Gunsmithing Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

[OnyxSkyDV]

Wow! First time breaking down an action, and even with all the tools that was a huge pain in the butt! Soaked with some PB-Blaster for a couple hours, and rosin on the wood blocks holding the barrel, and a nice big wheeler action wrench, but was still a big pain in the butt.

Part of my problem was trying to have a wrap of masking tape around the barrel to protect the finish, that really was counter productive.

Also using a deadblow hammer seemed to not help. Once I ditched the tape and used the metal side of the hammer on the wrench arm it broke free, and after the first barrel, the 2nd one was not so bad, but there is probably a better way to do it.

Any suggestions on how to make the next few go easier? I've heard of heating the receiver over the breech area to help soften the thread locking compound, but I am too worried about changing the temper of the receiver.

Thanks for any input guys!

P.S. if I cut my factory pencil thin .223 barrel down to 16 inch, think I can throw anything heavier than 55gr bullets down range and still have them stabilize? (Factory is 1x12 twist) Would love to do a subsonic .223 load for heave 90gr bullets for up close, suppressed plinking in the backyard, but I think I will have baffle strikes.


Onyx

 

[x ring accuracy]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

Depends on if the barrel is to be reused.

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

contact people that hAVE A DEGREE in hammer technology.....and get a cheater bar

 

[OnyxSkyDV]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

I would assume that saving the barrel is usually preferred, even if it is just the factory barrel.

A cheater bar is not a bad idea, do you think the leverage is enough to get past that thread compound, or do you think I would still need that sharp strike to break past it?

Thanks for the suggestions guys

 

[x ring accuracy]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

If you want to save the barrel, it takes ALOT of muster to get it apart cleanly. If its for a new barrel, a pipe wrench on the barrel after the oil treatment along with your action wrench does wonders.

 

[2156SMK]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

I use a brownells wrench on the barrel with an aluminum bushing that I made.
I use a loose fitting pipe as a cheater bar.
This allows me to shock the barrel by starting with the pile away from me and quickly pulling towards me.
The shock when the wrench finally tightens up against the pipe helps pop the barrel free.

 

[OnyxSkyDV]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

Great idea Randall, thanks much! I was wondering if alum blocks would do better for me. I have some 1" square stock alum, so I'll make a set with the proper bushing and see how that does next time.

Thanks all!


Onyx

 

[OnyxSkyDV]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: X Ring Accuracy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you want to save the barrel, it takes ALOT of muster to get it apart cleanly. If its for a new barrel, a pipe wrench on the barrel after the oil treatment along with your action wrench does wonders. </div></div>

No kidding on that! I managed to do it cleanly, but I had the wood blocks so tightened down the grain was starting to split. At least wood is cheap to replace.


Onyx

 

[excaliber]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

Throw the wood away and go with aluminum. Clamp on the barrel as close to the lug as possible. Spray acetone on the barrel and blocks to degrease. To get the aluminum mar off of the barrel, use 0000 steel wool and kroil, rub lightly.

 

[willsnipe]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

I wrap mine in newspaper to eliminate the aluminum marr and clamp them in a 20 ton arbor press. Nothing moves, and I can do one in three minutes.

Another thing I do differently than most is use the same wrench on all actions. It's a good old Mauser wrench and has never failed me.

 

[hdbiker1]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

I've only removed less then a dozen factory barrels. My technique sounds like the one most others use. I use the Wheeler action wrench and barrel vise with the wooden blocks. Using a strap wrench for backup, if saving the barrel (two man job), I strike the action handle with a 4 lb. dead blow. For me, it usually comes loose after about three good ungodly whacks. The setup time takes longer than it does to remove the barrel.

 

[STR]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

The adhesive on the tape acts as a lubricant and causes slippage. As already said above, a wrap of plain paper with a little rosin between aluminum blocks work very well with little effort. I use a Brownells wrap around wrench with their barrel vise. If you want to see it demonstrated, just look at the first you tube video I posted on truing a Remington action at the top of the gunsmith section. Never had to heat an action or beat the wrench with a 16 pound sledge. A 2 pound hammer works better than a cheater bar if the vise is mounted on a heavy bench that doesn't give when the wrench is hit with the hammer. Minor heat if you feel you need it is ok, just remember there is no accurate way to monitor temperature with out a pyrometer. Good luck on your next one.

