DIY Tikka Barrel Swap, By Dioni Amuchastegui

[Dioni A]

Thanks for the recommendation. I don't have a solid wrench big enough for the action, so it looks like I will have to get another tool.

You might be able to get away with using a couple crescent wrenches and increase the surface area that you're twisting on. I think you'd be pretty safe doing that.

 

[HandgunHTR]

I saw the recommendation for the Wheeler action wrench to remove the barrel.

Would a standard adjustable wrench with the previously mentioned buffers (note card, tp tube) work to separate the factory barrel and action? Or is there a better tool I may already have?

The problem with adjustable wrenches is that the jaws will flex. There is a good probability that that happens and then the jaws slip off the action and potentially round it, or at least scratch it up, in the process.
If you have a drill press, you could make a tool to take it off with a couple pieces of bar stock. Have one piece that is longer than the other (that will be your handle), drill two holes in each, equidistant apart. Get a couple of bolts with washers and nuts and then tighten them together on each side of the action, near the barrel. Use the longer side as a handle to hit with the deadblow, or depending on the size of bar stock, put a piece of pipe over it for leverage.

 

[bigunit]

The 31mm tekton open ended wrench from Amazon has worked for me for a few different tikka barrels now. It's the perfect size to fit the action with some cardstock between the action and wrench

 

[Weatherby_Eyebrow]

Any suggesting on barrel vices? I purchased one off Amazon with some leather inserts - Mechforce but my barrel just spins in the leather. I'm not sure if I should try it without using the leather and maybe just dry wall tape or invest in one of the vices that come with bushings.

 

[Dioni A]

Any suggesting on barrel vices? I purchased one off Amazon with some leather inserts - Mechforce but my barrel just spins in the leather. I'm not sure if I should try it without using the leather and maybe just dry wall tape or invest in one of the vices that come with bushings.

I would try it with a toilet paper tube around the barrel. If not the viper I have seems to work somewhat well. The factory lite contour is a bit small for it but with the toilet paper tube it works

 

[Weatherby_Eyebrow]

I would try it with a toilet paper tube around the barrel. If not the viper I have seems to work somewhat well. The factory lite contour is a bit small for it but with the toilet paper tube but works

I'll give it a try, it looks near identical design to the viper.

 

[NSI]

Guys, removing a stock Tikka barrel requires a level of force on the barrel vice machine screws that will make you feel uncomfortable. When you think it’s tight enough, you’re getting started. The viper can work but I sold it cheap because the angle required across the 4 bolts is extreme on the taper in the tikka shorter barrel. The SAC buses are available with specific Tikka bushings which make life far easier. Remember that shock may be more effective than leverage on the end of your external action wrench. Good luck, and may God have mercy on your finish.

-J

 

[Dioni A]

Guys, removing a stock Tikka barrel requires a level of force on the barrel vice machine screws that will make you feel uncomfortable. When you think it’s tight enough, you’re getting started. The viper can work but I sold it cheap because the angle required across the 4 bolts is extreme on the taper in the tikka shorter barrel. The SAC buses are available with specific Tikka bushings which make life far easier. Remember that shock may be more effective than leverage on the end of your external action wrench. Good luck, and may God have mercy on your finish.

-J

I agree with all of this but I've had zero issues damaging finish with the TP tube. You really do have to tighten the crap out of the viper clamp to get it to hold. My top clamp is pretty bent after half a dozen or so uses but still works.

 

[NSI]

I agree with all of this but I've had zero issues damaging finish with the TP tube. You really do have to tighten the crap out of the viper clamp to get it to hold. My top clamp is pretty bent after half a dozen or so uses but still works.

As I don’t have a dead blow hammer, the finish on my action wrench has taken on somewhat of an artisanal appearance

Agreed that a single wrap of drywall tape or the like will leave your finish fine … so long as you tighten the vice enough. As soon as you see it spinning, stop.

-J

 

[darrenk75b]

A sprinkle with some talc powder helps a ton too

 

[DangerRanger]

I wish my tikkas were one of these new ones with easy barrels to remove I guess I got new old stock lol

I rolled the edge of my top rail jumping on a breaker bar before I gave up and sent it to a smith who also couldn’t do it and had to cut it off.

