Gut Err Nut Wrenching
I’ve mentioned I like the Colt 6920s with no furniture (I got 3 from Tombstone Tactical, 2 for me and 1 for the nephew) because I can doll them up in whatever Magpul furniture I like. I like a single point sling and use the Magpul ASAP to mount it. And this has lead to me boogering up 3 of the 6920s. Here’s one:
Colt, making a fine weapon, stakes the castle nut like an AR maker is supposed to. This makes makes removal of the sling mount a pain in the buttocks. Basically, you have to gorilla the damn thing off of there either with brute force or by tapping your wrench with a rubber mallet. The first one, I successfully He-Manned it off of there and bent the CAR stock wrench. The second one, I used a bit larger wrench and the mallet method, since I scratched the buffer tube so bad taking the first one off. The mallet method with the slightly larger wrench didn’t work. It bent the wrench pretty badly. So, I got a nicer, larger wrench and managed to get the second one off with it. Then, my nephew goes to do the third one and snaps hook right off the wrench. All three are pictured below:
What method and tool do you use?
And I make certain to loctite them after the mount is installed.
Oh and:
December 28th, 2015 at 10:09 pm
I use the TAPCO Multi-Tool AR-15, get it at Midway. I really can’t see someone breaking it, I guess anything is possible. But I believe it will break your AR first.
My first two AR’s bought back in the 80’s were not staked. Everything else has been put together by me using the above tool. And no I don’t stake the nut!
December 28th, 2015 at 10:53 pm
Using loctite on the buffer tube virtually guarantees you’re tossing it next time you take that nut off.
It’s going to spin with the nut and the end-plate is going to gouge the threads all to hell.
Ask me how I know…
Try putting the square part of the tube in a padded vice next time. Worked for me.
I used the DPMS took, a breaker bar and a pipe and SLOW pressure getting my castle nuts unstaked. More leverage gives better control too.
December 28th, 2015 at 10:57 pm
Uh, no. Not the blue kind.
December 28th, 2015 at 11:09 pm
I cut a slit in really really tight ones with a fine Dremel cut off wheel. They spin right off after that. Replace with new $5 castle nut. No worry about bending, breaking, or boogering up the more expensive parts that way.
December 28th, 2015 at 11:11 pm
When you pull the sleeve nut off of an axel you are supposed to use a punch or nail set to i stake it first. Could you do the same here?
December 29th, 2015 at 3:15 am
A little bit of Locktite never hurt anyone. Using too much, or the wrong kind, is where you bugger things up. Also, heating it softens it. Same goes for epoxy.
Staking is all well and good, but I like to be able to take things apart without boogering the metal. Besides; there are better ways to keep things from coming apart, so staking would almost never be strictly necessary.
I too would like to know of a tool that won’t break. So far we have one vote for the Tapco piece. That should arouse the Tapco haters.
Just a passing thought here; good steel is good steel, and it isn’t difficult to find good steel to make into tools. The first step is to ask yourself; what is good steel and where do I get it? Next, you may wish to ask; since high pressure gun barrels have to be good steel, and breech bolts and sometimes receivers have to be good steel, what might those be made of?
Ding ding ding ding ding ding!
December 29th, 2015 at 1:19 pm
Honestly since the newer ASAP plates seem more brittle (they break when staked instead of deforming) I buy BCM guns that are also built to spec but have a QD receiver endplate. I just don’t want to go through this anymore since Bravo Co. already solved the problem.
December 29th, 2015 at 2:12 pm
I’ve done what Reuben recommends. You don’t need to go down to the threads of the tube. Just about half way and the nut will spin off.
And I never stake mine. Just blue Loctite.
December 29th, 2015 at 3:27 pm
A heat gun works wonders.
Getting the nut hot while keeping the other parts cool is the trick.
It can be done with a little thinking.
The warm nut expands and most of the time if there was Loctite used it will release too.
December 29th, 2015 at 7:24 pm
1. You need the Magpul Armorer’s Wrench, duh:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/925925/magpul-ar-15-armorers-wrench-steel-black
Fits a 1/2″ torque wrench so you can really go for it with the torque if you have to, and includes the best barrel nut wrench I’ve ever used.
2. Use a portable propane torch to break down any Loctite, works like a charm, only a few seconds of very direct heat does the trick.
3. I really don’t like staking. A smidge of blue Loctite 243 will provide the necessary prevailing torque to prevent the nut from coming loose, which is all that is needed.
December 29th, 2015 at 11:16 pm
A number of factors need to be considered when choosing the correct Loctite for an application. Generally, if you need to use heat to break the fastener loose, or damage to the fastener or tool is occurring, you have picked the wrong one.
In this case, the tool engagement is minimal, and the thread is nearly the same diameter as the nut itself. Plus, it is a large diameter, so there is a huge amount of surface engagement in the thread assembly.
If you want to Loctite this nut, I would suggest using #222, which is Purple. This Loctite is normally used on threads below 1/4″ diameter, as #242 Blue tends to cause a failure of the drive engagement, or the screw shaft itself breaks.
In other words, you need to use a weaker adhesive.
December 29th, 2015 at 11:37 pm
When I assembled my AR I used a Hammerhead rifle tool, I think it might do what you want.
December 30th, 2015 at 10:59 am
There’s this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI5VpUTBw-I&spfreload=10
I’ve never need to deal with staking the buffer tube nut (yet), but I don’t like staking any threaded assembly. I’ll likely use loctite when I have to.
December 30th, 2015 at 12:10 pm
I’m with the others on cutting the nut. This is the only time a dremmel is the right tool.