Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing If it wasn't for the pu**y and the prestige.....

I have had problems only with Browning A-Bolts in Stainless Steel and there use of such fine threads (32 tpi ). I have soaked the barrel tenon thread with Aero Kroil for two days and they still galled. Never again will I attempt to rebarrel an A bolt unless I'm allowed to bore the barrel tenon out.

They're 32?? My feeble memory sez 28... But whatever - I won't touch the things either..

Had a Browning X-bolt in this am with a complaint of light strikes.. Other than verifying headspace and checking FP protrusion, it's all I'll do with this pos.. Protrusion's .050 which, IMHO, is a bit under what I'd call minimum.. (.055-.060 is what most rifles are usually found to be..)

Since this is a 'new' rifle I told the guys to send it back to Browning if it misfires again.. But first to double-check the box of factory ammo they're using to ensure the problem doesn't lie there..

So, does this me you guys aren't going to send your pictures in to Browning of your BuckMarks?
My Dad has the 52 Sporter clone -- it shoots like a demon, but every other Browning I've seen didn't take long to annoy me. They are lovely, but their beauty is skin deep. Sorry.

I was fitting a new barrel and was just trying the action/tenon fit while the barrel was still in the lathe. As soon as it quit going on I stopped but it was too late. Once the threads gall you're hosed.

I hope Browning has never even heard of me. I owned an A-Bolt many years ago before I started gunsmithing but I didn't own it long.

Galled just hand-turning? That is effing evil. And -- why Permatex and Cat Bolt Goo are my friends. Shucks.

Dave,
The barrel screwed on easily for half the threads then locked up! Sad thing is that I had a "try nut" which was an insert from a Panda action that I should have used. Can't imagine why I didn't...

I'd say... I've NEVER had that come even close to occurring..

He's makin' me nervous...

DING! DING! DING! Give that man a cigar! That is the secret that I learned about 20 years ago about how to get SS threaded connections apart without the threads galling. Kroil is the only thing I've ever found that works reliably to allow you to unscrew stainless connections.

I learned this trick from a contractor that regularly did shutdowns at the Occidental Chemical plant in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Occidental manufactures caustic soda there, so all the piping is stainless or nickle, and all the bolts, nuts and washers are stainless. Before they tear down a section of pipe, they start spraying all the stainless bolts and nuts with Kroil about a week ahead of time. When it's time to take them apart, it's no problem. Before they discovered Kroil they had to torch or sawzall the bolts apart.

The trick with Kroil is that you have to give it a while to "creep" into the threads, sometimes a few days, when something's pretty tight. Right now I've been putting Kroil on the stubs of a couple of bolts broken off up inside the engine block of my tractor, where part of the front end loader bolted up. I've got them drilled for "Eeze Outs" and if they don't come out tonight, I'll keep putting the Kroil on for a couple more days.

Kroil is pretty good stuff, if you have time for the creepiness. Or you MAKE time. But when stuff is broke and needs to come apart right flipping NOW....acetylene is your friend.

Sorry to butt in, but do rugers have the same problem? M77 mk2 of mine is about to get a custom barrel from mcgowin is it worth the trouble? U guys got me freakin out!

Ruger's come right apart. The hardness differences between the action and barrel help prevent galling.

Might not be the hardness differential which helps. I've previously done a bit of looking into galling (not related to gunsmithing though) and have the following reference to hand:

�A general misconception for metal-to-metal wear and galling resistance is that a large difference in hardness between the two mated alloys is beneficial. Wear data from Ref 30 suggest that alloys with good adhesive wear, such as type 440C (52HRC) and S21800 (92HRB) are excellent alloy selections regardless of the hardness of the other alloy.�-�Stainless Steels� by Joseph R Davis

I've heard several times that it is the difference in hardness that is important, but the above suggests it's more about what the alloy actually is.

I don't doubt that SS Rugers are easier to unscrew than SS Brownings, just thought I'd throw this in for anyone who's interested. It's a useful nugget of information (or alternative view) if you're looking at making an assembly from stainless and worrying about getting a hardness difference.

I've spent over half my 55 years dealing with high pressure, threaded connections.

The equipment uses several alloys of stainless and Monel.
Pressure ratings from 0 -60kpsi.

NPT and several custom designed threads.

This stuff is the best, bar none.

BLUE GOOP

Now, getting it apart can be a mine field. The problem is, you don't usually know how it was assembled.

Kroil is good, Kroil mixed with acetone is better.

Of course the easiest way is to put liquid nitrogen down the bore, you'll hear the "tink" as the treads let go.

I've worked on valve bodies with a rosebud for an hour, pump up a 150 ton hydraulic ram, pour in a litre of liquid nitrogen and then wail away with a 20 lb. sledge hammer till something would let go.

Gun barrels are a piece of cake after working on 1,600 horsepower Woma pumps.