need advice on making an action wrench for '94 Winchester

[Depreacher]

Hello Gents,
I'm new to this site, and it's one of my favorites already. Bought a 98% condition 1967 Canadian Centinial with a barrel that needs to be screwed in a tiny bit more so top flat will align with top of receiver. The super tall front sight leans so far to the right I had to move the Williams foolproof aperature almost all the way to the right to get it on target at 100 yds. Scary accurate. A wheeler barrel vise is on a UPS truck hopefully arriving tomorrow. Thought about getting a 1" x 2" X 36" bar of cold rolled steel, and cutting off 6" so as to make receiver vise on one end. I've got a good 5/8" chucked drill press to drill 1'2" holes for the grade 8 bolts. I have both thin lead and/or brass shim/protector plates. A support bar will be inside the front of the action.
The barrel doesn't need to be moved much so when I remove it I'll just file a smidgen off, maybe only removing cutting marks on the mating service with my safe file. Try and file, try and file, and so on. I know this is everyday stuff for some of you guys, but I've never removed a rifle barrel before. If you have a better wrench idea, please let me know. Any and all advice/help is appreciated. Depreacher.

[wecsoger]

Hmmm...not done it on '94 but I have screwed together more than one or two FN FAL kits in my day.

First off, there's the math out there to tell you exactly how far you have to move that front sight. You'll have to google it as I'm just a step above a knuckle dragger (that is, *I* know how to use a torque wrench)

So saying, it doesn't sound like you're that far off as to require barrel removal. On the FAL's, condition you cite with the rear sight just required chucking it back in the vise and tweaking the alignment of the upper receiver to the barrel a little. That's following the FAL mantra of, "right, it's too tight, left, too loose".

Bringing the barrel back into better alignment for the sights didn't even appreciably change the headspace. (another step up from knuckle dragger, I know how to use headspace gauges) (grin)

[Sixgun]

A gunsmith bud of mine tells me those 1960-70's Winchesters have their barrels screwed on really tight. It's easy to bend the sintered metal receiver so be careful. Turning it in? Good luck.---6

[Chuck 100 yd]

I understand that your front sight leans to the right now as seen from the shooters (rear) position. Screwing the barrel farther in to make the sight stand straight up will cause the rifle to shoot even farther to the right. That seems to be the fix. My action wrench is made of two pieces of flat bar stock drilled to take 5/16" bolts through the ends. A piece of 3/4" shafting is welded to the side of one piece that accepts a piece of pipe 3' long to use as a handle. I use a piece of flat bar and shims fitted inside the stripped receiver to prevent crushing or twisting it.
Others will be along to post pictures of theirs. Most wrenches are of similar design. I have made filler blocks for mine that also allow it to be used on revolvers. Similar to this one.
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools ... 19479.aspx
Have fun!!

[AJMD429]

I understand that your front sight leans to the right now as seen from the shooters (rear) position. Screwing the barrel farther in to make the sight stand straight up will cause the rifle to shoot even farther to the right. That seems to be the fix. My action wrench is made of two pieces of flat bar stock drilled to take 5/16" bolts through the ends. A piece of 3/4" shafting is welded to the side of one piece that accepts a piece of pipe 3' long to use as a handle. I use a piece of flat bar and shims fitted inside the stripped receiver to prevent crushing or twisting it.
Others will be along to post pictures of theirs. Most wrenches are of similar design. I have made filler blocks for mine that also allow it to be used on revolvers. Similar to this one.
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools ... 19479.aspx
Have fun!!

1. Pretty much what he said.

2. Essentially an action wrench needs to be super-strong, super-rigid, yet with a thin layer of non-marring 'cushion'.

3. I'm a mediocre 'kitchen-table gunsmith' at best, but with the nice flat sides of a levergun easy to 'clamp', I made one for my Marlin 1894 using old oak flooring-boards about 42" long, secured to each other with four 1/2" bolts cushioned on head and bolt ends with large washers, really tight, 'cushioned' with a thin layer of suede leather scrap on each side of the receiver. For a barrel-wrench, I used a not-terribly-well-fitting AR-15 barrel aluminum wrench (the holes/channels were too small so contacted mostly on the resulting four 'corners') which slightly marred the old barrel's (Parkerized) finish, but a piece of bicycle inner-tube prevented marring on the new (blued) barrel.

