Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Huntnshoot - 25-06 From Ken Howell

Way ahead of you pal.

Not long after taking those photos, I clamped the stock in my vise, then put the ViseGrips on the barrel to unscrew it so I could get it re-chambered. I think it was the cheek piece that let the stock slip in the vise, or I didn't tighten the vise enough, so I put a 3' cheater on the vise handle to help out.

I figured the 8" ViseGrip pliers would have been strong enough to unscrew the barrel, but I could never get the dang things tight enough to keep from slipping (you would think those curved jaws with the serrations would work better than they do).

I tried again to unscrew the barrel with a 24� pipe wrench until I heard the cracking, which I thought was the wrench slipping again. Except I had replaced the worn jaws the first time it slipped, then I saw the lengthwise split just back of the trigger guard through that really nice fine-line checkering in the grip.

Realizing the stock wasn't holding up, I found a piece of re-bar that almost fit between the scope and the action (took a little persuasion with a 6lb. hammer) that I was able to wedge against the vise table that kept the whole works from turning. I finally figured out those barrels have right hand threads and got the barrel unscrewed. Man was it tight.

A little repair work to do and maybe have to replace the stock, but I think I can make it work, except possibly for the scope (those things aren't as tough as they look). If I can find the time to get started and don't loose all the parts.

If I ever try to take a barrel off another rifle, I think I'll start by clamping the fore end in the vise instead of the butt of the stock, especially if it has a cheek piece (does that make it a butt cheek?).

Disclaimer: The above isn't real. The rifle remains untouched by vise or other implement of destruction.

Although I never met the man, I'm not sure P.O. himself would even try something with a rifle this..., never mind. Probably not much he wouldn't have or didn't modify.
David

Not long after taking those photos, I clamped the stock in my vise, then put the ViseGrips on the barrel to unscrew it so I could get it re-chambered. I think it was the cheek piece that let the stock slip in the vise, or I didn't tighten the vise enough, so I put a 3' cheater on the vise handle to help out.

I figured the 8" ViseGrip pliers would have been strong enough to unscrew the barrel, but I could never get the dang things tight enough to keep from slipping (you would think those curved jaws with the serrations would work better than they do).

I tried again to unscrew the barrel with a 24� pipe wrench until I heard the cracking, which I thought was the wrench slipping again. Except I had replaced the worn jaws the first time it slipped, then I saw the lengthwise split just back of the trigger guard through that really nice fine-line checkering in the grip.

Realizing the stock wasn't holding up, I found a piece of re-bar that almost fit between the scope and the action (took a little persuasion with a 6lb. hammer) that I was able to wedge against the vise table that kept the whole works from turning. I finally figured out those barrels have right hand threads and got the barrel unscrewed. Man was it tight.

A little repair work to do and maybe have to replace the stock, but I think I can make it work, except possibly for the scope (those things aren't as tough as they look). If I can find the time to get started and don't loose all the parts.

If I ever try to take a barrel off another rifle, I think I'll start by clamping the fore end in the vise instead of the butt of the stock, especially if it has a cheek piece (does that make it a butt cheek?).

Huntnshoot,

I'm glad you asked about photos. I've been meaning to post some, just haven't gotten around to it. You've forced my hand.

I don't have any really good photos at the moment, so these will have to do for the time being.








This has to be the best piece of wood I own. A really nice stock on this rifle.



I feel very fortunate to have this rifle for a number of reasons. The first being that Ken told me he pretty much had the rifle sold at one time for what he considered a very fair price but apparently the prospective buyer didn't agree, so to my good fortune the deal fell through.

I was visiting Ken earlier this year when out of the blue and without saying a word he got up and went into another room, then came back with this rifle. It is without a doubt, the best gift I will probably ever receive from a friend, other than the friendship itself.

I'll be working loads up over the next few weeks and with any luck, be able to take some sort of game with one of those newfangled Ballistic Tips soon.

David

That explains a LOT.

Next time, just get a good carbide extension drill bit of the appropriate diameter and run it into the chamber. The tip of the drill bit is probably close enough to the 40 degree shoulder angle. All you have to do is remove the bolt, and you won't have to tighten the vise near as much. You can thank me later.

Dave,

Good to see that it went from a good home... to another good home...Wish you a lot of hunting success with it...definitely a looker...

hope this finds you and your family well...

enjoyed your hospitality and kindness there in New Mexico earlier this year...

Tell Ken I dearly enjoyed just getting to hold that beautiful gun, David.

� Ken told me Edgar Gomer (Salt Lake City) whittled one his Circassian blanks. The work he did is way past "whittled". The fit is probably the best I have ever seen and the hand checkering is the work or a master.

It is chambered in 358 Win. I wish I knew who did the work but I don't know.