Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Information on Malfunctions and Care of your Model 8 & 81
Post Reply
User avatar
Wildgoose
Posts: 237
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 5:53 am
Location: Nebraska

Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by Wildgoose »

I picked up a pretty rough M8 in 35 Rem. a few months back. One of its issues was a loose barrel jacket. I just finished getting the problem taken care of. I thought it would be nice to share the experience.
First picture is the rifle taken down for the fix. I must say the money for the Circle Branch Pro take down tool set was well spent.
Image
Second picture is the jacket head apart after using a 1/16" pin punch to push out the old pin. The pin is in the foreground. It was pretty loose and came out easily. I was somewhat supprised to find that the jacket head is threaded onto the jacket and that the pin is just an anti-rotation device to keep it tight. Obviously it can auger the hole out over the years and let the jacket come loose.
Image
The last two pictures are of the new pin in place and ready to go. I used a 1/2" long pin and drove it all the way through and into the inside. I then used a dremil tool to cut it down and grind it flush on both sides. In this case I found that a 5/64" roll pin was a nice tight fit with out having to drill out the hole and use a larger pin. At first I though I would have to go up to a 3/32" pin. The jacket assembly is nice and tight again and all I need to do now is clean up all the old rust and gunk that has accumulated over the years and put her back to together.
Image
Image
User avatar
jack1653
Posts: 984
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2009 7:52 pm

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by jack1653 »

Hey wildgoose,

Thanks very much for the posting. It is a problem many of us have and seeing some good pictures of your "fix" lets us see how to make the repair. It looks like the gun cleaned up pretty good.

Regards,

jack1653
User avatar
81police
Posts: 2613
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:12 pm
Location: TEXAS

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by 81police »

Wildgoose,

You did the fix right and I'm very thankful for the pictures and tutorial! Awesome job!
Cam Woodall
Site Co-Administrator
ctgodog
Posts: 199
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2011 1:29 am
Location: Roseburg, Oregon

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by ctgodog »

Very nicely done!!!

Clint
[b][color=#0040FF]Time is the Essence of Life, Wine, and Great Guns[/color][/b]
User avatar
imfuncity
Posts: 1208
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:44 am
Location: 2hrs N of Sac., Tehama Co. CA

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by imfuncity »

Good job, thanks for posting WG - just the kind of helps we need.
Though defensive violence will always be “a sad necessity” in the eyes of men of principle, it would be still more unfortunate if wrongdoers should dominate just men. - St. Augustine
kenhwind
Posts: 265
Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:50 am

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by kenhwind »

We fixed a loose barrel jacket on a M 81 too. Basically the same procedure but I used a solid pin. I didn't drill any bigger than necessary, maybe a number or two drill size up to get a good fit for the new pin. We then but loc-tite-ed on the inside joint and out side.

Don't try to loc-tite the assembly, we did and never got it together, but we had to take it apart and start over.
KEN
remcrazy
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 12:33 pm

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by remcrazy »

Wildgoose,
You seem to have a real grasp of the proceedure here and much appreciate the posting, nicely done! I have a barrel shroud assembly that requires removal from the barrel head. I have punched out the pin and soaked the barrel head in Sea Foam Crud Cutter for days. I used my heavy padded vise and tried to loosen the barrel head from the shroud assembly countless times. Of course being very careful with the proceedure so as not to mar or damage anything. No go, No budge, Not even a squeak! I tried mild heat, solvents, oils, everything and so far, tighter than! Of all the folks I spoke with, none had further suggestions on how to proceed. I was hoping you may have the answer! Any help would be much appreciated. Oh, by the way, nice take down tools!
Regards,
RB
User avatar
imfuncity
Posts: 1208
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:44 am
Location: 2hrs N of Sac., Tehama Co. CA

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by imfuncity »

Remcrazy
I'm just a backyard trying-to-do-it-yourselfer; take this for what it's worth. Two things I have run into: one, someone used JB Weld or ... and the two pieces are now one until the end of time. Two, I did not get "all of the pin" out and there is still something/piece holding it. I hope you have issue #2 and can resolve it by drilling the hole slightly larger (for a little larger pin) thus removing the last of the old pin.
Hope that helps.
Though defensive violence will always be “a sad necessity” in the eyes of men of principle, it would be still more unfortunate if wrongdoers should dominate just men. - St. Augustine
User avatar
Wildgoose
Posts: 237
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 5:53 am
Location: Nebraska

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by Wildgoose »

Sounds like the barrel jacket was screwed in at the factory,drilled, pined and never came loose as some do. This means that the pin didn't auger out its hole and allow the cycling of the rifles action to loosen the threaded connection between the jacket and head. So now the threads are bonded most likely by hardened oil or corrosion, possibly both. imfuncity is on to something too in that when the original pin hole was drilled it caused a portion of the head material to be smeared into the jacket as the bit passed through. If a thread locking compound or an epoxy like JB weld was used then heat is all that will break it loose. Hopefully that isn't the case. If it is then you will just have to heat it until it lets go and hope for the best.
Assuming its just good and stuck a trick I have used in other similar applications in order to not have to over heat the parts is to cool one part to shrink it and heat the other to expand it at the same time to break the bond. You might try plugging the jacket three or four inches from the breech end with tin foil and filling the left over space with crushed ice (dry ice would be even better) and then apply moderate heat to the head casting to expand it faster than the jacket will. Hopefully repeating this cycle a few times might loosen up the threads. In order to give you some working time to complete this process start with having placed the whole assembly in the freezer over night so it will be cold to start with. If it doesn't work you are not out anything but your time. May not work but seems you have tried about everything else so far.
remcrazy
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 12:33 pm

