Want to buy a nice action wrench and bbl vise

[jGEE]

I want to buy a really nice action wrench and a bbl vise with an assortment of bushings to fit as wide a range as possible of Remeingtons, Winchesters the common rifles.

I checked e-bay, a guy Walley Cooper has some stuff about $155 -looks plenty rugged.. Does anyone have another recommendation, maybe a possible link to the site. thanks very joe

 

[J. Valentine]

I want to buy a really nice action wrench and a bbl vise with an assortment of bushings to fit as wide a range as possible of Remeingtons, Winchesters the common rifles.

I checked e-bay, a guy Walley Cooper has some stuff about $155 -looks plenty rugged.. Does anyone have another recommendation, maybe a possible link to the site. thanks very joe

Hi Joe, I have looked at the barrel vice and it looks quite good. It's very similar to the one I built for myself.
The main difference is I like studs with nuts to tighten down rather than bolts . Nuts on a stud allow a tighter lock down I feel .
However the alluminium collets should grip quite well . Just make sure you degrease the barrel and the collet before use . Wrapping the barrel with masking tape can help protect blueing . Also dusting the collet with powdered rosin can increase grip.
Factory barrels can be hard to move and sometimes require heat. never heat direct on the action . Heat the barrel away from the action and let some heat bleed through to the threads until it cracks free.
If the action is hard to shift an action wrench that goes over and locks around the front action ring is the best option not an internal wrench.
Once the initial factory lockup is cracked then subsequent fitting and unfitting can be done with an internal wrench. Either side or rear entry.
Never put a bar through the actio to try and unscrew it ,a sure way to twist the action.

 

[jGEE]

Thank you Sir for the reply. I went ahead and ordered the vise and action wrench from e-bay-

http://cgi.ebay.com/BARREL-VISE-ACT...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item563e42ca17

I thought about trying to make the action wrench and bbl vise but didn't have the materials on hand and wasn't sure how to bore 1 1/2" holes into hardened steel. I figured i would wreck more tools bits -it seemed like a fair price to pay.

Thanks for the heating tip! My thoughts were to play a little heat on the action but how simple to wipe a little heat on the bbl and let it soak into the threads! I have a bbl i want to remove from a '37 Remington.

The '37 has a ridge running down the bottom of the action. I will have to see will the Mauser wrench fit the '37.

That is a nice bbl vise you made and a very nice bushing! Thank you for taking the time to reply. jGEE

 

[alinwa]

Now why would one want to make the threaded tenon larger through the application of heat? I can't understand heating the barrel.... I've heated actions, I've heated nuts and locking collars and axles and ball joints and king pins and-and-and.... but I've never heated the INNER piece.....


But on the other hand IF YOU'VE DONE IT and it worked..... who am I to say?

Regarding the use of nuts on studs over bolts...... this is a no-brainer. Studs with nuts is 'wayy better than bolts. Keep 'em greased.

opinionsby

al

 

[J. Valentine]

You are correct that the heat does expand things a bit but it is easy to over heat the thin front ring of an action but much harder to overheat the larger metal mass of the barrel .
The heat is only to melt any armourers grout or similar locking material that may be stopping you from unscrewing the barrel . Most times it will not be required but some military actions are glued in like you would not believe . Heating the action still works to the same end but for inexperienced hands it's safer to put the heat on the barrel near the action not directly on the action I find.
Sometimes heat can disscolour bluing . If it's the barrel it can be polished and reblued much easier than the action.

 

[j mckinnie]

How I used to believe

is what Al said but it works I guess the barrel is hollow and allows it to shrink on cooling.It can work on nuts and bolts too not what they teach at trade school but in the real world theory often is wrong????? jim

 

[J. Valentine]

You are welcome Joe that vice should give you good service. My vice has pins top and bottom that locate the collets so they can no rotate in the vice jaw.
If you have any trouble with the collets rotating on a hard unlock then you may need to degease the outside of the collet also and the inside of the jaws and add powdered rosin inside to help hold it. In most cases it should be no problem but I have seen it happen.