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AR15 armors tool (Need another one. The one I have is $20.00 NC Star. It does the job)
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I'd consider a high quality armorer's tool essential. If not that, at least a high quality barrel nut wrench. The last thing you want is broken wrench teeth or a stripped nut from a marginal tool. Lots of people like the NC Star, but there are enough reports of teeth breaking to keep me away.
I wanted to remove some barrels, and after a bit of research, two of the more popular armorer's tools are the Real Avid and the Magpul.
- Real Avid has an open end castle nut wrench and closed end barrel nut wrench.
- You can work the castle nut without taking off the stock, which is useful if you're in a state that requires pinned stocks like California, but dedicated castle nut wrenches are inexpensive.
- You can't take the barrel nut off of, say, a barrel with an A2 FSB without removing the FSB first.
- Magpul has a closed end castle nut wrench and open end barrel nut wrench.
- The stock needs to be removed to use the castle nut wrench.
- You can remove a barrel nut without removing the FSB, gas block, whatever.
I bought the Real Avid, and it's worked very well the few times I've used it, but now I need to remove a 14.7" p&w barrel with an A2 FSB, and I could really use the Magpul open end barrel nut wrench. I'll probably buy the Magpul now, or a dedicated open end barrel nut wrench.