What can be done to remove a barrel from a factory r700 action without damaging the action? Breaker bar on wheeler style action wrench didn’t work. I didn’t use anti seize on the threads when I torqued my 308 barrel 12 years ago. Florida humidity and time has made the barreled action one. Thanks for everyone’s help
Barrel removal problem
- Thread starter jcmullis2
- Start date
Soak the action in a penetrating, PB blaster works well. Grab a PVC pipe and a end cap and fill it up.
If you have a lathe, you can make a relief cut just in front of the receiver.
I don’t have a lathe so the relief cut is out. My options are about down to heating up the old barrel a little bit but don’t wanna damage my action. Thanks for y’all’s help if y’all have any more thoughts I’m all
If you have tried that with no luck, would say the next best thing is to take it to a smith to relief cut and drill the barrel out
Get a smith involved or cut a relief with a hacksaw or sawsall and warming up the action a bit.
If you are dead set on taking care of it the advice above from Steel head is sound. Use a hacksaw and take your time to make a relief cut. If your time is worth anything I would take it to a smith. If the threads really galled bad it may need drilled out and the threads chased.
Also, given the effort already, it is a long shot, but impact works well at times. You could try smacking the action wrench with a deadblow or engineer's hammer. I wouldn't get carried away though.
Also, given the effort already, it is a long shot, but impact works well at times. You could try smacking the action wrench with a deadblow or engineer's hammer. I wouldn't get carried away though.
+1 on the relief cut. Takes a 200ft-lb removal to about 20ft-lb.
It came off with a little bit of heat. I’ll never put another one on without anti seize.
Thanks to everyone for the help
Thanks to everyone for the help
The cost is pretty reasonable and usually about $50-$80. The amount of time it takes for them to get to it is an entirely different thing. You might get lucky and they get right to it but I’m not lucky and it was gonna be weeks.
Providing it’s not a factory installed barrel or not seized on the action barrels typically come off pretty easy. You just need a barrel vise and action wrench. Any vise will do if the barrel is shot and you aren’t concerned about marring up the finish.
Most of the stuff is pretty basic so don’t be afraid to tinker.
I'm asking because I want to try and remove a factory Tikka but want a backup plan. wouldn't mind paying if it's going to be done better by a professional than me forcing it.
As a veteran of one factory Tikka barrel removal, I'd recommend a minimum of one week spent soaking the tenon threads with penetrating oil from inside the action (can even couple this with mildly heating the action with a heat gun), a barrel vise cranked down TIGHT, an action wrench clamped on TIGHT as close to the barrel as you can get it, as long of a handle/cheater as you can find on the action wrench, and a ~3 pound shop hammer.
If I was going to do it again, I'd have a second person to load the action wrench to a couple hundred foot pounds (not exaggerating), then whack the hell out of the action wrench handle with the shop hammer in an effort to "shock" the threaded interface into coming loose.
Or pay someone with a lathe to make a relief cut.
For anyone with a stuck barrel reading this in the future:
Liberal application of heat gun to followed by a shot of this (or similar) up inside the chamber and your barrel should just about unscrew by hand.
The general principal is to expand the action and shrink the barrel.
Liberal application of heat gun to followed by a shot of this (or similar) up inside the chamber and your barrel should just about unscrew by hand.
The general principal is to expand the action and shrink the barrel.
Haha all I read was "it was not worth 75 bucks"As a veteran of one factory Tikka barrel removal, I'd recommend a minimum of one week spent soaking the tenon threads with penetrating oil from inside the action (can even couple this with mildly heating the action with a heat gun), a barrel vise cranked down TIGHT, an action wrench clamped on TIGHT as close to the barrel as you can get it, as long of a handle/cheater as you can find on the action wrench, and a ~3 pound shop hammer.
If I was going to do it again, I'd have a second person to load the action wrench to a couple hundred foot pounds (not exaggerating), then whack the hell out of the action wrench handle with the shop hammer in an effort to "shock" the threaded interface into coming loose.
Or pay someone with a lathe to make a relief cut.
I removed a factory Tikka barrel, used a basic barre vice and a Brownells Universal outside action wrench. Soak in oil, used some brown sugar around the barrel when clamping down (others use copy paper). I used a 3’ section of cheater pipe over the handle of the wrench, and whacked it with a hammer. The impact pulse of the hammer whack was the key to getting it loose.
haha that's a new one to me. I'm a big fan of PB blaster. Gonna have to try freezing my nuts sometime soon!
If purchasing a new barrel, .you might want to run it by the seller. I was changing caliber on my rifle, barrel still pristine. The barrel maker was kind enough to remove my M595 barrel in such a way that i might be able to use it again one day should i so choose. They did this service for very little additional cost....
