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Posted: 7/27/2026 11:56:36 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Shung][Edited]
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Ok… Some years ago I bought a few complete Brownells uppers (including the bcg) because they were cheap (Swiss price wise) and they would allow me future build. I am now making a mk12mod1 clone , but in order to do that I need to change the barrel and to do so I need to remove the freaking handguard. It looked simple enough, as it seems that 6 Allen screws would go through the hand guard into the barrel nut below. Problem is, I managed to remove only 1 screw out of the six… and that forward screw on the right side, I am not even sure it’s long enough to reach a barrel nut below it. Looks only aesthetics. The other screws I cannot remove. Them Allen sockets are very poor and seem stripped already. I even bought a brand new quality set of Allen keys (imperial of course) but that doesn’t help at all. Am I doing something wrong ? I don’t see any other way to remove the hand guard to access the barrel nut. What are my options here ? Anyone from Brownells’s has any clue what kind of shit screws these are ? I am about to dremel a slot accross those screws to simply use a flat screwdriver and drive those out. I don’t give a shit about ruining the screws or hand guard either. If I ever use anything again on this upper it might be the barrel but that’s it. If anyone has any advice to offer, it is welcome ! Thanks   
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My gratitude to the other animal that Jessica Alba touches, and to the coldest Tomcat pilot of the 80's !
They may have used some form of thread locker on the bolts so you could try heating the bolt up before trying to remove it Another option would be to jam an oversized allen key into the bolt head and then twist it off. If you are serious about not using the handguard again, just a dremel cutting wheel and cut off each bolt head, then tap the handguard off. I have used a phillips screwdriver pounded into those f*cking soft bolts and then twisted them off. Start with the least effort to remove them and then esclate accordingly. Those allen head screws are why god created day drinking to help deal with them.
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Always be flexible, but never go limp
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im not even sure the issue is those screws being too tight or locked.. its just that i get zero grip from the crappy socket even with new allen keys. i'll try a few of the suggestions tomorrow. |
My gratitude to the other animal that Jessica Alba touches, and to the coldest Tomcat pilot of the 80's !
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Originally Posted By Nobody69s: As others have said. Heat the bolts. When you have the allen wrench in there, to get more grip use some channel lock pliers or similar on the allen wrench to get more leverage. I've had those type handguards in the past...never again. As I said my main issue is not leverage. The issue is the bolt socket being so poor that my Allen key doesn’t get any grip and rips almost instantly |
My gratitude to the other animal that Jessica Alba touches, and to the coldest Tomcat pilot of the 80's !
| I had that happen years ago with a UTG Pro rail. They got rail bolts with soft incorrectly heat treated steel. I made a slot using a Dremel - and after heating - got it out. A bit tense until it came out. |
yin shui si yuan
Your life is an occasion, rise to it
In time we will be dancing in the streets all night.
Your life is an occasion, rise to it
In time we will be dancing in the streets all night.
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After soaking the bolts in very hot water I saw it dissolved a lot of gunk but still those assholes wouldn’t move. I decided to go the dremel way. And yep, there my flat screwdriver had enough grip and they moved ! I had to dremel 5 out of six… the quality of these bolts head was horrendous. Brownells, do better please. This is crap… Anyway. Now off to remove the gas block and gas tube so I can remove the barrel nut and change the barrel ! We are getting there. Hopefully they didn’t “glue” the barrel nut too Thank you gentlemen !    
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My gratitude to the other animal that Jessica Alba touches, and to the coldest Tomcat pilot of the 80's !
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Originally Posted By Shung: After soaking the bolts in very hot water I saw it dissolved a lot of gunk but still those assholes wouldn’t move. I decided to go the dremel way. And yep, there my flat screwdriver had enough grip and they moved ! I had to dremel 5 out of six… the quality of these bolts head was horrendous. Brownells, do better please. This is crap… Anyway. Now off to remove the gas block and gas tube so I can remove the barrel nut and change the barrel ! We are getting there. Hopefully they didn’t “glue” the barrel nut too Thank you gentlemen ! https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/146967/IMG_0009-3802863.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/146967/IMG_0011-3802864.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/146967/IMG_0014-3802865.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/146967/IMG_0015-3802866.jpg 👍 |
De Oppresso Liber
Iraq: 91,03,04,05,06,08,09,15,16,22-26'
Afghanistan: 09,10,11,14,17,-21'
Iraq: 91,03,04,05,06,08,09,15,16,22-26'
Afghanistan: 09,10,11,14,17,-21'
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Originally Posted By Gotterdammerung: /media/mediaFiles/sharedAlbum/brownelled_agin-659.gif Yup ! |
My gratitude to the other animal that Jessica Alba touches, and to the coldest Tomcat pilot of the 80's !
| Probably used locktite thread locker get a 30w sodering iron with the pointed end and stick it on the nut for about 10 mins then try to get them out. You might also get a screw extraction kit that will have reverse drills and extractors should be able to get this stuff at a hardware store there. |
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Mission accomplished! More than 15 years after my mk12mod0 I completed my mod 1 Tried to stay as clonish as possible  I purposely stayed with the A1 stock here. I thought it looked better than the sop mod I have on the mod0 in this case. Will switch the pistol grip still |
My gratitude to the other animal that Jessica Alba touches, and to the coldest Tomcat pilot of the 80's !
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Originally Posted By Shung: Mission accomplished! More than 15 years after my mk12mod0 I completed my mod 1 Tried to stay as clonish as possible https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/146967/IMG_0224-3823821.jpg I purposely stayed with the A1 stock here. I thought it looked better than the sop mod I have on the mod0 in this case. Will switch the pistol grip still Looks good Pat |
De Oppresso Liber
Iraq: 91,03,04,05,06,08,09,15,16,22-26'
Afghanistan: 09,10,11,14,17,-21'
Iraq: 91,03,04,05,06,08,09,15,16,22-26'
Afghanistan: 09,10,11,14,17,-21'
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