While assembling an ambi safety selector I accidentally spilled blue loctite on the left side of the assembly. I thought I had it all wiped off but some of it managed to seep into and around the cylinder and now that part as well as the safety selector detent are stuck in the lower receiver. Of course I need to get these parts out.

If I could manage to get the detent to drop out I could simply drive out the cylindrical part with a punch.

I have a heat gun but not sure how long I need to keep it focused on the problem area and even then not sure it would be enough to loosen the detent. Another issue is polymer parts (mainly the trigger guard). I don't want to melt it. Of course the polymer pistol brace (SBA3) can be removed.

Another possibility is to use some sort of solvent that will seep in and break down the Loctite. Did some reading and the one that might work best is some acetone. I was thinking of turning the lower assembly upside down and use an eye-dropper to drip a little acetone in the hole where the detent is to allow it to seep in.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Any suggestions would be helpful and yes, I should have completely disassembled the ambi safety and wiped the parts clean with alcohol then reassembled. Of course that is water under the bridge.

The heat will make it easy to remove. Remove the plastic parts if it is a concern. The trigger guard is easy to remove.

I'll try the heat gun first since I own one. I don't have any acetone and SWMBO's nail polish remover is 'acetone free'.

I'm assuming the heat gun needs to be applied for several minutes in order to get the metal parts really hot. Last night I only applied heat for maybe 30 seconds and of course, nada.

Fellow ARF member stopped by an hour ago with a loaner can of acetone and a syringe with a real needle on it so I can dispense one tiny drop at a time if needed.

I won't be attempting any work on this for a while but will post results.

SUCCESS!!!!!




Used heat gun for 2-3 minutes. After lower cooled off used polymer end of a gunsmith hammer to tap the stuck cylinder to flush on one side then the other. Somewhere in the process the selector detent popped out and I was able to drive out the cylinder using a polymer/nylon bolt as a punch.


Now the detent is nowhere to be found (and it's possible the pointy tip got sheared off). The price of a new detent is miniscule compared to the price of a new lower and trigger half of a FCG (which was 'trapped' by the selector cylinder).

Whew!

Glad you got it!

You're glad. I'm estatic!

I will NEVER, EVER, EVER again use threadlocker in the manner I described in the OP.

While at a fellow ARF member's house to finish another build I discovered a product that I never knew existed: threadlocker in a thick gel form (Permatex). Going to the auto parts store for some wiper blades and while I am over there am going to get a tube...and then I will be finished with liquid threadlocker.

Last night that missing selector detent finally rose from the depths of the carpet.

Using my fingernail to scrape off the dried threadlocker it appears no worse for wear and has been bagged and returned to my parts bin.

LocTite makes a “solid” thread locker, comes in a tube like ChapStik.
Works well

Yep, discovered this product not long after I got this issue fixed. Purchased and in the tool box.

If you ever get in a bind again this stuff works ok for getting threadlocker unglued UN-CURE™ debonder .  I had to let it soak in overnight to get a CZ scorpion barrel nut off, was able to get it apart but it left some crap on the threads.  I bought some of this Chisel Gasket Paint Stripper which has methylene chloride in it to see if it helps clean old thread locker off of screws better but, I haven't had a chance to use it yet.

I use a toothpick to apply loctite. A little dab will do ya.

Glad the OP got it cleaned up and fixed.