AR NEWB question, removing the flashhider?

[DualBerettas]

thanks guys,
DB

 

[Kurt_D]

If it's not pinned then secure the rifle and it's righty tighty, lefty loosey.

 

[rodregier]

If it's been fired much it can be a bear to remove unless the barrel is clamped really tight. Barrel vice jaws and rosin to grip the barrel may be necessary. If you are re-installing a flashhider clean the threads, use blue loctite and just lightly tighten. Torquing the heck out of it can actually reduce the bore diameter at the muzzle, which is not a good thing.

 

[DualBerettas]

so whats the best way to do it w/o marring the finish?

gunsmith?

DB

 

[strat81]

I removed mine with an adjustable wrench. I secured the upper in a vise with a towel. An upper receiver action block would be more proper. You'll need a new crush washer to properly index the flash hider (if it's of a type that requires indexing). Don't bother with Loctite, the barrel gets hot enough to render most types of Loctite useless.

 

[IndianaBoy]

so whats the best way to do it w/o marring the finish?

Those are called character marks.




Put a scratch on it. It will free you up to use the rifle and not worry about dings or scratches. Very liberating.

 

[DualBerettas]

no i know that but i have put a camo finish on my rifle and don't want to screw it up just yet.

DB

 

[redneckdan]

A 3/4" wrench is the proper size. One way to do it; sitting down, rest the barrel on your lap, barrel pointed to the right, front sight block facing toward you, try to loosen the flash hider. The front sight will push into your leg, keeping the barrel from rotating. This method has an integrated over torque regulating feature; the dumb ass on the wrench will get uncomfortable with the pressure on his leg from the front sight before he does something stupid like snapping the front sight off... I've only seen one sight that was too tight to get off this way, that one required a special fixture and 6' of gas pipe to remove....I assume the guy who installed it was a little torque happy.


Use the red grade loc-tite 266. It breaks down at 260*C If you get a barrel that hot you have other issues to be more concerned about.

 

[Onmilo]

redneckdan, we machinists call anything that is overtorqued "Gorilla Tight" and it invokes all kinds of foul words when one encounters it.

I do not believe on using Loc-Tite on any gun part short of the too skimpy screws that come with most scope rings.
You don't need the stuff and it usually causes more problems than it solves in firearm applications.

+1 on using a high quality open end solid wrench.
Always use a vise with barrel blocks and rosin.
Wedging anything against ones legs to unscrew something is an invitation to the possibility of a nasty injury.
Good open end wrenches are not double ended and this allows the use of a cheater pipe if neccessary.
When one does encounter "Gorilla Tight" this little problem can and does break adjustable wrenches, which also makes "Gorilla Tight" another unneccessary safety issue.

 

[redneckdan]

we machinists all anything that is overtorqued "Gorilla Tight" and it invokes all kinds of foul words when one encounters it.

Also know to mauser gunsmiths as german spec or 'guten tight'.

 

[Onmilo]

I hear that!