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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

Smle Barrel Removal Help Please


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I have no experience with those rifles. They don't seem to be modded or "hot rodded" as much as Mausers, 1903's (were), etc. What is "bolt in" and "bolt out?" Again, I'm not an expert in this stuff, just an amateur bubba-hacker kinda 'smith.

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I have been taught that it is best to leave the bolt in on some rifles like the Swedish Mauser when removing the barrels as some of the actions can twist.

Whether or not that is true I do not know. But I figure that many many before me have done this many times and I go by their advice and wisdom (until proven wrong).

 

But I removed a barrel off of an 1906 BSA SHTLE last night without the bolt in it and it came off so easy I thought I was doing something wrong :D.

I use a Brownells barrel vise & aluminum bushings and their action wrench with the model/action specific head. Though I had a friend make a head for me to remove barrels from U.S. Krags.

 

I am a well equipped amateur bubba-hacker kinda smith :lol: :lol:

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I bought a barrel vice and action wrench when I swapped out the barrel on that Spanish Mauser. I never thought about leaving the bolt in. I suppose it wouldn't hurt, but given the action wrench grabbing it up at the front ring, I don't see much chance for twisting there.

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Generally, if the barrel breach has an extractor cut, you cannot leave the bolt in during barrel removal. Swedes are thin and often a little soft, and leaving the bolt in helps to prevent bending the front ring.

 

Bill Jacobs

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I rebuild motorcycle engines (American, Japanese and English). Harley Davidson requires a torque plate for boring and I have and use them. Though they are the only make that requires them. Once just for the fun of it I bored a friends Ironhead Sportster without the torque plates with his knowledge. I also bored the cylinders on my own Shovelhead without the plates. Using a dial bore gauge I could not tell the difference on the bores with or without the plates.

The Sporty now has 15000 more plus miles on the engine and no problems, well outside of what is considered normal. Same for my old Shovel, though it only has around 10000 more miles on it after the rebuild.

I suppose the point I am making is that some expert and professional (hopefully) determined that torque plates were required for Harley cylinder boring. And I use them. But just to satisfy my on curiosity I had to try without. I am really not about short cuts just the most beneficial way to do a job. I like to do it right.

So that explains the question about the bolt being left in or taken out.

You guys really did help with your replies and I do appreciate it!

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Evo's and up require torque plates for boring. It will get them to under a half-thousandths versus a thousandths without the plate, from what the builders tell me. Shovelheads and iron head sportsters never did, but then the cylinders are all iron on those versus aluminum with an iron sleeve on an Evo. Shovelheads always needed a top end job done by 25-30K miles, no matter what you did to them.

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"Shovelheads always needed a top end job done by 25-30K miles, no matter what you did to them." Fact.
And the English bikes (the older Triumph, BSA's and Norton's) seem to need top ends more often than that.
No matter what I preach to owners about warming up the engine before giving it the onion :D.
I do not see to many Shovel's, or any other bike I repair or rebuild, with that many miles on them. But what I do see is abuse and neglect.
But the Shovel and Ironhead Sportster's do require torque plates for boring as per Harley Davidson manual and suggested for the Pan, Knuckle and various Side Valves.

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I have worked over quite a view Mausers but know very littlw about SMLE's so I can't help you there.

BUT, since you guys got on the subject of bikes--. I just bought a evolution with 14,000 miles, runs

great, doesn't smoke, I have no idea what work has been done to it in the past.

Would you consider 14,000 high miles?

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Ken,

On an Evo, 14K is not quite broke in yet. I have >80K on mine and not only did I buy it new, I opened the box it came in. At 100K, start thinking about it. What year is your bike? Post 92, the inner cam bearing needs to be changed out to the earlier style. Lifters should really be replaced as a maintenance item at 50K. Other than that, just ride it. Like I said, check out the hdforums site Iinked to. Lots of Evo info there.

 

Gun,

Never heard of torque plates before the Evo came out. I've still got a shop manual for a 79 FHL POS and there's no mention of torque plates in it.

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Ken, Dr.Hess is spot on with the Evo. In my opinion the Evo/Blockhead was the best big twin engine Harley had. Only reason I do not own one is that I just enjoy the Shovel so much.

If your Evo starts to leak around the base gaskets there is an after market fix for that with gaskets and a press in jet. And check your alt./regulator rectifier plug in to make sure it fits snug to tight. A loose connection seems to cause the alt or the reg./rec. to go out Those are the only things I am aware of in the area of troubles. Dr.Hess you find or know of anything else?

 

Dr.Hess check out page 3-24 in the 1978 1/2 to 1984 FL/FX Models 1200/1340 4-Speed factory manual.

 

79 FHL POS. They made them in that year too? :lol:

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My factory shop manual is 78-1/2 to 83 FL/FX and it does not mention torque plates. I also have a 84-86 manual, but that's an Evo.

 

Oh, Ken, BTW, the first thing you need to buy is a Genuine HD factory shop manual.

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I've had trouble with them coming loose on me after a service. Others have too. It is just a good idea to put some blue on there when you put them back together, or at a minimum some green penetrating after it is back together.

So, is there more than 175 miles of pavement in AK now? 2 of my friends rode shovelheads from central Texas to Anchorage or Fairbanks in the mid 80's.

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Gun

Things have grown a lot since the 80s. Heck, there is 100,000 more people here now than when I arrived in the early 90s.

 

Dr.Hess

Yes, there are thousands of miles of paved roads here! There are actually quite a lot of biker tourist here right now. I see bikes of all makes but a high percentage of bikes that look like dirt bikes but are really touring bikes of various manufacture.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I removed the barrel on a 1905 LSA last night. Boy was that thing ever tight.

Monday, 7-27-15, I hope to have the barrel boxed up and on the way to J.E.S.

 

ken98k how is the suspension change on your FXSTC working for you?

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