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by remcrazy »

Most appreciated gentlemen! I will give all this a try and see if it eventually loosens. I'm certain that this is all factory and no JB Weld involved. It appears to have never been apart. You may be correct in that I didn't get all the pin out! I will investigate that first and proceed to the next steps. Will post with progress, I hope!
Thanks again for all the helpful suggestions!
uhjohnson
Posts: 171
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 3:53 pm

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by uhjohnson »

I started a thread in October of 2010 [barrel jacket/adapter is loose] and no one really knew how to fix the problem. I had mentioned the 8/81 was a poor design and had given up on them because of the three I bought two had loose heads. Because of this thread I am back and think it should be a sticky

Thanks
[b]Member of Berwyn Rod and Gun Club since 1983, it is an outdoor range located in Bowie Maryland, if interested in joining call 301-261-7515 or 301-464-9830[/b]

You don't pay too much, you pay too soon
User avatar
Phyrbird
Posts: 1037
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:53 pm

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by Phyrbird »

I definitely agree on the cold/heat method. Dry ice from a CO2 extinguisher I have used many times in industry. For heating try a "heat" gun from Harbor Freight, they never last forever, even the expensive ones. The H/G is just like a blow dryer only hotter. Plus they are safer for us than torches. For most "Loctite" you must get over 360deg F to loosen.
Be aware there are several mentions of the factory using a braze or high temp solder on these barrel jacket threads as a fix for loose threads. (especially the FBI model) I suggest a close inspection of the joint magnified. I would discourage all but an experienced professional from trying to disassemble any soldered threads.
Note: most factory repairs will also have a barrel date code ending in a "3". You should look for it.
Phyrbird
SOKY
MinnesotaDan
Posts: 170
Joined: Sun Jul 21, 2019 4:17 pm

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by MinnesotaDan »

I had the same problem. I followed your posted procedure exactly, and now the barrel jacket is no longer loose. Thanks for posting this solution.
User avatar
fechnerj
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2020 9:50 am

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by fechnerj »

Phyrbird wrote: Thu Dec 26, 2013 2:51 am I definitely agree on the cold/heat method. Dry ice from a CO2 extinguisher I have used many times in industry. For heating try a "heat" gun from Harbor Freight, they never last forever, even the expensive ones. The H/G is just like a blow dryer only hotter. Plus they are safer for us than torches. For most "Loctite" you must get over 360deg F to loosen.
Be aware there are several mentions of the factory using a braze or high temp solder on these barrel jacket threads as a fix for loose threads. (especially the FBI model) I suggest a close inspection of the joint magnified. I would discourage all but an experienced professional from trying to disassemble any soldered threads.
Note: most factory repairs will also have a barrel date code ending in a "3". You should look for it.
My Model 8 in 25 Remington, DOB 1910, has the barrel and extension nut brazed or soldered together. The joint area clearly has a silverish looking ring of material visible all around the joint area. Furthermore there is no pin in the joint area. I'm thinking this was the way it came from the factory, rather than a fix.
Also, there is a stamp indicating RP in a circle in the extension nut area but no 3. I've read that the 3 was indication of factory repairs, so I'm thinking there were no factory repair.
canuck
Posts: 135
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 6:42 pm
Location: Alberta, Canada

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by canuck »

Old thread revival!
fechnerj wrote: Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:37 am My Model 8 in 25 Remington, DOB 1910, has the barrel and extension nut brazed or soldered together. The joint area clearly has a silverish looking ring of material visible all around the joint area. Furthermore there is no pin in the joint area. I'm thinking this was the way it came from the factory, rather than a fix.
Also, there is a stamp indicating RP in a circle in the extension nut area but no 3. I've read that the 3 was indication of factory repairs, so I'm thinking there were no factory repair.
I too have a 25 REM with the barrel jacket brazed on
Pretty sure mine isn't factory done tho :lol: :lol:

Image

Image
ranman
Posts: 158
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2012 5:59 pm
Location: Ontario

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by ranman »

Yikes, I don’t think that one will rattle loose! :lol:
User avatar
fechnerj
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2020 9:50 am

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by fechnerj »

Yikes, mine is a bit neater than that. Dang, I wish I could figure this web photo thing out. None of the sites I've looked at has panned out so far so I could post some photos.
User avatar
fechnerj
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2020 9:50 am

Re: Loose Barrel Jacket Fix

Post by fechnerj »

A picture of my 25. I think this is a factory original. There is no set screw in the collar area.
Yep, I have the photo thing figured out thanks to Cam.
Attachments
1124201447.jpg
1124201447.jpg (7.67 KiB) Viewed 9110 times
1124201446a.jpg
1124201446a.jpg (7.44 KiB) Viewed 9110 times
Post Reply