Want to change flash hider on....

[SilentStalker]

I would like to change out my flash hider on one of my AR's, but I am wondering how hard it is to do. I know it is wrenched on there pretty well and I know that on mine it should just spin off with the use of a wrench but I am worried about putting it in a vise. I am mechanically inclined and I really do not feel like I should pay for something like this but at the same time I do not want to mess it up either or scratch the surface too much as it is a brand new rifle.

 

[MrCleanOK]

The right tools for the job are a barrel block, bench vise and spanner wrench that has a flat enough profile to fit the flats of your flash hider. If you don't have the barrel block and use an upper receiver block instead, you end up transmitting the torque through the pin that aligns the barrel extension to the receiver. Plenty of people do it that way, but taking the risk is up to you.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

 

[CCH71]

You had mentioned that it is a brand new rifle. As long as it's not from a state with assault weapon laws or is under 16", this makes the likelihood of it being pinned on very slim. As such, it's right-hand threads. If you do not have a vice fixture to hold the upper/barrel assembly in a vice, I understand your concern about putting it in a vice. The flash hider shouldn't be on there with a ton of torque. Laying the gun flat on its side with a magazine installed will probably give you enough support to get a wrench on the flash hider and unscrew it. If you're having to strain too much and it hasn't budged, make sure it hasn't been permanently installed with a welded over pin or silver solder.

 

[Z-Michigan]

If you have a pinned FSB (the triangle with the sight post) then you can just put the FSB in a vise and remove the stock hider, no worries. The FSB and its pins hold tighter than any barrel vise could.

If you have any other type of gas block, you will need a decent barrel vise. Usually you can remove them using an upper block, but you risk damaging the upper or barrel indexing pin by doing so, so it's not recommended.

 

[fanchisimo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj4p7WyXe8Y

Here is a video where a guy has a vice block made out of a couple pieces of lumber. It's cheap and since you're mechanically inclined, it should be easy to make. I have a Yankee Hill flash hider on order and when it gets here, I'm gonna make that vice block when I remove my stock flash hider.

 

[Ro1911]

I just held the rifle in one hand and had the stock between my boots and used the big AR combo tool to wrench the old one off and put the new one on. But I was forced to be inventive, if you have a vise I would use it lol.

 

[AlexanderA]

The culprits in over-torqued flash hiders are often the newer "crush washers" that may require a lot of torque to index the FH properly. I've found the solution to be carefully cutting a relief groove in the crush washer, using a Dremel cut-off wheel. Don't cut too deep! The FH should then unscrew fairly easily. In reassembling, I prefer the older "peel washer" that can be adjusted for proper thickness so that the FH indexes without over-tightening.

 

[Sam1911]

I made up a barrel vice-block like that the last time I did one. Worked like a charm.

 

[fanchisimo]

How deep did you make the notch for the Front Site Base? The video almost looks like it's only 3/8" deep. I'm sure it would work, but seems like it would be leaning on the side of caution to make it just a little deeper.

 

[Sam1911]

Oh, sorry, I didn't do any notching for that and didn't put any pressure on the FSB.

Just ripped a chunk of 2x4 in half (vertically), laid the two pieces back together, and then drilled a 5/8" (or so, can't remember...whatever fits the barrel) hole through them vertically, so half the hole was in each interior face of the pieces of wood.

Clamped them in the vice, around the barrel, and it gripped plenty tight enough to remove and install a FH.

 

[MtnCreek]

For the flash hider, it probably won't make a difference. If you're going to put a lot of torque on it, use white oak or similar heavy grained hardwood. I made a barrel vice out of a pine 2x4 and it would not grip the barrel. After some reading and another trip to town, I made one out of oak and used a little all purpose flour as 'resin'. This was to remove a barrel from a bolt gun that was apparently assembled by Arnold Swortzanager (yea, I don't know how to spell his name..).

Edit: I used the little sandpaper drum on a drimal to get rid of the sharpe edges where I drilled the hole for the barrel.

 

[Reloadron]

Before I got a good set of barrel vise fixtures from Brownells my first set was blocks of oak. Measure the barrel diameter and drill out the block of oak slightly undersized. Then run it through a band saw and cut it in halves. I would dip a piece of thin lead sheet in rosin wrap it around the barrel and sandwich the barrel with the oak block. That oak is some seriously hard stuff. I used a small hydraulic press but a good vise would work.

Ron