Looking for Advice - Barrel Installation

[Franko]

I expect to put together two rifles within the next year or so and am looking for advice about what tools I should buy to install the barrels. They will both use Savage small shank prefits.

I believe that I will need to buy a torque wrench, go/no go gauges, and a barrel nut or two.

Will I also need a barrel vise? Also, do I need an action wrench or action vise? Are there other tools I need? Should I be using an ARC Barloc?

What tools and or vendors would you recommend?

My budget is open within reason. I want good tools but don't enjoy wasting money for no reason.

Thanks in advance.

 

[b6graham]

what action/s?

 

[Franko]

what action/s?

I pre-ordered a SA ARC Archimedes and intend to buy a SA Bighorn TL3 in the near future (the ARC will go into a chassis and the TL3 will go into a Manners UC I just ordered in the 2019 group buy).

 

[ThePretzel]

All you need is a barrel vice, barrel nut, headspace gauge (or virgin brass if you'll only be using handloads), nut wrench, and a rubber mallet.

Clamp the barrel into a barrel vice, apply grease of your choice to the threads, and thread the barrel nut onto the barrel. Put the nut wrench on now, because on the action is threaded on you won't be able to attach it if it's a closed ring style wrench. Insert a headspace gauge or a piece of virgin brass into the chamber and thread the action down until it makes contact with the brass/gauge. If using brass take care not to compress the brass when threading the action onto the barrel (just a light touch is all you want), if using a gauge you don't need to be as careful.

Screw the nut back up against the action as snug as you can by hand, making sure the action doesn't rotate in the process. I recommend a small witness mark with sharpie for this part, since it'll make it obvious if the action has shifted on the barrel threads while you tighten the nut. Engage the teeth in the nut with your nut wrench, and give it a sturdy whack or two with the rubber mallet to tighten down the barrel nut.

As far as any specific torque goes, the nut torque isn't going to change your headspace any. The Wheeler barrel nut wrench actually doesn't bother listing any torque specification and recommends using a mallet as I described above instead.

 

[Franko]

All you need is a barrel vice, barrel nut, headspace gauge (or virgin brass if you'll only be using handloads), nut wrench, and a rubber mallet.

Clamp the barrel into a barrel vice, apply grease of your choice to the threads, and thread the barrel nut onto the barrel. Put the nut wrench on now, because on the action is threaded on you won't be able to attach it if it's a closed ring style wrench. Insert a headspace gauge or a piece of virgin brass into the chamber and thread the action down until it makes contact with the brass/gauge. If using brass take care not to compress the brass when threading the action onto the barrel (just a light touch is all you want), if using a gauge you don't need to be as careful.

Screw the nut back up against the action as snug as you can by hand, making sure the action doesn't rotate in the process. I recommend a small witness mark with sharpie for this part, since it'll make it obvious if the action has shifted on the barrel threads while you tighten the nut. Engage the teeth in the nut with your nut wrench, and give it a sturdy whack or two with the rubber mallet to tighten down the barrel nut.

As far as any specific torque goes, the nut torque isn't going to change your headspace any. The Wheeler barrel nut wrench actually doesn't bother listing any torque specification and recommends using a mallet as I described above instead.

Thanks for the walk through, I really appreciate it.