protecting an action from finish damage from an action wrench?

[Ragnarok]

I'm swapping a barrel into a inch pattern FAL receiver and like the finish on the new receiver and don't want to doink it up.

I've got my action wrench fit to the action fair decent...but still fear I will damage the actions phosphate finish if I don't either tape the action itself or possibly the wrench itself.

I thought about electric taping the action...but then I thought maybe 'Gorilla tape' the wrench...or both! The wrench is a Brownell's FAL wrench with rather thin gripping surface for that receiver.

Any ideas for padding/protecting the action from a wrench??

Thanx..Rag

[leebuilder]

I use leather or tape on the action or action wrench, sometimes it don't help but due diligence helps. On the barrel I do the same or use sugar.
Was just thinking would copper work like a chore boy pad or similar?
Good luck.

[HATCH]

on the FAL I built couple decades ago, I used blue painters tape.

[LAGS]

I there enough clearance between the wrench and the action to use Thin Lead shims.
That is what I use on Mauser Actions.
It compresses and grips as well, plus it doesn't scratch the finish.

[Ragnarok]

Hmmm.. had not thought of sheet lead strips!...I actually have some of that I was going to smelt. Lead sheet sound insulator off a JD tractor dash panel.

[Fishoot]

Use masking tape as base layer wrap and put a cut up soda (or beer) can over the top). Tape keeps aluminum from scratching finish. Although I use the can only and use care in it's placement in the part that is under the wrench.

[JSnover]

I saved some roof flashing for that very reason. You can (and should) use lead under the action wrench and anything you're going to vise-mount, like the barrel. Worked like a charm on my metric FAL.

[Ragnarok]

I used 'Gorilla tape' and it worked great! I tried to get my Brownell's wrench set up with lead strips..but that wasn't working out.

Cleaning the left over adhesive was a minor chore...but not so much as a scratch on the receiver oxide or phosphate finish...and I had to back it off a bit to time up so got to tape the receiver twice and torque on it.

Thank for the ideas

[Blue2]

I did not like any tape product myself because the layer of adhesive compresses and although sticky shifts like a grease under rotational strain. I found the best to be thin lead sheeting if needing to fill up a big gap but most often a layer of cardstock such as is found on file folders used to hold document papers cut to fit will work very well 90 plus percent of the time.

[edp2k]

Another great thing to use is some thing cardboard strips cut from something like the cardboard backing on
a bubble packaged store bought item, like a tube of glue or a package of screws or nails.

[firebyprolong]

I just cut pewter strips the same size as my wrench. It doesn't deform as bad as flashing but is soft enough to not mar anything. When I flatten or crush one it just goes in the tin pot and I grab another.

[John Taylor]

It seems about every few months I get a pack of adds on 3x5 cards about the thickness of a business card. These work great for protecting the finish on barrels and actions. I don't like tape as it leaves a mess to clean up.

[Rifle 57]

It seems about every few months I get a pack of adds on 3x5 cards about the thickness of a business card. These work great for protecting the finish on barrels and actions. I don't like tape as it leaves a mess to clean up.

I agree with John I have been using card paper like him for 20 years works great and no damage to finish on action or barrels.

[Clark]

I did not like any tape product myself because the layer of adhesive compresses and although sticky shifts like a grease under rotational strain....

Were you watching me yesterday?