I have had my share of problems taking barrels off a number of different actions but, I was always able to get them off in the end. I have a 1914 DWM 98 that has defied all my attempts to remove the barrel. I tried the normal method of barrel vise and action wrench to no avail. I tried the action wrench in my humongous vise and a pipe wrench (barrel was nasty anyway), no joy. I took a parting cut, just skimming the face of the receiver and tried both methods above and still can't get it off. The only thing I haven't done and don't really want to, is heat the receiver ring with a torch while I try to turn it. Any suggestions are welcome.

A pal of mine, who refuses to use heat on anything, cut the barrel off at the reciever ring. He bored out the barrel to the threads, then picked what was left of the barrel threads out of the reciver with a dentist pick. I'd try a little heat myself, but us farmers are big on using the " gas wrench" anyway.

Put the barreled action in a freezer overnight and after it's darn cold warm the receiver ring with a hot water cloth to warm only the ring and see what happens in the barrel vice.

I've removed dozens of mauser barrels and have never had this happen to me. Possibly the barrel has rusted to the receiver due to some environment it was used.

Sounds like you did all the normal stuff...I once had to set up the action in a 4 jaw chuck after cutting the barrel right close to the receiver and carefully bore out the threaded shank..once you start hitting the top of the threads. sort of uncoils like a spring...If this doesn't work...well.. the hell with it!

I just had the exact same experience with a Lee-Enfield. Got almost to point I was afraid I was gonna tweak the receiver.

I soaked it in Kroil for about a week, and would take it out now and then soak it in solvent and blow it out with an air hose, rap on the receiver ring with a plastic mallet a bit, and then stick it back in the Kroil. After all that, and a three foot cheater bar, it finally popped loose.

If it is a throway barrel. I would cut it off right behind the rear sight, take a piece of steel barstock 1/2 x2x2 inch. bore a 1 inch hole right in the center. set the action up verticaly slip the steel bar down over the barrel stub and run a hot bead arround it with the arc welder. I always wrap the reciever in wet shop toewels to protect from spatter.
When it cools it comes apare with no effort. the reciever barely gets warm but the barrel gets hot enough to expand and shrink away from the reciever. I have done a dozen or more this way.

Thanks guys for the responses. I think my next step is some heat. I'll unlimber my trusty "gas axe" and see if I can make that ring swell long enough to make it let go. It's going to be a 7 X 57 so it shouldn't hurt the receiver. I hadn't planned on having it re-heat treated.

You shouldn't have to melt the receiver ring off the barrel. Just don't heat it red and you'll be fine.

Were it me, I'd lock it tightly into the barrel vise and whack the hell out of the action wrench handle until things broke loose.

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
Sounds like you did all the normal stuff...I once had to set up the action in a 4 jaw chuck after cutting the barrel right close to the receiver and carefully bore out the threaded shank..once you start hitting the top of the threads. sort of uncoils like a spring...If this doesn't work...well.. the hell with it!

Nice to see your name on the forum.
Maybe you can improve the "class" of some responses we see.
By-the-way, the ol' .300 H&H LH Model 70 you did up for me in the late '70's is still going good!
How are the knees?
Good luck!

I think I have done this for all the methods listed, heat, hammer, lathe,etc. What works for me is a big hammer and a tight barrel vise. I make sure the barrel is clean and free of any oil by wiping it down with lacquer thinner and ensuring the inserts on the barrel vise are a good fit and dusted with powered rosin. I have 4, 1/2-20 allen head cap screws for clamping and they are all turned tight on the barrel. Next is the action wrench, one I had made myself and fits the receiver with two 5/16 allen head cap screws clamped agains the bottom of the action flat against a piece of flat stock. With barreled action in the vise and the stub of the action wrench pointing to the left, I give the action wrench stub a sharp rap with a BIG hammer. On the older Mausers, the thread fit is very tight and one needs to wind it off with some effort all the way. Usually only one or two raps are necessary if the hammer is big enough.

When you start cranking down on receivers and whacking action wrenches with big hammers, you might think about inserting the bolt first to help prevent the receiver from becoming distored, or, collapsing under the force. Had a customer just last week bring in a Yugo for a barrel and the little Yugo was distorted to the point that you couldn't insert the bolt.

Oh yeah, on those barrels with extractor slots, remember to pull the extractor first. It's been done!

quote:

Originally posted by TSJ:
A pal of mine, who refuses to use heat on anything, cut the barrel off at the reciever ring. He bored out the barrel to the threads, then picked what was left of the barrel threads out of the reciver with a dentist pick. I'd try a little heat myself, but us farmers are big on using the " gas wrench" anyway.

