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model 1917 enfield

cruiserpt02
i have just purchased a replacement barrel for my enfield,
and i what to know how the hell you get the old barrel off.
i know the barrel has been on there for about ninety years,
but the dam thing won't budge.anyone got any experiance in
this matter.helpppppppppppp.
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Comments

7 comments

Date Votes
  • nononsense
    I don't know how much experience you've had with removing barrels but you have chosen a real booger if this is your first.

    You can try all of the normal things first. Are you using a barrel vise and the correct receiver wrench? If not, these are a good purchase for folks who want to do this for themselves instead of taking it to the gunsmith. The barrel vise needs to be mounted to a sturdy steel stand bolted into the floor for some of this work. Otherwise, bolted to a heavy bench will work for lightly installed barrels. Use rosin on the barrel where the vise grabs it.

    Soak the barrel tenon with penetrating oil or even mineral spirits. This is a long soak, overnight or a full day or two. Then try the vise. Remember tight but not crushed and use a sharp blow from a heavy, lead hammer. If this doesn't get it, then try a bit of heat and cold. Lightly heat the receiver and put ice on the barrel or put the whole works in a chest freezer then lightly heat the receiver and go to the vise. The receiver expands from the heat and the barrel shrinks from the cold.

    In the 30 or so attempts to get these barrels off, these methods have worked a couple of times. I usually have to chuck the whole works up in the lathe and take a relief cut where the barrel meets the receiver. This is usually the route to go. I had to cut the barrel off completely on a couple of mean ones then go into the front of the receiver and clean the threads out. If you aren't familiar with threads and lathes and machining, take this thing to the gunsmith.

    If you aren't going to do this frequently, I would let a gunsmith handle it. Don't be cheap when an error on your part could twist the receiver and ruin it.

    That's the short course.

    Best.
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  • captkirk3@dslextreme.com
    My suggestion is to take it to a gunsmith...Putting in the Barrel is just the begining.....Who's gonna do the Head Spacing?...Will the new barrel fit the Old Stock?...The cheapest way is to take it to the Gunsmith....

    Captain Kirk, Tech Staff
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  • cruiserpt02
    i just got it off by heating the barrel cherry red about
    an inch in front of the reciever with the reciever in a
    vise.i then used a pipe wrench to unscrew the barrel.
    it came off easy but the barrel got hacked up.it was junk
    anyway.my father inlaw cut it down years ago before he gave
    the gun to me.no damage to the reciever.hope this might help
    someone else in the future.and thank you for your help guys.
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  • 101AIRBORNE
    I trust that you protected the receiver from all that heat. If not,
    you have destroyed the metallurgy and now have a paper weight. 101
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  • Hangfire
    Cherry red???? I agree with Airborne!!!

    Love them Pre-64's!!!!-Bob
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  • 01DUSE
    That's one expensive paperweight. Hope you can resell your new barrel to cover the cost of another P-17 to start over on.
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  • I.Shute
    Why do I shudder when I read this thread?

    You got some EXCELLENT advice for your question, so complete that there wasn't anything another expert could add. You chose to ignore it all and in all probability ruined a useable 1917 action.

    You clamped the action in a vise?
    Just not done!
    The first time I did one of these I spent a week building the biggest, baddest barrel vise you would ever need and a couple wrenches that fit any action.
    Every action requires inserts or fixtures to support it and protect the ring from getting distorted and provide a proper lug or lugs to keep it from rotating.
    This thing is bolted to a 600 lb. steel table with a 1/2 inch thick top and has never failed to remove a stubborn barrel.

    Getting your barrel unscrewed was only about 5% of the total work of re-barreling your action.
    I'm assuming it's not junk by now, but I'm guessing it is.

    Take the rest of the advice you got and take it to a good gunsmith and get his take on tossing it or going ahead with the project.

    IS
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