 

[OnyxSkyDV]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

awesome replies guys! Wish I had asked before I did the first two.

Onyx

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

Sorry if any of this was said and I missed it...


If you use the action wrenches that tighten around the receiver ring, dont over tighten it. It will smash down on the tenon and make things harder for you.
Ours has a screw hole for an action screw. If you use the right screw, set it up correctly, use common sense, you can get em off without much trouble, and most importantly have zero chance at damaging a receiver.

We use one hell of a barrel vise with aluminum bushings. It's big and the bushing are long so it spreads the pressure out over more area. You can crush barrels if you go nuts tightening down a vise.

Protecting the finish on actions we've had great luck with. Cant even tell it was done in most cases. But the barrels often get scratched.

 

[LRI]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

Go buy yourself a Milwaukee hot air gun, a quart can of acetone, and a quart of ATF fluid.

Mix the two 50/50.

Hose the parts where they join.

Clamp in your vice.

Pour the coals to it, till the ATF is smoking like a train.

Works 99/100 times.

Hot air won't cook the steel or the finish the way a torch will. It might fiddle with CeraKote a bit, but that may be the price you pay if its grunted onto the receiver. Factory barrels can have quite a bit of fungus in the threads. It can be loctite, creeped bluing salts, or even rust.

AFT/Acetone has a really strong capillary action. Works great for busting things loose.

Hope this helps.

C.

 

[OnyxSkyDV]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

Thanks Keith and Chad!

Chad, never thought about the heatgun, not a bad plan, especially if it can't get hot enough to throw the finish and temper off on the receiver.!

Thanks again all, I'll be in much better share for the next ones.


Onyx

 

[Hooper]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

Heat, newspaper on barrel vise, tap handle of wrench with small hammer to jar it loose.

 

[1SMALLJOHNSON]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

I followed the path of parting off the recoil lug. After numerous other methods attempted, I zero'ed out the barrel in a 4 jaw, clamped it with brass shim stock, then cut off the recoil lug all the way to the barrel threads. From hence forth, that will be my go-to method. The action just spun off.

 

[300sniper]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

i use my home made vise and wrench to remove barrels and haven't had to use heat or a hammer yet. granted, i haven't removed hundreds of factory barrels.

the wrench is steel with a hole for a screw in the front receiver ring. the other half of the wrench gets a few layers of newspaper before tightening down. the vise is steel with an aluminum bushing. i was planning on making several tapered bushings but the first one i made seems to work fine on every tapered barrel i have worked on so far. i wrap a few layers of newspaper around the barrel under the vise bushings.

 

[OnyxSkyDV]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

Newspaper seems to be a common trick that I never heard about till this thread. Will try that next time for sure!

Thanks!


Onyx

 

[SDWhirlwind]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

Have used the carpet tape with adhesive on both sides around barrel numerous times. Usually works pretty good. Only drawback is if barrel won't break loose and you apply some heat the durn glue softens and then it slips and you have to start over after cleaning that sticky chit off bushing and barrel.

 

[Beef_Supreme]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

Newspaper in the barrel bushings works a treat to hold and preserve the integrity of the barrel finish. As someone else mentioned, heat from a heat gun is important in getting penetrant to flow into the threads, especially with recent production rifles with loctite on the barrel threads. If you are using the barrel vice that has bolts to clamp the top to the bottom, make sure to apply torque and keep the gap the same on both sides as well as keep any bushings squared up so tension is distributed evenly across the surface of the barrel.
ALSO- the one trick I use frequently on the stubborn ones is a sharp blow to the handle of the action wrench. A sharp 'crack' will seperated stuck threads better than even pressure.

 

[RemmyMaxhit]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

ive seen a bit too long of a front rail screw actually interfering with the barrel threads and acting like a grub screw / set screw...just something to check if you are really having a problem.

 

[nashlaw]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

Rosin on the barrel. You can get it at sporting goods stores(especially during baseball season) or Brownells. The problem with Brownells is that unless you are a professional smith, you will have enough rosin to last 3 lifetimes.

Also, a bit of rosin on the action helps keep the marring down.

 

[OnyxSkyDV]

Re: Removed two Rem700 factory barrels. what a PITA!

Ya, I bought the rosin from Brownells.... Now I think I have to put out a craigslist ad to see if a professional baseball team, or maybe a gymnast center needs the extra.

Onyx