Interesting. I've got a really good barrel vise heavy-screw mounted to a thick work-bench. It's the one with the great leather inserts and I've never had a problem (yet) holding a barrel and unscrewing the action, but I've admittedly never tried it with my Tikka. In a problematic 300-WM barrel on my MPA chassis, I was getting results that made me think it was shot out. I pulled the barrel, soaked it for two days in BoreTech Carbon Remover, scrubbed it, then hit it with Iossa paste, scrubbed it ... and it came back to life with sub-MOA groups. I suppose I can do all that without removing the barrel, but I thought it really helped to seal at the throat (saran wrap and rubber band), and then scrub from both ends ... but if removing a Tikka barrel results in a cut barrel (as in the video) ... I won't waste my time, until it's time to ditch the whole barrel.
As said above you don't have to make a relief cut on the barrel, but they are often a PITA to get off. IMO it's harder to remove the pencil barrels because the shims for the vise don't touch enough of the barrel. If you have tools to fashion a shim that fits the pencil barrel well I think it would pop off way easier.
It’s not difficult at all. A couple whacks with the palm of my hand on the action wrench handle and they have all spun free.
The Sako TRG barrels I replaced have been like that. Three or four decent hits with a rubber mallet did the trick. I never had to use an extension but I don't doubt some would require it considering I have only worked on a handful.
You could do that and use a pipe wrench on the old barrel if you plan on trashing it. The problem is when torqueing on another barrel. Unless you have wrench flats on the barrel it wouldn't work well at all. An action wrench covers plenty of surface area to not damage the action.
Interesting ... I've gotten great results on really tight barrels by using the leather inserts that come with the Mechforce barrel vise. To each his own ... whatever works ... eh?
A wheeler #1 action wrench works perfectly. Flip the jaws over and use the flats. Use the V side if you ever end up with a Sako TRG.Slim pickings out there for external and internal action wrenches for Tikka it seems. Is consensus that something like this would do for a Tikka action, bearing on the flats?
ACTION WRENCH for LEVER ACTION RIFLES WINCHESTER MARLIN STEVENS | eBay
FOR SALE: AGUNSMITH LEVER ACTION RIFLE ACTION WRENCH. LOOK AT PICTURE.www.ebay.com
I found a Canada made internal wrench and there's one on eBay but it looks pretty rough.
From what I can tell the Wheeler #1 is backordered/not available from anywhere I've searched....
The one you found should work and its cheaper. The flats are what you want. Just remember to snug those bolts by hand and no more. I think people tighten them up and thats why they can’t break Tikka barrels. It squeezes the threads.
Sold out with no ETA. Anyone up for selling theirs?Tikka Bugholes Action Wrench
www.bugholes.com
I picked up one of these for my Tikka. Works great. I've used it to install 2 prefit barrels and had 0 issues. I'd say buy with confidence.
