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Posted: 6/12/2012 8:59:19 AM EDT
| How many of you bought this handguard removal tool to install your quadrail? Seems like a waste of money (albeit small) for a one time use. |
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How many of you bought this handguard removal tool to install your quadrail? Seems like a waste of money (albeit small) for a one time use. I didnt buy the tool when I once put on the delta ring on a build I was doing (that I eventually gave up on lol) but it was a pain in the ass. I did eventually get it on there but it wasnt fun. |
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I broke the first one I bought in 2-3 uses, I suggest you dont get one with the plastic head (ie DSA tool) if you do buy one. They won't last...
Before buying the tool, try a pair of Channellock pliers, use the rubber handles to squeeze the delta ring, big Channellocks work best (Don't fubar the delta ring). This will give one person (with 3 hands) leverage to do this alone, it works well enough to try, is<was> all I use now. <See edit> Ordered another steel removal tool today. Edit to add––>> I just wrestled with another tough spring, channellocks wouldn't work (would if I had 3 hands) on this one. I never hide from spending money on these damn things and tools (if needed) are a good investment. I broke my first HG tool, these will be all steel (except the rubber coating). Hell, I spend $$$$ on ammo for a days shoot, $15 is absorbed quickly. 
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| When I bought mine I thought I'd only use it once to install my quad rail, since then I've used it dozens of times on multiple rifles, sometimes to swap handguards, other times to add an accessory rail. I've tried pulling that delta ring by hand, it can be done but it's a PITA, and $12 for a tool I've used as many times as I have is a bargain. If mine broke tomorrow I'd buy another one without thinking about it. |
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LOL You beat me to it! 
I'm not particularly strong, but I've never had trouble retracting the slip/delta ring by hand. |
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When I bought mine I thought I'd only use it once to install my quad rail, since then I've used it dozens of times on multiple rifles, sometimes to swap handguards, other times to add an accessory rail. I've tried pulling that delta ring by hand, it can be done but it's a PITA, and $12 for a tool I've used as many times as I have is a bargain. If mine broke tomorrow I'd buy another one without thinking about it. +1 |
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I've never needed one...so far.
I don't have a problem depressing the delta ring on my particular rifle, but I guess it varies from rifle to rifle on the stiffness of the delta ring. If I did own a rifle with a stiff one, I wouldn't hesitate to spend the $12 or so for the tool. I cant begin to tell you how many times I've taken the rail on and off for various reasons...and I hate dealing with headaches when there is a simple solution for it! |
| Not that I am in the habit of constantly removing handguards, but I did buy one from AIM a couple of years back. I had a couple of rifles with some pretty stiff springs, so I figured it would be nice to have for those times. I was a little disappointed when I got it, because it had obviously been used. I don't know if it was a return or if they had been using it there in the shop, but I was pretty pissed as it wasn't advertised as being a second hand item. In either case, it has mostly sat off to the side somewhere. Since I have the stuff to work on ARs, it is just as easy for me to put the rifle in the vise, and let that hold the rifle for me, so I can more easily manipulate the Delta ring. |
| Have had Delta ring springs that were so easy to depress you definitely didn't need a tool. Had others so stiff even 2 people have a hard time keeping it depressed while still snapping in handguards (lots of pressure required + hands start to get in the way). Did some like that alone too... took a lot time, effort and swearing. The tool makes those really stiff ones an absolute breeze. Worth every penny if you have even one rifle with a really stiff Delta ring spring OR work on a lot of different rifles often enough. |
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When I bought mine I thought I'd only use it once to install my quad rail, since then I've used it dozens of times on multiple rifles, sometimes to swap handguards, other times to add an accessory rail. I've tried pulling that delta ring by hand, it can be done but it's a PITA, and $12 for a tool I've used as many times as I have is a bargain. If mine broke tomorrow I'd buy another one without thinking about it. Ditto. It was well worth the $15 I spent on mine |
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Not really necessary for M4 type hand guards, but come in very handy for quad rails and the like where tolerances are much tighter. I have found that the handguards don't determine if you need it. It is the spring. Some springs are simply harder to push down than others. I have had a lot of A2, carbine, and M4 handguards that didn't need any assistance, but also some of each that did. |
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The only tool I have ever used was a section of cleaning rod. Of course, this was to remove the triangle handguards on the M16A1. The flared delta ring doesn't really require any sort of tool, IMHO. That is true if you own one or two rifles with fairly soft springs, or you have simply never come across a stiff spring. But when you have twenty or so rifles run through your hands, a few of them are bound to be pretty stiff. Not to mention, some people buy a rifle, and theirs is simply stiff as hell. |
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When I bought mine I thought I'd only use it once to install my quad rail, since then I've used it dozens of times on multiple rifles, sometimes to swap handguards, other times to add an accessory rail. I've tried pulling that delta ring by hand, it can be done but it's a PITA, and $12 for a tool I've used as many times as I have is a bargain. If mine broke tomorrow I'd buy another one without thinking about it. +2 |
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I guess years of playing bass guitar made my hands strong. have not found a delta ring yet that I can't release with my hand. good form may be the the problem.
