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Posted: 2/9/2017 4:35:24 PM EDT
| I currently have a regular pistol tube and a Shockwave Blade but I want to install the Shockwave tube. Do I need to replace anything other than the tube or can I use all existing parts with it? |
Funny story. When I changed out my grip the first time I was warned about the spring but not the detent. So I finished up and couldn't figure out why my safety selector spun all the way around. So my wife went to the range near her job at lunch to get one so I didn't have to walk in there and do it myself. 
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Only difference between a KAK tube and a regular pistol tube are the dozen little dimples on the bottom of the KAK tube to capture the pointed tip of the set screw on the shockwave.
Don't overtighten the set screw, if you find it's shifting on you use a drill or hand reamer to make a divot. Try not to drill thru it, you don't want anything sticking in the tube that might catch on the spring. Or get excess oil dripping out of the buffer tube. If you're not comfortable drilling/dimpling the tube, try a strip of friction/sandpaper tape on the top of the tube. Be sure not to cover the part of the tube that will be exposed. |
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Quoted:
You're good to go. I would say to have someone twist the tube counter clockwise while you torque on the castle nut. Some people have had problems with the endpate stripping threads on the KAK tube in the past. I ordered a tube from you last week and I didn't have the thread/end plate issue that I experienced in the past. I wonder if KAK had a bad batch? Was this newer stock? |
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Quoted:
Only difference between a KAK tube and a regular pistol tube are the dozen little dimples on the bottom of the KAK tube to capture the pointed tip of the set screw on the shockwave. Don't overtighten the set screw, if you find it's shifting on you use a drill or hand reamer to make a divot. Try not to drill thru it, you don't want anything sticking in the tube that might catch on the spring. Or get excess oil dripping out of the buffer tube. If you're not comfortable drilling/dimpling the tube, try a strip of friction/sandpaper tape on the top of the tube. Be sure not to cover the part of the tube that will be exposed. On the difference between the KAK tube and many standard pistol tubes, was it discussed that the KAK tube is 6061 aluminum and many/most other AR pistol tubes are 7075? I think this may come into play when installing the KAK tube...like the tube turning on the end plate when tightening the castle nut...or modifying it in any other manner. I also think it's why the set screw can fairly easily "dent" the KAK tube if you don't have it exactly centered |
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All commercial buffer tubes are 6061 aluminum. It's a softer material than the mil spec buffer tubes, which are milled from billet aluminum, but has been in use for a long time and works fine under normal use.
If you plan to bash down a door with your AR pistol then a mil spec tube may be a better choice. For mounting a plastic brace 6061 is sufficient IMHO. Too much force applied on the shockwave holding screw can cause the nut to come loose from the brace, which is why I think the dimples are a good idea. With M4 stocks mil spec tubes are slightly smaller in outside diameter than commercial stocks (1.14" vs 1.17" maybe?) so a mil spec stock won't fit on a commercial tube. I've tried it. If the same is true for pistol tubes then a shockwave on a mil spec tube will have a looser fit. I know PSA and RRA pistol buffer tubes are 7075 aluminum. |
This is the end plate I put on my AR pistol with the KAK tube. As far as I can tell the tube did not twist when tightened down. The plate is thicker than a standard plate so maybe that is why it worked better. Also the mount is great for my single point sling, no noise, no parts sticking out to the side to dig into your gut, ambidextrous and very strong. They are available all over Ebay with the sling for a little over $10. Here is the pistol, it's got KAK at both ends, LOL: 
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