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Posted: 6/17/2006 9:46:36 AM EDT
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Hi, I've been lurking on this forum for some time and have been checking out the various stickies with how to replace and build stuff on the AR15 platform. I have a Colt AR15 that has a A2 upper. I wanted to go the flattop route, and most likely with a Noveske Infidel/KX3 combo. The upper I purchased has M4 feedramps (I assumed that the Noveske would have the same). The original A2 upper does not have the feedramps. In anticipation of the rest of the parts, I wanted to see how the flattop would look with the current barrel. I had no intentions of keeping it mounted (non-m4 ramped barrel with ramped upper). I was able to remove the original barrel/nut from the old A2 receiver with no problems. When fitting to the new upper, i noticed it was very tight, and squirted some tuf-glide to help. I think it was about 90-95% of the way in, seated. I then proceeded to tighten the barrel nut. Since this was not permanent and I did not intend to shoot with it like this, I did not bother aligning the barrel nut notch for the gastube, with the gastube opening on the receiver and didn't think much of it (I didn't totally wrench it down). So I got antsy in the meantime and ordered a flattop with no M4 ramp cuts, so I would have another flattop that I could use with the original barrel. That arrived today and I went to my basement to eagerly install it. The first problem I encountered was, after removing the barrel nut, I could not for the life of me remove the barrel from the receiver. I tried various things from tapping on the receiver while the barrel was in a vise, only resulting in cosmetic damage to the soft material of the upper. Basically giving up and saying to myself, "I'll just have the cuts made in the barrel and leave it be," I decided to screw the barrel nut back on, but this time, to align it with the gastube opening on the receiver. Much to my chagrin, at the absolute tightest, the notch is about half an inch or maybe a little less, from the proper location. I tightened to the point where I had to tighten the vise, as it seemed that the nut could be tightened no more. If i unscrewed the nut to the previous revolution (where it would align), it was very loose. So I basically have two problems. I cannot remove the tight fitting barrel from the receiver and need some suggestions on what I could possibly try (aside from seeking out a local smith). And the second is what to do about the notch in the barrel nut for the gas tube not aligning? I think ideally I would like to remove the barrel from the upper, as I was intending to keep all the original parts on this, original. Thanks for reading and any help. Jon |
| Get yourself some Kroil and saturate the barrel extension area overnight. Put the upper receiver in a upper receiver block and you shoud be able to get the barrel off by gently working the barrel with your hands while the block is clamped in the vice. |
| If you've got a mag block to lock in a vise, or even an old steel mag will work in a pinch. Basically lock the upper on to a lower which is attached to a vise locked mag block. Then use a rubber or soft tip mallet to tap the back of the sight tower, you should be able to beat it out of the upper that way. |
To remove those tight barrels, you will need something to slide down into the receiver that's about 15/16" in diameter that you can pound against the barrel extension. You probably have a set of sockets and an extension bar which would work in a pinch. Personally, I use a cut-off piece of bull barrel, but you probably don't have one of those around. You will also need to mount the receiver to a receiver block that allows access through the rear of the receiver. Wack your 15/16" punch with a hammer until the barrel comes out. Have someone hold it as it slides out so it does not fall. Ask me why I give you this advice...  As for indexing, I make shims as rjay already mentioned. Barrel Nut Indexing Shims |
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Hi Everyone, Thanks for the tips and suggestions all around. I finally got to look at it this weekend, and upon receipt of the upper action vise block from Brownells and some modifications to the upper insert that came with the action block, i was able to knock out the barrel in the manner Randy suggested (actually read his post after the fact ironically). I just needed to grind down some material on the plastic insert (so that it would be able to move into the barrel extension area without resistance) and used that and a hammer to tap the barrel out. The fit on this WOA upper was super tight, when compared to the original Colt upper it was removed from and also the new no feedramp CMT upper i got. In any case, thanks again for the fast replies and help. jon |
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