I unload gun, butt stock on the floor, grab delta ring with thumb and index fingers and push down..simple! 
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Like others have said, some delta rings are easier than others. I've had a couple that wouldn't depress enough without some kind of tool, and my (metal) handguard removal tool has come in handy for those. It's a cheap investment, and even if you CAN do it with your gorilla-like strength, the leverage they give you makes the job a lot easier.
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Quit making it hard for yourselves. Put the butt of the rifle on the floor, push the delta ring downward on the bottom half of the handguard only. Simultaneously lift and pull out on just the bottom half with your left hand. Follow the same steps for the top.
You don't have to try and push the whole D ring down. Don't try to get the top first. Don't try and get them both at once. Don't worry about breaking the handguards or D ring. You'll break before they do. Try pulling a delta spring off a barrel nut with a 3 inch screwdriver. Now that's a challenge. Fuck those things are tough. |
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Quit making it hard for yourselves. Put the butt of the rifle on the floor, push the delta ring downward on the bottom half of the handguard only. Simultaneously lift and pull out on just the bottom half with your left hand. Follow the same steps for the top. You don't have to try and push the whole D ring down. Don't try to get the top first. Don't try and get them both at once. Don't worry about breaking the handguards or D ring. You'll break before they do. Try pulling a delta spring off a barrel nut with a 3 inch screwdriver. Now that's a challenge. Fuck those things are tough. What part of some of them are just too hard to do this with do you guys not understand? In addition to close to 20 ARs, I have close to twelve years in the Marine Corps handling M16s, and some of them are just plain difficult to get off. It isn't a matter of technique, or making things hard, or simple weakness. Even if I was weak, I am pretty sure that between the next three or four Marines I asked to try it, and they couldn't do it either, we were not all weak or just making things hard on ourselves. |
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Quit making it hard for yourselves. Put the butt of the rifle on the floor, push the delta ring downward on the bottom half of the handguard only. Simultaneously lift and pull out on just the bottom half with your left hand. Follow the same steps for the top. You don't have to try and push the whole D ring down. Don't try to get the top first. Don't try and get them both at once. Don't worry about breaking the handguards or D ring. You'll break before they do. Try pulling a delta spring off a barrel nut with a 3 inch screwdriver. Now that's a challenge. Fuck those things are tough. What part of some of them are just too hard to do this with do you guys not understand? In addition to close to 20 ARs, I have close to twelve years in the Marine Corps handling M16s, and some of them are just plain difficult to get off. It isn't a matter of technique, or making things hard, or simple weakness. Even if I was weak, I am pretty sure that between the next three or four Marines I asked to try it, and they couldn't do it either, we were not all weak or just making things hard on ourselves. +1 to this. Stop trying to make it sound like a toughness or tough hands vs. girly-man problem. No weakling here and good technique. Yes, that includes installing 1 half of the HG's at a time. Sometimes the delta ring spring can be *extremely* stiff/tough. Couple that with a pair of handguards that are really tight due to being on the high/long end of spec tolerances and you're in for a *really* tough time without a tool. The tool works well for what it is supposed to do. Better than the handles on a pair of channel locks because it hooks into the magwell for leverage and the rubber coating keeps you from marring any aluminum or finishes. If you only work on a couple rifles and they have delta rings that are easy/normal range of effort to depress then you don't need it. If you work on a lot of rifles or have a couple in your arsenal that have the incredibly stiff delta ring springs it is without a doubt worth the money. I didn't think it was necessary and didn't buy one until I was a few years into ARs and encountered some of these rifles with incredibly stiff delta ring springs. If my HG removal tool broke today I'd get a replacement right away. |
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Quit making it hard for yourselves. Put the butt of the rifle on the floor, push the delta ring downward on the bottom half of the handguard only. Simultaneously lift and pull out on just the bottom half with your left hand. Follow the same steps for the top. You don't have to try and push the whole D ring down. Don't try to get the top first. Don't try and get them both at once. Don't worry about breaking the handguards or D ring. You'll break before they do. Try pulling a delta spring off a barrel nut with a 3 inch screwdriver. Now that's a challenge. Fuck those things are tough. What part of some of them are just too hard to do this with do you guys not understand? In addition to close to 20 ARs, I have close to twelve years in the Marine Corps handling M16s, and some of them are just plain