Installing a 300BLK barrel - any advice?

[Polymerhead]

So, I bought a 300 AAC barrel for my Rem 700 in .223 Rem. I've done a fair amount of gunsmithing with hand tools, polishing, cold-bluing, stock shaping/finishing, hand checkering, etc. but I've never pulled a barrel. I'll be using a barrel vise and action wrench with a set of headspace gages. Anyone have any tips? I'll grease the threads on the new barrel before installing, and I have access to thinner recoil lugs instead of needing to grind the original. Seems like a pretty straightfoward job, but I'd love to hear about any tricky parts where I'm liable to get hung up.

[Polymerhead]

Just as an update, I've completely failed so far at removing the .223 barrel. :p The barrel vise + rosin isn't enough to pop it loose. Even a mild application of heat isn't enough.

Gonna get some help next week from some serious gunsmith buddies - I may have to chuck it up in a metal-shimmed vise and just call the .223 barrel a loss.

[orkan]

Try to wrap a little electrical tape around the barrel before clamping it in the vice.

[Polymerhead]

Try to wrap a little electrical tape around the barrel before clamping it in the vice.

Didn't try electrical but I tried a layer of duct tape - it just broke down into a pile of goo. Thanks for the tip though.

[Robb Jensen]

I had a pro install mine (Drew at WAR Rifles), it was well beyond my capabilities.

[orkan]

Duct is too spongy. ... and if you are spinning, then you don't have enough clamping force.

[chrismartin]

I tried a normal vise with barrel vise blocks, a big barrel vise with wooden inserts and rosen. Neither of which would hold tight enough. I had to use an all metal barrel vise like this one:

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=41623/Product/BARREL_VISE

http://spinstage.http.internapcdn.net/Spinstage/userdocs/products/p_080860004_1.jpg

to get enough force to hold the barrel properly. We tried heat as well. Sucker was on there tight. With a breaker bar and a recoil lug based action wrench, it finally broke (just vise tightened down and a breaker bar and enough force. More than I would like, but it broke). The only damage was a few scrapes on the barrel, but since the vise was aluminum, they cleaned up OK.

I would recommend buying a new recoil lug (Remington brand, Remington calls them Barrel Brackets: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=10188/sku=767-000-111/Product/BARREL_BRACKET )

If you buy the factory one, you can properly headspace the AAC brand barrel by removing metal from the recoil lug, no rechamber needed. Then, you can keep the factory recoil lug from the 223 and it will still be properly headpsaced if you want to swap the barrel back on.

You may not even need a thinner lug at all. Also, you are only talking a few thousandths of adjustment on the lug itself. More of removing the finish than anything else.

I would also recommend this:

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=7653/sku=488-004-700/Product/REMINGTON_700_BARREL_TOOL

Allows you to hold the recoil lug in place while you torque the barrel down. I also like the Surgeon action wrench, it worked well for me.

[orkan]

Yup, that's the vice I'd recommend. Works good.

[Polymerhead]

Thanks again - I'm about to the point where I'm going to file a couple flats in the barrel, remove the shims and torque down the barrel vise directly on the barrel. I want to get this 300 AAC built dammit!

[Todd.K]

Try a more generous application of heat. And rather than tape use thick paper to protect the barrel.

[BCmJUnKie]

I like to use the "flap" on a cardboard box, I wrap it around twice and use electrical tape. Its enough pressure to remove/install a flash hider

[Polymerhead]

I like to use the "flap" on a cardboard box, I wrap it around twice and use electrical tape. Its enough pressure to remove/install a flash hider

Flash hiders are spec'd to what - 20 ft-lbs? We're talking more like 150+ ft-lbs. One of the 'smiths I know was back in town today and he uses a single layer of manilla folder, so I'm trying that next. Also hosed down the barrel/action interface with militec, not having any kroil in the house. Will let it marinate for 4 or 5 hours and then try again late tonight.

[Thomas M-4]

What kind of action wrench are you using?
I twisted a mosin nagant receiver by trying to pull the barrel.

Your lucky there are a lot of quality tools for rem 700, I wouldn't try to pull one unless I had some good quality tools to do it with.

[Polymerhead]

What kind of action wrench are you using?
I twisted a mosin nagant receiver by trying to pull the barrel.

Wheeler Engineering barrel vise and action wrench.

[BCmJUnKie]

Flash hiders are spec'd to what - 20 ft-lbs? We're talking more like 150+ ft-lbs. One of the 'smiths I know was back in town today and he uses a single layer of manilla folder, so I'm trying that next. Also hosed down the barrel/action interface with militec, not having any kroil in the house. Will let it marinate for 4 or 5 hours and then try again late tonight.

Well no shit. If you put some balls into it and tighten it then its not gonna move. Youre asking for advice I threw it out there man.

Tryin to help you save a barrel buddy

[Thomas M-4]

Keep us posted on how it works out for you.

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

From talking to some of the gunsmiths who have done work for me this is normal. They say HOWA barrels are the worst they use some kind of locktight.

[Polymerhead]

From talking to some of the gunsmiths who have done work for me this is normal. They say HOWA barrels are the worst they use some kind of locktight.

I've heard this too.

[Polymerhead]

Well no shit. If you put some balls into it and tighten it then its not gonna move. Youre asking for advice I threw it out there man.

Tryin to help you save a barrel buddy

Yeah? Not pissin in your Cheerios, man - just pointing out that something sturdy enough to install a FH isn't applicable to a barrel install. Appreciate the advice anyway.

[Polymerhead]

This is done, by the way. Let it soak in some Militec-1 and used a piece of manilla folder around the barrel. The barrel let go with a whimper, and not a bang. Started twisting just like every other time but this time it was the action twisting while the barrel was stable. Awesome.

The culprit? I think it was the front base screw hole, which was bored completely through the action and down into the threads. No clue if this is normal or not, but I'm guessing that on one of my prairie dog trips some moisture got down in there and caused enough rust to sieze the barrel. Cleaned it out really well and greased/installed the AAC barrel in 10 minutes. The headspacing was correct as-is, so no recoil lug grinding needed. I'm pretty psyched.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. It's greatly appreciated.

[BCmJUnKie]

Yeah? Not pissin in your Cheerios, man - just pointing out that something sturdy enough to install a FH isn't applicable to a barrel install. Appreciate the advice anyway.

Lol I didnt take it like that at all. Just tryin to help. Glad you got it

[Rottweiler]

Don't waste your time with electric tape or duct tape. Make copper shims out of some copper water pipe.Put the shims between the barrel and vise. Tighten the bolts on the vise until you think you are going to twist off the bolts.You won't hurt the barrel. Keep pulling on that wrench, it WILL break loose.

[Polymerhead]

Thanks mate, the barrel popped loose after a liberal soaking in oil plus a layer of manilla folder as a shim. My recommendation for anyone pulling a Rem 700 barrel is to drip some oil into the front base screw at least. It is drilled completely down into the action threads and is a great way to get the threads oiled up.