Can I tighten the castle nut without a stock wrench?

[Carter]

So I have a m4 stock on my XCR. The other day when shooting the castle nut and buffer tube came loose because the gun shop didn't loctite it down. I went to go fix it today and seem to have misplaced my wrench, just great...

I'm going shooting tomorrow and would prefer to not have a loose stock after a magazine or two. Any suggestions? I plan on ordering a new wrench but need it fixed by tomorrow.

Thanks.

 

[rcmodel]

You might get by using a small brass punch & hammer in the holes or notches, whichever it has, to tappy - tap -tap it tight enough to get by.

It should not have been Lock-Tighted, it should have been tightened tight, and staked in place with a center-punch mark like mil-spec.

rc

 

[Carter]

Whats the problem with using removable loctite? I don't have a buffer spring in there (xcr is piston driven).

 

[kwelz]

Castle nuts should be staked not locktited. Staking is mechanical and won't be impacted by heat or chemicals.

 

[DougW]

I always use the brass punch/hammer trick. Same trick I used to use on VW axel nuts 25 years ago!

 

[Carter]

How do I stake the castle nut? Never built an AR so I'm not to familiar with it. Only reason I got the buffer tube stock was that I had a Magpul stock lying around.

 

[rcmodel]

Just stake the steel stock plate to the castle nut with a center-punch.
There should already be notches in the castle nut for it.

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Charles Daly Carbines/castle nut staking 1028 WEVO.jpg

rc

 

[Carter]

Okay, thanks guys.