Struggled for about half hour trying to get it out.

I managed to pull it half way into the upper, rotate it, then slowly pull it forward, slightly bending it to get around the front handguard cap. As I saw posted in another thread, I had to "get mad at it".


I bet it will be harder getting it back in once I put the new barrel on.

what did ya buy?

I bet it will be harder getting it back in once I put the new barrel on.

Actually they get pretty easy after you do a couple / few of them.  Got it apart, practice for a minute ot two.  See what's actually going on.  Then you get good at it and won't even bend or bind them up.  Almost slick as a new style once you learn what you're doing.  Kroil works real well on the old fouled stuff.  Clean the FSB inside real good before re-installing the tube.  

As long as FSB isn't cast which many using the early tubes are,  it's almost easier to use TM method of removing and re-installing the forged FSB's. Two whacks with the hammer off and two on as long as you don't beat the crap out of the FSB.  Again hard to beat experience and the right tools. The grippy thing rubber pad M1 talks of is nice to have.  I use a piece of heat shrink to handle grab with.  

Kinda tit for tat but old stuff can be a little hard to initially get moving. I don't like banging on the cast FSB's so those I swap the tube and don't pull FSB when necessary.  Don't see much of the cast or real early stuff any more but was a time the AR market was full of it.  More of the old beater stuff than the new in the surplus circles.  Now it's all Chinese or seems like it.

Got a new (surplus) barrel for my XM16E1.


MANY YEARS AGO, I got a cleaning rod stuck in it. Tried tapping it out, tried twisting it out. After a day or so of trying, I took it to a gunsmith. He managed to remove it, but part of the rifling was damaged. Literally looks like a small spot of pitting.

It always shot great and never had a problem, but it always bugged me.