I am trying to remove the buffer tube from a Bushmaster lower. The tube is for an A2 buttstock. The stock has been removed, as well as the buffer and spring. All that remains is the tube. I worked with a buddy last night to remove it, and NOTHING would loosen the tube. We tried using a wrench on the flat surfaces at the rear of the tube, we tried strap wrenches and we tried channel lock pliers. NOTHING worked. We could barely budge the tube. At one point, we heard a sound very much like the sound made when a Loc-tite seal is being broken, but could not budge the tube any further. I bought the rifle new, and the tube has never been removed before.
I called Bushmaster, and was told by the customer service rep that it should just unscrew with no need for excessive torque. He told me that they have NEVER used a thread locking compound to install a buffer tube. He seemed a little jumpy when I mentioned applying a bit of heat to soften the thread locker.
Have any of you had an experience like this when trying to remove a Bushmaster buffer tube? Is there a trick I am missing? I'm assuming that there is some kind of thread locking compound, but I just wanted to see if anyone else has run into this problem before I apply heat to the tube. Thanks!
Edited to correct grammatical screw-ups.