It’s pretty good stuff. Rusty old exhaust manifold nuts (we all know how difficult those can be), shrink fit bearings etc etc etc.
Haven't had any issues taking off Tikka barrels with the outside action wrench. Used heat and cold to put my barrels in my 10/22's, warm the action in the oven and put the barrel in the freezer overnight. Slides right in with a light tap
I say barrel vice bolted to a very sturdy bench, an action wrench that engages the locking lugs in the action body and give it hell. That’s how I do all the barrel changes on my Bighorn actions and it’s pretty fool proof.
Remington 700 Style Bugholes Action Wrench
www.bugholes.com
The freeze your nuts off sounds like the best solution. Heating the action will swell it slightly and the freezing of the inner area of the barrel will slightly shrink it. The only good I ever got out of my physics class was putting in bearing on my tractor by freezing them. The damn things wouldn’t go in place until I froze them and then they slipped right in. I’m gonna give your method a try next time. Thanks
Having removed several Savage factory barrels, aftrr soaking in oil, and heat, the key is a good solid blow.
I found a 20 pound chunk of steel. Once I used that for the first blow they all came off. Even my full size sledge wasn't enough, not a cheater bar.
I may try the freeze and heat method if I do it again.
I found a 20 pound chunk of steel. Once I used that for the first blow they all came off. Even my full size sledge wasn't enough, not a cheater bar.
I may try the freeze and heat method if I do it again.
i think this is similar: https://www.amazon.com/CRC-03027-Kn...ze-Off+Super+Penetrant&qid=1593540963&sr=8-16
I've used CRC before. Just wasn't sure if there was a US supplier for Freeze Yer Nuts Off. Hell, I'd buy a can to throw it on the shelf as a convo piece. lol
Loctite freeze and release is another one. I just picked that brand because it has the funniest name.
For really bad barrels.
Kroil is the dest penetrating fluid I have ever found.
Let it soak!!!!
Heat the action
Rapidly cool the barrel.
A sudden impact is better than slowly applied increasing force.
If barrel is scrap then put the action in the barrel vise. Mine is cut for recoil lug also.
Relief cuts make like easy
And having a second barrel vise on the barrel you can attach to a 1" breaker bar makes life easier.
I have never been a fan of internal action wrenches. I use them but only on barrels that arent a problem. I only do my own so no worries about factory barrels with galled threads.
Kroil is the dest penetrating fluid I have ever found.
Let it soak!!!!
Heat the action
Rapidly cool the barrel.
A sudden impact is better than slowly applied increasing force.
If barrel is scrap then put the action in the barrel vise. Mine is cut for recoil lug also.
Relief cuts make like easy
And having a second barrel vise on the barrel you can attach to a 1" breaker bar makes life easier.
I have never been a fan of internal action wrenches. I use them but only on barrels that arent a problem. I only do my own so no worries about factory barrels with galled threads.
Putting action wrenches on too tight is part of the problem....As a veteran of one factory Tikka barrel removal, I'd recommend a minimum of one week spent soaking the tenon threads with penetrating oil from inside the action (can even couple this with mildly heating the action with a heat gun), a barrel vise cranked down TIGHT, an action wrench clamped on TIGHT as close to the barrel as you can get it, as long of a handle/cheater as you can find on the action wrench, and a ~3 pound shop hammer.
If I was going to do it again, I'd have a second person to load the action wrench to a couple hundred foot pounds (not exaggerating), then whack the hell out of the action wrench handle with the shop hammer in an effort to "shock" the threaded interface into coming loose.
Or pay someone with a lathe to make a relief cut.
Tikka T3 Thread
I usually ask $150. But I also offer to cut/thread the barrel to buyers specs for free.
www.snipershide.com
When I did mine, I made sure that it was far enough back that I wasn't squeezing the action between the action wrench and the barrel tenon. That said, it IS possible that where I clamped the wrench distorted the action such that the action its self was basically oval-shaped which caused it to grip the tenon threads tighter. Hmmm.Putting action wrenches on too tight is part of the problem....
Tikka T3 Thread
I usually ask $150. But I also offer to cut/thread the barrel to buyers specs for free.
Take a can of compressed air duster (like to clean computers), invert it, and spray. Same exact effect for under $5 a can.
Yup, I learned that the action wrench will absolutely clamp the barrel in. Definitely will make barrel removal harder than necessary.
Knowing that, clamp it in hard to remove a factory barrel nut, but then loosen it to hand remove the barrel. With the action wrench still on, it required a ton of effort to turn the barrel with a vise.
In fact, I use the action wrench clamped on good and tight to hold the barrel in place after headapacing so I could tighten the barrel nut without the barrel moving.
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