I am trying to pull the barrel on a standard Mauser action using the Wheeler Barrel Vise with oak wood blocks and rosin. I've tightened it until the blocks split and haven't budged the barrel at all.

Is this vise suitable for pulling really tight barrels in the first place? Does someone have a better insert than oak blocks? (I'm wondering about machined aluminum for instance?)

Thanks for any help.

That vise looks like a joke.
Machined aluminum blocks would help.
My personal choice was the Brownell's vise. Works great on even the tightest of barrels.

quote:

Originally posted by kcstott:
That vise looks like a joke.
Machined aluminum blocks would help.
My personal choice was the Brownell's vise. Works great on even the tightest of barrels.

Which one? Brownell's sells 3 that I see - one looks identical in design to the Wheeler. Thanks.

Sorry if this takes it off topic, does anybody that posts on this forum have a Burgess vise? According to Tom he only made a few as the cost was so high most didn't want one, I'd love some pictures for my reference files. (I wonder who ended up with his prototype action wrench, sounded like he had just come up with and made the one there in the last couple years before he passed, somebody somewhere lucked out).

Red

This one Barrel vise

Years ago I copied it in the shop as I had more time then money. I also built an action wrench, a bolt welding fixture. a copy of the forester universal sight jig and Misc other stuff.

If the barrel isn't turning in the vise that
isn't yourproblem. Use a good action wrench and
give it a good rap with a hammer.

quote:

Originally posted by hawkins:
If the barrel isn't turning in the vise that
isn't yourproblem. Use a good action wrench and
give it a good rap with a hammer.

Oh believe me, I have - proper wrench, big hammer, lots of hits.

Thanks, KC - I see the one you mean now.

Are you wanting to save or reuse the barrel?

Here is mine. One thing, I made it myself and use aluminum buashings and rosin and a 4lb hammer. You need to remove the rear sight to get a better purchase on the barrel and the busing needs to be a good fit.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...371088561#7371088561

I can see you don't skimp on the hammer, looking at the one in background.

Here's the set up I made, like Jim I found the longer vise holds tighter on stubborn military barrels. I turned the bushing to match the step in the barrel. I like how Jim mounted that one.
Don

quote:

Originally posted by mad_jack02:
Are you wanting to save or reuse the barrel?

No - do you want it? It's from a 1909 Argentine carbine.

I also noticed that Brownell's sells milled steel blocks that will accept their aluminum barrel bushings - would that be acceptable in the Wheeler vise? The Wheeler is massive - I don't think it's the problem so much as the wooden block silliness is. But if others have tried it and found that setup inadequate, I'll go with a different vise.

Maybe you've already tried heat???...and temp stick/paste to control the amount of heat.

I've had a few problems with Remington barrels and a few cycles of heat then ice cubes then putting a heavy torque on my wrench handle and giving the RECEIVER a good whack or two with a brass hammer usually will work.

Sometimes even tightening will start the process of breaking loose the threads.

Rust/sealant/years/shooting torque etc can glue a barrel in like no tomorrow.

Last extreme resort is to cut an annulus/groove around the shoulder of the barrel, NOT the receiver...leave a few thou "washer" between the barrel and the receiver....that will relieve any built up stresses usually...never had a barrel NOT come off by doing that.

I copied Brownells barrel vise except made it a bit larger, used 3/4" "Cat" cutting edge bolts, 1"x36" Titanium tubing handle I caged from a work sight many years ago and use brass or alum bushings with any kind of paper shims that happens to be close at hand...Postits work great with that bit of sticky to keep them in place.

Woodhunter...that's a NICE setup...shows the great esthetic difference between a professional and us "junk yard dogs".

Luck

This is mine. I used Jim Kobe's idea to put a couple punch press springs between the jaws to spread them when I loosened the bolts. Haven't had any barrels that were too hard to remove yet.




The clamp bolts are not threaded to the vise. They are heat treated socket headed bolts from through the bottom.
Butch

quote:

Originally posted by WoodHunter:

What are we checking for in this photo?

Westpac

quote:

What are we checking for in this photo?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Angular torque compressionary alignment of the threads to the bolt helix.

Kerry,
You have too much time on your hands. Get in the shop and make chips.
Butch

quote:

Originally posted by WoodHunter:
Three things.

Seat the barrel, put the bolt in, place the indicator. Wiggle the bolt back and forth and we know how much clearance we have between the end of the bolt and the barrel recess. You need some clearance, benchrest guys don't want much but the DGR needs more.

If your calculations were correct and you are familiar with the amount you lose to crush, you can do this on the run. A dial indicator should not be needed at any point during assembly. This should have already been calculated and determined long before joining the two.

quote:

Then put in a new unfired case and do the same. Tells us how much free headspace we have over the cartridge..

Then put in a go gauge. Tells us how much free headspace we have over a gauge.

Same thing. Don't need a dial indicator for this. Careful planning, precise calculations and experience will tell you what you will end up with long before the two are joined. No surprises.

quote:

Yup, headspace over the case and over the gauge are not the same.

That's why there are go/no go gauges. It doesn't matter what the case say's, to stay out of trouble you set your chamber depth to the gauge.

For the most part, setting headspace and determining clearances are fairly simple processes and do not require dial indicators. I just want folks to know that dial indicators are not needed at all during barrel assembly.

quote:

Don't forget to lube the barrel threads!!

Agreed!

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
Kerry,
You have too much time on your hands. Get in the shop and make chips.
Butch

I am I am.

Jim,

Your set-up looks like it could save on babysitting costs.