How to tighten barrel nut on 15-22 with shortened barrel?

[bigfathairybiker]

I've just noticed that my barrel is loose in the stock of my 15-22.
Not slappy loose just slight movement wobbly loose.
Now my barrel is shorter than standard and only has around an inch sticking out the shroud.
I havent purchased a barrel wrench yet, but looking at the wrench and videos showing how to use one
show the barrel clamped in a vice and the end of the wrench sticking outside the shroud.

Any ideas on how to fix?

Mark

[BamBam]

Option 1, Buy the wrench, tighten it as best you can.

Option 2, swap the handguard for something else then tighten the barrel with the handguard off.

[bigfathairybiker]

I think I'll get the wrench and have a go.

If the barrel nut is loose could this be the cause of firing out of battery?
I've had three split cases accompanied by loud bang from ejector port.
This was when doing rapid firing.

Mark

[BamBam]

I never had that, just a wandering group, if you can see the barrel nut through the handguard and can trun the nut with a screwdriver in the notch, then it is very loose indeed.

Don't shoot it until you've got it tight.

Where did you buy the rifle and how long ago?

[bigfathairybiker]

Bought it about six months ago from Riflecraft.

It's not loose enough to poke it with a screw driver. But I'll not be using it until I'm happy with it.

Mark

[phaedra1106]

I assume whoever shortened the barrel removed it from the receiver to do so, in which case take it back and ask them to fully tighten it, it certainly shouldn't have came loose.

[BamBam]

I think the barrel spec is 20ft/lb of torque, which isn't much, but the barrel does need to be clamped to torque it correctly.

Over on the S&W forum there's a few threads about barrels coming loose, not shortened, but factory length.

I've see a video of a RFD tightening them up in a carpark with a pair of mole grips.

[bigfathairybiker]

Spent entire afternoon in shed with a steel tube, lathe, file, 300 grit paper and cup of tea.
Made a not entirely crappy barrel nut remover which managed to undo the nut with ease.
Only using one hand means it was very loose.

Thread on nut is very fine so only needed to be undone very slightly to cause wobbly barrel.
The way it is all assembled means that wobbly barrel = wobbly chamber = wobbly receiver and wobbly bolt.

I shall be cleaning it up and reassembling nice and tight. 20ft/lb should be very easily done as the polymer should take this no problem if the threads are clean.

Mark

[BamBam]

What ammo were you using when it fired out of battery?

[bigfathairybiker]

Remington Target.

Mark