So far, I've been unable to get a barrel to move. I've got a machinist about a mile from the house. If I run it out to him, how deep does the relief cut need to be?
Tikka relief cut depth?
- Thread starter kpkiefer
- Start date
I've had it soaking in penetrating oil for a couple days. Put the action in a 6" bench vise with aluminum blocks - just tight enough to hold solid. Put an 18" pipe wrench on the barrel (since I'm trashing the barrel also). I put some weight on the wrench then smacked the end with a deadblow several times. Nothing.
What exactly do you mean you put a pipe wrench in a receiver hitch??
I put the handle of the pipe wrench in the 2" square tube of the truck receiver (since it's not going anywhere) then just torque the action with an external action wrench.
I've had one that needed some hammering, but most come off with body weight.
I've had one that needed some hammering, but most come off with body weight.
Tried again tonight and thought for sure stuff was gonna break before it came loose. I cut close to the action with a hacksaw and then opened it up and cut to depth with a dremel. Took me maybe 25 minutes. Put the wrench on it and the just the weight of the wrench spun it. Penetrating oil was all the way down the threads.
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If you don’t have the tools you don’t have the tools, but a Davidson or viper-style barrel vise and a brownells outside wrench will 100% do the trick without F’ing up the barrel. Didn’t have to soak threads or whack it or anything.
Respectfully disagree that a viper or like would've held. 175lbs on the wrenches and then hitting it with a maul and deadblow accomplished nothing. I'm sure something like LRI's would've held - but most of us don't have that level of equipment. Action is from they were first imported somewhere around 04-05 I'm guessing, although I'm not sure if it makes any difference.
Its not easy but its not hard either. If you search here you would find they are not hard to get off.
Solid barrel vise, outside action wrench, breaker bar/extender and a deadblow hammer. Tikkas are installed at 100-150lbs. You just have to break the seal which involved leverage and a deadblow and they pop right off.
A $30 Grizzly barrel vise will work assuming you are mounted to something solid. I have taken a bunch off this way and will be taking a few more off this year for buddies to swap to custom barrels on their tikkas.
There are places/guys that buy tikkas just to break them down and sell the parts. If they had to relief cut the barrel, it would destroy its resale. Its not that difficult.
The best way to rebarrel a Tikka is to sell your Tikka on SnipersHide.com for so close to new price its confusing why it gets sold in 30 minutes... and then buy another Tikka.
I think this is probably legit. A cold barrel installed in a hot action @ 100-150 ft lbs is no joke. Obviously not an issue on all of them.....but definitely on some.
The only other bolt I've not been able to get out was a lower strut flange bolt after a brake caliper seized. Professional grade impacts and two 5' breaker bars couldn't break it loose. We broke the 1/2" impact sockets. The insane heat from the caliper seizing had fusion welded it.
Tikka barrels are no joke! Ive removed a few from brand new actions, and they weren't too bad, felt around 120# trq. I've reinstalled the barrels with antiseize and 80# trq, and shot a few hundred rounds and removed again, fkn tight! Its almost as if the steel gets tighter with heat cycling. Tikka barrel steel is extremely hard.
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