Stuck barrel need help

[ghostrider_OneOne]

Let me start by saying I've removed several barrels from different actions in the past, but this barrel is stuck on whole different level.
I will call the gunsmith in morning but hoping for some feedback. I've worked on this thing all day and watched many a youtube video hoping to get barrel off. I won't mention smith, hoping this is some issue on me not them.
Action is a defiance tenacity, barrel is bartlein 26" MTU contour. I bought new, rifle was built for me, this was first barrel. I will give details of all I have tried below but have a quick questions first. I had rifle cerakoted. If action and barrel were done together while installed would this case a big issue getting them apart?

I have a wheeler barrel vise with oak shims, used it about 10 times on various swaps of different rifles, never a problem. I have both the wheeler action wrench and defiance action wrench. I started with defiance, thinking this would be an easy job.
Removed action from stock, initially left scope mounted since I didn't think it would a big deal. Put barreled action in vise, then used defiance action wrench to attempt to loosen action. It wouldn't budge. I switched from a 13/16 open end wrench to socket and breaker bar. Still wouldn't budge. I tried tapping the end of bar with a rubber mallet. Nothing. Now I'm getting worried about my expensive scope so I remove it. Then I return to breaker bar with defiance action wrench and more weight. At this point the barrel moves in the vise, not the action. I tighten the vise, at point of high pressure applied barrel spins again. At this point the oak shims are burnt from friction. They have turned a dark brown and are smooth as glass.
I loosen vise and remove barrel. I remove shims, use a file to roughen the wood, break glazing. I also go get the wheeler action wrench, which is an absolute tank but also not nearly as well engineered as the defiance so in the hopes of not marking my action in any way I wanted to avoid using. I put barrel back in vise, tighten wood shims and barrel in vise as hard as I can make it go. I use wheels action wrench. Nothing. As I apply more and more weight the barrel starts to spin in vise again. I re-tighten. I use rubber mallet. Nothing.
Now I watch a youtube guy giving solution for stuck barrels. I add heat. I used a propane torch to heat up the action and barrel. I'm careful not to go overboard. I definitely don't apply too much heat kept temp under 250. I try wheeler wrench with a rubber mallet. Nothing. As I really give it a good whack the barrel spins again, not separating from action.
So now I'm pissed and a couple hours in to this project. I decide, fuck it, the barrel is toast (3200 rounds 6gt), I will just put naked barrel in my regular vise because I don't give a shit if it gets all scarred. Still nothing! When I throw all my weight on it, barrel moves in my regular heavy vise.
I'm at a total loss on what to do. I will call smith tomorrow and probably ship it back the them. But if someone has an idea I would welcome it.
Thanks in advance......I think

 

[just browsing]

More heat could help.

If that doesn’t work, Tikka guys deal with this all the time and usually end up making a relief cut in the barrel at the shoulder… may be an option for you if the barrel is toast anyway.

 

[acudaowner]

might have missed it but did you try heating it up then try to remove ? or adding a piece of pipe to the end of your breaker bar or socket which ever you are using for extra leverage ?

 

[diverdon]

It sounds to me like the action may be galled to the barrel. If so this is a sad state of affairs as the threads of both will likely be destroyed by disassembly.

Ide try soaking in wd 40 or kroil oil. Then heat just the action. Heat should expand the metal. You only want to expand the female thread.

Good luck. And hope some who has seen your actual issue gives you a better answer.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

Pack it in dry ice for an hour. Then apply heat to ONLY the action, not the barrel. Try it again.

 

[lightman]

Try using some powdered Rosin on the wood in your barrel vice.

 

[M_R_Woodard]

Use cat litter between the barrel and oak blocks.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

The only hope in my experience is to find a way to super cool the barrel and heat the action and quickly try to get it off after. It sounds like it's galled though. This is why I use copper base antisieze on all my barrels. If you can send it to someone who's a pro, that's what I'd do.

 

[SONIC SAAMI]

Use any nickel base anti-seize for install and never look back

 

[IronOperator87]

To remove tikka barrels I wrap the barrel in duct tape clamp it in the barrel vise as tight as I can. Then use an outside action wrench with the action wrapped in brass shims to prevent marks. Place 2ft cheater bar over action wrench handle and beat the snot out of it with a large dead blow hammer. Worked on ~ 3 factory tikka barrels so far.
Edit: careful not to tighten out side action wrench too much to squeeze action in to barrel threads

 

[whatsupdoc]

At this point have the smith put it on a lathe and cut the barrel just before the action relieving
the tension on the threads.

