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Is it possible to remove a TRG-42 barrel without making a relief cut?

juha_teuvonnen

Private
Minuteman
Sep 27, 2013
60
25
Has anyone succeeded in removing the TRG-42 barrel without making a relief cut? My rifle is brand new, and I don't want to waste a perfectly good factory barrel. I can make a pretty substantial cheater bar, if necessary. I can make it 4-5 feet long, if need be. My question is: will a barrel vise start to slip when this much torque is applied? Are there any other tricks, like torque multiplier (like those used for lug nuts on big military trucks)? I really don't want to ruin a brand new factory barrel, just to change the caliber. Might as well wear it out first.
 
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I’ve removed barrels fm multiple Tikkas, and my TRG-22.
I use a Brownells External action wrench, garden variety barrel vise and a heat gun to get the threads and whatever crap/ goop Sako use in there nice and hot.
Cheater bar ( top half of my floor jack handle) over the action wrench handle for Xtra leverage and torque down hard on the 4x vise nuts. Always broke free without issue.
 
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You don’t need a cheater pipe or heat. You need an outside action wrench and a rubber mallet. I pulled two Sako TRG barrels with nothing more than pressure on the action wrench handle with one hand while hitting the end of the action wrench handle with a medium size rubber mallet held by the other hand. Two or three whacks. Easy. My Tikkas broke hitting the action wrench with my palm. No mallet needed.
 
I’ve removed barrels fm multiple Tikkas, and my TRG-22.
I use a Brownells External action wrench, garden variety barrel vise and a heat gun to get the threads and whatever crap/ goop Sako use in there nice and hot.
Cheater bar ( top half of my floor jack handle) over the action wrench handle for Xtra leverage and torque down hard on the 4x vise nuts. Always broke free without issue.
Which Brownells external action wrench did you use? They have a bunch of them but none seem to be specific to TRG. Did you use the "universal" model?
 
Universal fm memory. As per Wade it must be external. I did try Wade’s method but I mustn’t have been holding my tongue right as I couldn’t crack it. Thus the heat to soften/ thin the goo and gentle pressure on the cheater. Clearly YMMV.
 
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"The TRG Action Wrench facilitates barrel removal for the Sako TRG-22/42 rifles. Now you can turn your TRG into a 'Switch-barrel' rifle with this wrench and a barrel vise. Gunsmiths can use this for barrel replacements and to avoid fabricating their own wrench. This is the first and only action wrench available for TRG rifles. It is intended to be used by those qualified to remove and install rifle barrels.

"The TRG Action Wrench is a solid piece of Stress-proof steel, cut into the same triangular shape as the TRG bolt. Our wrench acts on the raceways of the action to minimize any torsional stress induced during barrel removal. Cut into one end of the wrench is an interface for a six sided ¾” or 19mm socket wrench.

"NOTE: TRG barrels are screwed on extremely tight. A barrel vise with more clamping surface/force than the common Wheeler vise may be necessary for initial barrel removal along with heat applied the joint. After initial removal, simply dial down the torque a bit when installing the new barrel if you desire a switch barrel configuration.

"USE: Remove optic, bolt, and cheekpiece from rifle. Insert action wrench in same manner as inserting bolt. Clamp barrel and use ¾” or 19mm socket to turn action.

"Material/Finish: Stress-proof steel with Mil-spec Manganese Phosphate finish

"Made by KRG.

"USD 139.99"

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I used a wheeler #1 action wrench
You’ve got an Xtra 5 inches on me Wade, so I gotta cheat 😉
Time again I’d go for that longer Wheeler wrench.

Wrt the KRG internal wrench, which I have and use... The Sako/ Tikka barrels are on real tight fm factory. I’m not going to chance gouging up the bolt raceways and buggering my rifle breaking free that F’n tight factory barrel. Factory barrels gets the external wrench treatment so if I burr up the outside it’s not a tragedy.
Everything after can be torqued with the KRG wrench = TRG/ Sotic 3 lug actions. Maybe I’m being overly cautious… But that simply works for me…
 
I’ve popped off 2 TRG actions and 4 Tikka actions with a Brownells steel barrel vise and steel external universal action wrench. I used a small sledge to pop the wrench handle. Sudden torque is better that a long bar and steady pressure.
 
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