I did essentially the same thing to get a crappy barrel off of a 1917 Enfield. Afraid I might crack the receiver by too-harsh a barrel removal method, I cut the barrel off about 1/4" in front of the receiver ring, then used a hacksaw to cut from the chamber wall out to just shy of the receiver threads, then made another identical cut on the opposite side of the chamber. Then I used a broad-bladed screwdriver to unscrew the remaining barrel stub, which came out easily.....

I just wanted to update this thread. Since talking with all you guys about how to remove this barrel and failing to do so, I finally got it off. The fellow who owns it helped me in this. After soaking the action and barrel stub in Marvel Miracle Oil for over two weeks and pulling a 26" vacuum on it, we then took my action wrench (excellent fit to Mauser 98 action) and clamped the action, firmly but no too tight, in it and clamped my action wrench in a vise on a very sturdy bench. My friend then took a 30" pipe wrench on the barrel and it still wouldn't budge. Weighing at least 240 lbs., he then jumped up and forced all his weight on the wrench. We heard a craking noise and the barrel barely budged. After three more jumps, he was able to turn the wrench without having to jump on it. The barrel had to come within two threads of coming off before we could turn it by hand. The threads were completely soaked in oil and had no appearnce of being rusted. I have never in all my years of doing this, had so difficult a time removing a barrel. By the way, we did not damage the receiver.

I keep a 3 inch round bar of stainless steel by the vise. Its about 3 feet long and I set everything up and swing that bar at the wrench handle like a baseball bat. The sudden force will keep the barrel from turning in the vise and usually does the trick. People think I'm nuts when they see me do it but steady pressure usually results in the barrel slipping.

I had to use a pipewrench on a VZ-24 the other day but after about two threads of turning it came off by hand. This is unusual but if the barrel isn't wanted the pipewrench works quite well.

It seems that cutting a groove works on eddystones and not mausers as the barrel is locked to the inner ring on Mausers.

Some of these are a bit$%

[QUOTE]Originally posted by malm:
When you start cranking down on receivers and whacking action wrenches with big hammers, you might think about inserting the bolt first to help prevent the receiver from becoming distored, or, collapsing under the force. Had a customer just last week bring in a Yugo for a barrel and the little Yugo was distorted to the point that you couldn't insert the bolt.

Malm

My action wrench fits the receiver very well and I use a 5/16 block of steel on the bottom that it is tightened against. there ain't no way the action can warp and the sudden impact of the BIG hammer always makes it loose. Those Mauser threads were made to an interference fit back then. Somehow those Krauts figgered it had to screw on real tight to be good.

Jim

Jim and Malm - I too have a great big "persuader" but even that wouldn't do it. No matter what I did the barrel would slip in the vise. I used powdered resin and then doubled over 120 grit Aloxite cloth over the resin and beat it til I was exhausted, it still wouldn't move. I do, however, feel a great deal of satisfaction at having removed it without damage to the receiver.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Kobe:

Malm

My action wrench fits the receiver very well and I use a 5/16 block of steel on the bottom that it is tightened against. there ain't no way the action can warp and the sudden impact of the BIG hammer always makes it loose. Those Mauser threads were made to an interference fit back then. Somehow those Krauts figgered it had to screw on real tight to be good.

Jim

A good fitting wrench which provides full support to the bottom flat and remains tight during a beating is key in keeping the force where it belongs. But, if a person isn't careful in how they set up a job, or if the wrench should move under the blow of a hammer, all bets are off.

quote:

Originally posted by Masterifleman:
I do, however, feel a great deal of satisfaction at having removed it without damage to the receiver.

Under those circumstances, I would feel great satisfaction in providing the beating of such an action!

Masterifleman, try using powdered sugar. I've never had a barrel spin using it. That is all I use now. Plus it washes off too easy under the hit HOT water tap.

quote:

Originally posted by malm:


Masterifleman, try using powdered sugar. I've never had a barrel spin using it. That is all I use now. Plus it washes off too easy under the hit water tap.

You rinse it off? I just let the ant's remove it naturally.

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:

quote:

Originally posted by malm:


Masterifleman, try using powdered sugar. I've never had a barrel spin using it. That is all I use now. Plus it washes off too easy under the hit water tap.

You rinse it off? I just let the ant's remove it naturally.

What the hell is a "hit" water tap??? Thanks Mike!