4. If you can solve the problem without barrel-turning, it may be the best way.

5. One should leave the bolt IN when clamping/torqueing an action, to keep the action from collapsing, but at least on the Marlin, one should leave the bolt far-enough back so the extractor does NOT hit the rotating barrel and snap off. My stupid-self did that, but my hoarder-self had managed to have a spare extractor on hand, so it was only one in an ongoing series of gunsmithing-embarrassments.

6. WELCOME to Leverguns...

[Malamute]

I wouldn't mess with removing metal from the barrel unless its way too tight. I'd start with breaking it loose, then retorqueing it into proper position. The bolt can't be closed or it will tear off the extractor and possibly damage the bolt. Having it in the action is OK, but you should be grabbing the receiver at the very front only, just behind the swells for the fore end.

The bolts for the tool don't need to be grade 8. Smaller ones will work as has been pointed out.

Remove the lever pivot pin screw on the left side (largeish headed screw) so you don't mash its head with your tools. Same for any other screws that may come into contact with the action wrench.

[Marc]

My lever action action wrench is made from an 18" bar of 3/4" square steel. The strap is 3/8" x 3/4" steel. The bolts are 5/16". Masking tape where the wrench bears on the receiver. Like Malamute says, put the wrench at the front of the receiver over the solid web where the barrel screws in and you shouldn't have any problem with crushing the receiver. I have removed barrels on Winchester 94's, a couple of 1895's and an 1873. None were hard to remove. These lever actions have small threads and it just doesn't take that much force to break them free.

I would also loosen the barrel first and clean the threads and lube them with anti seize or moly grease or similar. No need to file -just tighten it to wherever it needs to be.

[Les Staley]

Buddy of mine has a wrench made of 1" square tube..light..radius of tube cross section fits nicely against forend boss..use a piece of leather on each side of receiver..changed out a Numerich 38-55 barrel on my kid brothers 94..worked great

[BenT]

This is mine . I use cardboard between the wrench and frame. Once set up ,I wack the handle of the action wrench with hammer to break it loose. I would break it loose , unthread a little then try to get it indexed correctly. Just open the bolt enough so the extractor isn't in the end of the barrel.

[Depreacher]

THANKS GENTS for all the help. What a great site. Going into town tomorrow so I'll swing by the metal shop and pick up something. Will let you know how it's going. Barrell Vise not here yet ??? THANKS AGAIN, Mack ps. After this, I've got to correct the same problem on an 1858 Remington .36 cal Pietta copy.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

A gunsmith bud of mine tells me those 1960-70's Winchesters have their barrels screwed on really tight. It's easy to bend the sintered metal receiver so be careful. Turning it in? Good luck.---6

Some are pretty tight.
Depreacher,
Welcome to the fire.
You are on the right track with the 1" x 2" bar stock. To avoid crushing the receiver and damaging the finish use hardwood blocks but grind or sculptor the inside of the blocks to fit the very front of the receiver, right over the threads. Use belt leather to pad and pine rosin so the leather does not slip damaging the finish.
If you take the time to do it like this you don't need to block the receiver or leave the bolt in place. All the torque is right where you need it.

[cfplinker]

A gunsmith bud of mine tells me those 1960-70's Winchesters have their barrels screwed on really tight. It's easy to bend the sintered metal receiver so be careful. Turning it in? Good luck.---6

Some are pretty tight.
Depreacher,
Welcome to the fire.
You are on the right track with the 1" x 2" bar stock. To avoid crushing the receiver and damaging the finish use hardwood blocks but grind or sculptor the inside of the blocks to fit the very front of the receiver, right over the threads. Use belt leather to pad and pine rosin so the leather does not slip damaging the finish.
If you take the time to do it like this you don't need to block the receiver or leave the bolt in place. All the torque is right where you need it.

Could you trim the blocks slightly oversize and then use bedding compound to get the final perfect fit?

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

A gunsmith bud of mine tells me those 1960-70's Winchesters have their barrels screwed on really tight. It's easy to bend the sintered metal receiver so be careful. Turning it in? Good luck.---6

Some are pretty tight.
Depreacher,
Welcome to the fire.
You are on the right track with the 1" x 2" bar stock. To avoid crushing the receiver and damaging the finish use hardwood blocks but grind or sculptor the inside of the blocks to fit the very front of the receiver, right over the threads. Use belt leather to pad and pine rosin so the leather does not slip damaging the finish.
If you take the time to do it like this you don't need to block the receiver or leave the bolt in place. All the torque is right where you need it.

Could you trim the blocks slightly oversize and then use bedding compound to get the final perfect fit?

I have heard of folks doing just that. But, I haven't tried it. Seems like it might crush. If you use leather it will conform and the rosin will keep it from slipping