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Barrel Vise?

kdvarmint

I am considering a new drop in barrel for a Savage 12. I will need a barrel vise. Any suggestions for a vise that is economical yet effective?
Also, those of you do it yourselfers that have done this. What did you encounter your first time that you were not expecting? It's new to me, confident I can do it, just know enough to know there are things I don't yet know. (;
 
Barrel nut wrench and AR 15 barrel blocks . For installing I would recomend a receiver wrench plus the wrench and blocks . Don't forget go / no go gauges . For a receiver wrench you can get by with the internal Hart style wrench .
 
As far as the vise goes, i made mine out out two pieces of 1 x 2 steel with two oak blocks with the proper size hole drilled and sanded. Seems to work fine. My barrel wrench was laser cut and traps the complete nut, if i hadn't had access to the laser i would have purchased one.
I purchased a go gage for my .223ai build and just use it for both the ai and the .223 barrel.
 
kdvarmint said:
That's one vise I have my eye on, and I have watched this video and wonder why several say an action vise is needed.
Click to expand...

No experience yet, but I plan to put a REMAGE barrel on a Remington 700. For sure you need an action vice of some kind to get the Remington barrel off. However, the Savage system is essentially a jam nut. Just guessing, but I suspect you can hold either the barrel or the action and the jam nut unless it is seized to the action face, will back off.

So, I too am interested in the answer to your question...
 
Barrel vise ( I use a Wheeler as linked above). You need an action wrench. A sturdy work bench.
You need the barrel vise to get the barrel off (to support and hold it) Also the barrel vise makes setting the head-space much easier (meaning you don't need 3 hands)
Action wrench? I have a thru the action wrench (same as a 700 Rem.) The other type that grabs the action is fine also.
Savage barrel nut wrench. The usual barrel nut wrench fits either square or round lugs. Large and small shank Savages jam nuts are both the same OD.
My barrel wrench goes in a large bench mounted vise, as I did not want mount it permanently.

2nd part of your question: Jam nut wrench on FIRST, then slide the barrel into the barrel vise. Make sure the barrel vise is tight on the barrel. Some folks use resin..I don't (no reason). Just lean into the wrench on those two nuts on the vise. (you are not going to crush the barrel!)
Get the jam nut wrench on the jam nut securely and squarely. The jam nut wrenches are not 'hand friendly' they have sharp edges. The next step is your choice. Grab the wrench in a shop rag and give the 'sharpest' yank you can....or a shot with a hammer. This is a case where 'speed' wins.
The Savage factory barrels I have removed (not a whole bunch as I buy actions) have not had anything on the threads (Loc-tite etc., BUT I have not taken EVERY Savage factory barrel ever made off......so I hit the jam nut with a heat gun first, just in case. Actually I have found it longer to write this than it takes to do it. The jam nuts are tight but not crazy. Leave the barrel in the vice and turn the action off the barrel. (remember that jam nut wrench is sitting on the barrel waiting to scratch it).
I think that's it. Remember to put that jam nut wrench on FIRST or you will be looking at that barreled action in the vise with jam nut wrench looking back at you.

As far as go and no-go gauges....there has been a long recent post on there need and use. I use them but that's me as is all I wrote above. Not meant to be instructions...or a better way , merely my experience.

O yeah.....if you have a picatinny rail on that action take that front (muzzle) screw out as it's a thru hole and if the wrong screw is there it is INTO the threads.
 
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Savages usually have a lot of steel shot ( assuming not high polish blue ) in the barrel nut . It will gall , try using compressed air to remove as much as possible , wear glasses , shoot the air into front receiver screw , bolt raceway , scope base screws . If it binds and it probably will , don't force it , go back and forth with the nut and use oil and compressed air .
 
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Just wondering what cartridge your new barrel will be chambered for?
 
Ggmac said:
Savages usually have a lot of steel shot ( assuming not high polish blue ) in the barrel nut . It will gall , try using compressed air to remove as much as possible , wear glasses , shoot the air into front receiver screw , bolt raceway , scope base screws . If it binds and it probably will , don't force it , go back and forth with the nut and use oil and compressed air .
Click to expand...


The gunsmith who removed my barrel showed me a picture of the shot on the barrel/receiver threads. Shows poor craftsmanship in my opinion.
 
kdvarmint said:
I am considering a new drop in barrel for a Savage 12. I will need a barrel vise. Any suggestions for a vise that is economical yet effective?
Also, those of you do it yourselfers that have done this. What did you encounter your first time that you were not expecting? It's new to me, confident I can do it, just know enough to know there are things I don't yet know. (;
Click to expand...
I originally bought the Wheeler action wrench. It has a hole to fasten it to the front action bolt and align it and then a cutout for the recoil lug. Just buy a nut wrench and those two things are all you need. Fasten the action wrench in a vise ect. I hold mine in a pipe vise. If you have one of those smooth barrel nuts loosen it with a pipe wrench and put a slotted type nut on there.

The wheeler wrench is fairly inexpensive and you don't need a barrel vise. Use the correct torque-- if you tighten it to much it will squeeze the action and make it hard to turn the barrel. I would always use headspace gauges. The savage barrel nuts are always tight from the factory. Once you break it loose you don't need to tighten that tight. Just give the wrench a couple stought blows with a hammer.
 
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I use a Viper barrel vice. It seems to work good. I've removed a couple of factory Remington barrels with no issue. It will work with most barrel contours with no additional parts like other vices require. I order mine directly from Viper Bench Rest. I had a nice conversation with Bob Pastor. For a newbie that was worth the price vice.
Rich
 
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