Rear entry action wrench for my Savage.

F

frwillia

Guest
I helped a buddy bore a new back gear for his Clausing lathe. He's a gunsmith and not having his lathe in commission is serious.

After we were done, he left and I was cleaning up the lathe and spotted a piece of 1" 1018 rod that looked just like a rear entry action wrench was trapped inside. I decided I'd like to liberate that action wrench, so I did.

The flat end was turned .990" OD between centers. then the shaft was turned to .680" for what looked like a good length and a clean up cut was taken on the rest of the rod.

Then I clamped it in the mill vise, stuck in a 4F 3/4" end mill and flattened the sides to a thickness of .440".

So far it looks like this:

FirstPhaseComplete-RS.jpg


The finish on the flat surface isn't anything to write home about, but I don't have the flood coolant hooked up on the mill yet. That said, it fits right in the action just like it should.

FirstPhaseFitsInAction-RS.jpg


I haven't decided what to do on the drive end yet. I can hardly wait to find out what I end up with. I think I'll most probably end up welding an old 1/2" drive socket to it so I can use the torque wrench on it, among other things.

Fitch
 
My gunsmith says that it is a mistake to use a single sided lever as it can put side stresses on the lugs. He recommends using a ½" hard steel tommy bar thru the back end of the wrench with both hands.

Mywrench was built with a 13/16" hex end, so I welded a socket centrally on a 1½ x ½ inch bar.
 
A rear entry action wrench is of little use on a Savage. You'll find that a good barrel vise and a barrel nut wrench is all you need. I've taken off literally thousands of barrels off Savages and never used an action wrench.
But, your work looks good and never hurts to practice machining and pursuing new ideas.
 
John Kielly said:
My gunsmith says that it is a mistake to use a single sided lever as it can put side stresses on the lugs. He recommends using a ½" hard steel tommy bar thru the back end of the wrench with both hands.

Mywrench was built with a 13/16" hex end, so I welded a socket centrally on a 1½ x ½ inch bar.
Click to expand...

John,

I agree about the assymetrical force issue. The wrench is a long axle with it's only support being the action - not a good situation.

That is one of the reasons I hadn't done anything to the other end yet. Drilling it for a 1/2" tommy bar, or welding one across the end of it would work just fine. I don't think the torque is that important, it just needs to be tight.

Sharpshooter, Ben,

I agree, but as Ben suggests, any new barrels will have a shoulder and not use the nut.

I think a Tommy bar handle on it will work just fine, and it certainly ought to let me torque it against a shoulder to at least 100 ft-lbs or more depending on how long it is. I'm thinking if the bar is about 16 inches long it gives me a good hand hold and allows an OF to torque the barrel tight enough.

I'm thinking I can set the barrel in the barrel vise with the action hand tight, rotate it to be in a good position, tighten the vise with the wrench handle in a good position, then torque the barrel with both hands (push pull). That being the case, welding the handle on in the same plane as the flat on the end would work with the action right side up (or upside down <G>) and allow the wrench to be used with the action still in the stock for switching barrels.

Welding would work. I like the idea of being able to remove the handle ... more thinking required.

Fitch
 
Nice work

I rebarrel many Savages some with and some without the barrel nut. A suggestion is that you can put both a hex and drive socket on the aft end so as you can use a torque wrench on your new rear entry action wrench.
Nat Lambeth
 
Rear entry action wrench for Savage

I've use only a barrel nut wrench and barrel vice to swap barrels on my Savage but own a rear entry action wrench for a Remington action. Just out of curiosity, I tried the action wrench in my Savage and it will work if ever required.

Lou Baccino
 
PEI Rob said:
Don't forget to the mill anti-bind slot for a 700.
Click to expand...

What's an anti-bind slot?

I don't own a Remington action ... yet at least. If I look at a Remington bolt will I see a slot someplace that I need to duplicate on the flat part of the action wrench?

Thanks
Fitch
 
Anti bind slot

Many actions have a small rail that the bolt head follows. If your wrench is not milled to releive the anti bind rail you may bend or crush the anti bind rail and ruin your action. The Savage front baffle has a anti bind rail and the action is grooved. The technology is reversed on actions without the front baffle. This is even more important in aluminum actions.

Nat Lambeth
 
I'd never use a rear entry wrench on a Savage...
2hz7sli.jpg


20iwen6.jpg


except for swapping barrels at the range, on the tailgate of my truck ....

The wrench is one I made for 700s years ago.

I highly recommend not using one on a factory installed barrel.

Bill
 
BillPa said:
The wrench is one I made for 700s years ago.

I highly recommend not using one on a factory installed barrel.

Bill
Click to expand...


Bill

... have you actually had a problem doing that...?

I have done hundreds of 700's and have encountered no problems ... some are tougher than others so a little heat is applied to the action and then they break loose ... some have a sealant on the threads others don't.

Dennis
 
Dennis Sorensen said:
Bill

... have you actually had a problem doing that...?

Dennis
Click to expand...

No Dennis, none what so ever. I wouldn't try to guess how many I swapped that way, 30-40...dunno. One day I shot and worked up loads for four different barrels at one range session, not that it made any sense, just something I felt like doing.

When pulling the factory installed barrels I use clamp on action wrench and a full unmodified spanner. After that only the rear entry wrench and modified open ended spanner. I don't use a barrel vise on nutted Savage barrels at all, factory installed or otherwise.

I've never ran into thread sealant on Savages. You will or may find some stuff left from bluing that worked it's way in there, but that about all or at least thats been my experience.

Bill
 
In the Case Exploded Today thread, http://www.benchrest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59722 on the very first page there are great pics of a 700 bolt. The slot for the action wrench is exactly the same. A slot .090" wide and .050 deep would be ample, note that the slot was made when the bolt was rotated on an angle so as to penetrate towards the center of the bolt. Your .440" wrench is .010" thicker than a bolt so I would leave a .045" lip, centering the slot .090" from the edge.
 
PEI Rob said:
In the Case Exploded Today thread, http://www.benchrest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59722 on the very first page there are great pics of a 700 bolt. The slot for the action wrench is exactly the same. A slot .090" wide and .050 deep would be ample, note that the slot was made when the bolt was rotated on an angle so as to penetrate towards the center of the bolt. Your .440" wrench is .010" thicker than a bolt so I would leave a .045" lip, centering the slot .090" from the edge.
Click to expand...

I can do that. Thank you very much.

Fitch
 
I machined a .625" long x .473" diameter shoulder on the handle end of the wrench. That allowed an old 1/2" drive socket to slip over it and be held in position while I welded it on.

I set it on some cast iron V-blocks that were clamped to the welding table, held it down with some light pressure from a plastic jawed bar clamp, connected the ground clamp to the v-block, and MIG welded a bead around it while I turned it. That worked reasonably well considering I have a hard time seeing the arc any more. I can't see in the dark well either.

But it's done. I can use a standard tommy bar socket handle or a torque wrench, or any other 1/2" drive handle on it. It's out in the shop waiting for something to work on.

Fitch
 
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