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Posted: 12/6/2013 4:48:24 PM EDT
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Received my first AR in the mid 90's as payment for an electrical job I did. It's an A2 upper with a 24" barrel and a free float aluminum tube hand guard.
Decided I wanted to replace the A2 upper with an A3 and the FSB with a low profile gas black, so far, so good. Upon removal of the FSB and the gas tube, the hand guard was less than hand tight, it spun off using only my finger tips and I discovered that the hand guard is essentially the barrel nut. This rifle has been a tack driver, should i reinstall and tighten with a strap wrench? Or replace altogether? If I were to replace, I'd prefer to replace with a similar hand guard (all I attach to it is a bi pod) that doesn't require a proprietary wrench. |
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It's personal preference. If the shooting you're doing can run the risk of having the handguard loosen up you're fine.
I'm not aware of any handguard that uses a proprietary tool. The ones I'm familiar with may use a proprietary barrel nut but a standard barrel nut wrench works on their barrel nut. I'm guessing your existing barrel nut is already a proprietary design similar to a YHM free-float barrel nut. |
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I had drilled a hole in the tube some years ago to mount a bipod stud, when I screw it on to the new receiver to just snug, I would have to tighten it almost 270 degrees to get the stud in the proper position, didn't see it happening.
Purchased a new one yesterday at the LGS, two piece design including a proper barrel nut, might as well do it right. Researched the barrel markings, it's an Olympic Arms. Here's what they had to say: ULTRAMATCH BARRELS These barrels are our most accurate barrels, and quite frankly, these are the most accurate AR-15 barrels on the market. These barrels have Broach-cut Rifling. What is that you say? Well, broaching is the method used to create the lands and grooves. For these barrels, we use the stamping "SUM" which means Stainless Ultra Match. SUM barrels are all chambered with minimum SAAMI 223 Remington reamers. These barrels can also be identified by looking down the bore. All of our broach-cut or Ultramatch barrels have only 4 lands and 4 grooves. Thanks for the replies |
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Quoted:
Disassemble, clean and reinstall with Red Loctite. It should drive some more tacks if you did not alter / replace anything. Consider yourself lucky to own an AR that will drive tacks. DO NOT use red Loctite, or any Loctite for that matter unless specifically instructed to do so by the manufacturer (some newer MI rails require it, but only from the barrel nut to rail. NEVER from the nut to the receiver). install it to spec, and it will be fine. |
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Quoted:
ULTRAMATCH BARRELS These barrels are our most accurate barrels, and quite frankly, these are the most accurate AR-15 barrels on the market. These barrels have Broach-cut Rifling. What is that you say? Well, broaching is the method used to create the lands and grooves. For these barrels, we use the stamping "SUM" which means Stainless Ultra Match. SUM barrels are all chambered with minimum SAAMI 223 Remington reamers. These barrels can also be identified by looking down the bore. All of our broach-cut or Ultramatch barrels have only 4 lands and 4 grooves. Thanks for the replies The SUM barrels they make are usually excellent shooters. But I'm kinda leery about their other stuff. The SUM barrel I had was a 24" also, but with a 1-10 twist. The best group I've ever shot with it was just under .250" for 5 rnds using 69 SMKs over 25.3gr of Varget. |
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Quoted:
DO NOT use red Loctite, or any Loctite for that matter unless specifically instructed to do so by the manufacturer (some newer MI rails require it, but only from the barrel nut to rail. NEVER from the nut to the receiver). install it to spec, and it will be fine. Quoted:
Quoted:
Disassemble, clean and reinstall with Red Loctite. It should drive some more tacks if you did not alter / replace anything. Consider yourself lucky to own an AR that will drive tacks. DO NOT use red Loctite, or any Loctite for that matter unless specifically instructed to do so by the manufacturer (some newer MI rails require it, but only from the barrel nut to rail. NEVER from the nut to the receiver). install it to spec, and it will be fine. Never intended to, just a little moly paste on the receiver/barrel nut |
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Quoted: DO NOT use red Loctite, or any Loctite for that matter unless specifically instructed to do so by the manufacturer (some newer MI rails require it, but only from the barrel nut to rail. NEVER from the nut to the receiver). install it to spec, and it will be fine. Quoted: Quoted: Disassemble, clean and reinstall with Red Loctite. It should drive some more tacks if you did not alter / replace anything. Consider yourself lucky to own an AR that will drive tacks. DO NOT use red Loctite, or any Loctite for that matter unless specifically instructed to do so by the manufacturer (some newer MI rails require it, but only from the barrel nut to rail. NEVER from the nut to the receiver). install it to spec, and it will be fine. |
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Quoted:
The folks that discourage the use of Loctite are the one's that just can't seem to get something put together right the first time. If a weapon is going to malfunction due to vibration ....... it will do it at the most inopportune time. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Disassemble, clean and reinstall with Red Loctite. It should drive some more tacks if you did not alter / replace anything. Consider yourself lucky to own an AR that will drive tacks. DO NOT use red Loctite, or any Loctite for that matter unless specifically instructed to do so by the manufacturer (some newer MI rails require it, but only from the barrel nut to rail. NEVER from the nut to the receiver). install it to spec, and it will be fine. can you quote any other spec that indicates the use of Loctite? it's a bandaid for shoddy work in any application that it isn't specifically called for. would you Loctite the spark plugs in your vehicle? how about your lug nuts? the ENCOURAGEMENT of using Loctite is mostly by people that don't read the proper installation instructions or just don't trust torque specs and proper assembly. |
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