action/barrel assembly guestion

[lewellan2]

how tight does the barrel/action (torque value) have to be? specifically a Rem 700. action wrenches don't have torques settings and it doesn't seem to me that if you use Lock Tite the action shouldn't have to be overly torqued. How do you know when tight is tight enough?
Dano

 

[DickE]

I personnally would forget the lock-tite, and would substitute it, and use anti-sieze in the threads. As far as the torque, if things have been trued up or if things fit good at lock up then, I have torqued barrels from 30 lbs to say 65 lbs. You will find a great deal of opinion here. I take off and replace barrels on rifles quite a bit. You will not find any difference shooting a barrel with 30lbs torque to 150 lbs of torque- if everything is trued up to match at lockup.
If things aren't true, I would go a little more on the high side, but there is little need for gorilla torque.

 

[fdshuster]

Dano: As Dick said, forget the locktite, and use a little anti-seize on the threads. I personnaly use 65 ft. lb. of torque, measured with a Snap-On 200 ft. lb capacity wrench, on all my switch-barrels, but have had some dis-agreements as to that being "not enough" or "too much", verifying what Dick said about the issue of how much torque. 65 was recommended to me by the 'smith who set-up my switch-barrels, works for me, can't speak for anyone else. Three of my four switch-barrels are trued Rem 700's and I'm using the Davidson rear entry action wrench.

 

[therifler]

I agree with the two previous posts with this addition . The key is not to over torque and damage the shoulder. That is machined with the intent of being perpendicular to the bore . Yes i have seen crushed shoulders ruin some great custom work . The Rifler

 

[lewellan2]

Thanks for the input.
Dano

 

[prnghrn]

Hi

A good anti-sieze is a must, I have galled a barrel to the action by not using enough anti-sieze, it is a pretty ugly feeling, and alot of extra work to fix. I would definitely not lock tite the barrel. On remington 700 actions I use a raceway style wrench that I built that I can get a true torque reading with, and will usually torque 55-65 foot pounds. This is open to much debate, some use less, and some more. I think I read somewhere that Darrell Holland uses around a 100 Foot Pounds torque on his switch barrel rifles.

 

[holstil]

I'm running a switch barrel that i just give em a good snap of the wrist. By the 3rd or 4 fouler there as tight as there gonna get. It takes my barrel vise and a little effort with the wrench to remove.
Better never forget the anti-seize, especially on a SS barrel & action.
Jim