How do you remove the barrel on a S&W model 422?

[brhodes]

I've been over to Numrich and Brownells for about an hour now, and I can't seem to find the right tool to remove the barrel on my S&W 422. I also searched here, but couldn't find the answer.

How do you get them out?

I'm loathe to use a normal screwdriver, as I'm afraid it'll screw up the barrel and/or retainer.

I did find this:

http://www.gunsamerica.com/97691869..._622_2206_2213_2214_TOOLS_SHOP_MANUAL_LOO.htm

But the guy has no other auctions. Looks to me that he has what amounts to a cylinder that has two little "ears" which fit into the recesses of the retaining nut. I suppose I could get the dremel out and re-purpose a cheap old socket of the appropriate diameter, but if there's a tool available, that would be better.

Also, does anyone know if they are right or left hand threads?

Thanks in advance. I bought the pistol when they first came out, and have never had the barrel out. I'd like to get in there and make sure it's clean and such.

 

[gb6491]

Right hand threads. I took some flat stock and ground out a space between the sides to make a spanner. Something like this:

Regards,
Greg

 

[brhodes]

Super cool, Greg. I think that's what I'll wind up doing then. Thanks much.

 

[glockman19]

Great Info. Please also share this with the members of the 642 Club thread part Duex

 

[ragtopdog]

Never owned one or seen one in person, but it looks like the barrel is part of the entire frame. You could try this. Clear the weapon (DUH!) eject the clip and pull the slide back. Most smith slides lock back. Then pull down on the trigger guard. Should be a mech. in there to release the slide, prb. by pulling the slide slightly back and up. Do it over a white towel in case something pops out! But like I said never had one.

 

[ragtopdog]

Just loked at a 422 exploded view on e-gunparts.com. Forget what I said that thing looks really hoky.

 

[roadrash 1]

The 422 is probably one of the best .22 designs ever,for running a can!

 

[brhodes]

More info. I was talking with a gunsmith I know over lunch. He looked it up, looked in back, and said he had nothing that would work, he'd have to call S&W, etc. Might take a few weeks, he said.

However, he said that the nut looks really familiar, and he once saw a special kind of screwdriver that Sears sells which he thinks might work. I'm going to head over there after work tonight and have a look.

Another option that might work was from a buddy of mine. He was thinking that I take a cheapo Chinese large regular head screwdriver and hold it at an angle to the wheel on a bench grinder so that just enough space is ground out to clear the barrel's diameter. Then I grind off the side material of each new "ear" enough so that it fits within the diameter of the barrel nut. As long as the blade thickness matches closely (and the metal of the screwdriver isn't rendered useless by the heat of the grinding process), it ought to work.

I'll post an update when I figure out what works. I don't really care if it's ugly. I just want to get the nut off without damaging anything. Oh yeah, I bought one of those thread adapters for the Gemtech Outback as well. So there's more incentive to getting that nut off there.

 

[Myles]

brhodes idea about altering a cheap screwdriver is what I had done. Took a cheapo flat head that was almost the right width, and I used a dremel to cut the tip to the same thickness and ground the sides to match width.

If memory serves, without my fetching my 622, I think a dime worked as well.

 

[brhodes]

Well, not to beat a dead horse, but the front end of my 422 is a little beat and my barrel nut is still on tight as a drum.

I went to my uncle's house (he's got all the tools, scrap steel, welders, etc). We did the "grind a screwdriver" thing. And we bent two of them. We started searching for something a little more hefty, and a 5/16 wrench is about perfect. So we shaved one down, careful to not overheat it. We bent that as well. We made a thing out of bar stock. We snapped off one of the "ears". All this after letting it soak overnight in some break free.

We also scratched up the aluminum on the front of the gun a little. It already had a few dings, so I'm not too upset about it.

So, my next recourse is to call S&W and ask them what tool they use, and then ask them if I can buy one. Clearly I have some rust or powder residue or something helping to bond the nut to the barrel. So instead of damage anything further, I'll just have to shell out for whatever the pros at S&W use, if I can.

I will say, though, that the 5/16 open-ended wrench is about the perfect size tool to alter -- assuming your barrel nut can turn to begin with. So anyone else trying this, go for the cheap Chinese wrench. Just grind off what you need to from the outsides, and then flatten the two points such that they fit into the slots in the barrel nut.

 

[roadrash 1]

Are you sure you are not tightening it ?

 

[gb6491]

There is a lock washer behind the barrel nut, but the nut on my 422 turns with just a small amount of effort. A little heat from a torch might free yours up.
Regards,
Greg

 

[jag609]

get a 1/4" bolt that's 3-4" long, use nuts on either side of 1/4" washer and you can get barrel nut off. curve of washer doesn't scratch crown of barrel. $2 in parts at walmart. no cuttin, no fabrication.

 

[moransa]

jag609 is onto something, I had to take mine a step further. I tried the washer thing, it was a perfect fit, but my barrel got in the way, so I had to dremel out a notch. Then I put this washer in a pair of Vise Grips and went to town. Broke the 'teeth' off my new little tool, so I made another one. 3 minutes and $.05 later, I mounted the washer contraption into my bench vise with just the teeth sticking out. Putting the gun up to the vise, I was able to twist the barrel nut off much easier, and without damaging my gun. Just an idea for anyone out there still fighting this thing. Good luck, hope this helps.