Torque wrench? What are you using, if any?

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Tikka223

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I’ve never used a torque wrench for installing scopes or stocks, I just got hand right or slight tighter and I’ve never had an issue. Soon I’m going to attempt my first barrel swap. I’ve got my action wrench and whatnot but now I’m wondering about how tight to spin on the barrel. Should I be investing in a torque wrench or just will my common sense elbow grease still work?

What do you suggest?

If it’s a torque wrench, which one?
 
I use one all the tine, and since the popularity of MRDS I find them invaluable , and not just for scopes. I picked up a WERA on Ebay, great little wrench, we use some "pre set" value ones at work, hence the reason for going with that brand. I purchased the one with the 11-29 inch pounds, as I felt that it had a greater range than the newton meter version. I ended up with the yellow model which is somewhat more expensive as it has some electrical protection built in, only because it was the only version available at the time on Ebay . I contacted the company and that is the only difference , the torque features are the same. BTW you will see some really go prices in Ebay just make sure they are not "fakes" I thought mine was at first, but luckily it wasn't. You will find that the costs vary, if you purchase them from a supplier like Granger?. The only "negative" on Ebay is getting it shipped here? it can be "hit & miss". Cheers

If your switching barrels regularly then I would suggest a torque wrench as it give consistency, Canadian Tire does run some specials? I picked up there 1/4 drive inch pound version for half price last year. When it comes to tools and guns, I'm a "buy once, cry once" consumer.

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As a torque driver in in/lbs (scopes and stocks), I use a FAT wrench which has served me well with the years.
Come barrel swap time, I purchased a home depot husky ft/lbs torque ratchet, which works well for barrel swaps.
 
CDI TorqControl TLA28NM, got it for cheap from MEC bike tools department.
It comes with calibration certificate etc.
 
For small things like action screws and scope rings I have a small screwdriver style wrench from MHH in the UK that covers 15 to 70 inch-lbs.

For things like a float tube/barrel nut on an AR ( or at least used to!) or in your case a barrel install where the torque values will be 50+ ft-lbs I have a Snap On click style 3/8” drive torque wrench. Snap On might be a little overkill but being a car guy it’s what I have in the garage-you could get a click style torque wrench from Cdn Tire for less $ that would work fine.
 
Another vote for FAT wrench. That thing is great - easy to use, adjusts up to 65-70 lbs or so, comes with various bits in a nice hard case. Ordered mine from Amazon.
 
For scope rings, action screws and the like, I use a FAT wrench at home and Fixit Sticks in the field.

For torquing on barrels (I torque them to 70 ft-lbs) I use a 1/2"drive torque wrench I got from Crappy Tire a few years back.

I also witness mark everything (ring cap screws, cross-bolts, action screws, barrels and muzzle brakes.
 
Torquing a barrel - was discussed in recent CGN thread - successful target shooter guy says that "hand tight" is enough - he has swapped out barrels in target competitions by hand strength only. Not needed tighter than that for best accuracy, as per him - he said accuracy declines with more barrel torque. BUT, if barrel used for other purposes - like a handle for a bayonet - then likely needs more torque, so does not fall off at worst moment.

Go here - to his Post #12 - https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/2143109-How-many-times?highlight=torque

I installed a Schutz and Larsen NOS PALMA barrel onto an M1917 action - threads needed very minor lapping to spin smoothly - no doubt at all that it could have been cranked on, as it was, with tools. With perhaps quarter turn "run" on the receiver, I got it to "smack" nicely against barrel shoulder. Being me, I set into barrel vice and set up action wrench and gave it about 1/16" to 1/8" more turn - was nowhere near to be "eye-popping" tight - lug nuts on aluminum wheels on our vehicles get much more force and they are only at 76 foot pounds as per my torque wrench. I have not fired the rifle - no stock yet - so still to see how that works out.

I am trying to figure out a Remington 783 with the barrel locking nut - Brownell's video for the IBI barrel nut wrench says to hand tight to headspace the barrel, then "not more than" 50 foot pounds on barrel nut. Other posters on CGN say they go 70 to 100 foot pounds on that barrel nut.

Kinda sounds to me like minimal torque is best - if it gets loose or falls off, then make it tighter??

OP - your question which brand? I had a Fat Wrench, but now use the similar item that came in a Weaver scope mounting kit for the inch-pound stuff. For foot-pound stuff, I have a "click" type Jet brand - likely picked up at a NAPA store or similar - it replaces the torsion bar type that I have - too many places I could not get bent around to see the torsion bar scale, so I went with that "click" one. I believe that the torsion type are actually more accurate as time goes by, since the thing was calibrated. Was shown to me some time ago that all "click" type - Fat Wrench, Weaver, Jet - need to be stored with setting turned right down to "0" - do not want to store it set at 25 or 50 or whatever...
 
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FAT wrench for scopes and action screws, etc. Never done a barrel change, not likely to in the future.

Edit: I was out at my friend’s place sighting in a couple of CZ rimfires. I was getting only ho-hum groups. Buddy walks to his house and comes out with a FAT wrench. He reset the action screws. Bingo!! Tightened the groups right up.

Needless to say, I bought one soon after. I have 9 455’s and all are bone stock, scoped with various Leupold, with the exception of an American .22mag, which shot so nice with an x brand that I decided to leave it.
 
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I use a Vortex Torque Screwdriver for the small stuff and a quality SnapOn 3/8 drive. Torque often has a range, within you are fine. Some barrel to receiver threads are very tight to get proper sight perpendicularity. Without a good barrel clamp, a proper fitting receiver wrench and a BFB (big frakken bar) some threads are near impossible to loosen. Buy the best tools you can afford.
 
Not really sure what you are asking?? The IBI barrel nut wrench that I just received is set up for a 1/2" torque wrench stud - so perhaps a 3/8" size with an adapter might work - depends on the torque that you want to go to. For inch-pound stuff, like scope bases, I think most common to find hex bits in 1/4" size. Keep the inch-pounds and foot-pounds sorted out - can not do many foot pounds with a FAT type wrench... Actually, I can not get to the 95 inch pounds that Ruger calls for, for the front angled action screw on a Ruger 77 rifle, with my former FAT screw-driver type torque wrench, nor with my current Weaver one.
 
So the action wrench that I have will require a socket to attach to a torque wrench. I think I’ll grab something on sale from C Tire if I can find one. When it comes to the smaller bits and pieces on a rifle I’ll probably pick up for Fixit Stixs or whatever they are called. However I can’t think of any situations where I’ve damaged something or had something fail because I haven’t used proper torque specs.
 
Tikka223 said:
So the action wrench that I have will require a socket to attach to a torque wrench. I think I’ll grab something on sale from C Tire if I can find one. When it comes to the smaller bits and pieces on a rifle I’ll probably pick up for Fixit Stixs or whatever they are called. However I can’t think of any situations where I’ve damaged something or had something fail because I haven’t used proper torque specs.
Click to expand...

That's how 2 of my 3 action wrenches are (rear-entry for Defiance Elite and ARC Nucleus), my Rem 700 action wrench goes in the ejection port (it's a Stiller, I believe) and the torque wrench goes right into it without a socket.
 
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