Barrel and action froze

[Firearrow]

Long story short. Bergara rifle had a broken torx bit in the forward most hole for scope base. Went to remote the barrel from the action so I could have just the action to hand the gunsmith to make his job easier. After I got the first pop when the barrel and action broke loose I had maybe 1/4 turn and it got real tight and I stopped trying to remove the action.

I got the broken torx bit fixed and when I got home and tried to torque the action back onto the barrel I am not able to budge it even a little bit. The hole where the broken torx bit was did not go all the way through the receiver to the barrel threads to gum up the barrel threads.

Any advice as to what has happened and what I can do to fix this would be appreciated.

By the way I'm using a Short Action Custom barre vise and their action wrench.

 

[Luckyshot7]

When you say "broken torx bit", do you mean the torx head screw?
Have you taken the barrel off hefore?
What was wrong with the torx screw? A stripped head?
How did you fix it, and did you fully verify that the hole wasn't tapped thru to the action threads?

I ask because if my memory serves, scope base threads are all tapped thru in my Bergara (and every action I'm aware of honestly, blind tapped holes for tiny capscrews would be a machinist's nightmare). I distinctly remember looking at the barrel threads through that hole once. Because I too, once mounted a 20moa rail on it and later found that the front screw was a touch too long. It wasn't clamping the rail at all and the rail came loose.

My gut feeling is that something similar happend to you, and the barrel threads got mashed beneath an overly-long, forward scope-base screw. And now you have interfering threads upon trying to spin the barrel off. I dont have a good remedy for that other than muscling through it. Assuming the action material is harder than the barrel, I THINK you shouldnt need to worry about transferring any damage to the action. But I would triple check that fact before proceeding. Just trying to help diagnose

If those holes are not tapped thru on your action, I have no idea what might be your problem. Ive never taken off a bergara barrel. Ive heard second-hand it is very difficult to get loosened the first time, but nothing about the threads binding

 

[Firearrow]

When you say "broken torx bit", do you mean the torx head screw?
Have you taken the barrel off hefore?
What was wrong with the torx screw? A stripped head?
How did you fix it, and did you fully verify that the hole wasn't tapped thru to the action threads?

I ask because if my memory serves, scope base threads are all tapped thru in my Bergara (and every action I'm aware of honestly, blind tapped holes for tiny capscrews would be a machinist's nightmare). I distinctly remember looking at the barrel threads through that hole once. Because I too, once mounted a 20moa rail on it and later found that the front screw was a touch too long. It wasn't clamping the rail at all and the rail came loose.

My gut feeling is that something similar happend to you, and the barrel threads got mashed beneath an overly-long, forward scope-base screw. And now you have interfering threads upon trying to spin the barrel off. I dont have a good remedy for that other than muscling through it. Assuming the action material is harder than the barrel, I THINK you shouldnt need to worry about transferring any damage to the action. But I would triple check that fact before proceeding. Just trying to help diagnose

If those holes are not tapped thru on your action, I have no idea what might be your problem. Ive never taken off a bergara barrel. Ive heard second-hand it is very difficult to get loosened the first time, but nothing about the threads binding

The torx screw head sheared off and the gunsmith drilled out the guts and was able to remove the material.

I have it soaking in PB Blast just hoping any praying

 

[26Reload]

May have stretched the threads....New screw should surely have trouble threading in.....might need to 'retread again & again with a thread cutter' to correct the pitch of the threads....

 

[Darryle]

Take it back to the gunsmith and have him cut the barrel off at the face and bore the barrel stub out, you are fixing to wind up with a junk action with bad/galled threads.

Stainless action and barrel?

 

[JuddL]

Take it back to the gunsmith and have him cut the barrel off at the face and bore the barrel stub out, you are fixing to wind up with a junk action with bad/galled threads.

Stainless action and barrel?

^^^ this, all of this. They'll likely charge you less than the cost of the tap and you will need a tap to clean up the thread you tore.

I tend to learn things the hard way myself…learned this exact lesson, tore about 1/2 thread. Fortunately, it cleaned up well and I didn't ruin my action. Sucks, but you did well to stop and not force it. One thing you can try that likely won't work but worth a try before you take it to someone…soak it in kroil for a week. If you can't put fair amount of pressure on it and it not break loose…just take it in.

 

[Firearrow]

Take it back to the gunsmith and have him cut the barrel off at the face and bore the barrel stub out, you are fixing to wind up with a junk action with bad/galled threads.

Stainless action and barrel?

I'm going to take it back to him and let him have a go at it. If he says it's just froze or the threads are welded I will just buy my buddy a new Barrera. I thinks it's about 700 dollars.

It just burns me because I don't see how 35 in/lbs could put any pressure on the barrel thread in a scope mount hole that isn't drilled all the way through to receiver where the barrel threads can be damaged.

It is what it is. Maybe the gunsmith has some magic fairy dust.

 

[Firearrow]

^^^ this, all of this. They'll likely charge you less than the cost of the tap and you will need a tap to clean up the thread you tore.

I tend to learn things the hard way myself…learned this exact lesson, tore about 1/2 thread. Fortunately, it cleaned up well and I didn't ruin my action. Sucks, but you did well to stop and not force it. One thing you can try that likely won't work but worth a try before you take it to someone…soak it in kroil for a week. If you can't put fair amount of pressure on it and it not break loose…just take it in.

I just threw in the towel. I have only removed 7 barrels and don't have the reps, and sure don't have the knowledge when it comes to barrels being frozen.

 

[Darryle]

It just burns me because I don't see how 35 in/lbs could put any pressure on the barrel thread in a scope mount hole that isn't drilled all the way through to receiver where the barrel threads can be damaged.

Mostly likely because the hole is just deep enough to reach the crown of the threads and when the screw bottomed out, it distorted this thin portion into the barrel tenon.

I will bet you will find the threads do in fact go all the way thru, trying to tap a blind hole that small is near impossible with that small of a tap diameter.

 

[ntsqd]

^^^^
That.
Just in reading the synopsis this is what I suspected you were dealing with.

 

[BrentM]

The fact the barrel moved and locked up is not good. Not being to screw it back in is another indicator of a uhoh moment. Normally the issue is getting a barrel to pop loose at all and having to make a relief cut on the barrel. Like others I suspect a bad section of thread creating a bind. The smith may be able to work it back into place without requiring a rebarrel. Best to let him give it go and see what happens. Me I'd likely put some heat to it and see if there is epoxy binding just in case. This is a delicate process tho because you can ruin the coating fairly easily if you apply too much heat.

 

[tobnpr]

Does sound like it's galled.
Normally this happens when you're screwing the parts together (friction/heat causes the metals to stick to each other) and despite the "it's getting tight" and resistance you keep going... then the parts weld together and you can't loosen, or tighten. As mentioned over-torquing can do it, which sounds like might be the case here from the factory. If the smith can get some lube into the threads (NEVER mate parts dry) he may be able to get them apart. If not, he'll need to cut the barrel off at the receiver ring, carefully bore it out and then clean up the receiver threads by either tapping or single-pointing to remove galled metal from the receiver threads.

 

[JuddL]

This isn't a galling issue tobnpr…the front screw from the picatinny rail was against the tenon (acting like a set screw). When he forced it loose, it removed some of that front screw and it tore the action thread.

I'll check and see if I have pictures from my fuster this evening

 

[Darryle]

I think the recoil lug and barrel shoulder have it locked down, willing to bet it removes easily once that barrel if cut away relieving the tension on the face of the action and recoil lug.

But knowing Judd, he's probably right, he has more experience at this than me.