Loctite a barrel nut to the barrel?

Kane519

Kane519

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Evening all.
Has anyone here tried fastening a Savage-style barrel nut to the barrel before? If so, what were the accuracy results like?

I'm wondering because I'm working through the idea of machining two flats near the muzzle end of the barrel & using a torque wrench to remove & install a new barrel of a different caliber, in the field, without removing the chassis or the scope to create a multi-caliber rifle with both a practice & competition barrels. I've seen it done with a shouldered barrel, but wanted to explore whether or not it could be done with a prefit that had a barrel nut secured to it, in this case via loctite.

Hopefully someone has first hand experience with loctite on a barrel nut. I keep reading about it being done, but it's always "I heard of a guy…".
 
Look up the properties of Flexbar Rocksett. I recently got myself some. For the purpose, and for many reasons, I would think better than loctite for the application.

Not commenting from experience related to your proposed idea. Just from a mechanical function point of view.
 
Im not sure how hard the nut is but, drill a hole straight through the nut from outer to inner. Thread the hole and put set screw/grub screw in it that can lock it to tbe bbl.
 
I've used loctite (blue) to fasten a suppressor adaptor that came attached to a threaded barrel on one of my handguns.

I was fed up of the nut always detaching after a couple of mags. It hasn't budged since.

I'm not sure if that helps you, but it's been my experience with loctite and firearms
 
Do not cut flats in end of barrel, get a bolt lug style of holder you insert in receiver and turn in barrel lug to lock in vise while you undo and do up barrel nut!
 
A set screw is an idea. I'm also looking into using an epoxy.

220, the idea is you don't need a vise.

But, to the original question, no one here has actually permanently fastened a barrel nut to a barrel & lived to tell the tale?
 
So you want to decrease th strength in your muzzle area and create more chance for cracks on 90 degree corners on the flats and make it look Micky mouse for a little convenience LOL
 
if it is your objective, why use an action with a barrel mounted lug and a locknut? would'nt it be more simple with a SAKO, TIKKA or Mauser type action? just get your barrels headspaced properly and they will always be spot on

then all you need is to make a wrench that use 3C collets to change your barrels
 
220 the barrel will still be thicker than a standard hunting barrel so no concerns with cracking & beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Dero338, that is an option, but pre-fit barrels are cheaper & ddont require the action to be sent away. If I want to avoid one level of complication I could send the action & barrel blank off to a good smith & hvave him cut in the chamber (which I may decide to do).

Thanks Sunchild, I'll look into the Rocksett. Something with more gold than loctite would make me feel better.
 
I would mill a hexagonal section at the muzzle if I was to do this. I have not glued a nut to the barrel but wouldn't hesitate to do so. I think it is not a bad idea. You get the benefit of the pre-fit ( cheaper and easily fit), and the benefit of a conventional barrel (once set, the headspace won't change). All in all, nothing wrong with the concept at all.
 
Give Gerry Teo at Mystic Precision, one of the banner sponsors, a PM.

Those nuts are available after market and so are the wrenches needed to assemble and disassemble them.

I have done what you are suggesting with a Remington 700 with two barrels. One barrel chambered in 22-250 and the other in 308win. There was no way I could just switch the barrels without having to sight them in individually every time. I was meticulous with mate marks, torque etc. Don't get me wrong. They were always on paper at 100 yards but definitely not practical to hunt with unless they were sighted in again.

I used to have a very fancy switch barrel Mannicher Schoenaur. Same thing. Didn't matter how fussy I was.

Maybe Gerry has a better widget or some more in depth, hands on knowledge.

In all honesty, by the time all is said and done there isn't a lot of cost difference between having two rifles set up and ready to go and a set of switch barrels for one rifle. You might save money if you can do the work yourself buttt.

I must disagree with any torquing on a barrel from the muzzle. To many things to go wrong. Mr Leeper could likely do it if he had to but do you want to take that chance while out on the hunt of a lifetime????
 
You can get spanners made with a one way bearing in them. These would allow you to grip, say, the outside diameter of a round action, or the outside diameter of a smooth nut or even just a cylindrical section of a barrel, and apply torque.

But I think getting useful accuracy worth the name, unlikely.

There is a lot more varieties of locktite out there than just the blue stuff too. Everything from barely holds at all, to never gonna let go without a torch or saw!
 
Bonding the collar to the barrel creates the equivalent of a barrel with a machined shoulder, as far as removal and reinstallation are concerned. Once headspace is established, there is no reason to have a collar that is loose on the barrel.
 
Seems worth a shot anyway.
I need time to find a new 3rd party hosting site so I can show a photo of how it might work. A picture it worth a 1,000 words.

Here's where the idea sprouted from (post 34):
forum.snipershide.com/forum/sniper%C2%92s-hide%C2%AE-armory-supply/sniper-s-hide-bolt-action-rifles/6529522-switch-barrel-technology?p=6532587#post6532587

(Tiriaq, I can't remember form rules regarding links to other sites so it's not hyperlinked)
 
What I know...

I can supply barrel nuts for Rem 700 and 783 and Savage pattern actions. Working on others as prefits become available. Costs can be quite low.

I can supply barrel nut and action wrenches... and barrel blocks or vise to hold the barrel.

There are different types of loctite and some stuff is going to need a torch to take off so, that stuff is not going to move once cured.

you do not need to heave on the barrel to keep it tight. I use firm hand pressure.. maybe 20 to 30 ft/lbs???? never put a torque wrench to it... just had to be tight enough to not loosen with use.

I wouldn't try to swap out a barrel while still in the stock.... I am unsure how some BR shooters do it but I wouldn't do it.

Bedding, although hard, is very brittle. Put too much twist (round receivers) and it will crack... now that is not easily fixed in the field. I would not expect the action bolts to survive the twisting loads either. If not the recoil lug and/or action bolts, what is going to handle the twist force you are applying?

Recoil lug will need to be 'pinned' to the action so it simply cannot move once the barrel is removed. An integral recoil lug would be fine. More hassle and costs for little gain.

There have been shooters who have swapped barrels at the range. International teams do this all the time to test at foreign ranges. Take the barreled action out of the stock... barrel vise that will clamp to any solid surface. Use an action wrench to twist the action... you can leave the scope on the rifle.

Simple, no damage to anything, no need for some of the extras. That is how I handle my barrel swaps. If you have a friend that is strong, he can hang onto the barrel while you twist the action wrench... you don't need huge torque to keep a barrel on an action.

for disclosure, I have not loctited a nut on a barrel.... I just think it would work as long as you are not using alot of torque to install.

Jerry
 
Jerry,
A proper wrench will not twist the receiver at all since there will be no force applied to the rear portion of the receiver. The barrel is held in a barrel vice; the stock plays no part. As far as BR rifles are concerned, barrel removal with the action in the stock is necessary when the rifle is a glue-in. Otherwise, the stock would be removed. Bill.
 
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