Headspace advice needed, 6.5 Creedmoor, 2 diff Savage rifles

[Barrelnut]

I use the Northland Shooter Supply nuts. Hugh difference between them and the factory ones. The factory ones don't have the cleanest threads and can be warped.
the NNS nuts are nice and square with good threads.

 

[TejasRider]

If I go this route, barrel in a vice, pipe wrench on the barrel nut and do I need something like this for the action?
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/7...ring-action-wrench-2-remington-700-savage-110

Also to confirm, I'd need the small shank?

 

[ntsqd]

When I changed a Savage .22-250 Varmint to 6BR I used that action wrench, only w/o the handle screwed into it and clamped in a vise. That way I wasn't chasing things around the bench.

 

[Barrelnut]

I'm pretty sure it is a small shank. I have one of the Savage FV from Cabelas and it was a small shank. I believe you will only see a large shank on a bull barrel or a short action magnum.

You do not need a barrel vise. As a matter of fact I would recommend against it. All you will probably end up doing is marring the finish on the barrel. All you need is the action wrench and the barrel nut wrench. A factory installed barrel can be somewhat difficult to remove. The best way to do it is to install the action wrench on the action and put the barrel nut wrench on the barrel nut. Set the angles between them to a little more than 45 degrees. Then place the barreled action with the two wrenches attached on a piece of carpet on the floor. Set it down so it looks kinda like how a rifle sets on a bipod. Then press down with your foot between the two wrenches. Apply pressure. The barrel will unscrew with no damage to the finish. You can actually reverse the position of the wrenches to retighten everything this way too. Or just clamp the action wrench in a vise.

I would call call Jim at Northland Shooter Supply. He is a great guy to talk to and he can walk you through all of this. Lots of Savage shooters go there for their actions and parts. It is almost an institution. You can get the barrel nuts and wrenches from him too.

 

[Wedgy]

The set I showed earlier fits large nut, small nut, and smooth nut for $26, just get that action wrench and your good. Most guys pipe wrench then ditch the smooth nut because the wrench slips on them.

 

[ThrdKllr]

Or if you want to get really fancy, get the nuts Bugholes makes and sells. They look really cool.
But you have to use their wrench.

 

[ntsqd]

My own pref, looked at the bugholes nuts out of curiosity and like the looks of the NSS nuts better, they look less like they were found in a hardware store. I doubt that how they look has any effect on how they function, and given the source I'll bet that they work well.

FWIW I have the Wheeler bbl nut wrench and while works fine it really needed to be meticulously de-burred before it would work without the risk of marring the nut.

 

[Barrelnut]

I like the Bighorn barrel nuts.