Re-barreling a Rolling Block

[jim4065]

A couple of years ago I bought a 43 Spanish roller via GunBroker. Should've sent it back - really worn out for what I paid. An as-cast boolit from the Lyman .439 mold rattles a bit as it drops straight through the barrel. So anyway, bought a "new" barrel, rear sight and extractor. Now to the point..........

I've never taken a barrel off before - do I need a special tool or just throw a pipe wrench on the SOB? Not too concerned about the old barrel, but I've ruined enough gun screws to be a bit leery of using a pipe wrench to tighten the "new" barrel. There is a block on the bottom held by a single screw, and I suppose I can grab the rear sight base also. Should I use a "Thread Locker" cement?

Really would appreciate advice. :confused:

[725]

I've only done Mausers, so my advice to you is very limited. Before I've started on these projects, I've learned that some long term soaking in "PB" penetrating oil is a benefit. Liquid wrench, WD-40, Kroil, etc. also help. Your main concern must be not damaging the receiver. It must be fully supported so as not to twist or torque itself. Good luck. It won't be long before some of these guys here, who do know what they are doing, pipe in and give some good pointers.
By the way, where did you buy your barrel?

[fishhawk]

well i did a 43 egyptian rebarrel about 10 years ago turned it into a 45-90 if your is any thing like mine was the barrel will turn out real easy didbn't even mark the old one up when i did it there was a screw on the bottom of the reciever that "locked" the barrel in place took it out and could almost remove the old one by hand the thread was acme square

[KCSO]

You DON"T use a pipe wrench. If yoou don't have a barrel wrench or vise spend the $40 and get one ! Strip the gun down to the bare action and soak the threads in KROIL. It's the best I've found for getting in the old barrels. Then clamp the action in a good vice protecting the metal with stips of copper or aluminum. Put the barrel wrench on the barrel and rosin it and tighten it up and pull. The rolllies don't have long threads and if yo get the Kroil in there it should pop off pretty easy. If you new barrel is off anouther old gun it may be that it wont turn up in the right spot. If it won't turn all the way in you will need to take a little off the barrel at the shank. If it turns in too much you willl either need to put the barrel in a roller milll or make a shim. For gosh sake don't do what I have seen in the past and glue the barrel in! As to the old tube and not caring about it, I have used these old tubes as the basis for more than one 28 Ga. forager gun so please don't booger it up, someone can use it for something.

[fishhawk]

no pipe wrench? man that takes all the fun out of it. pipe wrench marks arn't the worst i have seen...have seen welded on handles....holes drilled throught for a bar....flats ground in for a adjustable wrench...oh and many don't know what way to turn them either..makes ya cry some times

[jim4065]

It's kinda discouraging. Barrel vise is $65 plus freight - and then I might screw up something else. I'm the guy who shipped Buckshot all those molds to revise. Don't know why I thought I could tackle this. Seems like I'm spending way too much time messing with it. (And 16,347 other projects). Thinking about putting the whole mess up for sale. Could get that LCP I've been lookin' at or (Heaven Forbid) put the money back in savings. [smilie=b:

[McLintock]

I needed to take barrels out of Ruger Single Actions so picked up some Power Custom barrel blocks when Midway had them on a pretty good sale and then made the barrel wrench pictured here out of "junk" I had laying around.
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1620/1303399/7384995/192644476.jpg
Don't need no rosin or nothing when you torque the wrench down to 100 lbs or so, and I've taken barrels out of a Number 5 Rolling Block, a C. Sharps Hi Wall and a couple of Winchester 94's with this set up and a good bench vise. Haven't harmed the blue on any of the Ruger's I've attacked either, but Power Custom advertises that the aluminum blocks won't harm bluing. If you need to take out octogon barrels, as I did on the C. Sharps, I just substitute barrel blocks I make with square tubing and accuglas for the Ruger blocks and it works fine. Overall, a pretty cheap setup.
McLintock

[Buckshot]

http://www.fototime.com/1D6F3C5AF48BE2A/standard.jpg

Caveman Buckshot here! Folks, there is not one, but TWO count'em TWO good ole pipe wrenches at work here :-). This was before I had all the nifty machine tools to make stuff. I wanted the trashed barrel off that Turk Mauser and by cracky she turned out. Or rather the action turned off.

Put the RB action (with trigger guard in place) between a couple thin pieces of plywood. With the triggerguard in place you won't be so apt to squeeze the action closed on the bottom!

Do as the other have suggested and soak the barrel thread area. If you have a chest freexer it will go into, put it in there a couple times. Also, borrow a hair dryer or heat gun and alternately heat the action/bbl thread area a couple times. The expansion and contraction should help the oil's ability to penetrate.

With apologies to KSCO put your pipe wrench on the barrel shanck close to the action. Be sure you're turning the right way! looking back from the muzzle toward the action, the barrel will unscrew counter clockwise.

...............Buckshot

[Boz330]

I was trying to get a barrel off an old Martini and it wouldn't budge even with the right equipment. 3 days of Kroil and damned near hurt myself it came lose so easy. The threads were wet all the way to the shank when we got it off. Good stuff!
I never thought of Buckshots method but makes a lot of sense.

Bob

[jim4065]

May have a deal worked out already. It it falls thru I may try Buckshot's method. Kinda wanting to work on the trapdoor though (needs a new front sight).

[missionary5155]

Before you get rid of that 43 barrel... why not slug it... You probably have a Standard size barrel that was used with paper patch bullets ! My 43 slugs out to .445 so paper patching works well or just get an oversized mold or bump up your Boolits... Very soft (40-1.. 30-1) work well. My boolits weigh at 400 grains and with a 75-78 grain FF charge there is not much out there I would not tackle ! The 44-77 killed probably as many Buff as the 45´s or 50´s did and the 43 spanish is just the near same caliber...
Give it a try ...

[Don McDowell]

A strip of old innertube between the jaws of the pipe wrench and the metal will give a pretty fair grip, and yet won't leave tooth marks.

Zep Reserve is about the best knocker loose I've encountered, the stuff will loosen froze bearings,bolts, nuts etc on worn out farm equipment in minutes. Cost about 9$ a can and is worth much more ...

Ps Don't forget to remove the innards of that action including the extractor before trying to turn that barrel out.