difficult to get off. It isn't a matter of technique, or making things hard, or simple weakness. Even if I was weak, I am pretty sure that between the next three or four Marines I asked to try it, and they couldn't do it either, we were not all weak or just making things hard on ourselves. +1 to this. Stop trying to make it sound like a toughness or tough hands vs. girly-man problem. No weakling here and good technique. Yes, that includes installing 1 half of the HG's at a time. Sometimes the delta ring spring can be *extremely* stiff/tough. Couple that with a pair of handguards that are really tight due to being on the high/long end of spec tolerances and you're in for a *really* tough time without a tool. The tool works well for what it is supposed to do. Better than the handles on a pair of channel locks because it hooks into the magwell for leverage and the rubber coating keeps you from marring any aluminum or finishes. If you only work on a couple rifles and they have delta rings that are easy/normal range of effort to depress then you don't need it. If you work on a lot of rifles or have a couple in your arsenal that have the incredibly stiff delta ring springs it is without a doubt worth the money. I didn't think it was necessary and didn't buy one until I was a few years into ARs and encountered some of these rifles with incredibly stiff delta ring springs. If my HG removal tool broke today I'd get a replacement right away. Where did I say anything about strength? Guess who taught me? My girlfriend who had to take everyone else's handguards off in her unit because none of them did it properly either. It's funny because my buddy just a year out of the Marines bought a DSA that he said neither him or his buddies could get the original examples off to put on the MOE's I sold him. I had the MOE set on in under a minute, literally. |
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Quit making it hard for yourselves. Put the butt of the rifle on the floor, push the delta ring downward on the bottom half of the handguard only. Simultaneously lift and pull out on just the bottom half with your left hand. Follow the same steps for the top. You don't have to try and push the whole D ring down. Don't try to get the top first. Don't try and get them both at once. Don't worry about breaking the handguards or D ring. You'll break before they do. Try pulling a delta spring off a barrel nut with a 3 inch screwdriver. Now that's a challenge. Fuck those things are tough. What part of some of them are just too hard to do this with do you guys not understand? In addition to close to 20 ARs, I have close to twelve years in the Marine Corps handling M16s, and some of them are just plain difficult to get off. It isn't a matter of technique, or making things hard, or simple weakness. Even if I was weak, I am pretty sure that between the next three or four Marines I asked to try it, and they couldn't do it either, we were not all weak or just making things hard on ourselves. +1 to this. Stop trying to make it sound like a toughness or tough hands vs. girly-man problem. No weakling here and good technique. Yes, that includes installing 1 half of the HG's at a time. Sometimes the delta ring spring can be *extremely* stiff/tough. Couple that with a pair of handguards that are really tight due to being on the high/long end of spec tolerances and you're in for a *really* tough time without a tool. The tool works well for what it is supposed to do. Better than the handles on a pair of channel locks because it hooks into the magwell for leverage and the rubber coating keeps you from marring any aluminum or finishes. If you only work on a couple rifles and they have delta rings that are easy/normal range of effort to depress then you don't need it. If you work on a lot of rifles or have a couple in your arsenal that have the incredibly stiff delta ring springs it is without a doubt worth the money. I didn't think it was necessary and didn't buy one until I was a few years into ARs and encountered some of these rifles with incredibly stiff delta ring springs. If my HG removal tool broke today I'd get a replacement right away. Where did I say anything about strength? Guess who taught me? My girlfriend who had to take everyone else's handguards off in her unit because none of them did it properly either. It's funny because my buddy just a year out of the Marines bought a DSA that he said neither him or his buddies could get the original examples off to put on the MOE's I sold him. I had the MOE set on in under a minute, literally. So an entire unit could not get their hand guards off, but your girlfriend was able to do it? ROFLMAO 
That sounds like one hell of a tall tale if I ever heard one before. FYI, the way you described to do it, is exactly the way I have done it for years. I have still had some I could not take off. Or even if I succeeded, they were still very, very difficult. The tool simply makes it easier. |
I have never encountered any yet I could not remove myself,not saying someday I might. But if I ever do I think two guys,or girls could get it done...If you just like tools,buy one,every guy likes tools wether they use em or not. Having lots of tools impresses your friends..I have been a mechanic all my life and use my hands alot. I can just imagine a little 98 lb fella that has worked at McDonalds all his life having trouble though
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