 

[Krob95]

since the barrel is shot, a chain vise is another good option to put the barrel in. That's if you have access to one. Harbor freight may have a cheap one if you don't want to waste money and buy a rigid. Or Facebook market place. Or if you have any pipefitter or electrical friends.

 

[TxWelder35]

Duct tape on barrel to Keep it from spinning

Put the whole thing in the freezer

Put it in vise

Torch to the action only

Put a good amount of steady pressure on breaker bar, while maintaining pressure whack it with a hammer a couple times

If this fails and you don’t want to fuck with it any more bring it to the smith

 

[TxWelder35]

 

[FUNCTIONAL]

Take a spent toilet paper roll, cut it down the middle and wrap that around your barrel and put it in your vice. Get the vice as tight as you possibly can and then do your breaker bar and rubber mallet.

Couldn't tell you why but the toilet or paper towel roll gives a huge amount of bite.

 

[ghostrider_OneOne]

Thanks for all the help! I got it. Final solution was to put sandpaper between barrel and wood shims. Breaker bar with rubber mallet.

 

[RS14]

Thanks for all the help! I got it. Final solution was to put sandpaper between barrel and wood shims. Breaker bar with rubber mallet.

Pic of threads? Just because I’m not the only curious one. That being said I had a custom action and barrel that I bought. When I went to take the barrel off I found the threads coated in red loctite

 

[ghostrider_OneOne]

Everything looks good. If I had it to do over I would have invested in a better barrel vise.

 

[MDof2]

Add some powdered rosin to your bench.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Sheet rock paper tape works the best for barrel vise without marking your barrel up

 

[femadog]

Just finished removing my barrel. It was cheaper to buy a complete left handed rifle than try and find a LH action in stock....... I read all of the hints above and the sandpaper between the barrel and barrel vise was the ticket. I Kroiled the barrel from inside the action for a few days, put the barrel/action in the freezer, heated the action, etc. but the barrel kept turnng in the vise. Tried dry wall tape (figured I would go from least agressive to more to prevent barrel marking even though I wasn't planning on using it.) Finally put a thin piece of 300 grit sandpaper foled over so grit was on the vise surface and barrel surface. The taper on the barrel only allowed the use of the two closest bolts on the vise. Two good dead blow smacks on the Wheeler action wrench and it popped right off. No marks on the barrel of action.

Happy guy. Now the 3 month wait for the carbon 6 barrel. I put the factory barrel back on to shoot it it in the mean time.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Just finished removing my barrel. It was cheaper to buy a complete left handed rifle than try and find a LH action in stock....... I read all of the hints above and the sandpaper between the barrel and barrel vise was the ticket. I Kroiled the barrel from inside the action for a few days, put the barrel/action in the freezer, heated the action, etc. but the barrel kept turnng in the vise. Tried dry wall tape (figured I would go from least agressive to more to prevent barrel marking even though I wasn't planning on using it.) Finally put a thin piece of 300 grit sandpaper foled over so grit was on the vise surface and barrel surface. The taper on the barrel only allowed the use of the two closest bolts on the vise. Two good dead blow smacks on the Wheeler action wrench and it popped right off. No marks on the barrel of action.

Happy guy. Now the 3 month wait for the carbon 6 barrel. I put the factory barrel back on to shoot it it in the mean time.

Glad you got it. I always go ahead and let the vise just tilt with the slope of the barrel if need be and tighten all 4 down and I tighten it super hard too. That's with a viper though and I don't remember what kind of vice you are using. Glad you got it though!

 

[femadog]

Glad you got it. I always go ahead and let the vise just tilt with the slope of the barrel if need be and tighten all 4 down and I tighten it super hard too. That's with a viper though and I don't remember what kind of vice you are using. Glad you got it though!

The vise is similar to the Viper. I've had it for over 20 years and forget the brand. Most of the project barrels have had enough of a shank to get the whole vise engaged and none required this amount of force. Internal action wrenches and a long handle torque wrench were always enough.