Savage Barrel Removal

[DirtySteve]

Its a trial and error process with fine adjustments until you get it exactly where you want it on the gauge when tightened. Sometimes you gotta loosen and make a small adjustment then re-tighten until its where you want it.

I did a barrel testing reviewing over on SH many years ago with Savage Small shank vs shouldered prefits in 223rem on a TL3. This was a direct result of all the talk back then that nut barrels were never as accurate as shouldered barrels.... 2 barrels each had been submitted to me by Krieger, Bartlein, Criterion, Shilen, and I know Greg @ Bugholes and Josh @ PVA all submitted barrels for the test.

This was obviously not the case.... The testing showed a good barrel with good machine work installed properly, whether a nut barrel or shouldered barrel shot equally as accurate.

We used to install nut barrels with red loctite and let cure.. Then you could remove the barrel and the nut stayed right where it was originally installed acting as a shouldered barrel... This was our switch barrel setup before all the shouldered prefits became a thing and actions started holding tolerances from one action to a next to allow this...

A while back Jackie took his bench rest rifle and used the same barrel to turn it into a barrel netted barrel and it shot exactly the same.

I also use Red Lockite on my barrel nuts to make them more useful as a switch barrel.

 

[Texas Solo]

Do Savage prefits, like those one would order from NSS, come with barrel nuts?

No. You'll need to order the nut and lug additional.

 

[NorCalMikie]

One time I read here that when you get the barrel to where you want it on the go gauge, you then back it off a hair because when the barrel nut tightens it will move it back to the original mark. Is this anyone’s experience?

I don't use gauges. SAAMI specs are too loose. Not one of my Savage rigs will chamber factory loaded ammo except 22 rimfire. (I've tried)
I roll all my own ammo so no problems. The tighter the headspace, the less you have to move the brass when resizing/reloading. Brass, new or fired works best for me when it comes to setting headspace.
And, not all factory ammo is the same. They say it is but some will chamber and some won't. So, I guess you can say all my ammo is Wildcat? A loose headspace (SAAMI spec) SHOULD load all factory ammo. You'll never know till you try. And DON'T try finding out IN THE HOUSE. Know a guy that shot his wife's refrigerator.I always thought he was smarter than that, but I guess not.
In the house, the only thing that goes in my chambers is empty brass or a dummy round.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

In the house, the only thing that goes in my chambers is empty brass or a dummy round.

Definitely, took some years to learn it myself.
One mistake and it will cost you trouble.

 

[Multiracer]

 

[1911nut]

Let’s not start a discussion about the appropriate torque on that nut

 

[PhilC]

Do Savage prefits, like those one would order from NSS, come with barrel nuts?

No, barrel nuts and recoil lugs are extra.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Rather than adding a 18" ratchet wrench to PULL and apply Torque, and then bitch cause you pulled your guts out, snug the nut then a RAP with a steel hammer on the flat steel wrench. DONE!! NEVER had one come loose.

 

[SKWERLZ]

Its a trial and error process with fine adjustments until you get it exactly where you want it on the gauge when tightened. Sometimes you gotta loosen and make a small adjustment then re-tighten until its where you want it.

I did a barrel testing reviewing over on SH many years ago with Savage Small shank vs shouldered prefits in 223rem on a TL3. This was a direct result of all the talk back then that nut barrels were never as accurate as shouldered barrels.... 2 barrels each had been submitted to me by Krieger, Bartlein, Criterion, Shilen, and I know Greg @ Bugholes and Josh @ PVA all submitted barrels for the test.

This was obviously not the case.... The testing showed a good barrel with good machine work installed properly, whether a nut barrel or shouldered barrel shot equally as accurate.

We used to install nut barrels with red loctite and let cure.. Then you could remove the barrel and the nut stayed right where it was originally installed acting as a shouldered barrel... This was our switch barrel setup before all the shouldered prefits became a thing and actions started holding tolerances from one action to a next to allow this...

To this day my two most accurate barrels were barrel nut setups.

 

[SKWERLZ]

In the house, the only thing that goes in my chambers is empty brass or a dummy round.