The second finally broke with a 4 ft breaker


I used brown sugar in my vise to grab my barrel and that did work well. Though fyi viper vise will bend past 50ft lbs

 

[MattiG]

I'll give it a try, it looks near identical design to the viper.

Interesting the leather didn't work for you. I tried rosin, brown sugar, cardboard, etc... It was only when I cut up a crappy old pair of leather gloves that I finally got my barrel off.

I also used the viper vise, as in the write-up, and the wheeler wrench (awesome tool and helpful customer service).

For those that want to go the extra step of using an inside action wrench, I got mine from Bugholes and it worked perfectly.

 

[NSI]

It's been said before, but bears repeating - do not attempt to remove a Tikka factory barrel using an internal wrench. I have the Bugholes and it's great for torquing barrels on. But whether it's your first time or the next time, you will eventually snap off an internal wrench inside an action, trying to break a barrel loose.

-J

 

[Weatherby_Eyebrow]

I wish my tikkas were one of these new ones with easy barrels to remove I guess I got new old stock lol

I rolled the edge of my top rail jumping on a breaker bar before I gave up and sent it to a smith who also couldn’t do it and had to cut it off.

The second finally broke with a 4 ft breaker


I used brown sugar in my vise to grab my barrel and that did work well. Though fyi viper vise will bend past 50ft lbs

If I'm reading this correctly, and I know I am. You're telling me I need to buy a new Tikka before attempting this, this I can support. Best idea yet.

 

[Weatherby_Eyebrow]

Ok Status update, it's off!

The leather was just too slippery so I went with the toilet paper roll as suggested. I used a Wheeler #1 action wrench with the top cap flipped. I then used the skinny flat on the bottom face of the wrench on the underside of the action on the flat right behind the lug flat. I placed 1 strip of masking tape under both sides. I then used a rubber mallet to whack the handle while applying pressure with my other hand, took 2-3 good hits and it broke free. All in all it took me 3 attempts and about 20 min. I spent more time trying to figure out a way to temporarily secure the barrel vice until I can find a permanent home for it.

What I learned: Where you clamp the barrel is critical, I couldn't get it right at the shank with the taper it just wouldn't stay tight or I couldn't get enough surface area contact for it to not spin. I went down past the heavy taper but I probably should have gone a little bit more. You can see a very light mark on my barrel in the bottom photo which I think may have been avoided had I moved down just a touch more on the barrel before clamping.

 

[Weatherby_Eyebrow]

Forgot the money shot!

 

[Dioni A]

@Weatherby_Eyebrow thanks for sharing! The next one will go way easier and the one after that will make you question why you had any trouble with the first one.

 

[whitefalcon]

Amazing timing on this article. Thanks for all the tips.

For those not wanting to buy all the tools for a one time barrel swap, there is another thread where guys are “renting” their tools to do this.

More info here:
Thread 'Tikka Barrel Removal and Install Tool Swap Thread'
https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/tikka-barrel-removal-and-install-tool-swap-thread.311388/

 

[wind gypsy]

I need to bite the bullet and buy the gear finally so I can stop shipping things back and forth to the smith..

The PMA gen 2 seems like a little better design than the viper vice, would you guys agree?

I'm having a hard time jumping all the way to the SAC bravo because it's magnitudes more expensive but might if it works that much better than the PMA gen 2. Am i looking at it right with the SAC bravo in that it looks like you need to purchase something additional to clamp onto the damn thing rather than just bolting it to the bench? Looks slick and all but I dont think most people have all the bullshit clamps and such on their benches. Edit: see now that you can bolt them directly to bench but it’s not entirely clear what’s needed to do so.

I guess another route is to just have a smith chamber the first replacement barrel on each tikka and just have a good enough setup to swap barrels moving forward..

 

[Castle Rock]

It is pretty simple to drill a couple of hardwood blocks and clamp them to a table or put them on a press
I made them fit the barrel better by molding them to the barrel with devcon