Garand barrel removal help.

[roverboy]

Anybody know a east way to take a barrel off a Garand? I don't have a barrel vise. Which is what most say you need with a Garand. I do have a regular barrel wrench that works good with other actions and barrels. The barrel is on tight and I don't want to get rough with it. Thanks.

[country gent]

The barrel vise and action wrench are how ive always done this. If super tight set up in a lathe and with a parting tool just off the jncture of the barrel recievr parting line cut about 3/16" deep on a side stay away from the reciever as the threads are gaged to time up correctly Make sure you have clearence for the spinning action also. Its not a big thing to do unless you have one thats been really tourqued to get to time up.

[MtGun44]

Get a vise or take it to a gunsmith with one.

Bill

[W.R.Buchanan]

You definitely need the correct tools for this operation. The problem will be tweaking the receiver. You must have the right action wrench and at barrel vise.

Also take notice of the exact position of the timing marks on the barrel and action. If you don't return the barrel or the next barrel to the exact same position the sights will not line up right. This is a place where any amount out of time shows up big time.

When we did mine I was lucky to have the guy who rebuilt all of the Garands for Arlington Armory in the mid 90's. He had all the right tools and headspace gages. I was lucky in that the National Match Barrel I traded him for timed up perfectly and the headspace didn't need to be altered.

It still took an hour of tweaking to get the barrel timed in the correct position so the sights lined up.

This is not one to learn on. If you don't have the right tools and know how to do it, you should take it to someone who does, and watch him.

Or you can use a bench vise and a pipe wrench?

Randy

[roverboy]

Thanks guys, I'm gonna try and get a action wrench and barrel vise. I was just hoping that there was a way to do it without buying some tools that I'll probably never use again.

[lefty o]

if your only going to do 1, go see a gunsmith. not worth it to buy expensive tools that you will never use again. if you were planning on doing 3 or 4 of them, then it would be well worth it to buy tooling.

[country gent]

The barrel vise can be made very easy with a drill press a 3/4 10 tap and some ready rod and nuts. Mine is made out of 2" X2 1/2" one piece 6-8" long the base Piece 12" long. drill 2 holes on center 4-6" centers and on center line thru both pieces Holes in base are tap drill size and tapped to hold the ready rod. Drill 2 holes thru base at 10" centers, these allow it to be bolted to the bench. In use a split aluminum bolck is made with a hole the size of barrel dia and coated with rosin or grit, clamped between the to bars and action wrench attached to action. turn off. WHen installing new barrel install in blocks in vise and put gascylinder on level as close as possibleon the front sight base and lock in tight. Snug action and with a rod thru the rear sight holes bring to level also. 2 small levels allow you to judge this easily at the same time If memory serves me the holes in the "wings for the rear sight are 3/8" dia. Most barrels will time up as the action and barrel threads are gaged threads, But Kriegers and some custom match barrels are left long in the shoulders to fit to individual actions. Again if memory serves .004 from the face makes for 1 hour of rotation. Its not hard but it needs to be done accuratly and correctly. Headspace needs to be checked after installation also. Theres alot going on with a garand barrel as the hand gaurd is mounted to it both front and back the gas cylinder and fronet sight hang out on the end of the spline. Over tightening the Lock at the muzzle will degrade accuray. Any thing pressing together from hand gaurds thru gas cylinder will affect barrel harmonics. I have installed several douglas barrels with only hand tools. Kriegers ad Obermeyers are left long and chamber short to be fitted.