Good morning, Board;

In a recent thread, there was a discussion about using loctite to hold the barrel instead of drawing it up.  I have a couple of questions.  Well three, actually.

1) How much, if any, do you want to turn the barrel after it touches the receiver? 

2) What strength loctite do you use?

3) How much working time do you have before the loctite sets.

I am going to fit a .38-55 barrel to a Browning 1885 (not BPCR) and I am thinking about using this method.

Thanks.

Y'all be good.

horsefly

Locktite 242 (the blue stuff) is as described as "removable"...using "hand tools".  While the two stronger types don't mention disassembly at all.

It sets ('fixture' stage) in 20 minutes and reaches full cure in 24 hours.
If the assembly is prepped with Kleen n' Prime, the fixture time is reduced to 5 minutes and the final shear strength is increased.

The instructions say to 'shake well'.  Take it from one who knows...it's not just a 'suggestion'.
CM

Gentlemens:

My O my! If I may paraphrase Mark Twain, "The reports of my adequacy have been greatly exaggerated."


To answer said question I do use Loctite 242, and work under the theory that if a little helps, a lot ought to do wonders. Whilst I don't have the stuff dripping off of the threads, I don't use just a few drops either. The Loctite primer does work, but the quick setting part is not always a benefit. It just won't do to answer the phone in the middle of the job when you use the primer.

How tight is tight? That is the question...  With flat and square shoulder surfaces and good thread form, you will find that if you snap the action home on the barrel and it will lock on when it bottoms. It should now be tight enough that you cannot easily break it free by hand. This is as tight as it needs to be, and the point I aim for. A good rap on the action with the heel of the hand will break it loose.  Howsomever, a wee bit tighter won't hurt anything. What I don't want to do is torque the barrel tight enough to stress the action.

Ideally the fit of the threads will not be as loose as a typical nut on a bolt. The action should not not rattle after it has been threaded on a few turns and there should be a small bit of drag when the pieces are threaded together.

When cutting the barrel threads and fitting the action I stop while the fit on the threads is just a bit tight. The threads will "wear in" to a degree during the repeated assembly/ disassembly thing that it goes through. This is not really wearing but a mild burnishing of the high spots of the thread surfaces. To the same end I do tighten the barrel TIGHT just once, which is the the first time the action goes all the way home. Then I use a wrench and seat it firmly to burnish the shoulder and thread surfaces so they are all done moving.  This seating also helps to spread the load across more than the first couple of threads. We are not talking about bracing your feet and pulling as hard as you can here, just one hand with modest force. After this you will find that the action snaps tight like it hits a wall and will repeat this position each time you seat it.

I would suggest this for the first time. After seating the action with  modest pressure with the wrench, back off the action and snap the action tight by hand. Now when you make the cuts to time the barrel, allow for the action to be turned on an additional .060" at the outside diameter of the barrel past the point it snaps tight to. This will be enough to be sure that the barrel is tight enough without risking that it may be too loose. This is as good of place as any to start and will give you a feel for the whole thing.

There you have it. If this is all clear to you now please read it again, as you obviously have overlooked something.  It is hard to write this sort of thing because I can visualize what I am talking about.  Because of this it is difficult to tell how well the picture is being painted.  If I can be of more help let me know.

Glenn

Mr most esteemed colleague & National Championship Shooting Hero:

What about takin' it apart later?
Just askin', Joe

The esteemed National Shooting Championship Hero might never want to take one apart, but us normal folks.............er, well, the normal folks occasionally wear out a barrel. Or decide that they want another chambering. Or decide that they want another bore size altogether. Or decide that their rifle isn't shooting as accurately as it used to (& it sure can't be the shooter, now can it?). Or decide that they need a heavier/lighter barrel. Or decide that they need a longer/shorter barrel.

Or are getting in touch with their 'inner female' & simply want a change ('cause some folks are never satisfied, as other folks well know)(remind me to tell you about The Husband Store sometime).

At any rate I wuz just curious, & certainly didn't wanta strike a nerve...................................Oh.

Well after all, I mean, golly gee whiz & gosh all hemlock, I'm just as sorry as I can be for bringin' it up & now I feel terrible about it, but how was I supposed to know that you haven't been able to get it apart?


Hope this doesn't mean I've lost my shot at an introduction to one of your groupies, Joe

I have a few bbl's that Mr. Glenn has hung for me and he is dead on when he said all you have to do is wack the bbl with your palm and it will come off --- never loosens up while shooting however.   

To all,  many thanks for the kind words and mutterings --  Ken

Joe b.

The barrel is seated once with a wrench to burnish the threads and shoulders. This is before the barrel is timed. After this I no longer use a wrench to tighten the barrel. After this the barrel shoulder is cut back until the barrel comes into time by snapping it home. 

To give an idea of how tight it is, if you put the barrel in a vice (or have it in the lathe chuck), you can break the action free with a good smack with the heal of your hand.  This is as tight as I feel it need to be. It will not shoot loose even without locktite. 

Stevens barrels (in switch barrel setups) are fitted just a tad softer, so I can break the action free with a smack whilst holding the barrel by hand. This too is tight enough as far as the mechanics of it all go, but it does need the dog screw to keep it from accidentally coming loose.

I don't hold that this is THE way to fit a barrel. It is just the way that I personally feel is best. There are folks what build good shooting rifles that require a vice and wrench and rocks in your pockets to break the barrel loose.  On the other hand I have seen good shooting original Stevens that require that you tighten the dog screw to keep the barrel from rattling. Youse pays your money and take your choice.

Glenn

Having had some experience with locktite freezing tends to break it down if you want to get it apart.
Tom