regular
Rating - 100%
340   0   0
Location
Out West
Hey just taking apart an old rifle for the learning experience.
Ive tried holding barrel with an oak 2 by 2 squeezed in a vise but the barrel starts to turn as I try and wrench of the action.
Am I going about this all wrong? Do I need more like a 4 by 4? Or am I going down the wrong road with the oak?
Also do gunsmiths use heat sometimes to remove the action?
....so many questions I know!
 
Generally you need a barrel vise and action wrench. The latter is important to avoid ruining the receiver. Fitted hardwood blocks, rosin and a large heavy vise might work some of the time, but a barrel vise is better.
 
What action are you working on?

I gave up on wood blocks 46 years ago. Steel barrel vise, steel bushings, steel action wrench is the only way to go.
 
Wrap the barrel in some masking tape I also use rosin. I use a 12 ton shop press and a breaker bar on top of that I use a cheater steel tube. My oak blocks are epoxied fitted to the contour of my barrel so it makes a tight fit. Make sure you support the action if you're applying a lot of torque you do not want to bend/twist your action. The bench vise maybe good but it may not be applying enough pressure to hold the barrel in place.
 
On a round barrel I use a 2 brass half shells (ie a barrel vice) with the bore tapered to be close to the barrel dimensions and diameter. I also put fast drying Loktite between the barrel and the barrel vice and clamp the whole works in a steel bench vice. As others have mentioned use support on the action so that you do not twist it.

cheers mooncoon
 
Thanks guys...went to friends shop and used his press with the icing sugar and it worked with no problems. Although I just bought a barrel vise on ebay and will use that in the future.
 
You can buy a "pitchers bag" from most sporting good stores for under $3. Which is rosin in a bag, which makes it very easy to dust your barrel, and bushings.
 
Make sure your vice is securely mounted to your bench and your bench has absolutely no give.
I use hard lead bushings in the jaws of the vice and pitchers (baseball) resin.
I will get the barrel secure in the vice and then put about 200 or more pounds pressure on the action wrench. A friend gives the action wrench a sharp tap with a 2 lb hammer and the barrel usually breaks loose.
I have had one barrel defeat this method - it was on a very soft action Brazillin M-54 with incredible excess headspace. that one got a cut through the action just behind the threads. It still took 200 lb pressure and a a sharp rap to break it loose.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom