I have sort of gotten ahead of my self and left a few things out like how to go about the metal work and get an action ready to build a custom rifle. If you would like me to talk about this a bit let me know.
Well I will any way. First you have to select an action. In most of the pictures shown I was working with an Eddystone P-14 action. You will hear stories about the Eddystone action being very tough and hard to drill and tap. For the most part that is true, however the stories about them being lible to crack are not. They will crack when a barrel is improperly removed or at times installed with too tight threads as in forced into the action. This is rare but improper removal of any barrel can cause problems such as twisting or crushing an action.
Most barrels lock up in to locations on an action. First as the shoulder sets up against the reciever ring and second when the face of the barrel sets up against the front of the lugs in the action like on a Mauser. When properly set up just tightening a barrel by hand will cause it to lock up tight enough so you will need an action wrench to remove it. Now imagin giveing that action a smack or two with a hammer and letting oil, rust dirt and grime work its way into things and dry out. The barrel is not going to come off easy!! When removing barrels I use an action wrench which suports the reciever ring for 360 degrees and a barrel vice which clamps in a rather large vice. If a blow or two from a 4 pound hammer on the wrench will not loosen the barrel then I will try penitrating oil, I have found P.B.Blast to be the best. I will let it soak a day and try again, you can use a bit of heat but if you do not know what you are doing you will rouin the action so I do not recomend this. Again I try a couple of blows with the hammer and if nothing happens it is time for the lathe. Set the barrel up in the lathe and cut the shoulder off up to the front of the reciever ring. Your barrel will now come off with ease. On the Enfields I usually just start in the lathe as you can expect them to be stuborn. Next I will talk about what to do to the action once the barrel is off, then to I guess Mausers unless you people have another idea.