removing a factory barrel?

[winmagman]

I just picked up a remington 700 adl for a donor action and I could use some tips for removing a stubborn barrel. I'd prefer not to mess up the barrel in hopes I can maybe move it on ebay.
Thanks in advance
Chris

[preacherman]

...these can be difficult to break loose... requires quite a heavy duty vice, wrench etc... most smiths accept the barrel as payment for their labor, so you're left with nothing that way... might want to contact some smiths on www.benchrest.com

[Troy]

I have taken factory barrels off with a vice but they are usually very tight. If you want to sell the barrel I would get a trusted smith to take the barrel off for you.

[Fiftydriver]

winmagman,

Remington barrels can be some of the most stuburn to break loose. THis is because of the taper on the barrel and the lack of gripping surface unless you use the right tools.

In my shop, I have several sets of aluminum bushings for the different contours of barrels, several for just the Remington barrels.

Here is my proceedure to get a Rem 700 barrel off.

1. Clean the barrel and receiver with a cleaner that will not leave any residue after it dries.

2. I apply two plies of standard masking tape the barrel for a distance that will be enough to protect the barrel from any contact with the metal shims.

3. I then either use a thin lead shim or even an index card between the taped barrel and the metal shim and then clamp the barrel in my four bolt barrel vise.

This is where you could have a problem. Without using shims to grip the taper and allow for a large clamping surface, I would doubt that you will get the barrel of using a standard bench vise, at least not without marking up the barrel.

I would get ahold of a smith in your area, I charge only $20 to take off a barrel if that is the only job to do. If there is other barrel work the customer wants, I will not usually charge for removing the barrel unless its a real stubburn one.

One thing that may help is to spray good quality penetrating oil in the receiver and let it stand muzzle down for a couple days to let the oil work into the threads. Sometimes this helps sometimes it does very little but its worth a try.

Without a good barrel vise some Rem 700 barrels can be flat impossible to break loose without damaging them.

Good Shooting!!!

50

[winmagman]

Thanks for the replies gents.

This was a praticularly tough one, we wound up putting it on a lathe and turning the barrel down just in front of the recoil lug, relieved the pressure and it turned right out. Trashed the barrel but that wasn't what I bought it for any way.

Tried the penetrating oil, tried heating the reciever, and tried a barrel vice with the aluminum bushings. Like I said it was a tough one.
Chris

[ 06-07-2004: Message edited by: winmagman ]