Special tool to remove/install barrels?

chaz12 · May 4, 2009, 09:25 AM

A guy I know wants to put a new barrel into one of his rifles. The barrel when installed will be exposed along the top so he doesn't want to mar the finish.

The only thing he has at the moment is a pipe type wrench with a rubber strap. He's not sure that this will be sufficient to turn the barrel all the way in.

Is there any other kind of tool that is used to work on barrels that gives maximum torque without chewing up the metal?

Thanks

Chaz

PetahW · May 4, 2009, 09:37 AM

Barrels are not turned in/out of an action.

Rather barrels are secured in a sturdy benchvise, with rosined inserts especially shaped for that particular barrel, and then the action is turned off/onto the barrel threads,using the specific action wrench that fits into that type action.

.

rgitzlaff · May 4, 2009, 02:52 PM

rebarreling should be left up to a gunsmith that knows what he is doing. There is a lot more to it than taking the old one off and putting on a new one. There is headspacing to think about, and making sure not to damage the action, and getting everything straight and concentric. I like to tinker with my guns more than the average guy, but the only barrels I'll change myself are AR's.

Dfariswheel · May 4, 2009, 08:37 PM

Gunsmiths use a special barrel vise that uses a hydraulic jack to lock the barrel in.
The barrel is fitted with split brass or special HARD wood blocks and is ten put in the vise and it's locked down with tremendous force.

Few shop vises will hold a rifle barrel and prevent it from just turning. The vises, even really big ones just don't have the holding power.

After the barrel is locked in the vise, a special action wrench is fitted around the front of the receiver and is used to unscrew the receiver.
This prevents bending or breaking the receiver, which is easy to do.

You will also need a set of head space gages and a lathe to trim the chamber end of the barrel to fit it to the action.

Here's a barrel vise and an action wrench. These are just two of a number of special tools needed.
Hint: A strap wrench will NOT work, and trying to use any other kind of wrench will destroy the rifle.

A barrel vise setup:
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/sto...0BARREL%20VISE

An action wrench.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/sto...CTION%20WRENCH

Best advice: DON'T. Unless you have the right tools and know how to use them, this is how good guns get destroyed.

smoakingun · May 4, 2009, 09:45 PM

rebarreling is probably not beyond your capabilities, and with the propper skill set, the proper tools can be fabricated to do the job, or with the right money the tools can be purchased, BUT, if you don't get it right, it could cost you a barrel PLUS paying a gunsmith to fix it.

May 4, 2009, 09:25 AM	#1
chaz12 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2008 Posts: 223	Special tool to remove/install barrels? A guy I know wants to put a new barrel into one of his rifles. The barrel when installed will be exposed along the top so he doesn't want to mar the finish. The only thing he has at the moment is a pipe type wrench with a rubber strap. He's not sure that this will be sufficient to turn the barrel all the way in. Is there any other kind of tool that is used to work on barrels that gives maximum torque without chewing up the metal? Thanks Chaz Last edited by chaz12; May 4, 2009 at 04:19 PM. Reason: Typo

May 4, 2009, 02:52 PM	#3
rgitzlaff Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2006 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 524	leave it to a pro rebarreling should be left up to a gunsmith that knows what he is doing. There is a lot more to it than taking the old one off and putting on a new one. There is headspacing to think about, and making sure not to damage the action, and getting everything straight and concentric. I like to tinker with my guns more than the average guy, but the only barrels I'll change myself are AR's.

May 4, 2009, 09:45 PM	#5
smoakingun Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2009 Location: melrose, fl Posts: 634	rebarreling is probably not beyond your capabilities, and with the propper skill set, the proper tools can be fabricated to do the job, or with the right money the tools can be purchased, BUT, if you don't get it right, it could cost you a barrel PLUS paying a gunsmith to fix it. __________________ Hundreds of years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove... But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that my ruins become a tourist attraction.

May 4, 2009, 09:37 AM	#2
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	Barrels are not turned in/out of an action. Rather barrels are secured in a sturdy benchvise, with rosined inserts especially shaped for that particular barrel, and then the action is turned off/onto the barrel threads,using the specific action wrench that fits into that type action. .

May 4, 2009, 08:37 PM	#4
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Gunsmiths use a special barrel vise that uses a hydraulic jack to lock the barrel in. The barrel is fitted with split brass or special HARD wood blocks and is ten put in the vise and it's locked down with tremendous force. Few shop vises will hold a rifle barrel and prevent it from just turning. The vises, even really big ones just don't have the holding power. After the barrel is locked in the vise, a special action wrench is fitted around the front of the receiver and is used to unscrew the receiver. This prevents bending or breaking the receiver, which is easy to do. You will also need a set of head space gages and a lathe to trim the chamber end of the barrel to fit it to the action. Here's a barrel vise and an action wrench. These are just two of a number of special tools needed. Hint: A strap wrench will NOT work, and trying to use any other kind of wrench will destroy the rifle. A barrel vise setup: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/sto...0BARREL%20VISE An action wrench. http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/sto...CTION%20WRENCH Best advice: DON'T. Unless you have the right tools and know how to use them, this is how good guns get destroyed.