Gunsmithing Howa barrel removal question

[Yasherka]

I bought a Howa 1500 barreled action in .223 with the intent of building a .300 whisper platform. I gave it to a local 'smith and he says it'll cost $300 to remove the barrel and he has to destroy it because he has to make a "relief cut" to get it off.

I'm throwing the bullshit flag unless one of y'all has had a similar experience. Comments?

 

[Alderleet]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

Nope, not a bullshit flag. He actually has to relief cut it. The blued versions are threaded together, then blued, and the compound seeps into the threads and adds friction. A relief cut removes thread stress.

 

[Yasherka]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

Is he cutting the barrel or the action then?

 

[shepherm]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

In the barrel. This is common on these and the Weatherby Vanguards. I have heard of people doing it with out but its not easily done.

 

[Top Cat]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

$300 is too much to pay for just barrel removal. If that is for rechambering and installing the new barrel as well, then it sounds reasonable.

TC

 

[Kampfeld]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

Top Cat is right on!

 

[gamma]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

Go to someone that wont charge anything to remove the barrel. $300 to remove a barrel? I DONT THINK SO. Or maybe Ive just been a fool for way too long.

 

[Yasherka]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

Thanks for the comments gentlemen. $300 is way too much in my mind too. I am in conversation with Pac-Nor to get one of their barrels and have it installed on the action, I'll see what they'll charge for removal.

 

[Jbak]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Alderleet</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The blued versions are threaded together, then blued, and the compound seeps into the threads and adds friction</div></div>

I've read that same statement on other forums. I hope the stainless steel action is much easier to re-barrel.

 

[Field]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

I have removed one without doing that but maybe it was just that rifle. But 300 to remove it sounds a little step. Especially if he is doing the rebarrel job.

 

[ranger1183]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Yasherka</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I bought a Howa 1500 barreled action in .223 with the intent of building a .300 whisper platform. I gave it to a local 'smith and he says it'll cost $300 to remove the barrel and he has to destroy it because he has to make a "relief cut" to get it off.

I'm throwing the bullshit flag unless one of y'all has had a similar experience. Comments? </div></div>

FYI -

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...438#Post1777438

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pete Lincoln</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="color: #FF0000"><span style="font-weight: bold">Now the barrels on the blued models are an absolute bitch to remove, an absolute, ball grinding, bitching bitch. Ive given up screwing about with hydraulic presses and barrel clamps, action brenches and scafed knuckels.

If i want a Howa barrel off a blued action, put it in the lathe and use a very fine parting tool (mine is 1mm wide) and go in exactly infront of the action, this relieves the pressure / torque and you can easily remove the barrel.

the Stainless versions are by far easier. ( exactly the same story with Sako's,, a bitch if they are blued) If you are re fitting the factory barrel it means you need to sink the chamber in a little, ive done this several times and it works well, the barres are not as tought as the Lothar Walther steel, but are comparable with Border and Trueflite in knife through butterness.( which be about the same as Krieger)</span></span></div></div>

 

[rwest309]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

+1 for cutting it off. Believe me. I have seen it tried other ways. It is not pretty. 300 is a bit much for the chore. Now if he is going to take it off without cutting it 300 bucks may be about right but only if you get to watch the procedure while holding a beer.

 

[buffybuster]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rwest</div><div class="ubbcode-body">+1 for cutting it off. Believe me. I have seen it tried other ways. It is not pretty. 300 is a bit much for the chore. Now if he is going to take it off without cutting it 300 bucks may be about right but only if you get to watch the procedure while holding a beer.





</div></div>

I would have like to have been there on this one...... I'm sure I missed a lot of choice words...

 

[rwest309]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

I didn't really bend a 48 taking a barrel off ...that pic is just the best way to describe what the process is truly like. I can tell you the thought of using a 48 inch pipe wrench definitely crosses your mind though.

 

[Yasherka]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

Didn't realize this thread was still active!

As an update, I took it to a different gunsmith. Not only did he get the barrel off WITHOUT destroying it, he only charged $100. Damage to the barrel was limited to rubbing off a bit of the bluing. He used a home-made strap-type wrench with a LONG handle. Apparently he's gotten in a lot of Howa's over the years and has developed this technique for speed of dis-assembly and to not have to destroy a perfectly good barrel.

I'll post a photo of the original barrel once he's done with it...might be a few more weeks.

 

[Jbak]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

Thats great man. 300 is steep just to have the barrel removed. The 100 is much easier to swallow.

 

[Country]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

Well I have two Howa rifles one a 1 in 500 and a 1500 and I have taken out both barrels without much trouble. Their both blued . This sounds to me like a load of crap. It sounds to me like he does not have a proper barrel vice and action wrench for a flat bottomed action . So he is going to undercut the barrel. Even if the tenon threads are loctited a bit of heat will get them out using a proper vice and wrench . I have never heard of this problem in my country with Howa actions. Never experienced it with my own either . I can't understand what Howa would be doing that is so different for the US market.
$300 to remove the barrel is a bit stiff and wreck the barrel in the bargain . Find another gunsmith quick.

 

[Yasherka]

Re: Howa barrel removal question

Been done already, thankfully, this episode enabled me to find a very good local smith who is currently finishing my 300 Blackout build. AND I have a barrel I can sell to offset some of the cost.