Barrel removal

[DLH]

I'm having removing the barrel from a Mexican mauser (308. on a 95 or 6 action.   I have the barrel vise and wrench from Midway, oak blocks, even lead shims, lastly I put  180 grit sand paper around the barrel in the vise. the wrench holds just fine but the vise will not!!!!   I cannot get it any tighter, I'm using a breaker bar and a 6pt socket.  
    Any hints

 Thanks :?

[gunnut69]

I don't believe I'd put the sand paper in there.  It may act as a spacer and actually lower the grip.  Also make certain the hole in the blocks is almost the exact size of the barrel at the point your trying to grip..(of course you are gripping a parallel section of the barrel?)  then be certain that the blocks can't completely close on either side of the barrel.  This gap will allow them full contact with the barrel.. I've never used sandpaper, just powdered resin.  It's worked well so far..  good luckl from the gunnut69

PS-- I have heard of people gluing the blocks to the barrel with acraglass to get the perfect grip...also juct to be sure, I once found a barrel that had been spot welded to the receiver.  God's truth!!

[DLH]

Well Guys;

   I have tried all the of the suggestions that you had, except the rosin, don't know where to find it?   and the barrel is still stuck!!!  even the accraglass left go after curing fro 2 days.  I can't see any welds,  I now have the barrel soaking in KROIL oil, ( pentration  oil.  Still trying??
  I'll try anything ( except for a cutting torch:(

[X-Ring]

IU trick I use is to soak the barrel and action in Kroil for a few days, I made a tube out of 4" pvc with a cap glued on one end, pour a gallon of Kroil in and let it soak.   If you not going to reuse the barrel put it in the barrel vise and add a pipe wrench just behind the vise, also vise grips will work.  Good Luck, Alan

[DLH]

I have a metal lathe in the basement, I'll try that tomorrow.  I HATE using a 4 jaw chuck!!!!    BUT You gotta do what you gotta do!!!

Thanks  :-)

[445supermag]

If my memory is rong mex is a small ring 98. You said you have a lathe, give it a relife cut by the recever if your not going to save the barrel.

[DLH]

Thats next,    I made the AL2 blocks, they held but the barrel vise riped off the bench.  I had it attached with 3.5"long -.375 dia. Lag bolts!!!
   
  Ok if I cut a relief, what cal barrel do I order???    I was thinking of a 257 Roberts,  The bolt face is the same size as the 308 Win.   :?

[gunnut69]

Mexico bought small ring action rifles in 98 and 95/6 configurations.  Does the rifle cock on opening or closing..  If it's a 98 it'l cock on opening and is quite safe for any caliber that'l fit assuming there's no damage present.  If it cocks on closing...leave it a 7x57 although I've seen them barreled to 250 Sav and 257 roberts..  I would not spend anything on converting a non 98 action.. Good luck from the gunnut69

PS-before cutting then barrel, try freezing the barreled action in the deep freeze for a while..  Mount it in the vice and try it while cold..  The cold will shrink the steel and loosen the fit.  Also be sure and check the receiver ring once the barrels removed, over tightening may have caused damage..

[DLH]

I have not tried freezing the barrel yet!!   It is a small ring, Probly a 95 -96.  MIDWAY offers 3 barrels  , 257 Roberts, 7 X57 mauser,& a 6.5 X55 Sweed.     it came from Mexico as a .308 win.  and shoot very good. The stepped barrel is UGLY, I Just wanted to pretty it up a bit, but so far UGLY is winning!!    and the choice is between the 6.5 and the 257 .

   It cock on closing.
Thanks :-)

[gunnut69]

That's a tough choice..  I love the 257..   It kills well and is mild mannered to boot.  The 6.5x55 is something I started messing around with when the Swedish 96's were first imported im large numbers a few years ago..  They shoot like a house afire and kill like bolts from heaven..  Still you can buy nice 96's in 6.5,,  I believe I'd go with the roberts..  If that's a 308 I would find that a strange caliber for a Mex mauser..  will check.  Be careful the 93-95 mauser's are none too strong..  Use standard reload data and factory loads for the Roberts to keep out of pressure trouble..  I've seen the early small rings do bad things when pressures get high..  Good luck from the gunnut69

[DLH]

Federal arms carries the Mex. mauser in the 308 for $125.00 all the time.
   The barrel is in the freezer right now, tomorrow I will try agian.  

[DLH]

I got the barrel off just this night!!!!

   I tried it all, THEN welded a .75 nut on the end of the barrel and used an impact wrench!!!
  I'm going to put a 257 Roberts bbl. on it from MIDWAY as soon as they get one in stock!!!


  THANKS ALL!!!!!   :-D  :-D

[sebastian]

I've had one Brno -'98er action that i could not open/remove the barrel.
Even i've tried several methods (up to in a lathe) to remove it.
You know guys? when i heat the reciever with a torch, i could see some melting lead/tin around the shoulder-reciever. That's why i could not remove the barrel.....
If so, you must keep the heat while remove the barrel.

Best Regards,
Sebastian.

[savageT]

DLH,
One step further than the freezer is get about 10 lbs. of Dry Ice from the local ice plant and pack it around the barrel.  That stuff is a whole lot colder than your zero-degree freezer.  If you had a source for Liquid Nitrogen (LN2), that would be even better.  (That's the stuff they use to freeze barrels and bodies, human cadavers that is).  Then apply gentle heat with a heat gun to the threaded receiver ring as you maintain the cold barrel.  I think the pipe wrench is the only way to go!

Jim

[gunnut69]

I think I'd be careful of heat around the receiver ring.  Soften the locking lugs seats and it's just a fishing sinker..  Also as to strength...  The small ring actions are made with virtually the same techknowledgy as the '98's were.  It's in the design that weakness shows up..  The 98's handle leaking gas quite well.  Better even than some more modern actions.  The pre-98's don't handle gas from a blown primer of casehead.  They just route it back down the left lug race and into your face.  If some gets into the bolt it will(on 93+94+95(most) also end up in your face...  It doesn't happen often but it does happen...  I regularly shoot small ring mausers.  I use a lot af care and full safety gear, always!!!!!  when on the range.  A mauser action will usually become unuseable before blowing up but cases fail!!!  And I've only got 2 eyes and I need 'em both!!  Be cautious... don't hotrod the pre-98 actions...