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February 21, 2011
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Is there some secret technique with torque or anything to retain, reduce or predict changes to zero when removing & re-installing a 6" vent heavy barrel on a 15-2?
Matthew Quigley on handguns:
“I said I never had much use for one. Never said
I didn't know how to use it.”
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February 22, 2009
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Not retain bullseye accuracy, but the POI shouldn't change that much if you have a (near) consistant gap and tension.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
February 21, 2011
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I'm experiencing a 3~4" @ 15 yd change in random directions. This is with consistent gap & torque. Is this what you'd call "normal" or "average"?
Matthew Quigley on handguns:
“I said I never had much use for one. Never said
I didn't know how to use it.”
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December 4, 2011
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Are you changing barrel lengths or is this the same barrel and shroud being reinstalled? If its different lengths, there will be some adjustment needed to get back to zero. If this is the same BA just being removed and reinstalled, I'd say there is something wrong somewhere. I can take a BA off my of any of my guns and clean etc and reinstall and don't notice any POI change, so long as I don't mess with the rear sight.
Is the front sight blade loose? Is the locator pin in place on the frame/shroud?
I'd say your experience is not normal.
If I'm changing barrel lengths, I use a laser bore sight to pre-adjust the sights to about 20 yards. That way I don't waste alot of ammo reacquiring zero.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
February 21, 2011
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Its the same 6" went rib heavy barrel. I usually only remove it once in a while to clean parts not accessable with it installed. Probably twice a year or so. The front sight is fine & tight, the pin is in place.
I don't get changes unless I remove & reinstall it so that pretty much seems to isolate the problem to barel & shroud removal & reinstallation IMO.
Matthew Quigley on handguns:
“I said I never had much use for one. Never said
I didn't know how to use it.”
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February 22, 2009
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Try setting your gap the way you like and indexing the barrel to the shroud w/ a mark of some sort.
Shoot it, then dissassemble/ reassemble w/ the gap set and the barrel indexed at the mark. Shoot it again to see if the POI changed. If so, get a different barrel from Eric and do the same thing.
My $.02
Keep us up to date!
Ron
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
February 21, 2011
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I tried this & finally go to the range to see what cause & effects I could figure out.
Changing gap slightly (I didn't want to go too far in either directioin) between 7 & 4 thou didn't do much, to POI/POA but it did drastically alter the amount of spitting.
It turned out to be barrel nut torque, way more sensitive than I thought it would be. Just 1/8 turn in total caused identical loads to print 4" left, 5" low & 3" high all were shot at 15 yds.
So, this begs a question. How do you ensure consistant nut torque? a gadget, a technique, or you just feel it?
Matthew Quigley on handguns:
“I said I never had much use for one. Never said
I didn't know how to use it.”
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December 4, 2011
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I have a calibrated wrist. 
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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mister callan said
So, this begs a question. How do you ensure consistant nut torque? a gadget, a technique, or you just feel it?
I actually have an informed and valid solution for this (rare for me). The early 15-2's had a barrel nut "spud" that worked with a separate wrench. It had a hex head which could be tightened/loosened with a socket or open end wrench. Put the socket on a torque wrench and you're there.
These come up on ebay and gun broker occasionally, BUT be aware that this item is also pretty prone to damaging/rounding over barrel nuts.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
July 27, 2010
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These are currently soldout at EWK, but this is what you need, if you don't just want to move the nut back to the same position.
Edit: I can't get the link or image to come up, but it is the
Dan Wesson Small Frame Hex Drive Wrench
$26.95
at EWK's store.
October 13, 2009
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Whoops, I do have those wrenches on hand, just updated the website. 
As Steve mentioned, be careful using it. Any of the wrenches need down pressure to keep them engaged in the nut. Best bet is to probably hold you Dan in a vise while you run the torque wrench.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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I was pretty sure they were an EWK item, and yes positive down pressure is essential. I'd be just as inclined to lock the Hex Drive Wrench in the vise facing up, and hold the barrel nut firmly down on the wrench and rotate the gun on the wrench to break a tight barrel nut loose.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
November 23, 2008
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Good morning
Generally I found with all my DW's a Barrel gap of .0015 (and less) and a tight barrel nut was the way to go. Back in the early 80's experements were done with torque wrenches and devices to determine the the best way to get the absolute accuracy.
No "magic torque or method" was discovered. All frames, shrouds, barrels and nuts are not equal so end up being singular entities by themselves. Bottom line still is... Run them tight and close to the cylinder and learn to control the recoil.
In general.. Dobber the barrels threads with anti-seize compound, tighten the barrel tight and leave it alone. Numerous dedicated DW shooters shot thousands of high pressure cast gas checked slugs down range never removing the barrel for the whole Silly-wet season. I was one. My .357 mag & 41 Mag barrel never left the frame for no reason once the sights were set.
Tight is good ! You can over tighten but I have yet to do so. I never put an extension on the wrench. (small pipe on grip removal wrench key) I place my thumb on the stock hex key, grip in my gut, left hand holding revolver steady and turn wrench till I cannot turn it anymore. Not real scientific but a tight barrel nut is a Happy barrel nut.
Mike in ILL 
May 3, 2011
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Are you using a bench rest? And or a scope on your pistol? Factory or reloads? Is your cylinder gap always the same?
February 2, 2009
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I've got a 357Max and have brought an assortment of barrels to the range and changed them back and forth with no noticeable alteration in accuracy; I have etched a 1 on the cylinder that I set the gap on as mine is .002 and needs to be on the high spot. I have a scoped barrel and it will print a 1" group at 50yds even after being removed and replaced. The other barrels are unscoped and with my eyes, I'm lucky to keep a 3" group, but I can still ring the 18" gong at 200yds so I'm happy.
February 21, 2011
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Are you using a bench rest?
No, not ever, but I have rested the wrists on a sandbag to see if it made a difference. It didn't.
And or a scope on your pistol?
Nope, fibre-optic iron sights exclusively.
Factory or reloads?
Reloads. 125 Gr JHP @ 1350 FPS (instrumental @15')
Is your cylinder gap always the same?
Except as noted above yes. (& set on the same chamber every time.)
Just to clarify it is not the group size that is changing, that stays about the same, its the POI Vs POA (zero) that changes.
Matthew Quigley on handguns:
“I said I never had much use for one. Never said
I didn't know how to use it.”
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November 17, 2008
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I suspect that if we did a study (not sure how) we would find that some BA combinations will return to the same POI and some won't. Could be a matter of the tolerances of the BA or I believe some shrouds have a flat barrel nut recess and some have a slight taper. Some alignment pins are tight and some not so. Too many variables to say exactly why but if one returns to the same POI I would count myself lucky and if one doesn't I would not be surprised. Just my two cents on the subject.
LB
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
April 3, 2012
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mister callan
Could you tell me where you got the sights pictured above? I have one of the excellent front fiber optic sights from EWK, but am curious about your rear sight.
December 5, 2012
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My rear sight on the 15-2 is so far adjusted to the right I think it might fall off when zeroed for dead center at 50y. Things like this buggers me a lot, anyone heard of them doing this? Being misaligned, not falling off...
February 11, 2010
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Whistler said
My rear sight on the 15-2 is so far adjusted to the right I think it might fall off when zeroed for dead center at 50y. Things like this buggers me a lot, anyone heard of them doing this? Being misaligned, not falling off...
Had simular problem with a 15-2, changed ammo, changed grip and played with
barrel nut torque and got it to shoot with sights centered.
-Blacktop
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