Same.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I don't use gauges. SAAMI specs are too loose. Not one of my Savage rigs will chamber factory loaded ammo except 22 rimfire. (I've tried)
I roll all my own ammo so no problems. The tighter the headspace, the less you have to move the brass when resizing/reloading. Brass, new or fired works best for me when it comes to setting headspace.
And, not all factory ammo is the same. They say it is but some will chamber and some won't. So, I guess you can say all my ammo is Wildcat? A loose headspace (SAAMI spec) SHOULD load all factory ammo. You'll never know till you try. And DON'T try finding out IN THE HOUSE. Know a guy that shot his wife's refrigerator.I always thought he was smarter than that, but I guess not.
In the house, the only thing that goes in my chambers is empty brass or a dummy round.

I probably shouldn’t tell this, but my father in law took out a mirror in the house while dry firing and his FIL took out a mamma cat accidentally the same way years back. No one is immune to making a mistake .

 

[varget204]

Removed a Savage Smooth Round Barrel Nut on a 6/5/284 Savage, Got a Smooth Barrel nut wrench from 4 D Reamer , Took 2 Gorillas & a 900 LB MotherFer to Remove,about 90-100 lbs tourque & it was Glued to ,Removing the Regular notched barrel nut one was easy with the Savage wrench from NSS

 

[KMW 1954]

Smooth nut = Dremel cutoff wheel. came right off!

 

[nwiashooter]

Contact James at Northland Shooting Supply (NSS) - he is knowledgeable and helpful . He recommended the NSS action wrench rather than a barrel vise. I ordered the action wrench, a Savage barrel nut wrench, a new barrel, barrel nut, and recoil lug from NSS for my Savage 12 barrel replacement. Follow the instructions provided by NSS. They also have Go and No Go gauges. Use 1/4” and 1/2” torque wrenches was to ensure proper bolt tightness. Rather than using a “cheater” on the barrel nut wrench, I found it easier to use a rubber mallet to lightly hit the end of the wrench a few times. The barrel nut breaks loose nicely without undue stress to the wrench or the action.

 

[Hipshoot]

Pretty much what I found. Only done 2 so far though. The only problem I have found when screwing on the new barrel nut the barrel wants to move when tightening the nut.

 

[M-61]

One time I read here that when you get the barrel to where you want it on the go gauge, you then back it off a hair because when the barrel nut tightens it will move it back to the original mark. Is this anyone’s experience?

Sure, to a point. I spend the time to get it right when the nut is tight. And you bet, the barrel loves to move when you tighten the nut. But patience can and does prevail in the end.
I don’t want any guessing as to where that last tightening has moved the barrel (head space) I’ve even spent a lot of time to get two different bolts to headspace the same in tee different rifles. Is this necessary. Nope. Just shows I’m crazy and wanted to see if I could do it. Cortina once says he does it Incase a bolt fails during a match.
Me? I do it just to see if I can.
Now the disclaimer: Never swap bolts between two rifles. There is no way to know the headspace and unless you’re crazy as I. am the headspace will NEVER be the same.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Smooth nut = Dremel cutoff wheel. came right off!

For me, it is a pipe wrench. I am tossing that junk when I am done with it anyway, and a pipe wrench has plenty of length for a big guy like me to bear down on.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

For me, it is a pipe wrench. I am tossing that junk when I am done with it anyway, and a pipe wrench has plenty of length for a big guy like me to bear down on.

48” Stillson should work.

 

[rjtfroggy]

Some make things harder than they have to be.
Action wrench (NSS or Midway) nut wrench, place on the floor and step on the nut wrench. Done.
Screwing on the new one take your time and use a go gauge and then a piece of tape on the end (no go), try it a couple of times if you are happy with it go shoot.

 

[ISS]

Great story about the refrigerator.

1964, my brother was a Sr in HS. He had bought a 92 Winchester in 32-20 and had a gunsmith bore the barrel and chamber for 357 Magnum. We were out shooting it the first time, behind the barn; and stuck a live round in the chamber. We ended up going back to the house, and he was jacking the lever in our room. Parents bedroom was adjacent to ours. Bang! rifle goes off. Lucky, it hits a stud in the wall which slows it down. Panic mode.
That evening our Parents arrive back home. My Mother had done laundry and a few minutes later she is folding her undies to put away and shouts to my Father "Ed, we have mice in our bedroom...". My Father comes in, looks in the drawer, sees splinters and the slug in the drawer and says "better be careful, they're packing guns...". "Richard!". As the middle child it was always me. I walk in to the hall, he shows me the slug and wants to know if I know anything about it. My brother had followed me into the hall, and I just turned around and pointed my finger at him. He tells my Father the story, and the next day the 92 goes back to the LGS to be reworked. It was a little chilly at the dinner table for a week or so.

I learned a valuable lesson that day.